If it were that simple we would all be thriving and feeling at the top of our game.

Put simply we are what we eat, digest and absorb…and then more importantly how we connect with the world around us.

 Don’t get me wrong, the importance of eating wholefood nutrition is clear in terms of our primary aim of eating is for cellular nutrition to fuel every cell in our body, however all things are inter connected, everything in the body, be it what we put in our body, on our body and feel in our body is affecting every little thing elsewhere in the body, downstream and sideways.

If we were just what we eat, then the folk of a town in America called Roseto should have been like all the other towns and states around them and falling ill from various ailments not namely heart disease. But they weren’t.  In the 50/60s research was done into why these folk where simply dying of old age. They were poor migrant workers, whose diet consisted of meatballs fried in lard, were smokers and drank wine.. yet the research concluded that they had half the rate of heart disease because no one was ever lonely, they lived in multi generational homes, worked hard jobs, but would gather for meals, church, and the community helped out re child care or if you were down on luck, they had a community.  When the community started to disband in the 70´s as children went off to universities and to find different work, and marry out side of their community, they then statistically fell in line with the rest of the towns around them in terms of dis-ease.

There are a lot of people who eat the best, organic, “clean” diet and are meticulous about what they put in their body, yet they are not thriving in their environment and there are others that are far less careful about what they eat, yet are thriving in their environment.

When your primary food; that is everything that nourishes off the plate, be it relationships, work, how you connect with the world around you; is full, you thrive and the actual food stays secondary providing support to be healthy and do the things you love.

Chronic stress, be it physiological, emotional or mental is damaging to our body on so many levels, particularly our Gut.  Gut health is therefore key, it is by no mistake that two thirds of our immune system lies in our gut and is the primary way that our body senses and responds to our environment, taking notes on the status of our world.  Inflammation is the language of alarm for our immune system, sometimes it is expected and well intended as in it keeps us from dying of an infection or helps us to heal quickly from a cut, however the low grade chronic inflammation in response to lifestyle choices and the environment we are asking our bodies to thrive in can be a major source of imbalance in our body which can cause chronic inflammation, presenting as a dis-ease or several points of dis-ease in our body.

With the increase in processed foods, chemicals and toxins we slather on our skin, GMO´s and Chronic Stress, it shouldn’t really be a surprise that our immune system, of which over 70% is housed in our gut” can be a little unsettled, and  the integrity of our gut lining damaged, which is actually only one cell thick.  Intestinal permeability aka “leaky gut” is when the junctions between these cells become damaged, the gut wall becomes loose and allow toxins, microbes and molecules that are too big and not broken down sufficiently to pass through the barrier into the bloodstream, which can cause widespread inflammation and trigger reactions from the immune system, such as bloating, fatigue, digestive issues, skin problems, the list could go on and on. These are just local battlefields telling us our body is struggling to survive in the environment we are putting it in.

However, while Dis-ease tends to begin in the gut, on the flip side Wellness also begins in the gut. From what we eat, chew and swallow, to how we promote and support our digestion, to how we promote and support our absorption in our gut, and finally how we connect with the world around us.

We need to Slow down, Sit Down and Chew in order to help our digestion and therefore our absorption.  A lot of us chew our food just a couple of times before swallowing and often chase it down with a glass of water or other liquid, this is something I personally struggle with not slowing down and chewing my food enough. 

Digestion starts in the mouth and the more we chew, think about 20 chews per mouthful of food, the more the enzymes that start to break down the food are released and can start that process so our stomach doesn’t have to work so hard. As a side note the longer you chew the more your food will taste sweeter. Think about chewing your food until it is almost liquid and not adding too much extra liquid by gulping down with your meals. The reason for this is too much water can dilute the stomach acid and lead to belching and bloating as food stays around in your stomach longer then it should and starts to ferment.

Sounds simple right, yet chewing and not drinking too much with the food alone could relieve your reflux.  Also if we eat more slowly we allow our bodies natural “I am Full” trigger to work properly in order that do not overeat, which can also lead to feeling bloated.  If the process of breaking down the food is optimal, it then allows for better digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Remember the end goal of eating is to get the nutrients from our food to be absorbed at a cellular level.

That being said, I feel too many of us are being held back in our life, simply due to not feeling like we are firing with all cylinders working. So it is really important to understand how interconnected everything is.  We may well eat a fantastic diet, yet if we are struggling with chronic stressors either from a relationship or work or lack  of community or support around you, or your burning the candle at both ends and failing to listen to your body, this will if not addressed affect your gut health, which will impair optimal health and vitality.

If you have stayed with me so far thank you and I just want you to consider this for a minute.

If you think of yourself as a tree, your legs and feet are the roots, your torso the trunk and your arms, head, emotions etc the branches and leaves.  You can´t evaluate the health of a leaf on a tree without considering the health of the branch, the trunk, the roots, the soil, the air and the environment in which it is being nurtured or not…  The inter connectedness is key to ensuring that our bodies are getting that cellular nutrition in order for the rest of our body to be able to thrive. This is the functional approach to health and wellbeing and optimal wellness.

As always if you are not sure where to begin, or are struggling to pinpoint why you are not feeling your best, Get in Touch, soneill@shirley-oneill.com  for a Free Consultation

When was the last time you received the personal attention you deserve and talked to someone about your health?