Amazing Health Facts Magazine

fraction of that of our pre-Flood ancestors. But if a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains positively affected their longevity, could a return to the original diet extend our lives today? Amazing Physiology What follows the swallows? A proper diet starts with proper digestion. Chewing food begins this process, so be sure to chew your food well! While food is still in the mouth, an enzyme (salivary amylase) begins to break it down. Once swallowed, food is referred to as chyme. The chyme then makes its way down the esophagus and into the stomach, where stomach acid continues the complex chemical digestive process. After this is complete, chyme passes into the small intestine, where a different enzyme breaks down carbohydrates. Bile is also secreted from the gallbladder to help digest fats, and the pancreas adds enzymes to further break it down too. The small intestine absorbs most of the nutrients as the chyme passes into the large intestine. At this point, digestion is mostly complete … and, well, you know the rest of the story. What do you need to know about nutrition? The five basic components of food are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Carbohydrates are sources of starches, sugars, and fiber. Starch and sugar are converted into glucose, which is the body’s main fuel. Fiber, found primarily in plant foods, acts as a bulking agent that helps keep the intestines clean. Proteins are broken down by the body and converted into amino acids, which are the building blocks for hormones, enzymes, and structural components of the body, such as muscle tissue. Fats are the most concentrated form of energy, supplying over twice as many calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates. It can also be efficiently stored for later use. The three natural types of fats are monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated. The unsaturated fats are by far the healthiest form, especially when it comes from plant sources. Diets rich in refined saturated fats have been linked with numerous diseases. Vitamins and minerals are essential components of our diet. Whole foods, which have been refined as little as possible, naturally contain the highest amount of these nutrients. Phytochemicals, found only in plants, are added bonuses thought to play a role in the prevention of many diseases. Don’t you need some cholesterol in your diet? Cholesterol comes packaged in different ways. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is the healthy form of cholesterol and actually helps to remove bad cholesterol from the body, returning it to the liver for recycling. Here’s a simple way to remember the good and bad of cholesterol: HDL is “healthy,” LDL is “lousy,” and VLDL is “very lousy.” Cholesterol is found only in meat and animal products, such as milk and eggs. However, newborn babies are the only humans who actually need a dietary source of cholesterol — which ideally comes Amazing Health Fact 5 The digestion process starts before you eat. It begins when you smell something irresistible or when you see a favorite food. The entire process of digestion will continue for the next 29 hours or so.