As much as we would like to deny it, the digestive system is our
favorite system of the body. Why? Because it involves food of
course. It is through the digestive system that the body is able
to make use of the vitamins, minerals as well as the other
nutrients that we consume daily. The digestive system actually
breaks down the food that we put into our bodies until it is in
a form that can be used by our cells in order to ensure our
being healthy. However, not everything that we put into our
mouths constitutes as being “healthy”, there are several
vitamins and minerals that directly affect the quality and
efficiency of the process of digestion. A conscious effort to
consume the proper amounts of these nutrients daily is a good
start towards having a well functioning digestive system.
First, let’s break down the digestive process, beginning in the
mouth, with the saliva and the teeth. Healthy teeth are
essential to proper chewing, which breaks down the food into
teeny tiny pieces so that it can pass through the esophagus
while the enzymes start on their work. Calcium, magnesium,
phosphorus, Vitamin D and Vitamin C are all essential nutrients
to having healthy teeth. Your teeth’s very structure depends
greatly on these vitamins and minerals. Calcium and phosphorus
are the primary building blocks of the teeth while Vitamin D
helps enhance the calcium absorption by the body and rounding
off this process of having healthy teeth are magnesium and
vitamin C.
Vitamins that make up the vitamin B complex actually have a
highly important role in keeping one’s digestive system working
efficiently. Thiamin, or Vitamin B1 helps increase a persons
appetite while it also keeps the nerves in good working order.
Nerves, who are the “communicators” of the body, are important
to the process of digestion, because it helps regulate the way
we act and move, for example whenever we’re eating it’s actually
our nerves who sends the message to our brains that the food is
tasty or not or even when we’re already full or still wants some
more. Niacin, or B3, is necessary for the health of the
digestive tract as it contributes greatly to its general health
and functioning as well as keeps its surfaces healthy. Niacin
also helps to keep the tongue in good health and to be able to
perform its role in the digestive process more efficiently.
Vitamin B9, also known as folate, folic acid and folacin, is
also important to the maintenance of the gastrointestinal tract.
The bacteria in the digestive tract actually helps produce
Vitamin K which is essential to the blood’s ability to clot.
There are many minerals that help out enzymes to break down
food. It is highly important to not that without these minerals,
our enzymes our not actually enough to be perform proper
digestion in a person’s body and poor digestion can
automatically lead to a lot of health problems. Manganese is
just one of the minerals that helps out our enzymes during
digestion, it also helps our bodies make use of whatever
benefits that we can get from the food that we take. When it
comes to regulating one’s appetites however, chromium is a vital
mineral that greatly affects a person’s food cravings and daily
intake.
Poor nutrition can actually lead to various problems in the
digestive system which is why meeting the standard recommended
daily amount of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that
your body needs is a good way to avoid poor digestion as well as
the gastrointestinal illnesses that can be brought about by such
negligence. Aside from a well-balanced diet and proper exercise,
there’s no harm in actually taking some nutritional supplements
to ensure that there’s no lack of nutrients in one’s body.
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About Author :
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information
about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthe
althlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all
health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.n
et/