You are what you eat and your digestive system tells you

Digestive system health is not gut health. And even though the latter is often confused for the former, digestion is a near whole of body function that kicks off the moment you stuff that piece of chocolate cake between your lips.

When we are conceived, cells divide into a tube-like shape first. That is the digestive tract, and it takes shape before almost anything else.

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Your body is then assembled around what eventually becomes your food-processing plant.

According to psychologist and medical doctor Dr Jonathan Redelinghuys, that primitive structure is known as the alimentary canal.

“The body is essentially built around the digestive tract,” he explained. “People tend to think of digestion as just the stomach or intestines, but the digestive system is central to how the body functions as a whole. It is essentially your body’s processing plant.”

It starts well before food reaches the stomach. Digestion begins in the mouth, where teeth mechanically break food apart while saliva starts chemically dissolving it. Yet many people barely chew properly anymore, wolfing down meals while scrolling through social media, answering emails or driving through traffic.

“When you chew your food properly, you are already helping the digestive process,” said Dr Redelinghuys. “Saliva contains enzymes that start breaking food down before it even reaches the stomach. If people rush meals and swallow large pieces of food, the body has to work harder later on.”

It all starts between the lips

Food then moves down the oesophagus and into the stomach, where acids and enzymes continue breaking it apart into smaller particles.

The small intestine then absorbs nutrients into the bloodstream while the large intestine processes waste products before they are eliminated from the body.

“The digestive tract is essentially responsible for keeping the body functioning,” he said. “If your body cannot absorb nutrients properly, it affects energy, concentration, immunity and even mood. The body is taking what you consume and converting it into fuel that allows you to function as a human being.”

When digestive problems do present, he said, it can feel like persistent fatigue, bloating, discomfort, irregular bowel movements or simply feeling sluggish for long periods of time.

“The digestive tract is not just about eating,” Dr Redelinghuys said. “It is also about elimination. The body needs to remove waste effectively. If that process is not working properly, people often feel uncomfortable and unwell. Your digestive system is designed to absorb what you need and get rid of what you do not.”

Modern lifestyles often work directly against proper digestion. Processed foods, stress, alcohol, dehydration and irregular eating patterns all place strain on the system.

Dr Redelinghuys also said that thinking probiotics are a one-stop digestive care shop is wrong.

“People think they can just pop a probiotic and suddenly everything is sorted out,” he said. “It does not work like that. Digestive health is about habits and consistency. Probiotics can help in some situations, but they are not a replacement for taking care of your digestive system properly.”

Popping a supplement is not the answer

Hydration is important in digestive health.

“Your body needs hydration for digestion to function properly,” he said. “If somebody is dehydrated, it can contribute to constipation and discomfort. Water plays a role in almost every system in the body, including digestion.”

Although the widely repeated advice to drink two litres of water a day has become wellness gospel over time, he said hydration needs vary depending on the individual, climate and activity level.

“There is no perfect one-size-fits-all number,” he explained. “People’s bodies and lifestyles are different.”

We are built around eating, actually. Picture: Supplied

Stress also impacts digestion. Most people have experienced nausea before a major event or stomach cramps during periods of anxiety, but few recognise just how closely linked the brain and digestive tract really are.

“The body responds to stress physically,” Dr Redelinghuys said. “People often carry stress in their digestive system without even realising it. Anxiety and stress can absolutely affect digestion because the body does not separate physical and psychological experiences as neatly as people think.”

He said that taking care of the digestive system is not about expensive trends or internet wellness gimmicks, but rather about consistently respecting the body’s basic processes over time.

“The digestive system is incredibly intelligent,” he said. “Most of the time, the body tells us when something is not working properly. The problem is that people often ignore those signals until things become serious.”

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