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The gastrointestinal barrier protects you from harmful substances that enter your system. Under normal, healthy conditions, most food is digested and absorbed for the body to use. However, if the GI barrier becomes irritated, you can get sick, leading to inflammation and a compromised immune system. If this happens too often, you can develop chronic inflammation, resulting in intestinal cramping and recurring diarrhea. Ulcers or other diseases can develop, weakening the intestinal wall and leading to poor nutrient absorption. The end result is nutrient deficiencies and a decline in athletic performance. To take control of your digestion, if you have any symptoms of discomfort, keep a food journal, get frequent blood tests, use an elimination diet to determine your intolerances, and consult with a doctor. These issues are dangerous and can actually lead to other, more severe problems such as autoimmune diseases.

Elimination protocols. One elimination protocol that has seen quite a bit of success is FODMAP. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides (such as fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides), disaccharides (such as lactose), monosaccharides (such as excess fructose), and polyols (such as sorbitol, maltitol, and xylitol). It involves eliminating a variety of plant foods that contain certain types of sugars that are often not digested or absorbed well. Read up on FODMAP if you feel you have done what you can with simple elimination. Check out this website by the folks who designed the protocol: http://shepherdworks.com.au. For a super-nerdy take on digestion, watch this video by Precision Nutrition: www.precisionnutrition.com/how-digestion-and-absorption-works.