--- This is an excerpt from Go With Your Gut ---
It’s common to overlook the health of our gastrointestinal system, even though it contains 10 times more health-determining bacteria than the rest of our body. Protecting us from infection, supporting our metabolism, and promoting healthy digestion and elimination.
There are over 100 trillion organisms in the gut, that make up ¾ of our immune system.
Unfortunately, the majority of the population has inadequate beneficial (good) bacteria, excessive damaging (bad) bacteria, and a lack of bacterial diversity. Largely because of a poor diet, but also because of:
- Over-Medicating – with antibiotics, birth control, NSAID’s, anti-depressants, antacids, etc
- Chronic Stress – which can alter digestive secretion, gut permeability, blood flow, sensitivity, and even change bacterial composition
- Exposure to Environmental Toxins – notably pesticides, PCBs, herbicides, arsenic, BPA
- Inadequate Bacterial Acquisition at Birth - C-section birth, parents gut health and mothers diet during pregnancy, infants transition from breast milk to adult food, etc
- Current Health & Body Composition – Poor overall disease status (1, 2)
And this is ultimately leading to unbalanced gut flora (dysbiosis), and an increased susceptibility to intestinal permeability (leaky gut). Since the same things that destroy our gut flora, can compromise our gut barrier; while the fungal infections and bad bacteria that prosper instead, can do the same.
The scary part being, that for some this presents itself as something that seems relatively harmless like bloating, heartburn, IBS, and excess gas, while for the not-so-lucky ones it can mean something more serious like a chronic inflammatory condition of the skin, joints, bowel, or brain and nervous system.
This is because, although the gut is inside our body, it’s actually an external organ, that’s main role is to prevent harmful substances from entering our body. So when that barrier (that’s supposed to separate us from the external environment) is compromised, large foreign molecules are able to pass through to the bloodstream, and serious damage ensues. As the body launches an immune response to protect itself, but ends up damaging it’s own organs and tissues. With the latest research clearly showing that a leaky gut is connected to 100’s of untreatable (and often unexplainable) medical conditions.
- Fibromyalgia (or Chronic Pain)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- ADHD, Tourette's and Autism
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - Chron's, Ulcerative Colitis
- Depression and Social Anxiety
- Multiple Sclerosis (1, 2)
- Lupus
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (1, 2)
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Asthma and Allergies (1, 2)
- Parkinson's
- Schizophrenia and Other Mental Health Disorders
- Dermatitis - Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis
- Chronic Kidney Disease
Unfortunately, this is usually the part where people get very angry or stop listening. Because if this information is true, which the latest research suggests it is, the underlying message is that your sub-optimal health, or critical illness is your fault. Since the damaged gut is a result of your behavior; whether that’s choosing to medicate, choosing to eat certain foods, or letting yourself get exposed to harmful things.
But here’s the thing – it’s not your fault!
Because all you did was listen to the ‘experts’ (doctors, government, etc) and select the options you were given; the same options everyone else has been given, and the same choices everyone else has made. But unfortunately you (or those you love) may have a little less genetic protection on your side. Or perhaps you didn’t have as strong a shot from the outset (ex: vaginal birth instead of c-section, no antibiotic exposure as a child, etc).
You’re not a bad person, you’re not a bad parent, and the fact that you’re still reading this probably means you’re a good one!
What this should serve as, is hope. Because it means you have the opportunity to upgrade your health and performance. And for those dealing with (or helping a loved one deal with) an unfortunate gastrointestinal problem (Chron’s, Colitis, celiac, etc), heartbreaking mental disorder (ADHD, depression, autism) or devastating neurological condition (epilepsy, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis), potentially turn your life around!
So, what’s the harm in trying?
There’s obviously no guarantee, but the evidence leads us to believe that these problems originate in the gut, and healing the gut (with an anti-inflammatory diet and the protocol below) can lead to dramatic improvements; whether we’re talking about allergies and skin conditions or mental and physical performance.
And sure, not every disease is the result of a leaky gut, and not everyone will develop a leaky gut. But with the evidence we have to-date (over 10,000+ papers) proving that this 100-year old hypothesis is no longer quackery, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be doing everything you can to improve the integrity of your gut lining, encourage a positive bacterial environment, and optimize the overall function of your gastrointestinal system (digestion, absorption, elimination, etc) going forward.
To learn more, check out Go With Your Gut - where Coach Mike delivers his 5-Part Plan For Healing Gastrointestinal Issues (GERD, IBS, SIBO, Leaky Gut) & Preventing The Diseases That Come With Them.