Critical Nutritional Foundations: Digestion

CRITICAL NUTRITIONAL FOUNDATIONS I

Digestion 101

by Ani Bajaj (NTP, RHP, FBCS)

Knock. Knock.

Who’s there?

Foundations.

Foundations who?

Foundations first—because without them, your “root cause” keeps knocking and no one’s home.

If you’ve been searching for answers and feel like nothing is working, it’s not because you’re missing something complicated. More often, it’s because the body is still asking for the basics.

What are the nutritional foundations? Along with a nutrient-dense whole foods diet and lifestyle choices– without focusing on digestion and elimination, blood sugar balance, fatty acids, mineral balance, and hydration—it’s incredibly hard for deeper healing to take hold.

That’s why as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I come back to these nutritional foundations as they must be in balance for us to experience optimal health.

Today’s Focus: DIGESTION!

Today, we’re diving into one of the most powerful foundations of health—digestion. Because as Hippocrates wisely said, “All disease begins in the gut.”

Digestion is mighty and quite complex but is fundamental to nutritional therapy. Your gut is home to neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, and a large portion of your immune system. Every single cell in your body depends on digestion to receive the nutrients it needs to function. 

Digestion is a north-to-south process—it begins in the brain and relies on every step along the way working in harmony, including a balanced microbiome. Here’s a brief overview of this journey starting with…

How Digestion Can Go Wrong?

Just like digestion works from north to south… dysfunction does too. 

It starts in the brain. If you’re eating while stressed, rushed, or distracted, your body shifts into fight-or-flight mode (Sympathetic mode). But digestion only works in rest-and-digest mode (Parasympathetic mode). So, before food even enters your body, digestion can already be compromised.

Mouth and Esophagus – If food doesn’t stay long enough on the tongue, information isn’t passed along to the rest of the body. If food isn’t being chewed, it isn’t properly broken down. Regarding saliva - there isn’t enough time to mix with food and begin the cephalic phase. So, saliva doesn’t mix properly and early digestion signals don’t get sent. This makes everything downstream harder.

Then the stomach relies on stomach acid (HCl/Hydrochloric acid) to break down protein, kill harmful microbes and support nutrient absorption. When stomach acid is too low, pathogens can survive and move downward, protein digestion is impaired and nutrient absorption suffers. Some common reasons for potential low stomach acid are nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, low protein intake, alcohol or irritating foods, acid-blocking medications.

 On the flip side, too much acid or irritation can also be an issue—like in reflux or ulcers—often linked to inflammation, stress, or increased histamine.

This leads to issues with ‘stomach emptying’ and digestion slows down. This can happen with the nervous system isn’t in a parasympathetic mode, meals are not balanced in macronutrients (protein, fats, carbs), the stomach contents are very acidic, and the small intestine is irritated and not signaling properly. This slowing down occurs as the body is trying to protect and regulate the digestive process.

Next comes the liver and gallbladder. The liver produces bile, which is essential for breaking down fats. But it needs the right nutrients to do this well. If the liver is under stress or lacking nutrients, bile production may decrease or become less effective. The gallbladder stores and releases the bile. So, if you are not eating enough fat or protein, the gallbladder isn’t stimulated and bile can become stagnant. This makes fat digestion much less efficient.

Then the pancreas releases enzymes to break down food – but only when it gets the right signals. Those signals are disrupted when food isn’t fully broken down, and microbes can overgrow and the gut lining can become irritated.

The small intestine is where most of the digestion and absorption happens. If the gut lining is damaged, nutrients aren’t absorbed properly and enzymes don’t function well. The gut can become more permeable – often called “leaky gut”.

So how do some food sensitivities occur? When proteins are not fully digested. They can pass into the bloodstream and the immune system reacts, leading to new food sensitivities over time.

At the end of the small intestine, your body checks digestion. If the food isn’t fully broken down, it slows down and it holds the valve closed. This is your body trying to ‘buy more time’ to finish digestion.

The large intestine is where your gut microbes come into play. They rely on fiber as fuel. When fiber is low, beneficial bacteria struggle and important compounds are not produced. These compounds help reduce inflammation and support gut movement.

If food isn’t digested well earlier, it feeds the wrong microbes and they grow, produce toxins and irritate the gut.

When it comes to bowel habits – constipation may be linked to low bile flow, low fiber, dehydration, stress. Diarrhea can be a sign of irritation or inflammation, infections or imbalances, food reaction and/or stress.

In conclusion: Every part of digestion is connected. When something goes off- whether it’s stomach acid (HCL), bile flow, enzymes, gut lining or microbes – it creates a ripple effect throughout the entire system.

That’s why we always come back to the foundations first!

*Helpful tips:

• Eat in a calm manner. Keep devices away while eating.
• Take 5 deep breaths before taking your first bite to set parasympathetic mode.
• Chew food properly (at least 15x per bite).
• Drinking excessive amounts of water during meals may dilute stomach acid, enzymes, and bile, which are all essential for proper digestion. Take small sips if needed.
• Try to eat a variety of whole organic foods -keeping a balance of macronutrients of carbs, fats and protein.
• Try to Include fiber-rich foods.
• Support stomach acid naturally by including protein at meals and use bitter foods- (arugula, warm lemon water, apple cider vinegar) before meals.
• Allow 3–4 hours between meals when possible to allow stomach to empty and rest.
• Eating too close to bedtime can interfere with digestion and sleep. Aim to leave a 2–3 hour window between your last meal and going to bed.

*Bio-individual needs may vary. Eat Well. Be Well and Prosper!

 

Supplements to consider: 

-Designs for Health – GI revive for intestinal heal and seal

-Designs for Health – Digestzymes for digestive comfort & proper nutrient absorption

-Designs for Health - GastroMend-HP is a blend of botanical extracts, all of which support a healthy gastric microbial balance and help maintain a healthy gastric mucosa.

-Douglas Labs – Probiotic 40 billion

-Thorne – Advanced Digestive Enzymes

-Pure Encapsulations – Digestive Enzymes Ultra

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04/13/2026

Information are not designed or intended to treat any specific disease or medical condition. No comment or recommendation should be construed as being a medical diagnosis or substitute for a medical professional.