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A bad feeling in the intestines can make us feel frustrated, while a healthy and well-nourished intestines can greatly improve our mood. How much do we still not know about the intestines?
Today, let's follow the German female writer "Giulia Enders" to embark on a magical journey through the digestive tract - "Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ".
This book is not simple:
- It has captured the hearts of readers from 36 countries and regions and has been published in versions such as English, Japanese, French, and Spanish, with global sales of over 5 million copies.
- It won the title of the best-selling book in Germany in 2014, with sales exceeding 1.7 million copies, and won the Readers' Choice Award. It is an essential gift for German people's home travel.
- It was named the number one book on gut health in the United States in 2015 and was selected as a Bestseller by The New York Times...
📢: The full text is about 3562 words long and takes about 13 minutes to read. You can also skip to the end to read the essence of the full text. 😛
The Entrance to the Digestive System#
Q1: Can swallowing saliva relieve a sore throat?#
Yes.
During the process of saliva secretion by the salivary glands, additional analgesic substances are released. Therefore, when the throat is sore, it is usually less painful after eating or chewing gum.
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Q2: Is it necessary to brush your teeth in the morning if you brushed them before bed and didn't eat anything?#
Yes.
Brushing your teeth before bed can greatly reduce the number of bacteria in the oral cavity. However, the remaining remnants should still be cleaned by brushing in the morning.
Q3: Why is there still bad breath even after cleaning the tongue and teeth?#
You may want to check your tonsils. Try wiping your tonsils with your finger or a cotton swab. If there is a foul smell when you smell it, then you have likely found the culprit of bad breath.
Sometimes, there may be small white stones hidden in the tonsils, but they usually come out on their own after a while. If you want to clean them actively, you can squeeze them out with your hand. You can find professional tutorials on how to press and remove them online, or it may be more reassuring to go to an otolaryngology department.
Getting Closer to the Digestive System#
Q4: Are the digestion and absorption mechanisms of the large intestine and small intestine similar?#
Of course not.
The small intestine relies on peristalsis and villi to absorb most of the nutrients from food. It is particularly clean and keeps peristalsis going as long as there is something in it. Therefore, in order to give the small intestine a rest, eating should not be too frequent.
The large intestine does not have the velvety villi found in the small intestine. Instead, it is home to various intestinal bacteria, which are responsible for processing the food residues that cannot be absorbed or have not been completely absorbed in the small intestine. In the last meter of the large intestine, it is responsible for precisely regulating the balance of water and salt in the body, reabsorbing water from the residues, and "baking" the remaining residues.
Foods that the Intestines Like#
Q5: How important is good oil?#
Very important.
The oil we consume cannot dissolve in water, so it does not undergo liver filtration and enter the bloodstream like carbohydrates. Instead, it is absorbed by the lymphatic system and directly enters the heart, which then pumps it throughout the body.
🌟: Try dipping bread in authentic cold-pressed olive oil for a heart and blood vessel essential oil SPA~
![A: Blood vessels reach the heart after passing through the liver B: Lymphatic vessels directly lead to the heart] (https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/doubleLLL3/blogImgs@main/img/image-20211005134728968.png)
A: Blood vessels reach the heart after passing through the liver B: Lymphatic vessels directly lead to the heartThe Journey of Food Inside Our Body#
Q6: Why do we still want to eat dessert after a big meal?#
Wanting to eat dessert is because there is no feeling of fullness, and the feeling of fullness comes from an increase in blood sugar.
Simple carbohydrates, such as cakes, rice, and noodles, can quickly reach the small intestine for digestion and absorption, which in turn raises blood sugar.
On the other hand, proteins and fats from a big meal take much longer to pass through the stomach. A piece of steak, for example, takes about 6 hours in the stomach before it can pass through the pylorus and reach the small intestine.
🌟: If you want to quickly restore energy and feel full, carbohydrates are the best choice. But if you want to increase endurance and satiety, you still need protein and fat.
Q7: Is it because dietary fiber is easy to digest that we should eat more of it?#
On the contrary.
Doctors recommend consuming more dietary fiber 🥬 because it is difficult to digest. When dietary fiber is stirred in the intestines, it is squeezed against the intestinal wall and then bounced back. This process helps accelerate intestinal peristalsis, allowing food to be quickly mixed and pushed forward.
Moreover, dietary fiber that is not easily digested and absorbed can reach the large intestine and be enjoyed by bacteria, especially probiotics. When the bacteria are well-fed, they have the energy to produce vitamins and healthy fatty acids for us, or to train the immune system diligently.
🌟: All the food that cannot be absorbed in the small intestine can be collectively referred to as dietary fiber.
Getting Rid of Unwanted Things#
Vomiting is actually great. It can serve as a compass in life, telling us what is beneficial and what is not. However, forced vomiting, such as throat scraping, saltwater gargling, or gastric lavage, is not recommended as it may cause secondary harm. For example, if you accidentally ingest acidic or foaming chemicals, forcing yourself to vomit can cause secondary damage to the esophagus from the acid, and foaming agents are also easily inhaled into the lungs during vomiting.
Q8: What should I do if I feel motion sickness?#
🌟: Look into the distance 👀, try to relax, eat ginger, take motion sickness medication, massage the Neiguan acupoint (see the figure on page 6).
Massaging the Neiguan acupoint has been widely recognized in international medicine and more than 40 comparative trials have proven its good effect on nausea and vomiting 🤮.
![P6 is the Neiguan acupoint] (https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/doubleLLL3/blogImgs@main/img/image-20211005134815805.png)
Today, Have You Had a Bowel Movement?#
Don't hold back your bowel movements. While waiting in the waiting area, the intestines will also reabsorb some water, so the longer you wait, the harder the stool will become, and going to the bathroom will become more difficult.
Female colons should be a bit lazy. According to statistics, even if you only have a bowel movement three times a week, it is still considered normal. The medical community currently cannot provide a clear explanation for this.
Q9: Does walking a little longer promote intestinal peristalsis?#
No.
Research has shown that only high-intensity exercise 🏊 can have a certain promoting effect on intestinal peristalsis. "Walking a hundred steps after a meal" mainly relaxes the mood.
So if you are not prepared to sweat profusely and just want to go to the bathroom, there is no need to force yourself to take a walk. However, if your exercise level suddenly decreases significantly, the intestines may become sluggish.
The Brain and the Intestines, Who Commands Whom?#
Alcohol reaches the intestinal nerves before reaching the brain, so how much relaxation is due to the brain nerves and how much is due to the intestinal nerves when you "have a drink to relax"?
Even if the connection between the intestinal nervous system and the brain is severed, all digestive activities can still proceed in an orderly manner, so the gut-brain connection is not just a name.
Q10: Why is it not recommended to solve difficult problems immediately after a meal?#
Solving difficult problems immediately after a meal can easily lead to indigestion.
When the brain 🧠 encounters a difficult problem, such as time pressure ⏰ or anger 💢, it needs to allocate some additional energy to solve these problems, and the intestines are its preferred target.
The brain sends signals to the intestines through the sympathetic nerves, saying, "The body is in an emergency state and needs to call for some energy from you. Deal with it specially and must obey unconditionally." At this time, the intestines will greatly cooperate by reducing the energy used for digestion, reducing the production of mucus, and significantly reducing the blood circulation in the gastrointestinal system.
Q11: Can the intestines affect our personality?#
Very likely, but experiments 🧪 have only been done on mice 🐭.
Stephen Collins' research team conducted an experiment using two groups of mice from different populations.
Experimental background: The two groups of mice had significant differences in innate behavior patterns. BALB/c mice were more timid and shy, while NIH-SWISS mice were more adventurous and bold.
Experimental process:
- The researchers 🧐 first fed the two groups of mice a mixture of three antibiotics that only acted on the intestines, which could eliminate the original intestinal flora.
- Then, the scientists injected 💉 the typical intestinal flora from the other group of mice into each group of mice.
- Something interesting happened. In the subsequent behavior tests, the performance of the two groups of mice completely reversed 🙃️: BALB/c mice became brave, while NIH-SWISS mice became more timid.
This experiment 🧪 proves that at least for 🐭, the intestines can influence behavior patterns. Whether this proposition still holds true for humans remains to be proven.
The Evolution of Intestinal Flora#
After experiencing a severe bout of diarrhea, many "intestinal residents" in our stomach will be swept out together. The large intestine wall will be empty, and the appendix will release the flora it has been raising to defend the homeland. To be on the safe side, after diarrhea, you can also buy some probiotic products from the pharmacy to help rebuild the intestinal flora.
Q12: Are babies born through normal delivery/breastfeeding more resistant than babies born through cesarean section/formula feeding?#
Most likely yes.
For babies 👶 born through cesarean section, because they do not pass through the mother's birth canal, they also miss the step of the colonization of the birth canal flora. As a result, the intestinal flora of these babies is a mixed bag of flora from other sources, such as the nurse's thumb, the flowers bought by dad from the flower shop, or the dog at grandpa's house...
For babies 👶 who are breastfed, breast milk can not only easily meet all the nutritional needs of young infants but also pass on some of the mother's immune system, including antibodies that can help capture harmful bacteria in the baby's body.
Therefore, babies born through cesarean section/formula feeding need several months or even longer to adjust their intestinal flora to a normal state.
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However, with the advancement of medicine, there are many ways to reduce the gap between the two. But for babies born through normal delivery/breastfeeding, they have much less to worry about, because they have been soaked 🛀 in the holy water of probiotics during the birth process and have also supplemented the corresponding antibodies during the process of breastfeeding.
❗️: Various studies have shown that the flora acquired by newborn babies in the first few weeks after birth has a significant impact on the immune system. Just three weeks after birth, the metabolites of their intestinal flora can be used to determine the likelihood of developing allergies, asthma, or atopic dermatitis in the future.
Probiotics#
The term prebiotic also comes from the Greek word "before life", meaning before life. It refers to foods that can stimulate the activation or growth of probiotics in the large intestine.
Q13: Can probiotics be used to treat diarrhea?#
Yes.
The number one application area for probiotics is to treat diarrhea.
When suffering from gastroenteritis or diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics, it is worth buying probiotics from the pharmacy 💊. Not only can they relieve the symptoms of diarrhea, but they can also help stop diarrhea, shortening the duration by an average of one day.
Moreover, compared with most other antidiarrheal drugs, they have no side effects at all, so they are most suitable for children 🧒 and the elderly 👴. For other intestinal diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome, taking probiotics can also delay the onset of diarrhea and inflammation.
Q14: If the intake of dietary fiber is too low, will it cause excessive flatulence?#
Yes.
If the intake of dietary fiber 🥬 is too low, the bacteria will eat it up as soon as it passes through the first half of the intestines, leaving nothing for the bacteria in the second half. They can only eat the leftovers 🚮, such as undigested proteins. However, it is not a good idea to put bacteria and meat together. Just think about the sour and smelly meat products.
If the bacteria in the intestines eat too much meat protein, the toxins they produce can harm the large intestine, and in severe cases, it can even cause cancer.
🌟: The bacteria in our stomachs like to eat dietary fiber, and fruits and vegetables are especially appetizing to them.
Additional Information#
- The three conditions for the excessive reproduction of harmful bacteria include: enclosed space, warm and humid environment, and readily available nutrients. To avoid this situation, you can refer to four simple and practical life tips: dilution, drying, temperature, and cleanliness.
- Chewing gum or drinking tea can help train the nerves of the intestines and relieve heartburn. When chewing gum or drinking tea, countless small amounts of liquid (whether it is saliva or tea) flow into the stomach. This can have a strong suggestive effect on the nervous system: "This direction is correct, reflux is wrong."
- Bifidobacteria settle in our bodies early on and assist us in the formation of the immune system or metabolic system. If babies lack bifidobacteria in the first few years after birth, they are much more likely to become overweight when they grow up.
- If you eat too much, the liver can store the excess nutrients, making it the body's first energy storage. On the other hand, binge eating can damage the liver.
- A folk remedy for constipation called the "squatting swing": Sit on the toilet, bend forward as much as possible (try to reach your thighs), and then lift your upper body back to a sitting position at 90 degrees. Repeat this several times and you should feel something. Friendly reminder: please remember to close the door when going to the bathroom, otherwise, it would be impolite to scare others.
![Folk remedy for constipation - "squatting swing"] (https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/doubleLLL3/blogImgs@main/img/image-20211005134855082.png)
Essence of the Full Text#
Q1: Can swallowing saliva relieve a sore throat?
Yes.
Q2: Is it necessary to brush your teeth in the morning if you brushed them before bed and didn't eat anything?
Yes.
Q3: Why is there still bad breath even after cleaning the tongue and teeth?
You can check your tonsils.
Q4: Are the digestion and absorption mechanisms of the large intestine and small intestine similar?
Of course not.
Q5: How important is good oil?
Very important.
Q6: Why do we still want to eat dessert after a big meal?
Because blood sugar does not rise.
Q7: Is it because dietary fiber is easy to digest that we should eat more of it?
On the contrary.
Q8: What should I do if I feel motion sickness?
Look into the distance, try to relax, eat ginger, take motion sickness medication, massage the Neiguan acupoint.
Q9: Does walking a little longer promote intestinal peristalsis?
No.
Q10: Why is it not recommended to solve difficult problems immediately after a meal?
It can easily lead to indigestion.
Q11: Can the intestines affect our personality?
Very likely.
Q12: Are babies born through normal delivery/breastfeeding more resistant than babies born through cesarean section/formula feeding?
Most likely more resistant.
Q13: Can probiotics be used to treat diarrhea?
Yes.
Q14: If the intake of dietary fiber is too low, will it cause excessive flatulence?
Yes.
Conclusion#
Today, through the "14 Questions and 14 Answers," we have deciphered the secrets of the intestines. I hope you have gained something. Wishing you good health and a happy mood~
- Written on the high-speed train to Chenzhou
October 5, 2021