The human body is a prime example of what it means to be pragmatic. Almost every part of the human body is important and most of them hold an important function that is specific to them, and these parts all work together to form a single, functional human being. However, it’s also true that while most parts are deemed essential for a person to be able to live a full life, we do indeed favor some parts over others.
But you’d be surprised at what the stomach does for the body. While it’s function may not be perceivable from the outside, it’s more important to our health than most of us believe it to be. These are a few reasons why you have to take better care of your gut.
1. It Is a Building Block For Your Health and Fitness
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The gut serves as the primary method through which nutrients and water are absorbed by the body. This process of absorption is what allows the body to function and grow. This is evident in how the growth of a child is significantly influenced by the amount and quality of the nutrition that the child is able to get during the early stages of growth, particularly from early childhood up until the child is fully physiologically mature.
2. Primary Disease Countermeasure
Apart from functioning as the main method of absorbing nutrients, the gut also functions as one of the first lines of defense against disease. The stomach has acid and enzymes that help sterilize the food that we eat. The small intestine also has large oval clusters called Peyer’s patches that monitor the lining of the gut for any threats. When a threat is detected, these clusters produce antibodies that destroy any foreign bacteria and any histamines.
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The stomach is also home to a very diverse collection of bacteria that help destroy harmful bacteria before they can cause any real damage to the body.
3. It Serves As Storage For Food We Cannot Immediately Digest
Sometimes we end up eating more than our stomachs can digest. Rather than vomiting the excess food, our stomach expands in order to create space for the food that we cannot digest right away. This allows the body to continue processing the nutrients even after the food has long been eaten. Fatty food typically takes longer to digest than other food types.
4. What Happens When We Neglect Our Gut?
There are a multitude of stomach issues that can arise if the gut isn't taken care of. Stomach issues such as stomach pain, stomach cramps, ulcers, and GERD are fairly common. Others, such as stomach cancer and silent reflux are more dangerous diseases. A stomach that cannot function properly greatly impairs the body’s ability to absorb nutrition, which is not only essential for the body to be able to heal itself, but it also impedes the body’s ability to stay healthy.
The approach to health should be taken holistically. No single body part should be neglected, and no single body part should be excessively favored over the others. As a general rule, you have to eat right and get enough rest and exercise in order to ensure that your body stays in good condition.
