| All disease begins in the gut – Hippocrates |
Hippocrates said this more than 2,000 years ago, but we’re only now coming to understand just how right he was. Research over the past two decades has revealed that gut health is critical to overall health, and that an unhealthy gut contributes to a wide range of diseases including diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, autism spectrum disorder, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.
In fact, many researchers (including myself) believe that supporting intestinal health and restoring the integrity of the gut barrier will be one of the most important goals of medicine in the 21st century.
Remove, Repair, Rebalance, Maintain
Gut health is at the core of our well‐being, and is often at the core of illness, as well.
A properly functioning digestive system (gut) is critical to good health. In fact, 60 ‐ 80% of our immune system is located in our gut, and 90% of our neurotransmitters are made in the gut. Problems in our gastrointestinal tract can cause more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating or diarrhoea; they can be the root cause of many chronic health problems. Gut imbalances have been linked to hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, diabetes, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, eczema and rosacea… just to name a few.
The gastrointestinal tract serves as a key component in the body’s immune system and detoxification process. The majority of our immune system resides in and around the gastrointestinal tract in order to assess if incoming food is friend or foe, and to ensure that any toxins we absorb can be removed efficiently.
Illness develops if and when we cannot digest and absorb nutrients well, don’t eliminate regularly, and expose our immune system to particles, which should not be entering our system. This phenomenon is known as leaky gut.
Leaky gut occurs when substances that should be kept out of the rest of your body crosses the gut lining. This will often occur after exposure to antibiotics, steroids, other infections, or by consuming foods you don’t tolerate well. When particles breach the otherwise intact lining, our immune system reacts and creates inflammation, which can result in a variety of symptoms for the sufferer, including gastrointestinal problems, joint pain and fatigue.
Read on for solutions to optimising gut health……
Disclaimer:
We are obliged to notify you that the information on this website is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Doctors Across Borders NPO t/as Doctors Beyond Medicine, the author(s) nor publisher(s) take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
