Most health problems begin in the gut. If inflammation is triggered in the digestive tract, say for example from low nutirent food intake, low digestive enzymes, poor bile flow or infection, that disruption has a flow on effect to other vulnerable areas of the body, and if it continues for a long period of time, it will eventually manifest itself as a diagnosable diseased condition. Be it cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological conditions, thyroid conditions, autoimmune diseases, cancer, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), reoccurent or chronic infections, arthritic conditions.
Inflammation in the body causes oxidative stress or damage to cells and tissues. Damage to cells provides a breeding ground for opportunistic unwanted microbes and if left untreated, these microbes will invade the body undetected, leading on to chronic health conditions.
The primary cause of chronic low grade inflammation is gut dysbiosis, where certain bugs or pathogens have overpopulated the body.
The gut is a very clever functioning organism – it has its own brain, known as the second brain. The gut actually works independently of our head brain.
The 2nd Brain is the nervous system that supplies the entire length of the gut and alimentary canal, containing 100 million neurons or nerve cells. 90% of these neuron pathways carry information from the gut to the brain, not the other way round. Hence a big part of our emotions, mood and how we think is influenced by the nerves in our gut, if they are irritated.
Below is a list of some of the possible irritants to the nerves in our gut leading to low grade inflammation and disease.
95% of our bodies serotonin levels are made in the digestive tract by certain bacteria, immune cells and neurons which increase motility or movement along the small and large intestine. If these bacterias are low, then serotonin levels will be low, resulting in symptoms listed below:
Foods that stimulate serotonin production include: Walnuts, pineapple, banana, kiwifruit, plums, tomatoes. B1 Thiamine and Folic Acid boost serotonin levels.
Serotonin levels can also be overproduced when we eat something that upsets the stomach, and copious amounts of Serotonin are released which causes the gut to empty via diarrhoea and sometimes vomiting.
The appendix is a vital part of the lymphatic system. It is located just below the ileo-cecal valve – where the small and large intestine meet. Its job is to trap harmful microbes that can be destroyed or inactivated by the immune cells. It also acts as a type of safe house where beneficial bacteria from the bowel are grown and stored.
The Appendix as well as the Pineal gland synthesise and secrete melatonin. Melatonin is also produced by the intestines and stomach. It is critical for a good nights sleep and a potent antioxidant, protecting our cells from damage. It is known as the anti-aging hormone.
70% of our immune system is aimed at the gut to expell and kill foreign invaders. So the balance of bacterias in the gut is critical to overall health. If the immune system is overwhelmed, and cannot do its job then a disease state begins.
We need tight junction complexes or strong healthy smooth mucous membranes in the intestines to allow fluid, nutrients and leukocytes (white blood cells) to move from the intestines to the blood stream.
In a leaky gut, a single layer of mucosal cells covering the digestive tract is damaged. Cells become inflammed and gaps appear between the cells forming weak junctions. Undigested food particles, toxins and unwanted microbes can then easily pass through into the blood stream and on to the liver. If this continues long term, the liver becomes overburdened and cannot carry out its normal function of detoxifying the body.
The tight junction complexes are weakened by gut irritants (listed above) and consequently can lead to intestinal permeability or leaky gut, which can in turn lead to dysbiosis (imbalance of bacterias), SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and /or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, with their associated symptoms.
An AutoImmune Condition will manifest itself only when these 3 situations are present:
This illustrates how important it is to respect and treat your gut kindly with what we eat, in the first instance.
The IleoCecal Valve is located between the small and large intestine. This is an area that is responsible for a lot of pain and discomfort, when it is inflamed and damaged. The valve opens as food is pushed through from the small intestine, after digestion and absorption is completed, to the large intestine. It shuts to prevent a back flush from the large intestine back to the small intestine. It also prevents the good micro-organisms in your large intestine from getting into your small intestine, where their waste products could be easily absorbed.
When the ileocecal valve is weakened, billions of normally good bacteria that live in the large intestine, can get through via the ileocecal valve, up into the small intestine, where they are not supposed to be. They then become the bad guys – they use B12 and tryptophan before you have absorbed them and can also dump toxins into the liver.
Yeast will also join them and multiply vigorously and soon you have what is known as SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). This particular situation becomes worse if taking probiotics, (normally beneficial in the bowel) as the probiotic will feed the bacterias and yeast in the small intestine. The bacterias will produce Methane and Hydrogen gas causing a lot of troublesome gut symptoms eg abdominal pain, bloating, flactulence, malabsorptiona and weight loss or weight gain.
When the valve is damaged or weakened it can either become shut closed eg constipation or shut open eg diarrhea.
The typical western diet of fast foods and processed foods is poisoning the body and damaging its normal functions.
Inflammatory Foods: Should be avoided by all people to treat and prevent disease conditions and maintain a good functioning digestive and elimination system.
Is a potemtial carcinogenic. It is an endocrine disrupter, altering hormone balance which can trigger cancer. It damages the detox system, impairing detoxification of toxic chemicals. It binds to minerals and interferes with the synthesis of amino acids. It also decreases neurotransmitters and folic acid levels. It lowers Vitamin D levels and Melatonin synthesis.
Glyphosphate acts like an antibiotic, disrupting gut bacteria, leading to an overproduction of harmful pathogens. It can induce the bacteria Clostridium Difficle which is associated with leaky gut syndrome.
Recent findings are citing that the glyposphate sprayed on wheat is one of the contributing factors of intolerances to wheat products, rather than always being the gluten protein.
There is also a strong link between this herbicide and celiac disease.
Round up is commonly sprayed on wheat, maize, barley, oats, potatoes, lentils, canola, cotton, garbanzos, non GMO soybeans, peanuts, corn, sunflowers, sugar beets, rye, buckwheat, millet and peas.
Research has found that only after one week of mostly organic eating, urine excretion of organophosphate pesticide metabolite residues, decreased by 90%.
As of 2017 the Chemical Abstracts Service Registry contains more than 129 million chemicals. Aproximately 15,000 new substances are added each day and 105,000 each week.
supporting a healthy gut permeability for optimal absortion of nutrients and build strong mucus membranes that provide a barrier to pathogenic invasion. There are specific herbs/nutrients that target specific conditions, which needs to be individually assessed.
The gut is dependant on good fibre to produce a healthy gut microbial environment, maintaining the balance in favour of beneficial bacteria.
It takes 3 hours to digest a meal. The ideal time between meals is therefore 4 – 5 hours, with no snacks in between. The ideal time between tea and breakfast is 13 hours plus.
If you are earting between meals then the digestive system is always at work and you are in a constant fed state. In a constant fed state the body is then focusing on growth and replication of cells (we see this in cancer cells), rather than the job of breaking down damaged tissue, repair of tissues and cell replacement.
We have a mechanism called the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC).
This is bursts of electrical activity originating from the Vagus Nerve. It operates every 90 minutes, but only when the stomach is empty. Its job is to move along undigested food, bacterias, dead cells and debris, keeping the entire gastrointestinal tract clean, and preventing inflammation.
Next time you hear your tummy rumble, that is the MMC doing its job. Do not feed it! - have a glass of water or herbal tea instead.
If you are experiencing any gut disturbances eg Bloating, Abdominal Pain, Reflux, Constipation, Diarrhoea or Loose Bowel Motions, Indigestion, Severe Wind or Burping, Excessive Lung or Nasal Mucus, Unrelated Back Pain etc or have a gut and bowel diagnosed condition and would like further help:
Call Fiona 06 7551844 or e-mail pheona@orcon.net.nz