Rumbling tummy? It doesn't mean you need to eat - it's your gut cleaning itself

Daily Mail ^ | May 25, 2015 | Guilia Enders

[rickmichaels]

From the minute we take our first bite of food, enzymes in saliva start breaking it down. Tiny openings on our cheek secrete saliva even at the thought of food. It has a host of other purposes, too, which is why other openings under the tongue secrete saliva continuously - up to a litre a day.

Saliva is basically blood without the red cells. It contains calcium to help harden our teeth, hormones including oestrogen and testosterone, and perhaps most surprisingly, a natural painkiller, opiorphin, that is stronger than morphine.

This explains why a sore throat often feels better after a meal. There are even a handful of studies showing that opiorphin has antidepressant properties (a new theory is that this painkiller is partly responsible for the reassuring effects of comfort eating).

Saliva also protects the mouth from too many bad bacteria - it contains proteins known as mucins, which envelop our teeth and gums in a protective net.

We shoot out mucins like Spider-Man shoots webs from his wrists. These microscopic nets can catch bacteria before they have a chance to harm us.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Yesterday I went to Giant Eagle. Thought I’d like to buy something that, as a single old male. I’d like to buy something that Id never make for myself. Bought their potato salad, Sick all day!

[dp0622]

oh boy. I guess it was a little too ripe. we are not old. Just older lol

[dp0622]

I used to watch that movie once a week years ago lol

[EternalVigilance]

An informative article. We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made.

[Salamander]

Now my spit has me totally freaked out.

:D

[SaveFerris]

I will have to digest this new information.

It’s been a bile.

[MeshugeMikey]

I now have a whole new respect for spit

[Does so]

I find it too much to swallow...

[Lazamataz]

Apparently, I didn’t know spit.

[OKSooner]

Read this later.