Nutrient Absorption

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Get the most nutrition out of the food you eat: a tasty pizza or double-patty cheeseburger is not going to cut it!

We nourish our bodies by providing our bones with calcium to keep them strong, our muscles with protein to grow and repair, and our heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and thyroid with vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables.

Symptoms of nutrient deficiencies include fatigue, hair loss, dull and dry hair, and poor skin. When neglected, these deficiencies can lead to serious health problems.

For nutrients to be absorbed, food must undergo mechanical and chemical digestion. It begins in the mouth, where digestive enzymes in saliva start breaking down food. Chewing thoroughly is essential. In the stomach, proteins break down into amino acids and carbohydrates into glucose for energy or storage. The nutrients are then absorbed in the small intestine and delivered by the circulatory system to where they’re needed. Excess is stored or eliminated.

For optimal absorption, a healthy digestive system is critical. Poor gut health leads to poor nutrient absorption. Conditions like IBS, celiac disease, or other gastrointestinal issues can hinder digestion. Processed foods are often nutrient-poor, and high-sugar foods can deplete nutrients—especially magnesium. Medications such as antacids, blood pressure meds, antidepressants, and hormone therapies can also interfere with nutrient levels. Stress and alcohol further disrupt digestion and absorption.

Stress increases the body’s need for certain nutrients, including vitamin C, B vitamins, and magnesium. When these become depleted, symptoms like fatigue and irritability appear, along with digestive changes and dull skin, nails, and hair.

To maximize absorption:

  • Eat a variety of colorful foods—such as roasted carrots, green pepper, zucchini, and celery in salads.
  • Pair plant-based iron sources (like legumes and dried fruit) with vitamin C-rich foods (oranges, salsas, cauliflower) to enhance iron bioavailability.
  • Include healthy fats in every meal to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Use oil-based dressings like olive oil, and add nuts, seeds, and avocados to meals.

Polyunsaturated fat sources include:

  • Avocado
  • Flaxseed
  • Fatty fish: salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines
  • Sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds
  • Walnuts

Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory herb. Its active ingredient, curcumin, is fat-soluble. For best absorption, consume turmeric with healthy fats and black pepper (piperine). Even a small amount of pepper can dramatically increase bioavailability.

Support gut health with probiotics to aid digestion and nutrient absorption. Probiotic-rich foods include kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, and Maz-Mix digestive live fermentation drink.

Hydration is key—water helps transport nutrients in the blood. Avoid tea and coffee with meals, as polyphenols can block nutrient absorption, particularly iron. Choose instead fruit and vegetable juices that contain natural digestive enzymes, such as pineapple, melon, and papaya.

Alcohol damages the lining of the stomach and intestines and reduces digestive enzyme activity, impairing nutrient absorption. Stress increases cortisol levels, which slows digestion and interferes with the breakdown and uptake of food.

Nutrients are essential for critical biochemical reactions in the body. Our health depends on consistent intake of macronutrients, micronutrients, and water to function optimally.

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Lower LDL Cholesterol – Naturally

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LDL (low-density lipoproteins) is often called “the bad” cholesterol because a high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries. But what should your LDL level be?

LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level LDL Cholesterol Category
Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100–129 mg/dL Near optimal
130–159 mg/dL Borderline high
160–189 mg/dL High

LDL is the storage system of cholesterol. This is the cholesterol preferred for deposition when insulin levels rise. As you accumulate risk factors, 100 mg/dL or below is best—especially if you have documented heart history, vascular disease, or diabetes.

How can you lower your LDL cholesterol besides just using drugs?

A healthy lifestyle positively impacts your cholesterol profile regardless of the particle type. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and weight control all contribute to lowering LDL.

The only thing that helps raise HDL but not lower LDL is alcohol consumption. Alcohol may even increase LDL due to the sugars it contains, which stimulate insulin release.

Myth: Many people believe that to lower LDL, they should reduce cholesterol or fat in their diet. Reducing saturated and trans fats helps, but it’s more important to cut back on simple and processed carbohydrates and starchy foods such as bagels, white rice, cakes, cookies, chips, candy, and potatoes.

The worst cholesterol profiles are linked to highly processed carb diets. These carbs are digested quickly, spike blood sugar, and trigger insulin—a storage hormone that increases LDL levels.

Fiber and plant sterols are important for controlling LDL levels. Every time you eat, your liver and gallbladder release cholesterol-rich bile. If not used during digestion, bile is usually reabsorbed.

Plant sterols from vegetables, fruits, wheat germ, beans, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds can block this reabsorption. Fermented foods like Maz-Mix are high in fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, vegetable protein, and omega-3.

Plant sterols mimic bile enough to block absorption but are different enough not to be absorbed themselves. This wastes bile and leads to lower LDL. That’s why plant-based diets high in fiber and sterols tend to result in better LDL levels.

Even if your numbers don’t immediately improve, the lifestyle changes you make are still beneficial and should be continued. Most people may still need medication to reach LDL goals, but drugs are no substitute for a healthy lifestyle.

Cutting down on saturated fat is another way to lower cholesterol and protect your heart. Replace some saturated fats with:

  • Vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, nut, and seed oils
  • Avocados, nuts, and seeds
  • Fat spreads made from vegetable oils
  • Oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout, herring, and mackerel (aim for two servings a week)

We don’t lower LDL just to improve lab results—we do it to reduce heart disease risk. Avoiding cholesterol-lowering drugs may be possible if you maintain a healthy weight, eat right, stay active, and don’t smoke. These habits lower LDL and protect your heart, regardless of your lab numbers.

Live Longer – Eat Hot Chili Peppers

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Thousands of studies clearly show that the spicy flavor of hot chili peppers can help you live longer. The active compounds called capsaicinoids—primarily capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin—are the chemical substances that give chilies their spiciness and that familiar burning sensation.

When you eat chilies, the commotion produced in the mouth by the capsaicinoids is recorded by the pain receptors, not the taste buds, as many people think. These pain receptors send a message to the brain, warning that something is burning. In response, the body begins to sweat and produces copious amounts of endorphins to suppress the pain. This is why so many people enjoy spicy food—endorphins not only suppress pain but also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine.

Capsaicin is well-known for its pain-relieving properties. It affects neurotransmitters and stimulates nerve endings to communicate with the brain. Chili peppers also help regulate blood glucose, and they have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. Many additional health benefits have been attributed to capsaicin, including lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

All that spiciness, heat, and burning sensation make you statistically less likely to die from heart disease, cancer, or any other cause compared to people who rarely or never eat chili peppers.

Sweet Peppers Count, Too

Not all chilies are hot and spicy. Sweet peppers, such as cherry, cone, green, and paprika, contain a good source of capsaicin when consumed regularly.

Chili peppers have more vitamin A than carrots and more vitamin C than oranges. They stimulate the flow of saliva and gastric juices, leading to better digestion of proteins found in beans, corn, and other legumes.

Some people struggle with eating chilies raw or in salsa due to an unfamiliarity with the fruit or because their gut biome is in poor condition. These individuals often suffer from stomach or intestinal issues like colitis, acid reflux, IBS, or gas. Fixing gut problems by using digestive support like Maz-Mix digestive formula can help rebuild gut health and allow you to gradually enjoy spicier foods for a longer, healthier life.

A Mexican Treasure

Chili peppers come in many varieties—Mexico alone has more than 150 different types. Chilies are actually a fruit, and when combined with vegetables, nuts, and other fruits, they offer thousands of recipe combinations with amazing flavors. For many Mexicans, a meal isn’t complete without some kind of salsa.

The most commonly used chilies in Mexico include chile de arbol, cascabel, habanero, jalapeño, chipotle, serrano, pasilla, chile piquín, green pepper, and chile poblano. Mexican cuisine depends on chilies—dishes like pozole, mole, adobo, tacos, and tamales simply wouldn’t be the same without salsa as a key ingredient.

A Bit of History

Archaeological digs and studies of ancient clay cooking pots have revealed traces of capsaicinoids. The native people of central Mexico had fully domesticated chili peppers more than 8,000 years ago. The word “chili” comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec) language.

My friend Bill Givens, a retired Canadian chef and self-acknowledged addict of Mexican cuisine, and I took a trip 22 years ago when traveling was still fun. Our goal was to explore various regions of Mexico and eat the local salsas. What was intended to be a one-month trip lasted over two months and turned into an extraordinary culinary journey.

We traveled from the U.S. to Tijuana, then down the west coast of Mexico to Cancún, and returned via the Gulf of Mexico. It was the most incredible gastronomic experience of my life. We ate salsa everywhere—restaurants, posadas (B&Bs), local markets (tianguis), and even in people’s homes. We never had the same salsa twice.

Chilies continue to play a huge role in Mexico’s rich culinary traditions—and now, science shows they also play a role in promoting health and longevity worldwide.

Diarrhea (aka Montezuma’s Revenge)

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Moctezuma II is the namesake of Moctezuma’s revenge, a form of diarrhea that arises when a tourist in Mexico consumes food or drinks water they’re unaccustomed to. The bacteria in local water often differ from what the traveler is used to, which can trigger the condition. Moctezuma II was captured, tortured, and killed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in 1520.

While being tortured to reveal the location of the Aztec gold treasury, Moctezuma’s feet were burned, but he stoically refused to disclose the information. He died, but not before issuing a threat and promise of revenge.

Diarrhea is an intestinal infection resulting from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

The main organisms causing Moctezuma’s revenge include diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, especially ETEC (enterotoxigenic E. coli) and EAEC (enteroaggregative E. coli). Other culprits may include salmonella, campylobacter, shigella, norovirus, and rotavirus, depending on the region.

How to Stop Diarrhea Fast

A common remedy is the BRAT diet: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. These bland, low-fiber, starchy foods help bulk up stools and soothe the digestive system.

Diarrhea-causing bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli are often contracted through contaminated food and drinks. Viruses like rotavirus and norovirus can also cause gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as stomach flu.

Foods to Avoid During Diarrhea

  • Milk and dairy products (including milk-based protein drinks)
  • Fried, fatty, or greasy foods
  • Spicy foods
  • Processed foods with additives
  • Pork and veal
  • Raw vegetables

Helpful Herbs for Diarrhea

  • Chamomile: Available as tea, liquid, or capsules. Reduces inflammation and gut spasms.
  • Teas from blueberry, blackberry, or raspberry leaves: Contain tannins that reduce inflammation and fluid secretion in the intestines.

Apple cider vinegar also helps bulk up stool and reduce intestinal inflammation. As a natural antibiotic, it’s particularly helpful against bacteria-based diarrhea.

Bland Foods That Can Help

  • Hot cereals: oatmeal, cream of wheat, rice porridge
  • Bananas
  • Applesauce
  • Plain white rice
  • Bread or toast
  • Boiled potatoes
  • Unseasoned crackers

Important: Do not drink excessive water. Overhydration can overwhelm the kidneys and cause water retention in the body, resulting in unpleasant symptoms.

Cooked Vegetables That May Help

Try soups made with cooked asparagus tips, beets, carrots, peeled zucchini, mushrooms, celery, tomato purée, or baked potatoes (without skin). Avoid caffeinated, alcoholic, carbonated, very hot, or very cold beverages.

Rebuilding the Body After Diarrhea

Consume foods high in potassium and minerals to replenish what was lost. Include probiotic and fiber-rich foods such as Maz-Mix, pineapple, and dragon fruit (pitaya) to help restore gut flora.

Additional helpful foods include:

  • Lentils
  • Bananas
  • Mangoes
  • Coconut milk
  • Citrus fruits

These foods are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, phenolic acid, and prebiotics, which support healthy bacteria, lower blood sugar, and aid digestion.