What is the Function & Importance of Your Gut?
First, let’s talk about some specifics of your digestive tract:
- The mouth is the beginning of your digestive tract, where the breakdown of food begins.
- Esophagus starts in your throat and receives food from your mouth when you swallow. It delivers food to your stomach due to a series of muscle contractions known as peristalsis.
- Stomach is a hollow organ that receives & holds the food that is brought from the esophagus. Stomach produces or makes stomach acid to help break down food, and kills pathogens (bacteria, fungus & parasites) that can cause harm to your body.
- Small intestines then receive the stomach contents. Food continues to break down from enzymes released by the pancreas and liver. A series of muscle contractions otherwise known as peristalsis occurs to move food through and mix the food with the digestive enzymes.
- Pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum. It also secretes insulin to metabolize sugar.
- Liver has lots of important functions! It helps with digestion from nutrients absorbed from the small intestine. The liver also makes bile which breaks down fats that are ingested. It also helps to detoxify potentially harmful chemicals (converts toxic substances into harmless substances).
- The gallbladder stores the bile that is made by the liver. It releases bile into the small intestine when you eat fat to help absorb and digest fats.
- Colon or large intestine processes waste. Most of your microbiome is located here!
Next, let’s dive a little deeper into the microbiome , to discuss it’s function and importance…
What is a microbiome? It is genetic material of all the microbes (bacteria, fungi, protozoa & viruses) that live on and inside the human body.
- You are mostly made up of microbes—over 100 trillion. Microbes outnumber your human cells 10 to 1.
- The majority of microbes live in your large intestine.
- Microbiomes can weigh up to as much as 5 pounds!
- What happens with the microbiome? Short chain fatty acids are produced when fiber is fermented in the colon, and these short chain fatty acids are a source of energy for your cells lining the colon. They also metabolize or breakdown foreign substances, certain drugs or chemicals the body does not recognize.
What is the link between your gut & immune system?
Did you know that the majority of your immune system is located in your GUT?
Gut-associated lymphoid tissue or GALT for short makes up 70% of your entire immune system!
This is why your gut plays a central role in your immune health and having a balanced immune system! The GUT is your GATEWAY to Health!
Understanding Inflammation:
Acute or short term inflammation is a part of your body’s appropriate immune system response to an acute injury or illness that is helpful for healing.
Acute inflammation is also an important defense against pathogens (harmful bacteria, parasites or viruses).
Your immune system’s ability to mount an adequate and appropriate inflammatory response is critical for survival! As an example, if you were to cut open your hand, causing a large open wound; you don’t want to have excessive bleeding or get an infection. When acute inflammation takes place due to this trauma—it helps you to clot—stopping the bleeding or decreasing the bleeding. It also takes care of pathogens that there is no longer a barrier against—so you don’t get an infection and then helps to heal your open wound. All which is appropriate and necessary! A balanced immune system is self-limited, beneficial and necessary!
Just to summarize, a balanced immune can identify potentially harmful pathogens or substances, recognize self, assess potential level of threat posed by infectious, toxic or non-self antigens and repair any damage that happens when the immune system takes care of threats.
What about Chronic Inflammation or an Unbalanced Immune System ?
Chronic inflammation happens when there is loss of balance of the immune system causing constant inflammation and destruction to your body.
Long term or chronic inflammation can lead to long term problems such as obesity, thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, heart disease and so much more!
Your immune system is no longer regulated and is out of control!
What are some ways gut issues lead to chronic inflammation?
- Issues with digestion . One of the most common digestive problems is not making enough stomach acid. Are you taking any medications that decrease stomach acid such as proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole) or H2 blockers (ranitidine, famotidine, cimetidine)?
- Remember that stomach acid is important for helping with the breakdown of food and killing pathogens such as bacteria, fungus & parasites.
- If you are not making enough stomach acid to help with the break down of food and also let bad bacteria, fungus or parasites survive to hang out in your intestines, which wreaks havoc & causes inflammation!
2 . Leaky Gut also known as intestinal hyperpermeability. This is when the intestinal lumen no longer has tight junctions between your cells. This means that the physical barrier between the digestive tract and blood stream is broken down; making it easy for intestinal contents to enter the blood stream.
- Your immune system will see things that it is not suppose to, such as big food particles, which causes your immune system to react. This can then lead to food sensitivities for example.
- Your immune system will also be exposed to more pathogens.
How Does Leaky Gut Happen?
- NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, steroids, and naproxen. Research shows that NSAIDs cause small intestinal inflammation causing leaky gut and can also be toxic to the cells of your gut.
- Viral, bacterial or protozoan infections
- Gluten
- Inflammation
- Stress
- Cytotoxic drugs
- Xenobiotics such as glyphosate which alters the gut microbiome
- Heavy metals such as mercury
- Antibiotics which alter the microbiome
- Standard American Diet
Chronic Health Issues associated with gut health : If your gut is ticked off, your immune system is gonna be ticked off, causing chronic inflammation that affects your whole body!
Everyone has different genetics and environmental factors, which can lead to a different path of chronic issues you are faced with!
Obesity . Defined as “accumulation of abnormal or excessive fat that may interfere with the maintenance of an optimal state of health.” In the U.S. the population with obesity is 42.2%. There is not any up to date costs for obesity, but in 2008 the estimated annual cost was $147 billion dollars. This was 12 years ago, and now the percentage of obesity has increased from 2008. Can you imagine what the annual cost is now?
Chronic inflammation causes an increase in certain inflammatory mediators (such as TNF-alpha, IL-6) which can lead to inflammation in fat cells (adipose tissue).
Did you know that fat cells (white adipose tissue) is an active participant in regulating your immune system and play a role in inflammation?
Fat cells (adipose tissue) that are exposed to chronic inflammation initially from the gut can then go on to produce more inflammation, which ends up becoming a vicious cycle.
When fat cells become enlarged, the blood supply to these cells may be decreased leading to a limited blood supply to this tissue. When this happens, fat cells or tissue begin to die, which leads to more production of inflammatory mediators! This then leads to overall inflammation in the body that is linked to:
- Abdominal obesity
- Metabolic abnormalities that lead to altered cholesterol and sugar metabolism
- Atherosclerosis than can lead to heart attacks and stroke
- Insulin resistance
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
Thyroid issues. To really understand why thyroid problems are a big deal, first we must understand the importance of a well functioning thyroid. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck. It may be small, but it is powerful and plays a vital role in how your body functions! The thyroid can influence all the parts of your body such as your gut, heart, brain, liver, kidneys and much, much more!
Your thyroid needs proper fuel or nutrients to produce thyroid hormone to be able to influence the rest of your body.
The thyroid gland mostly produces T4 (thyroxine) and some T3 (triiodothyronine) that is made up of iodine and tyrosine. T4 contains four iodine atoms and T3 contains three iodine atoms. Conversion of T4 to T3 takes place mostly outside of the thyroid gland. Most of the body responds & recognizes T3.
If the gut is in poor condition, such as a leaky gut, it is going to be difficult to get nutrient absorption to take place from the gut into the rest of the body. The thyroid suffers and does not get all the vital nutrients such as iodine and selenium for proper functioning.
Why else is having a healthy gut important for your thyroid health?
- 20% of the conversion of T4 to T3 happens in the gut!
- Healthy gut microbes can convert T4 to T3.
- Bile acids when secreted into the small intestine following fat consumption increase activity of the enzyme that converts T4 to T3.
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease that affects more women than men. Hashimoto’s is a chronic inflammatory state in which the immune system makes antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. This then damages the thyroid, and if left untreated, can lead to the thyroid not making enough thyroid hormones. If found and treated early, most individuals with Hashimoto’s will not need to be on thyroid replacement medication.
Autoimmune Conditions can occur other places in the body, not just the thyroid. Autoimmune conditions are a result of the immune system attacking the body’s own organs, tissues and cells.
- Affects 23.5 million U.S. citizens
- Leading cause of death & disability
- More than 80 diseases are associated with autoimmune conditions
- Most common: Hashimoto’s, Lupus, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes, Grave’s Disease, Celiac disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease is chronic inflammation of the GI tract. Prolonged inflammation results in damage to the GI tract. Two types of IBD: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease can affect all parts of the GI tract—mouth to anus. Inflammation may include multiple layers of the walls of the GI tract. Ulcerative colitis affects the large intestine and rectum. Damage is usually patchy. Inflammation is usually present in the innermost layer of the lining of the colon.
Chronic inflammation from leaky gut can also cause seasonal allergy symptoms to be out of control!
Six STEPS to a Healthy Gut & Balanced Immune System:
- Eat a clean, well-balanced diet
- Eat earth made foods. Earth made foods don’t need labels! Try to eat a rainbow of colors in regards to produce to get all your nutrients—each color has different minerals, vitamins etc.
- Stay away from processed foods such as soda and box foods that can cause inflammation. If you are reading ingredients labels and see a big, long word that you have no idea how to pronounce or what it is, your body likely has no idea what it is either, so your immune system mounts a response causing inflammation!
- Buy organic foods. If the budget does not allow for all organic foods, buy all the produce that are listed under the Dirty Dozen organic. The Environmental Working Group has a list of produce with the highest pesticide/herbicide contents: www.EWG.org (strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, and hot peppers).
2. Stay well-hydrated with water
- Most of your body is made up of water and needs water to work effectively and also flush out toxins.
- In general, drinking 1/2 your weight in ounces per day is enough. For example, a 150 lb person needs ~75 oz of water daily. You may need more water if you are out in the sun or exercising vigorously!
- Also something to consider is how your water rate? What is your water source? How clean is your water? Have you considered filtered water?
3. Rest
- Are you getting quality sleep at night?
- How many hours of sleep do you get at night?
- Do you wake up well rested?
- Sticking to a schedule can be very helpful: going to bed and getting up at the same time everyday.
4. Self care
- Are you taking time daily for yourself?
- Are you taking time to rest and let your body reset?
- Are you taking time for movement or exercise?
- Self care looks different for everyone. Self care is a way for you to relax and do something you enjoy!
5. De-Stress
- This is a part of self care. You need to find ways to stay calm and relaxed.
- Chronic stress all by itself causes inflammation!
- If you have trouble taking time for yourself here are some tips: put self care on your daily schedule—even if it is for 2-5 minutes to start out. Have an accountability partner to make sure you are not ignoring your scheduled self care!
6. Supplements
- Multivitamin: basic minerals and vitamins that your entire body needs to function daily.
- Omega 3’s: anti-inflammatory for your gut and whole body. Your body needs omega 3’s to make cell membranes, make hormones and fuel your brain.
- Probiotics: improve gut health—digestion, absorption and microbiome. Also helps to improve immune health.
Having gut issues or an out of whack immune system? Need a partner in your health journey? Schedule a FREE 15 minute strategy call with New Beginnings. Email Staff@NewBeginningsFMC.com or call 970-305-0101 to schedule.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566439/--role of gut microbiome
- https://depts.washington.edu/ceeh/downloads/FF_Microbiome.pdf--human microbiome
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5507106/
- https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
- https://journal-inflammation.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-9255-9-1
- https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/autoimmune-diseases
- https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/autoimmune-diseases
- https://www.cdc.gov/ibd/what-is-IBD.htm
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353315?p=1
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/omega-3-fats/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16829066
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7041-the-structure-and-function-of-the-digestive-syst...
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20351569
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12269922
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1555538
- https://academic.oup.com/intimm/article/8/2/231/671078
- https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/6/4/R52.xml
- https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/92/11/4180/2598186
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279393/
- http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/basics/gi_immune.html
- https://www.thyroid.org/hypothyroidism/
- https://www.thyroid.org/hyperthyroidism/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-of-taking-probiotics
- Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system reacts to something that is usually harmless such as pollens from plants.
- Symptoms may include sneezing, coughing, runny nose or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, nose, mouth or throat.
- You are not alone in your battle with seasonal allergies! In 2018, 19.2 million adults and 5.2 million children in the U.S. were diagnosed with seasonal allergies.
5 Natural Ways to Get Relief from Your Allergies:
1. Limit or avoid exposure.
- Pollen Count . If you are aware of your particular allergies, you can look up the pollen count in your area: https://www.pollen.com/forecast/current/pollen. When the pollen count is high, stay inside (if possible), keep windows & doors closed.
- HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter in your bedroom and main living area or a whole house filter can be helpful. HEPA filters work by removing particles from the air by forcing it through screens with microscopic pores.
- Indoor house plants to purify the air: Gerber daisy, snake plant, English Ivy, Areca palm, peace lily, spider plant & dragon plant.
2. Clear Your Nasal Passages.
- Nasal irrigation with warm saline, distilled or boiled water and sea salt (don’t use regular table salt—it is processed) twice a day can also be helpful to remove the pollens from your nasal mucosa or the lining of your nasal passages. You can either use a nasal irrigation bottle or a Neti Pot. I would recommend watching the video first, before trying. If you have never done this before, it is a little awkward and feels really weird the first time. Here is an instructional video on how to perform nasal irrigation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgsRmkBxWCc
- Sinus spray such as ION Sinus (formally known as Restore) rinses off the dust and pollen from your nasal passages. ION Sinus originates from naturally derived ancient minerals from soil, so there are no additives or chemicals.
3. Natural Supplements & Botanicals.
- Stinging Nettle : recommended in freeze-dried capsule form. Used to treat symptomatic symptoms, not a prevention for seasonal allergies. Recommended dosage is 1-2 capsules every 2-4 hours as needed.
- Butterbur : 4-5 doses daily is recommended.
- Bioflavonoids such as quercetin and rutin (compounds found in lots of vegetables & fruits—which give them their bright colors). Recommended dosage is every 4-6 hours.
4. De-stress. Did you know that stress by itself causes your immune system to overreactive and cause inflammation, leading to a flare up of seasonal allergies? How can you de-stress and find your calm? Regular self care. Self care looks a little different for everyone, since we are all unique and find calm in different ways.
- Schedule time for daily rest . Going for a walk outside, praying/meditation, working out, reading a book, taking a bath are just a few examples.
- Sleep. Are you getting restful sleep? Sticking to a schedule—going to bed and getting up at the same time is important. Are you getting good quality sleep?
5. Don’t Neglect Your Gut Health. Most of your immune system is in your gut. If your gut is not in good shape, it will cause your immune system to be ticked off and your seasonal allergies to worsen!
🥕 Eat earth made foods & a rainbow of produce—heavy on the veggies. Stay away from foods with added sugars, box foods and soda.
💦 Hydrate with water!
🍑 Eat organic . If you are not able to buy everything organic, buy at least these produce organic: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and hot peppers ( https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php ).
Do you need help getting your seasonal allergies tamed down or improving gut health? Schedule a FREE 15 minute Strategy Call to learn more about your symptoms and how functional medicine could benefit you in your journey to optimal health. Call 970-305-0101 or email at Staff@NewBeginningsFMC.com .
*Please consult your doctor before taking any supplements to see if certain supplements are right for you.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/allergies.htm
https://medshadow.org/indoor-allergies-plants-might-be-the-answer-harmful-pollutants-and-allergens/
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
Weil, Andrew, Mind Over Meds. 1st ed. New York: Little, Brown and Company; 2018. 67-68 pgs.
