The small intestine is where the molecular chunks and tangles of food particles are broken down into single molecules. These move to the intestinal walls, through the intestinal walls, and then into the bloodstream or lymph. Consider: until this point, the food is still technically outside the body, moving through a long, walled-off tube. The small intestine is where the outside meets the in. Nourishment ensues.

We have an epidemic of love-hate relationships with our stomachs; we love to fill them, hate their function. Not sure what I’m talking about? Take a look around the antacid section the next time you’re in the pharmacy. Or consider the number of people you know who have been prescribed proton pump inhibitors. Or maybe check the cabinet under your own bathroom sink for that family-sized canister of colorful, mild-flavored tums (which I used to eat like candy when I visited my best friend’s house in grade school- oy). That’s us, hating on our stomachs.

Have you ever cut calories in an effort to lose a few pounds only to find that… nothing changed? Or worse, you gained weight instead?!

It happens. Our best laid plans -with our latest calorie counting app and our carefully curated snack packs- can wind up being complete fails, as many dieters can attest to. It’s the same old story, but why?

Everyday, it seems, we learn about a new feature of the body that is in  some way governed by our gut bacteria. Mood. Sugar cravings. Inflammation. Hormone balance. Energy. Our gut bugs seem to have their creepy crawly fingers in everything, and weight is no exception.