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Did you know that digestion kicks off in your brain?! 🧠

Yep, just thinking 💭 about that delicious dinner you're planning, smelling it cook in the oven, and seeing the final masterpiece on your plate gets your digestive system all revved up before you even take a bite. 🍜

Once you dig in, the food embarks on a journey through your gastrointestinal tract, breaking down and soaking up all sorts of nutrients along the way. But if digestion isn't working right, your body misses out on essential nutrients needed for energy, growth, and overall health.

That's why students in the NTP program dive deep into digestion, learning how a whole-food, nutrient-dense diet, and smart lifestyle choices can support it.

We are all about incorporating easy habits into our daily routines to make digestion a smooth ride, helping the rest of our body function like a well-oiled machine.

Digestion: The Ultimate North-to-South Adventure 🛶

Digestion starts in the brain, then moves to the mouth. From there, it travels to the gastrointestinal tract, which includes the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small and large intestines, and finally ends at the rectum and anus.

Stomach Acid: The Ultimate MVP for Digestion!

We've all heard the Pepto ads and probably have had the jingle stuck in our heads 😜 🎶 ... We're conditioned to think heartburn and indigestion is caused by too much stomach acid, but it’s actually often the opposite – not enough acid to properly break down food! 🤯

Digestion is all about finding the perfect pH balance! In the stomach, things get super acidic (pH 1.5-2.5) to help pepsin break down proteins and keep bad bacteria at bay.

So, how do we create enough acid and enzymes to break down our food?

In order to create enough digestive "fire" 🔥, we need to be in a parasympathetic, or relaxed, state. When we're calm, the body signals that everything's okay and can focus on the important tasks like producing digestive enzymes and stomach acid to break down your food.

When we help our body feel safe and relaxed, we’re basically giving it the green light to focus its energy on digestion.

TODAY'S QUICK TIPS:

4 Fun Ways to Boost Your Digestion

1. Slow Down and Eat Mindfully - Savor each bite. This will encourage important stomach acid and enzymes to break down your food.

2. Thoroughly Chew Your Food - ⭐ Taking 20-30 seconds to chew each bite helps produce enough saliva to kickstart food breakdown and signals the brain to activate the digestive process further along.

3. Reduce Stress - Easier said than done. Deep breaths before a meal can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system.

4. Get Moving Daily - Taking a short 15 minute walk after each meal can keep your nutrients flowing and aid in the natural contractions of your intestines. If 15 minutes feels too big, start with 5 and gradually increase.

BONUS: If you're still struggling with bloating and indigestion, try consuming foods with bitter flavors, this helps to prime your entire digestive tract! Consider using traditional digestive bitters with your meals.

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DAY 2 HOMEWORK:

➡️ Implement one new tip from above to commit to this week and document how you feel!

Stay tuned for more tasty tips arriving to your inbox TOMORROW! 🌟

Download your FREE Digestion Guide for more tips! ⬇️

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