The digestive system is one of the major systems in the human body, as it helps digest the foods that we consume before absorbing different nutrients into the bloodstream to nourish and repair cells throughout the body.
The digestive system consists of several organs, starting from the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and liver. As we get older, the long-time usage of these organs combined with individual eating behavior determines how much the digestive system deteriorates.
Let’s see how the digestive system of people aged over 35 is and how to slow down the aging of the related organs.
1. Stomach
The first reason for deterioration of the stomach is caused by the imbalance of good bacteria and bad bacteria which are involved in stimulating gastric acid secretion. Even though the stomach is designed to withstand its acidity, when it is stimulated to secrete a lot of gastric juice, such as when one feels stressed, together with receiving the bacteria named Helicobacter Pylori from eating fermented foods, may lead to getting stomach ulcer more easily.
The second reason is the stomach begins to have problem with abnormal gastric acid secretion due to bad eating habits. We should be punctual with our eating habits by trying to eat at the same time every day and also to not snack all day long. This may be contrary to the theory ‘Eating smaller, but more frequent meals’, however having irregular meals or snacking will stimulate the stomach to secrete gastric juice all the time, and consequently the pH balance in the digestive system will be damaged. Some people eat a lot of meat all day, and their stomach is unable to digest it in a timely manner. Therefore, the proper amount of meat should be consumed, leaving some time for the stomach to rest.
2. Small intestine
The small intestine absorbs nutrients and is home to the immune system. Some people never had immune-related diseases when they were young, but as they get older they start to have problems with it because their intestinal immune system becomes weak.
One of the reasons is that they consume processed foods or contaminated foods frequently. These foods are considered foreign substances to the body, and consequently the body induces the immune system to build a defense against them. Those whose immune systems are overstimulated will encounter abnormal gastric secretion. In addition, frequent minor inflammation is another reason for gastric cycle disruption, leading to incomplete digestion by which bad bacteria overcomes good bacteria, resulting in allergic reactions to food. All these conditions make the immune system function harder, and those with unhealthy immune system will get sick easily and may often have a cold or diarrhea, even though they do not eat unclean foods.
Therefore, what one eats is very important in order to slow down the aging process of the digestive system, keeping it healthy and not weak too soon.
3. Large intestine
After foods are digested and pass through the small intestine, the remaining food wastes will pass into the large intestine. If the foods consumed are contaminated with toxic substances, heavy metals (from pesticides) or preservatives, these foreign substances will be accumulated in the large intestine, and over time the function of intestinal water absorption and secretion will deteriorate. Some people who are aged over 35 begin to suffer constipation. The first reason is due to the colon contracting more slowly, and secondly incomplete food digestion in the small intestine will slow down the movement of large intestine, resulting in constipation and irregular excretion.
The consequence of constipation is that the feces or toxic substances have no place to go and will eventually be reabsorbed into the body. In addition, there is lymphatic system in the large intestine which contains special white blood cells called lymphocytes that when exposed to toxic substances for a long period of time may lead to colorectal cancer.
People in the past often had a saying that kids smelled sweet but elders smelled bad. The foul smell is due to gas being expelled from the large intestine. Those who fart all the time means there is too much gas in the stomach, which is a result of excessive bad bacteria. One of the solutions is to drink water mixed with apple cider, as water helps the intestine to contract properly, while apple cider helps maintain the balance of microorganisms in the stomach and intestines.
4. Liver
One of the most common liver problems in people aged over 35 is fatty liver, due to high triglycerides which is often found in people who drink alcohol on a regular basis, especially hard liquors that contain 40% alcohol. In addition, it may also be caused by consuming drugs for prolonged periods of time, unknowingly eating toxic foods, chronic vascular inflammation in the liver, having too much sugary foods, and the lack of certain enzymes that convert triglycerides into energy. Lastly, when too much fat builds up in the liver, it will lead to cirrhosis, and those with cancer cells may end up getting liver cancer.
After the age of 35, one should have liver function tests to see whether or not the liver has ever been inflammed, or whether certain drugs have been used for a long period of time, as well as getting an ultrasound to see whether or not one has fatty liver, and whether the gallbladder is still in good shape. Last but not least, be careful about one’s diet, especially alcoholic drinks. Eating properly will help slow down the aging process of the liver and prevent it from being damaged prematurely.
5. Kidney
As the kidneys have to perform their function of filtering for a long time, they eventually deteriorate. The causes that hasten the decline in kidney function are excessive protein consumption, long-term toxic exposure to certain medicines, diabetes, and diabetic kidney disease known as Diabetes Mellitus, which causes the arteries that feed blood to the kidneys to become fragile. Some people may not have diabetes yet, but suffer from Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) for their whole lives due to consuming too much carbs which may cause harm to the kidneys.
Kidney failure can be observed from foamy urine, which shows that it is no longer capable of retaining protein, or if there is swelling of the eyes or on the back of the feet, or if some people have an increased appetite or maybe not feel hungry at all and suffer from extreme fatigue.
Compiled by: Winna Rakkarn
Photo credit: Unsplash
