Digestion and Mineral Absorption

DIGESTION AND MINERAL ABSORBTION:

In Nutritional Therapy, we begin with paperwork and a client interview to start the process of finding the root cause to their unexplained symptoms. Many times, a client has been searching for treatment elsewhere with traditional medicine, naturopathic and even acupuncture. Sometimes a client improves, and their symptoms are decreased, minimized, or eliminated. Other times, the client still can find the right solution to bring back their health and vitality. That is when a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner may be able to go one step further in the investigation and help put the pieces of the puzzle together. Often, we need a team of health care providers to help us heal from the inside and out. Nutritional Therapy program begins with a four-session protocol.

In our first Nutritional Therapy (NT) session, the paperwork includes a health history type of form, 3-plus day food log with symptoms tracked and a lot of questions in the Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (NAQ) form. All the information gathered from these forms, all the Nutritional Therapist to help do some investigation with the client and we begin our assessment of the WHOLE person using the foundations of Nutritional Therapy:

Whole food nutrient dense diet
Digestion
Blood sugar regulation (and adrenals)
Essential Fatty Acid balance
Mineral Balance
Hydration

Our second meeting with a Nutritional Therapy client is the important functional evaluation where the body gives us even more information. Then in the next follow up session, we will do lingual neural testing or muscle testing to determine which supplements the body is lacking or asking for to find its way back to homeostasis with the power of its own innate intelligence! The final session, we discuss their individualized The WHOLESTIC Method Nutritional Therapy plan to help them heal from within once we discovered the root cause of their symptoms. We work on their plan for 2-3 months then meet once a month to re-asses and continue working on repairing and improving their main health concerns.

Again- we are like investigators working together with the client to determine the root cause and putting the pieces together to create the WHOLE new better operating system than the previous one! Add a reset and reboot program to the system and viola… a new person who feels and looks their best in years! Their main concerns are now changing, and we continue making baby steps towards all their reducing symptoms.

Now one area I find common with clients is muscle cramping. This is a great example in how we work backwards with the symptoms then try to figure out the root cause. Muscle cramps at night time during sleep is common for my clients. So, I wanted to dig deeper… why does muscle cramping occur?

Well to start muscle cramping can be a result of poor hydration as most people do not drink enough water per day and consume many ounces of diuretics per day. In Nutritional Therapy and the CHEK Institute, the recommended amount of clean water consumption is to drink half of one’s bodyweight in ounces per day plus another 12-16 ounces of water for each 12 ounces of diuretic beverage (tea, coffee, soda, juice…). Drinking water seems to be a challenge for most people – and not to drink it all at once before bedtime! I enjoy adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or muddled mint into my water plus some sea salt and mineral drops (https://www.amazon.com/Trace-Minerals-Research-Concentrace-Mineral/dp/B000AMUWLK?th=1).

Another reason for cramping at rest (calf, foot, or toes), is an imbalance or deficiency of minerals specifically calcium, magnesium, or potassium deficiency. In Nutritional Therapy we then dig deeper and figure out WHY the body isn’t absorbing minerals or why are we running low on minerals? Maybe we have enough calcium in our body, but we are not able to absorb it because we are missing the co-factors needed for proper absorption.

Magnesium needs to be in balance of calcium for the muscles to relax in between contractions. If we are showing signs of mineral deficiency, then we should look at our digestive system as we should be getting minerals from the nutrient dense foods we are hopefully consuming. To break down minerals, we need HCL which is hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Other symptoms, besides “calf, foot or toe cramps at rest”, we look at in Nutritional Therapy in our Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (NAQ) for mineral needs includes:

history of carpel tunnel syndrome
history of stress fractures
bone loss
frequent skin rashes or hives
joints pop or click
pain or swelling in joints
bursitis or tedonitis
history of bone spurs
crave chocolate
history of anemia
dry mouth, eyes and/nose
white spots on fingernails
cuts heal slowly and/or scar easily

For proper stomach digestion, the pH levels in the stomach needs to be an acidic 1.5-3.0 pH level. Mainstream media and traditional medicine often tells us to take an anti-acid pill if we have poor digestive symptoms or acid reflux. Most of us have too LITTLE stomach acid – not too much as the marketing ads tell us! Instead we really need the proper acid environment in our stomach for proper digestive processes that occur in the stomach. Digestion begins in the most northern point- the brain but a lot of key digestive processes happen in the stomach if the stomach can produce enough HCL acid to meet the needs for digestion and absorption. Low levels of stomach acid will lead to low levels of nutrient absorption.

Strong stomach acid (1.5-3.0 pH), helps absorb not only calcium but also magnesium, zinc, iron, folate, and the energizer vitamin B12. How do you know if you have low stomach acid besides perhaps muscle cramps at night?

Difficulty digesting meat
Acid reflux or heartburn after eating meals
Bloating or gas after eating
Food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances to one or more foods
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies as strong stomach acid helps us breakdown and absorb calcium, zinc, iron, folate and B12.

How do we improve our digestion and nutrient absorption? Let’s have a brief lesson in how stomach digestion works…in simple terms:

When chewed food becomes bolus in the mouth it then moves down to the stomach
The bolus is now to turn into chyme if the stomach is acidic environment (if 1.5 to 3.0 pH) to activate the release of hydrochloric acid (HCL) and if the protein digestive enzymes – Pepsin is secreted.
Minerals and vitamins in our digested food are bound to proteins
Proper protein digestion is a key step to releasing the minerals from the proteins that they are stuck or bound to in the stomach.
The HCL helps in protein digestion by causing the protein molecules to separate and break off the food components.
This “dissociation” occurs with the help of HCL and frees the positively charged mineral ion from the food.
Once HCL is present, then pepsin is released to help in the digestion of the proteins
Low HCL levels can prevent minerals from breaking off (dissociating) from the food but varies per mineral as Iron and Calcium vary in the absorption rates as well as medications or drugs that impact HCL levels.
Once food (Bolus) leaves the stomach, the digestive process continues in the beginning of the small intestine with pancreatic enzymes for proteins, fats, and carbohydrates as well as the release of the hormone for bile production and sodium bicarbonate that neutralizes the acid levels.
Further research is required to determine if the mineral absorption is impacted by the digestive processes in the small intestine (duodenum) by the pancreatic enzymes to help breakdown the food even more.
The HCL levels in the stomach must be ideal for the rest of the digestive process to occur at optimal levels using the body’s own innate intelligence to maintain homeostasis.
Remember the digestive process starts at the most northern point- the brain so makes sure you are in the parasympathetic nervous system state for proper digestion. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is a “Rest, repair and DIGEST” system so if you are eating while multi-tasking or being in stress mode then you are in Sympathetic nervous system and your digestive system processes are turned “off” or dampened.

How can you fix low stomach acid levels?

Test to see if you are actually low hcl (See Nutritional Therapist for testing)
Eat a clean diet with out processed foods and refined sugars.
Slow down, focus and chew your food while enjoying the flavors
Do your best to eat organic, non-GMO foods when possible to avoid processed foods with high levels of sugars and artificial ingredients which arrive depletes the minerals in the processing.
Add more fermented foods as kraut and kiefer to improve digestion, gut health, microbiome, balance gut bacteria which a healthy gut will aid in nutrient absorption, decrease chance for leaky gut and food sensitivities.
Avoid taking anti-acids which lower stomach acid levels. The anti-acid supplements and medications actually increase the problem. Talk to a practitioner that can help in this area and work with your doctor.
Chew your food 20-30 times. Most people swallow their food without breaking it down enough causing more stress and work for the digestive system in breaking down the food. Eating smaller portions and slowing down will help as well.
Reduce stress levels and chronic stressors to get out of the sympathetic nervous system and help strengthen your vagal tone to be eating in the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest!). Take some deep breaths before eating.
Add a pre-meal digestive aid before your meal as good old apple cider vinegar and digestive enzymes to help in digestion to get the gastric juices flowing optimally again.
You need enough stomach acid to signal the pancreas to release the pancreatic enzymes so you may need a supplement temporarily for your reboot program.
Work with a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) test to see if you need HCL supplements short term for your reset and reboot of the stomach digestive processes. HCL supplements can also help with leaky gut, food allergies and acid reflux but let your NTP test your supplements your body is lacking (remember not long term need) until your body has repaired itself back to homeostasis.

To wrap it up- signs of magnesium deficiencies include:

Leg cramps
Insomnia: vital for GABA function to calm the brain and promote relaxation
Muscle pain
Anxiety: low levels of GABA cycle in the body can lead to irritability and nervousness
High blood pressure: Mg works with Ca – so when low in Mg then you are low in Ca.
Type II Diabetes
Fatigue
Migraine headaches
Osteoporosis

Causes of magnesium deficiency can not only be low stomach acid level and poor digestion but also soil depletion of our mineral and high use of medication. Medications damage the gut wall lining which is important to keep healthy if we want to absorb our nutrients in our small intestine. More reasons to do a liver detox and digestion system reset if you want to reboot your body! Take ownership of your body… you only have one! You can’t turn in your body for a new one as you do on a car. As they say… “your wealth is your health”.

How are you going to optimize your health this year? Start today …don’t wait for the “ideal time”. Life is always busy, and we always have meetings, social engagements, work conflicts, and other “I am too busy to start” excuses. To me, when you are the busiest, is the best time to start a new program to transform the WHOLE you from the inside out as it is a more realistic schedule and real-life challenges for you to learn how to face! Take control of you and put the oxygen mask on first.

Sources:

www.naturallylivingideas.com

www.nutritionfacts.org

www.draxe.com

www.bioticsresearch.com

https://www.integrativepractitioner.com

Do you want to feel and look amazing on the inside and out while slowing down the aging process? The WHOLESTIC Method transformation 30-Day Program will help you get the results you have been searching for over the years. The WHOLESTIC Method program coach Debbie Potts guides you in the 30-Day journey how to discover your WHY and create a personal roadmap towards transforming the WHOLE you, while teaching your body how to burn fat, improve liver health, digestion, boost energy levels and improve performance.

For real and lasting transformation, The WHOLESTIC Method program begins working on the inside first- starting with a liver detox and a type of cleanse to improve digestion then we work on elimination of common foods that cause sensitivities leading to gut inflammation and more imbalances. During the 30-day program with your coach, you will learn how to make the right food choices for your body (not one size fits all program) that will teach your body to burn fat for its main fuel source (not be a sugar burner) and balance your blood sugar. After the program is completed, you will have gained to confidence to continue the new eating and lifestyle program on your own with the option to continue with monthly check-in meetings with Coach Debbie.

Top fitness trainer and health coach, Debbie Potts, has created a transformation program based on over 25 years of experience and continued on-going education as a personal trainer, coach, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach, USAT Triathlon Coach and the host of a weekly podcast called “The WHOLE Athlete”.

Debbie has discovered eight elements that improve your ability to BURN FAT, OPTIMIZE HEALTH and IMPROVE PERFORMANCE in life and sports.

The eight elements of The WHOLESTIC Method are covered in our 30-day program as well as in the Manual and Workbook:
1. Nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Sleep
4. Stress
5. Movement
6. Digestion, Gut Health & Hormones
7. Hydration
8. Happiness

The WHOLESTIC Method 30-Day Transformation program consists of three stages:
1. Phase One: 5-Day DETOX & RESET Challenge
2. Phase Two: 21-Day SUGAR DETOX & RESET Challenge

3. Phase Three: Maintenance Program 80/20

Start working on your new journey to transform the WHOLE you from the INSIDE OUT. Get off the blood sugar roller coaster and on the road to becoming a fat burning machine!

Total Price: starts at $497

Includes:

The WHOLESTIC Method Manual and Workbook
5 Shakes for the 5-day Detox
Food plans, shopping lists and recipes
Kick off meeting informational seminar
Weekly check-in meetings
Daily accountability check in texts or calls
Fitness Forward T-Shirt
Discount on Bone Broth, Perfect Keto Collagen Powder, and Pruvit Ketones
Discount on Wilson’s Formula digestive cleanse, gut health, and adrenal supplements
And more to come!