Your intestinal system is an essential part of the digestive tract, responsible for absorbing nutrients and water, processing remaining food material and helping the body eliminate waste. Made up of the small intestine and large intestine, it carries out several important functions that contribute to everyday wellbeing.

The small intestine is where most nutrient absorption takes place, allowing the body to obtain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from digested food. The large intestine absorbs much of the remaining water and electrolytes while helping to form and store stool before it leaves the body.

Your intestines are also home to a diverse community of microorganisms known as the gut microbiome. These microorganisms interact with the intestinal environment and are involved in several normal biological processes.

In this guide, we'll explore how your intestines work, why their functions matter and five practical lifestyle habits worth considering. You'll also find further reading from our Health Hub and information about Bowel Build, our featured Key System Product for the Intestinal System.

A woman with wavy brown hair smiles while preparing a salad in a bright kitchen. She is wearing a light sage green button-up shirt over a white top.

Understanding Your Intestinal System

Your intestinal system is made up of two main sections: the small intestine and the large intestine. Together, they play an essential role in absorbing nutrients, managing water and electrolytes, and processing the remaining material from the food you eat.

The small intestine is a long, folded tube divided into three sections: the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Its inner surface contains millions of tiny finger-like projections called villi, which increase the surface area available for nutrient absorption.

The large intestine includes the caecum, colon and rectum. It absorbs much of the remaining water and electrolytes, while also providing a home for a diverse community of microorganisms known as the gut microbiome.

Although the intestines form part of the wider digestive system, their specialised roles in absorption, microbial activity and bowel function make them an important area to understand in their own right.

A smiling woman in a cream knit sweater serves salad from a bowl at a dining table, with a man seated beside her and several bowls of food, drinks, and plants in the background.

How Does Your Intestinal System Work?

Once food leaves the stomach, it enters the small intestine, where digestive enzymes and bile help prepare nutrients for absorption. The intestinal lining then allows many of these nutrients to pass into the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Tiny structures called villi and microvilli increase the surface area of the small intestine, helping it absorb nutrients efficiently. Different sections are involved in absorbing carbohydrates, amino acids, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Material that has not been absorbed passes into the large intestine. Here, water and electrolytes continue to be absorbed, while intestinal bacteria ferment some dietary fibres and produce substances known as short-chain fatty acids.

The muscles of the intestinal walls move contents along through coordinated contractions called peristalsis. As material travels through the colon, stool gradually forms before being stored in the rectum and eventually eliminated from the body.

These processes work together continuously, allowing the intestines to carry out their normal functions as part of everyday life.

A woman relaxes on an outdoor patio chair in a sunlit garden, holding an open book. She wears a white top and sage green pants, with potted plants, flowers, and a wooden table in the foreground.

Why Your Intestinal System Matters

Your intestines are essential to everyday bodily functions. The small intestine is responsible for absorbing most of the nutrients obtained from food, while the large intestine helps regulate water absorption and the formation of stool.

The intestinal lining also acts as a selective barrier, allowing nutrients to pass through while helping to separate the contents of the gut from the rest of the body. This barrier works alongside immune cells and other protective mechanisms found throughout the intestinal tract.

Your gut microbiome is another important part of this environment. The microorganisms living in your intestines interact with dietary components, particularly certain fibres, and contribute to a range of normal biological processes.

Regular bowel movements are also part of intestinal function, although what is normal can vary considerably between individuals. Understanding your own usual patterns can help you recognise changes worth discussing with a healthcare professional.

Learning how your intestines work can help you make informed everyday choices about nutrition, hydration and lifestyle, while appreciating the different roles of the small and large intestine.

5 Everyday Habits for Intestinal Wellbeing

From encouraging a varied gut microbiome to understanding your natural bowel habits, explore five practical ways to look after your intestinal wellbeing as part of a balanced lifestyle.

  • A person in a green apron slices a cucumber on a wooden cutting board in a bright, sunlit kitchen. Fresh tomatoes, carrots, herbs, and bowls of ingredients are arranged around the workspace.

    Eat a Variety of Plant Foods

    Include a colourful variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts and seeds in your weekly meals. Different plant foods provide different types of fibre and nutrients, helping you enjoy a varied, balanced diet.

  • A styled food scene on a wooden table with bowls of prepared foods and jars of pickled vegetables. Visible items include a bowl of yogurt topped with berries, a bowl of purple cabbage slaw, a jar of shredded pickled vegetables, a jar of kimchi, a small bowl of brown spread, and surrounding ingredients such as bananas, onions, garlic, asparagus, and a glass of milk.

    Get to Know Your Gut Microbiome

    Your intestines are home to trillions of microorganisms that form your gut microbiome. Explore foods such as live yoghurt, kefir and fermented vegetables, alongside a variety of fibre-containing plant foods, as part of your everyday diet.

  • A small wooden step stool in a bright, sunlit bathroom next to a white toilet, with green plants, towels, and a woven rug around it.

    Understand Your Bowel Habits

    Everyone's bowel habits are different, so get to know what's normal for you. Allow time to use the toilet without rushing, avoid ignoring the urge to go and consider using a small footstool for a comfortable position. Speak to a healthcare professional about persistent or unexplained changes.

  • A large beige ceramic bowl filled with a colorful, healthy salad featuring roasted potato chunks, lentils, cucumber, tomatoes, shredded purple cabbage, and carrots, garnished with fresh parsley. The bowl is styled on a light beige table with other bowls of ingredients, a bottle of olive oil, and wooden cutting boards in the background.

    Include Resistant Starch in Your Diet

    Explore foods containing resistant starch, such as beans, lentils, slightly green bananas and cooked, cooled potatoes or rice. Resistant starch passes through the small intestine largely undigested and can be fermented by bacteria in the large intestine as part of normal gut activity.

  • A person preparing a colorful salad in a bright kitchen, sprinkling seeds onto a bowl of mixed greens, tomatoes, and grains. Surrounding the salad are bowls of lentils, pumpkin seeds, and other grains, along with fresh vegetables and a jar of oats.

    Introduce Fibre Gradually

    If you're increasing the amount of fibre in your diet, make changes gradually and drink enough fluids throughout the day. Try adding beans, lentils, oats or wholegrains to familiar meals, giving yourself time to adjust to new eating habits.

1 5
Bowel Build front

Meet Bowel Build, Your Key System Product

Alongside the everyday lifestyle habits we've explored, you may also wish to learn more about Bowel Build, our featured Key System Product for the Intestinal System.

Bowel Build is a Nature's Sunshine food supplement combining psyllium husks with botanical ingredients including ginger, marshmallow root and chlorophyll-containing ingredients. Its formula offers a convenient way to incorporate these ingredients into your daily nutritional routine.

Psyllium husks are a source of dietary fibre. You can explore the full ingredient list, nutritional information and directions for use on the Bowel Build product page.

Designed to complement a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, Bowel Build can be considered alongside everyday habits such as eating a variety of plant foods, drinking sufficient fluids and maintaining a consistent routine.

PLEASE NOTE: NOT SUITABLE FOR VEGANS

Bowel Build is not suitable for a plant-based diet. Explore our Gut Health collection for other options, including Multi-Vits and Minerals and Activated Charcoal. Please check individual product ingredients and suitability before purchasing.

OUR ASSURANCE TO YOU

We want you to feel confident when shopping with Lily & Loaf. That's why eligible purchases are covered by our 90-day money-back guarantee, giving you added peace of mind when trying something new. Terms and conditions apply.

Discover Bowel Build

 Continue Exploring Your Wellbeing 

  • An open magazine or book spread titled 'Intestinal Health' is photographed on a wooden table, surrounded by bowls of fruit, seeds, greens, and a cup of tea. The pages show wellness articles and food photos, and no person is present beyond printed imagery within the publication.

    Intestinal Health Hub

    Explore our Intestinal Health Hub for informative articles on gut microbiome diversity, fibre, bowel habits and practical everyday wellbeing tips.

    Explore Articles 
  • A person uses a laptop on a wooden desk, showing a digital 'Lily & Loaf Your Lifestyle Analysis' screen. The scene is styled with a mug of coffee, a notebook with a pen, and potted plants in the background.

    Your Questions Explained

    Understand the questions behind your Lifestyle Analysis and what they explain.

    View Explanations 
  • A circular lifestyle mockup showing printed wellness guides titled 'LILY & LOAF Your Lifestyle Analysis Results' and 'Next Steps Tips,' arranged on a table top with a notebook, pen, fruit bowl, and cup of tea in a garden setting.

    Explore All Nine Body Systems 

    Discover the other Key Body Systems and learn more about everyday wellbeing.

    Explore Body Systems 
1 3

Intestinal System