Health Begins in the Gut
Gut health determines overall health. This was known 2500 years ago, when Greek physician Hippocrates said that all disease begins in the gut.
Recent research shows that gut health dictates overall health, and that an unhealthy gut contributes to a wide range of diseases including diabetes, obesity, autoimmune diseases, autism, depression, anxiety, food allergies, skin problems, ADD, ADHD, poor memory, chronic fatigue syndrome, and more.
Our gut health is determined by our intestinal flora and permeability.
Gut Health & Intestinal Flora
Our gut has about 100 trillion microorganisms and over 400 diverse bacterial species. In fact, we have about 10 times more bacteria than cells in our body. Our intestinal flora comprise more than 75% of our immune system, and promote normal gastrointestinal function. There are many factors that affect and impair our gut flora, including:
- medications, including antibiotics and birth control pill
- diets high in refined carbohydrates, sugars and processed foods
- diets low in fibre
- dietary toxins
- chronic stress
Gut Health & Intestinal Permeability
The gut is a hollow tube that passes from the mouth to the anus. The gut contents are thus outside our body. The intestinal barrier’s most important function is to prevent foreign or undesirable substances from entering the body. Recent research shows that the integrity of the intestinal barrier is a major factor is many diseases, including autoimmune diseases. Poor intestinal barrier function is termed leaky gut, and does not always produce digestive problems. Leaky gut can manifest as skin problems like eczema or psoriasis, heart failure, autoimmune conditions affecting the thyroid (Hashimoto’s) or joints (rheumatoid arthritis), mental illness, autism, ADHD, cognitive issues, depression, anxiety, and more.
Maintaining and Restoring a Healthy Gut
Remove
Remove everything that impairs the gut, including inflammatory foods, infections, and irritants like alcohol, caffeine, or drugs. Inflammatory foods include gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, and sugar, which can lead to food sensitivities. I recommend an elimination diet to identify which foods are problematic for you, in which you remove the foods for two weeks or more and then add them back in, one at a time, taking note of your body’s response. Infections can be from parasites, yeast, or bacteria. A comprehensive stool analysis is key to determining the levels of good bacteria as well as any infections that may be present. Removing the infections may require treatment with herbs, anti-parasite medication or supplements, antifungal medication or supplements, or even antibiotics.
Replace
Add essential nutrients for proper digestion and absorption that may have been depleted by diet, drugs, diseases or aging, including digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid, and bile acids that are required for proper digestion.
Repopulate
Restore beneficial bacteria to reestablish a healthy balance of good bacteria is critical. This may be accomplished by taking a probiotic supplement that contains beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus species. I recommend anywhere from 25 -100 billion units a day. Also, taking a prebiotic (food for the good bacteria) supplement or consuming foods high in soluble fiber is important.
Repair
Give your body the nutrients necessary to help the gut repair itself, including bone broth, l-glutamine, zinc, omega-3 fish oils, vitamin A, C, and E, slippery elm and aloe vera.
Manage
Manage stress using meditation, exercise and breathing techniques.
