A bad feeling in the intestines can make us feel frustrated, while a healthy and well-nourished intestine 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 of 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 best-selling book in Germany in 2014, with sales exceeding 1.7 million copies, and won the Reader's Choice Award. It is an essential gift for Germans when traveling or visiting relatives.
- 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 from the salivary glands, additional analgesic substances are released. Therefore, when the throat is sore, it is usually less painful after eating or chewing gum.
Q2: Is it necessary to brush your teeth in the morning if you brushed them before bed without eating 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 online, or it may be more reassuring to go to an otolaryngology department.
Approaching the Gastrointestinal System#
Q4: Are the digestion and absorption mechanisms of the large intestine and small intestine similar?#
Certainly not.
The small intestine relies on peristalsis and villi to absorb most of the nutrients from food. It is particularly clean and keeps moving 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 and reabsorbing water from the residues. It "bakes" 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 before entering the blood vessels like carbohydrates. Instead, it is absorbed by the lymphatic system and directly enters the heart, and then is pumped into the whole body by the heart.
🌟: Try dipping bread in authentic cold-pressed olive oil for a heart and blood vessel essential oil SPA~
The Journey of Food in 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 elevated blood sugar.
Simple carbohydrates, such as cake, 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. It takes about 6 hours for a piece of steak to pass through the stomach and reach the small intestine through the pylorus.
🌟: If you want to quickly regain energy and feel full, carbohydrates other than sugar are the best choice. However, if you want to improve 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 chyme to be quickly mixed and pushed forward.
Moreover, dietary fiber that is not easily digested and absorbed can reach the large intestine for the enjoyment of bacteria, especially probiotics. Only when the bacteria are well-fed can they have the energy to produce vitamins and healthy fatty acids for us, or 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 What We Don't Want#
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 scratching, 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 vomiting can cause secondary damage to the esophagus by acid, and foaming agents are also easy to enter 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 has been proven to be effective in relieving nausea and vomiting 🤮 in more than 40 comparative trials.
Today, Have You Had a Bowel Movement?#
Do not hold back your bowel movements. While waiting in the intestines, water will be reabsorbed, so the longer you wait, the harder the stool will become, and going to the toilet will become more difficult.
Female colons should be more lazy. According to statistics, even if you only have a bowel movement three times a week, it is still within the normal range. 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 helps to relax mentally.
Therefore, 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 Controls Whom?#
Before alcohol reaches the brain, it first reaches the intestinal nerves, so when we say "have a drink to relax," how much of the relaxation is for the brain and how much is for the intestinal nerves?
Even if the connection between the intestinal nervous system and the brain is cut off, 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 challenging problem, such as time pressure ⏰ or anger 💢, the brain needs to allocate 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 obey unconditionally." At this time, the intestines will cooperate by reducing the energy used for digestion, reducing the production of mucus, and greatly reducing the blood circulation in the gastrointestinal system.
Q11: Can the intestines affect our personality?#
Very likely, but experiments 🧪 have only been conducted on mice 🐭.
Stephen Collins' research team conducted an experiment using two different populations of mice.
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.
Experimental process:
- The researchers 🧐 first fed both 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 of 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 Gut Microbiota#
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 its own cultivated microbiota to defend the homeland. To be on the safe side, you can also buy some probiotic products from the pharmacy after diarrhea to help rebuild the gut microbiota.
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 microbiota. As a result, the intestinal microbiota of these babies is a hodgepodge of bacteria 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. The antibodies in breast milk 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 gut microbiota to a normal state.
However, with the advancement of medicine, there are many ways to reduce the gap between the two. However, babies born through normal delivery/breastfeeding have much less to worry about in this regard because they have been soaked 🛀 in the holy water of probiotics during the birth process and have supplemented the corresponding antibodies during the process of breastfeeding.
❗️: Various studies have shown that the microbiota acquired by infants in the first few weeks after birth has a significant impact on the immune system. Just three weeks after birth, the metabolites of their gut microbiota 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," which means "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 💊. They can not only relieve the symptoms of diarrhea but 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, making them most suitable for children 🧒 and the elderly 👴. For other gastrointestinal 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 fiber in the first half of the intestines will be consumed by bacteria, and the bacteria in the second half of the intestines will have nothing to eat except for the leftovers, such as undigested proteins. However, putting bacteria and meat together is often not a good idea. 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 even cause cancer in severe cases.
🌟: The bacteria in our stomachs like to eat dietary fiber, and fruits and vegetables can stimulate their appetite even more.
Additional#
- The three conditions for the excessive growth 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, which can strongly suggest to 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 first energy storage facility in the body. On the other hand, binge eating can harm the liver.
- Home remedy for constipation "squatting swing": Sit on the toilet, bend forward as much as possible (try to reach the 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.
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 without eating anything?
Yes.
Q3: Why is there still bad breath even after cleaning the tongue and teeth?
You may want to check your tonsils.
Q4: Are the digestion and absorption mechanisms of the large intestine and small intestine similar?
Certainly 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 has not risen.
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 decoded the secrets of the intestines. I hope everyone has gained something. Wishing you good health and a pleasant mood~
- Written on the high-speed train to Chenzhou
October 5, 2021