06 Feb Undigested Fat and Your Immune System
Healthy fats are essential for proper human health, but what if fat is not properly digested? Unfortunately, when fats are undigested dysfunction will occur during the digestive process. What was meant to be nourishing and healthy, clobbers the digestive system with impairments.
Your body’s intestinal lining is a major wall of defense for your digestive system and the proper absorption of fat. The intestinal lining should be intact and its wall junctions tight. During healthy digestion, these wall junctions are closed, forcing fat molecules to be efficiently digested. These molecules may only pass into the bloodstream through the mucosa cells.
During proper digestion, in the presence of fat, the hormone cholecystokinin is released into the small intestine (duodenum). Cholecystokinin stimulates the squeezing of the gallbladder releasing bile. This bile which is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder is your bodies primary mechanism to break down fats. Bile breaks down large fat globules into minuscule droplets of fat. These tiny fat droplets are easy for your bodies digestive enzymes to absorb, acting as an assistant in the bowel.
How does your gallbladder end up in dysfunction? Commonly, it happens because you were consuming a low-fat diet. If you aren’t eating enough healthy fats like raw butter, cod liver oil, flax, and walnuts or if you eat poor-quality fats like trans-fats or hydrated oils, your gallbladder won’t get the memo to squeeze out the necessary bile. When bile stagnates, it can thicken to the point that it hardens into gallstones. Lack of quality fats in your diet is the primary reason people have to have emergency gallbladder surgery called a cholecystectomy.
When fat is allowed to move through your body undigested, an assault is created in one’s digestive system. This assault leads to inflammation and unfortunately, all inflammation in the body leads eventually to disease.
You may want to re-read that last sentence one more time.
Undigested fat opens up what is know as ‘the tight junctions’ in your intestinal wall, causing tiny holes, not to mention major discomfort. This is known today as, Leaky Gut Syndrome. These small holes allow undigested food particles and fats into your bloodstream filtering in undesirable nasties called toxins. When your intestinal lining becomes compromised, the digestive enzymes can’t do their job to break down food for proper digestion and nourishment.
When your body is not able to absorb nutrients, your immune system will be compromised. Now your body is triggered, tirelessly battling foreign invaders who were never meant to pass through these tiny holes.
Undigested, putrefying food invokes a strong immune reaction, often leading to various food sensitivities and intolerances. If this dysfunction continues it will cause a hefty assault on your health.
During digestion, fats are vital for all your vitamin and mineral absorption, along with hormone production. Healthy fats are especially needed for your body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Healthy fats absorbed properly are a primary source of energy for your body. They keep you fueled, satiated, and nourished properly.
The bottom line is that we need to make sure we are digesting our fats properly and efficiently. This is one way for you to feel good and have ample energy preventing illness. Now, without guilt, go and enjoy some delicious raw butter!
No Comments