Program Summary

Digestion, Part 2

Dr. Cherry continues teaching on the digestive tract. He stated that the solution to dealing with problems in this area is to address the digestive tract as a whole: digestion, elimination, absorption of nutrients, and establishing normal flora within the colon.

Enzymes are necessary to break down ingested foods. Dietary fiber is important for elimination. Concentrated fiber extracts can now be added to supplements. Soluble fiber is important for diabetics as it acts to stabilize blood sugar levels. Glucomannan is a soluble fiber extracted from the roots of the Konjak plant, which is native to Japan. This extract expands in the body to 17 times its volume and 200 times its weight. Taking this supplement in very small amounts is helpful in elimination problems. If the problem is loose stools it works to pull water in and solidify the stools. In constipation it works to pull water in, loosen the stools, and stimulate it to be expelled from the body. Glucomannan also acts to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels by slowing and evening out the absorption of starches and sugars.

Probiotics, the natural bacterial flora that exist in the colon, are critical to overall body health. There are over 400 different species of this “good bacteria” in the gastrointestinal tract. Because of the increased use of antibiotics in our food sources it is more important than ever before to take probiotics on a regular basis. Antibiotics kill the good bacteria that naturally occur in the colon. It has been shown that the immune system has a regulatory mechanism that is directly tied into the GI tract. Gamma interferon, a natural cancer-fighting chemical, is stimulated by these good bacteria and increases resistance to infection. Studies have shown an improvement in irritable bowel syndrome in persons who use a probiotic supplement.