This document discusses the importance of digestion for overall health and wellness. It explains that the health of the gut impacts the skin, immune system, and mind. A well-functioning gut depends on maintaining a balance of good and bad bacteria. Factors like antibiotics, poor diet, stress and toxins can disrupt this balance and cause issues like leaky gut. Consuming probiotics, prebiotics and fermented foods can help restore gut health. The document provides tips for improving digestion such as following an elimination diet and eating a simple plate of vegetables with grains or proteins.

1. Understanding your Body
The gateway to health, vitality, & happiness is through
your digestion
By Jeanine Toes, Novo Wellness for Life

2. Welcome
My name is Jeanine Toes. I am
the proud owner of Novo
Wellness for Life and a Board
Certified Holistic Health Coach.
I help people to detoxify their
bodies, learn how to eat healthy
foods, and improve their
digestive function. Today, you
are going to find out why
digestion is so important to your
health.

3. The importance of
Digestion
ü The beauty of your body, your skin, and your
hair depend on the health of your gut.
ü The health of your immune system depends
on the health of your gut.
ü The health of your mind depends on the
health of your gut.
ü Today, we explore why your gut is the
doorway to ultimate health.

4. The Expert
“A well-functioning gut with healthy gut flora
holds the roots to our health. And, just as a tree
with stick roots is not going to thrive, the rest of
the body cannot thrive without a well-
functioning digestive system”
- Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

5. Symptoms of
Imbalances
ü Constipation
ü Acid reflux
ü Poor sleep
ü Excessive gas
ü IBS
ü Headaches
ü Chronic colds

6. Understanding
Digestion
ü Digestion begins in the
mouth and continues
through the esophogus,
stomach, small intestines,
and colon.
ü The goal of digestion is to
sort good nutrients from
bad nutrients, so your
body can assimilate what
it needs to thrive.

7. Your Gut Flora
“Gut flora consists of a complex of microorganism
species that live in the digestive tracts.” – Wikipedia
ü The number of bacteria living in your gut is 100
trillion.
ü Research shows your gut flora can affect
numerous processes in your body including your
metabolism, energy production, nutrition, and
genetic expression. (Mercola, How Your Gut
Flora Influences Your Health, 2012)

8. The Good and Bad
Bacteria
• There must be a balance of
good and bad bacteria in
your body for healthy
digestion.
• The ratio is 85% good
bacteria to 15% bad
bacteria.

9. Good Bacteria
leads to…
ü Nutrient absorption
ü Infection + disease prevention
ü Decreased food allergies
ü Good digestion
ü Regulated body weight
ü Reduced inflammation
ü Synthesized nutrients such as Vitamin K, B12, biotin, and
medium-chain fatty acids

10. When it all goes
wrong
Some of you may have heard the terms
“Leaky Gut” or “Gut Dysbiosis”
“Leaky gut syndrome”, also called
“increased intestinal permeability”, is the
result of damage to the intestinal lining”.
- (Dr. Andrew Weil, What is Leaky Gut?,
2013)

11. What happens when
the Gut is Leaky?
ü Celiac Disease
ü GERD
ü IBS
ü Allergies
ü Heart Disease
ü Autism
ü IBS
ü Crohn’s Disease
ü Mental Disorders

12. Symptoms of
Leaky Gut
ü Fatigue
ü Food Allergies
ü Inflammation
ü Common Colds + Low
Immune
ü Anxiety & Depression
ü Adrenal Fatigue
ü Inability to Lose Weight
ü Skin Problems

13. Factors that Disrupt
Gut Flora
ü Antibiotics
ü Poor Diet
ü Chronic Stress
ü Environmental Toxins
ü Digestive Distress (low
stomach acid)
ü Toxic Overload

14. Factors that Improve
Gut Flora
ü Probiotics
(live bacteria)
ü Prebiotics
(food for bacteria)
ü Fermented Foods

15. all you wanted to
know about Poop
ü People who have healthy digestion should
eliminate at least 1 to 3 times per day.
ü Your poop should be a healthy, smooth-like
sausage, brown in color, and easy to pass.
ü Striving for the perfect stool is really striving
for perfect health.

16. Understating Transit
Time
When you eat foods, you need to
understand how long they take to digest.
ü The transit time of your foods should be around
12-24 hours.
ü Less than 12 hours means malabsorption and is
often expressed through diarrhea.
ü More than 24 hours typically leads to constipation.

17. Avoiding constipation
Get to know your body…
Many people eat “healthy foods”, but they are also eating
foods to which they may have sensitivities.
My suggestion:
ü Follow an elimination diet to learn which foods
are right for your body.
ü Add a good quality probiotic.
ü Eat simple combinations of foods to decrease
congestion.

18. The Simple Plate
Choose one of the
following to make a
simple plate for
optimal digestion:
ü Vegetables with
grains
ü Vegetables with
proteins
ü Vegetables with fats

19. Healing & Repair
Foods that can restore your
digestion:
ü Fermented Foods
ü Miso
ü Kefir
ü Sauerkraut
ü Kimchee
ü Inner-eco
ü Bio-kult
ü Good Belly
ü Yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)

20. Probiotics
Consuming Probiotics and Prebiotics are
essential for healthy gut flora.
Taking a probiotic daily is key for your
health, happiness, and vitality!
I suggest the following probiotics:
ü Garden of Life Primal Defense
ü Pb8
ü Inner-eco Cultured Coconut Water Kefir

21. The Skinny on
Prebiotics
ü Prebiotics are non-digestible foods that move through
the digestive system and help the good bacteria to
grow.
ü Prebiotics are food for the good bacteria in your gut.
When probiotics and prebiotics are combined, you have the
perfect combination for a healthy gut.
Examples of probiotics & prebiotics found in two foods:
kefir & yogurt

22. Prebiotic Foods
Eat more of these!
ü Raw chicory root
ü Raw Jerusalem artichoke
ü Raw dandelion greens
ü Raw garlic
ü Raw leek
ü Raw and cooked onion
ü Raw banana
ü Asparagus
Prebiotic Foods!

23. Improve your
Digestion + feel alive!

24. Jeanine Toes
If you are looking to improve vitality, ditch the sugar cravings,
and reduce unwanted allergies, please contact me about my
11-Day Clean Eating Program
It has been proven that a simple whole foods elimination program can
do the following:
ü Reduce Belly Bloat
ü Reduce Food Allergies
ü Improve Sleep

25. Jeanine Toes
Thank you so much for learning about your digestion,
happiness, and health.
For more information about my programs that decrease
inflammation, improve digestion, and reduce toxicity.
Contact me at
www.NovoWellnessforLife.com
516-528-4853