Specific Health Concerns >> Small Intestine Disorders
To Request an Action Plan to address Low Back Pain Click Here
To attend a FREE Class on this topic, Click Here
In this video, Dr. Huntoon discusses digestive issues, the underlying cause of these concerns and what you need to know if you are going to overcome yours.
Scroll down to read the full article.
Digestive Concerns are a source of many destroyed lives. Do not let your condition control your life. Give us a call and we will help you.
Call our Office When You're Ready To Learn and the Heal.
To Request an Action Plan to Address Small Intestine Disorders Click Here
Your small intestine is the longest part of your digestive system - about twenty feet long! It connects your stomach to your large intestine (or colon) and folds many times to fit inside your abdomen. Your small intestine does most of the digesting of the foods you eat. It has three areas called the duodenum, the ileum, and the jejunum.
Problems with the Small Intestine can include:
Treatment of disorders of the small intestine depends on the cause.
The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract—also called the digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The hollow organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine—which includes the rectum—and anus. Food enters the mouth and passes to the anus through the hollow organs of the GI tract. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of the digestive system. The digestive system helps the body digest food.
Bacteria in the GI tract, also called gut flora or microbiome, help with digestion. Parts of the nervous and circulatory systems also play roles in the digestive process. Together, a combination of nerves, hormones, bacteria, blood, and the organs of the digestive system completes the complex task of digesting the foods and liquids a person consumes each day.
Digestion is important for breaking down food into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before the blood absorbs them and carries them to cells throughout the body. The body breaks down nutrients from food and drink into carbohydrates, protein, fats, and vitamins.
Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches, and fiber found in many foods. Carbohydrates are called simple or complex, depending on their chemical structure. Simple carbohydrates include sugars found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products, as well as sugars added during food processing. Complex carbohydrates are starches and fiber found in whole-grain breads and cereals, starchy vegetables, and legumes. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, recommends that 45 to 65 percent of total daily calories come from carbohydrates.1
Protein. Foods such as meat, eggs, and beans consist of large molecules of protein that the body digests into smaller molecules called amino acids. The body absorbs amino acids through the small intestine into the blood, which then carries them throughout the body. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, recommends that 10 to 35 percent of total daily calories come from protein.1
Fats. Fat molecules are a rich source of energy for the body and help the body absorb vitamins. Oils, such as corn, canola, olive, safflower, soybean, and sunflower, are examples of healthy fats. Butter, shortening, and snack foods are examples of less healthy fats. During digestion, the body breaks down fat molecules into fatty acids and glycerol. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, recommends that 20 to 35 percent of total daily calories come from fat.1
Vitamins. Scientists classify vitamins by the fluid in which they dissolve. Water-soluble vitamins include all the B vitamins and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Each vitamin has a different role in the body’s growth and health. The body stores fat-soluble vitamins in the liver and fatty tissues, whereas the body does not easily store water-soluble vitamins and flushes out the extra in the urine.
Digestion works by moving food through the GI tract. Digestion begins in the mouth with chewing and ends in the small intestine. As food passes through the GI tract, it mixes with digestive juices, causing large molecules of food to break down into smaller molecules. The body then absorbs these smaller molecules through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream, which delivers them to the rest of the body. Waste products of digestion pass through the large intestine and out of the body as a solid matter called stool.
Table 1 shows the parts of the digestive process performed by each digestive organ, including movement of food, type of digestive juice used, and food particles broken down by that organ.
Table 1. The Digestive Process
Organ |
Movement |
Digestive Juices Used |
Food Particles Broken Down |
Mouth |
Chewing |
Saliva |
Starches |
Esophagus |
Swallowing |
None |
None |
Stomach |
Upper muscle in stomach relaxes to let food enter and lower muscle mixes food with digestive juice |
Stomach acid |
Protein |
Small intestine |
Peristalsis |
Small intestine digestive juice |
Starches, protein, and carbohydrates |
Pancreas |
None |
Pancreatic juice |
Starches, fats, and protein |
Liver |
None |
Bile acids |
Fats |
The large, hollow organs of the GI tract contain a layer of muscle that enables their walls to move. The movement of organ walls—called peristalsis—propels food and liquid through the GI tract and mixes the contents within each organ. Peristalsis looks like an ocean wave traveling through the muscle as it contracts and relaxes.
Digestive juices contain enzymes—substances that speed up chemical reactions in the body—that break food down into different nutrients.
The small intestine absorbs most digested food molecules, as well as water and minerals, and passes them on to other parts of the body for storage or further chemical change. Specialized cells help absorbed materials cross the intestinal lining into the bloodstream. The bloodstream carries simple sugars, amino acids, glycerol, and some vitamins and salts to the liver. The lymphatic system, a network of vessels that carry white blood cells and a fluid called lymph throughout the body, absorbs fatty acids and vitamins.
Hormone and nerve regulators control the digestive process.
The cells in the lining of the stomach and small intestine produce and release hormones that control the functions of the digestive system. These hormones stimulate production of digestive juices and regulate appetite.
Two types of nerves help control the action of the digestive system: Extrinsic and Intrinsic Nerves.
[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th ed. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2010.
Digestive symptoms have many possible underling causes. The main source are the Digestive System Disruptors which leads to Leaky Gut Syndrome.
General conditions that can cause digestive symptoms include:
The most common underlying cause for digestive symptoms is the ingestion of antibiotics as a result of medical treatment for infection, as a preventative when seeing a Dentist or from eating many animal foods such as beef, chicken, eggs and fish since most of these food sources have been treated with antibiotics. Upon consumption of these foods that have been treated with antibiotics, this will lead to digestive problems.
Other causes of digestive symptoms include:
Medicines Two Choices for You
Life-threatening Causes of Digestive Swelling
In some cases, digestive symptoms may accompany a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:
In some cases, digestive symptoms can lead to serious complications, especially if the underlying disease or condition is untreated or poorly managed. Once the underlying cause is identified, you can help minimize your risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you. Complications include:
Lorem Ipsum
Dr. Huntoon has helped hundreds of people from all over the country to deal with this challenging disorder. Focusing on the underlying CAUSE has always resulted in full resolution of the imbalance. Taking the time to have a Consultation and Examination with Dr. Huntoon will always prove beneficial. Regardless of what you call it, you can restore your health and return to a normal life.
By working closely with a Holistic Chiropractor who can help you develop a well-rounded, multifaceted approach to addressing your digestive concerns and cravings is warranted. Make sure to address any negative effects caused by antibiotic therapy by getting on a proper probiotic. Your Holistic Chiropractor can advise you of this.
Digestive symptoms can result from gastrointestinal or digestive conditions or from conditions of other body systems, such as the endocrine system, the nervous system, the reproductive system, and the urinary system. Many times emotions will create digestive symptoms and by working with a Holistic Chiropractor who practices Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET) is warranted. For more information on NET, go to www.netmindbody.com
Also consider working with an Acupuncturist, Homeopath or Naturopath to develop a lifestyle that can support and manage your digestive problems.
Medicines Two Choices for You