--- title: "Digestion: The Route To Wellness" entity: "blog" canonical_url: "https://www.kristinspark.com/blog/digestion-route-wellness" markdown_url: "https://www.kristinspark.com/llms/blog/digestion-route-wellness" lastmod: "2026-06-04T19:37:40.645Z" --- "You are what you eat". This is not old news to you. Your parents have been sharing this with you since you began making your own food choices, as a child, long ago. Flash forward: it's 2017 and here you are, new years goals aplenty, looking in the cupboards and on the shelves, scouring ingredient lists, and perhaps searching online for some guidance to help you make healthy food choices all over again. Let's get you informed so that you can make the best health choices. ### The nitty gritty Food is broken down by physical, biochemical and enzymatic processes. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the building blocks of the body. Providing your body the proper nutrition through whole and fresh foods that are rich in vitamin and mineral content is imperative to building a strong health foundation. The intestines are a major location for nutrient uptake, and some nutrients, such as vitamin K, actually require probiotic conversion to absorb. A healthy digestive tract is the foundation of biological processes, because, as I mentioned, vitamins and minerals found in foods we eat are absorbed by our bodies, and are used to regenerate and maintain body tissues, neurotransmitters, muscle and skeletal fibres, organs, detoxification, antioxidation, and so much more. ### When things go wrong. Digestion can be thrown off the rails when: - High levels of life stress persist (cortisol imbalances) - Dietary choices are poor (read: high sugar, alcohol, carb and/or caffeine) - History of antibiotic use, fungal infections, or lack of good gut bacteria - Use of NSAIDs or anti-inflammatories such as tylenol, advil, motrin, ibuprofen, naproxen - Dieting and use of laxatives or colon cleansers - Food sensitivities and food intolerances - Medical conditions such as, but not limited to: IBS, crohn's disease, celiac disease and ulcerative colitis, which disrupt healthy digestion Symptoms most typically experienced are: - Gas - Abdominal pains - Burps or belching - Acid reflux or heartburn - Bloating – puffy tummy, sensation of pants too tight - Diarrhea - Constipation – I define constipation as *less than one bowel movement per day* There are many systems involved in digestion, starting with chewing and mechanical breakdown of food, to stomach acid production, and finally absorption and biochemical pathways of metabolism in the colon. Naturopathic doctors are digestion pros. Our tool kits include a host of labs for diagnosis, dietary counselling, herbal aids, as well as maximizing nutritional biochemistry. It is always wise to seek advice from a professional, but in the mean time, try a few of these easy-to-implement hacks at home. ### 5 digestive "Health Hacks" to try: 1. **Make informed, educated choices** – whole and unprocessed foods, rich in vitamins and minerals are good choices. Also, plenty of fruits and even more veggies, legumes, nuts and seeds and lean proteins with healthy fats. Eat plenty of organic produce as the nutrient profile in these fruits and vegetables is greater than that of the non-organic counter parts. Speak with a naturopathic doctor to discuss your specific nutritional requirements and seek help with designing a meal plan that meets your needs. 2. **Mindful eating** – make time to sit down, look at, smell and really taste your food. Close the laptop, turn off the TV, remove distractions. When you sit down, slow down, and enjoy your meal in peace your nervous system can assist in its "rest and digest" action: meaning better digestion, less bloating, proper mechanical and biochemical breakdown of foods. 3. **Apple cider vinegar (ACV)** – a shot of ACV prior to a meal helps get digestive juices flowing! This can be used for people who experience low stomach acid, and indigestion, as a result of poor food breakdown. Caution on this one, for people who may already have acid problems, take medications, or have risk factors for peptic/stomach ulcers. 4. **Probiotics** – Your digestive tract is lined with billions of microbes. These little bacterial colonies are power houses: they help control the internal climate or biome. Think of it like a garden. When the garden is full of weeds the flowers are out competed and can not blossom. Probiotics are used to weed the garden, and fertilize the garden, to let more flowers bloom. Probiotics are used to maintain a healthy internal environment, reduce gas, bloating, and regulate bowel movements. 5. **Prebiotics** – A good health promoting practice is make prebiotics a part of your diet. Prebiotics are like the fertilizer for the flowers; it feeds microbes in the gut (probiotics) – food sources are kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, chicory root, garlic, leeks and onions, globe artichoke, dandelion green leaves. --- [Join my email list here](http://facebook.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0c3e7fab3470e276c8b2db055&id=4de1ff5aee) to get my monthly newsletter full of useful health information, event updates, recipes and discounts for local partners in the wellness industry! *Dr. Kristin Spark, BSc, B.Nat, CISSN, Naturopathic Doctor sees patients at Verdure Wellness Clinic. For information about appointments, or to book your appointment, click [here](https://kristinspark.com/appointments/)* *The content provided is not intended as health or medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or a prescription. Always seek the advice of your medical provider with any questions you have regarding medical conditions.*