Digestive health
Everyone is talking about digestive health these days, but I think there is a lot of confusion and a lot of contradictory information.
Digestive health refers to the health of our entire digestive system, also known as the alimentary canal, which starts with our mouth and ends with the anus. Sometimes the term used is “gut health,” but that refers mostly to the lower GI tract/colon, even though in some situations, it can be used interchangeably with digestive health.
Usually other organs such as the liver, pancreas, spleen, salivary glands, and tongue are not associated with digestive health, but we have to understand that everything works together, so those secondary organs can’t be ignored when we think functionally.
Digestive health refers to multiple aspects of the digestive tract, such as digestion and absorption of food, different digestive problems, the health of our microbiome, transit, the health of our organs, and more.
The gastrointestinal barrier and our microbiota are keys to understanding the complex mechanisms that maintain digestive health. There can be other factors that contribute to diseases, like low stomach acid or lack of enzymes.
Any impairment along the digestive tract can increase the risk of developing infectious, inflammatory, and functional gastrointestinal diseases, as well as systemic diseases such as immune-mediated and metabolic disorders.
Recently, more methods of assessing, improving, and maintaining gut health-related problems are used in functional approaches — methods such as specific testing, probiotics, prebiotics, supplements, special diets, and even complementary therapies.
While in the Western medical world, digestive issues are considered taboo or non-essential, digestive health is a central theme in Asian and Ayurvedic medicine.
The Japanese energy healing therapy Reiki teaches us that “hara” simply means belly, but at a deeper level, it also means one’s true nature, so it is not just a physical center in the body, but also spiritual.
Ayurvedic medicine considers that the health of the digestive system is at the center of optimum health. If you can absorb and assimilate life’s experiences, whether physical or emotional, then you are healthy. This means that you can manage life’s challenges and will not be held back by past “meals” or experiences. An undigested meal leaves discomfort, as can an undigested experience.
TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) views the health of the stomach and spleen as the root of long-term health and stresses the underlying importance of those organs in all chronic disease states.
In the Chakra system, the yellow chakra called Solar Plexus Chakra or Manipura is the third from the bottom chakra, located in the abdominal area, a few inches just above the navel. Manipura is responsible for optimum digestive functioning and keeping the digestive fire stimulated (gut microbiome and digestive enzymes). The yellow chakra is also the center of our identity, our inner power, which is sometimes referred to in psychology as our ‘Ego.’ The yellow chakra serves as the basis for personal strength, vitality and power. It regulates self-esteem, confidence, and the will to follow your path and create the life you want. No guts, no glory!
There is no one protocol, one pill, one supplement, one meal, one medicinal herb for healing the gut. Healing the gut is different for everyone, as we are all unique, we all have differents health problems, and we all need personalized approaches.
In order to heal your gut, you need to change your diet and lifestyle, take targeted supplements, do specialty tests, and sometimes even take prescription medication. Healing your gut is a journey that sometimes can be difficult, frustrating, and expensive, but so are pain, suffering, and chronic diseases, so it is worth it.
Your digestive health is my number one priority! I want to help you better understand “what is going on in there?” to assess your problems, recommend a personalized diet, and track your results.
In good health,
Ioana