Pros And Cons Of The Human Digestive System

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The human digestive system is a system by which ingested food is acted upon by physical and chemical means to provide the body with absorbable nutrients and to excrete waste products (digestive system, 2017). It is vital for humans to understand the way their body works, to be able to main it in the best way possible. In mammals, the system includes the alimentary canal extending from the mouth to the anus, and the hormones and enzymes assisting in digestion (digestive system, 2017). With the topic of the perfect diet for a healthy human body being very controversial many struggle to maintain a healthy digestive system. Whether being a meat eater or a vegetarian is the way to go, the cost of living influences those decisions.

The paleo diet …show more content…

The paleo diet minimizes the intake of processed foods and places one in the position to eat fresh food that reflect the diet of our hunter-gather ancestors from the Paleolithic era (Dr Michelle, 24 October 2016). This would mean that one would eat clean and avoid foods with additives, preservatives, or chemicals. During the paleo diet, there are anti-inflammatory benefits from the plant nutrients in fruits, vegetables, oils, nuts, and seeds (WRITTEN BY: SPORTS MEDICINE,Saturday, April 2nd, 2016). Since one would be limited to eating grains and seeds which are healthy for the human body, cutting out grains contributes to increased tiredness and headaches, and respondents reported more diarrhea when following the paleo guidelines (August 18, 2016 4:38PM, Rebecca Gredley). This was due to the diet impacting gut bacteria, which changes bugs living in the bowels. Research suggests that the benefits of legumes outweigh their anti-nutrient content. Cooking eliminates most anti-nutrient effects, and some anti-nutrients (like lectins) may even be good for us. As for grains, Paleo proponents say grains can lead to inflammation and related health problems. This can be true for people with celiac disease (about 1 percent of the population) and for those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. But a substantial body of reliable research suggests that eating whole grains improves our health. At the very least, whole grains appear to be neutral when it comes to inflammation (09/17/2014,