Back Clinic Gut and Intestinal Health. The health of an individual’s gut determines what nutrients are absorbed along with what toxins, allergens, and microbes are kept out. It is directly linked to the health of the whole body. Intestinal health could be defined as optimal digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food. But this is a job that depends on many other factors. More than 100 million Americans have digestive problems. Two of the top-selling drugs in America are for digestive problems, and they run in the billions. There are more than 200 over-the-counter (OTC) remedies for digestive disorders. And these can and do create additional digestive problems.
If an individual’s digestion is not working properly, the first thing is to understand what is sending the gut out-of-balance in the first place.
A low-fiber, high-sugar, processed, nutrient-poor, high-calorie diet causes all the wrong bacteria and yeast to grow in the gut and damages the delicate ecosystem in your intestines.
Overuse of medications that damage the gut or block normal digestive function, i.e., acid blockers (Prilosec, Nexium, etc.), anti-inflammatory medication (aspirin, Advil, and Aleve), antibiotics, steroids, and hormones.
Undetected gluten intolerance, celiac disease, or low-grade food allergies to foods such as dairy, eggs, or corn.
Chronic low-grade infections or gut imbalances with overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, yeast overgrowth, parasites.
Toxins like mercury and mold toxins damage the gut.
Lack of adequate digestive enzyme function from acid-blocking medications or zinc deficiency.
Stress can alter the gut’s nervous system, cause a leaky gut, and change the normal bacteria.
Visits for intestinal disorders are among the most common trips to primary care doctors. Unfortunately, most, which also includes most doctors, do not recognize or know that digestive problems wreak havoc in the entire body. This leads to allergies, arthritis, autoimmune disease, rashes, acne, chronic fatigue, mood disorders, autism, dementia, cancer, and more. Having proper gut and intestinal health is absolutely central to your health. It is connected to everything that happens in the body.
Gut health is more important than most realize. The gut has been connected to multiple symptoms including but not limited to; joint pain, inflammation, headaches, digestive problems, and even brain fog.
Due to the American Diet, gut health has been lacking. We are seeing an increase in starches consumed rather than fermented foods and dark leafy greens. There are certain foods that many people refer to as “Super Foods”. Within this group, there are Super Foods for your gut! These foods will help to optimize gut health and can even help in gut repair.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are great as they support a healthy microbiome. The microbiome is made up of trillions of microorganisms. The microbiome consists of good and bad bacteria, including the organisms that make up probiotics.
Some of the best fermented foods that help support these bacterias are Kefir, yogurt, and sauerkraut. Kefir has about 27.7 billion colony forming units per one cup. These foods help to collect bacteria, yeast, and viruses that not only live in your gut but also on your skin!
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are important to have in the diet. They ensure the body is getting Omega-3s which are polyunsaturated fats. These fats help the brain and nervous system function properly. They also reduce inflammation in the body caused by a leaky gut and can help lower cholesterol.� Two great examples of healthy fats that fall into the superfood category are avocados and salmon.
Dark Leafy Greens
Dark leafy greens provide an immense amount of nutrients to the body and the gut. Not only are these low in calories and carbohydrates, but they contain essential minerals and vitamins. These foods contain fiber, folate, vitamins K and C, and minerals like iron and calcium. These foods will help to heal and seal the gut. Some great superfoods that fall under this category are kale and seaweed.
It can be hard to get enough dark leafy greens into your diet. A great way to do this is to mix them into a smoothie in the morning! It can add a refreshing taste as well as provide your body with another serving of nutrients!
There are so many foods one can eat to help boost their gut health. The Gut is often overlooked as many people are not fully aware of how much control it has over the body. By increasing or adding some of these foods into your diet daily, the healthy bacteria in your gut will become more nourished.
Increasing fiber, healthy fats, dark leafy greens, and fermented foods will not only provide your gut with healthy bacteria, but it will also keep the bacteria in the gut “full” and not die off from lack of nutrition. Another word for this is prebiotics. Essentially, the food that feeds the probiotics. In addition to these foods, a probiotic supplement will also aid in optimal gut health. Gut health is so important and should never be overlooked. It’s never too late to start paying attention to your gut! – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.�
References:
Hill, Ansley. �16 Superfoods That Are Worthy of the Title.� Healthline, 9 July 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/true-superfoods.
Lee, Linda. �5 Foods to Improve Your Digestion.� Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2019, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-foods-to-improve-your-digestion.
Link, Rachael. �8 Fermented Foods to Boost Digestion and Health.� Healthline, 18 Oct. 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-fermented-foods.
As 2020 is off to a bustling start, New Year resolutions are in full swing! Most individuals want to make healthier choices throughout their year in 2020, whether that be exercising more, eating better, or just feeling energized. After the holidays hit, most people are left feeling fatigued,� suffering headaches, and overall discomfort.
A great way to stay on track with your goals is to keep track of them! The human body requires micronutrients and macronutrients to function. Micronutrients consist of essential vitamins and minerals. Macronutrients refer to protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Macronutrients all provide the body with energy. This energy is essential to properly repair cells as well as maintain metabolism, immunity, and growth.
Carbohydrates are the main energy system in the human body. These carbohydrates provide over 50% of the daily diet. However, not all carbohydrates are created equal. There are simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are those found in glucose and fructose (examples: fruit, sugar, and milk). Complex carbohydrates are those that require the body to work a little harder to break down and contain glycogen. Glycogen is important to eat as it is a valuable source of fiber.
The main function of protein is to maintain and grow the body tissue. Proteins are made up of amino acids.� Amino acids are the stepping stones used for neurotransmitters, cell membranes, nucleic acids, and hormones. Protein is widely stored in the human body due to the large amount of muscle tissue the body is comprised of. Overall, there are amino acids that must be obtained through the diet to maintain optimal health. Some of these amino acids include lysine, threonine, and tryptophan.
Out of all the macronutrients, dietary fats require the least amount of grams per day. Similar to carbohydrates, there are two types of fat. Saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats can be found in butter, where unsaturated fats mainly consist of nuts and avocados. A great supplement to take for healthy fats is Omega-3 and Omega-6, also known as fish oils. Fish oils also help improve cardiovascular health and help the Body generate specialized lipid mediators.
Although each individual requires protein, fat, and carbohydrates, the optimal amount of each depends on each person as well as their body composition. Tracking macronutrients has been shown to improve weight loss and reduce inflammation.
�Tracking macros or macronutrients coupled with exercise is a great way to see results. The macronutrients each person needs depends on their body type, their goals, and their lifestyle. Health coaches such as myself can help determine what an individual’s macronutrient intake should be for weight loss results. Personally, I use the Dr. J Today app, wrist band, and scale. This app allows patients to track their food, steps, water intake, and exercise as well as provides an informative digital library. The scale directly syncs to the app, allowing me to get instant access to the weight and body composition of the patient. This scale not only measures individuals but it also measures their lean body mass, water mass, BMI, and body fat. These resources allow us to gain optimal insight and make corrections that will actually make a difference. – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.�
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then something might be wrong with your gut and brain connection in your body.
Gut-Brain Connection
The gut and brain connection go hand in hand as they send signals back and forth to make sure that that human body starts functioning correctly. The gut makes sure that its entire gastrointestinal system, the endocrine system, and the hepatic system is functioning correctly. While the brain makes sure that its neurological system is working but also sending out signals to the entire body as well as making sure that the hormones are distributed to the essential organs.
Chemo-Brain and Gut Connection
Even though the gut and brain connection is vital for a healthy body, however, when it comes to a person who has cancer may have a �chemo-brain� and gut connection when they are getting treatments from chemotherapy. Since chemotherapy is the conventional standard of care for treating cancer by consistently combining particular drugs that kills cancer cells. Throughout the world, there are over 100 types of cancer that can attack the cells and then spread out through the different organs and tissues in the human body. According to research from the CDC, it stated that cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US.
There is more information about what chemotherapy does to the body since chemotherapy works by putting a stop on cancer cells from proliferating or even slowing down the rate of cancer cell growth. Sadly though, even though chemotherapy can target fast-growing cancer cells, it can also kill the body’s healthy cells as well. When the healthy cells are being attacked by chemotherapy, the cells can cause a long list of painful side effects. For example, the epithelial cells in the GI tract can be damaged, and it can cause many cancer patients to stop the chemo treatment prematurely.
In a recent study that was published in Frontier in Pharmacology, it showed that scientists had discovered a new method to deliver chemotherapy that can attack the malignant cells in the body while leaving the healthy cells alone. With this technique, it can provide a little bit of hope by allowing doctors to lower the dosages of the chemo treatment to reduce the patients� suffering from any of the harsher adverse effects of chemo, which can increase compliance and improve the overall prognosis for the patients.
In a recent journal study, a research scientist from Ohio State University has discovered a possible solution to help improve the undesirable gastrointestinal and cognitive side effects that were caused by chemotherapy. According to the research, the model showed how the link between the gut and brain symptoms perform in chemotherapy treatment. The results showed how the chemo drugs entirely altered the human gut microbiome. They stated that the gut bacteria and the body tissue changed while the blood and brain in the body show signs of inflammation-causing fatigue and cognitive impairment. When chemo treatments cause inflammation is in the neurological system, it can make the entire system be correlated with disruptive colonic and bacterial homeostasis in the body.
With chemotherapy, it can cause intestinal permeability. It can trigger the immune system in the body to over activating and signaling the brain’s immune cells to be inflamed while also be the culprit to “chemo brain.” Chemo-brain is defined as cognitive impairment and causing the person to have mental fogginess that can linger for months or even years after the cancer is gone. Surprisingly with this new phenomenon, chemo-brain has affected more than half of the cancer survivors while becoming a common thing as cancer therapies can extend the patient�s lifespan.
With this type of research, it can shed some light on how the gut microbiome’s health can be more affected than the digestive tract, since the gut plays a hugely critical role in all the other systems in the body, especially in the immune and nervous system. By looking at the existing evidence, they show how the health and wellbeing of the body’s gut and brain are connected. It can lead to better interventions for many cancer patients by promoting a beneficial bacterial composition for the gut and can protect against any neuroinflammation to reduce any symptoms of chemo-brain.
Probiotics and Prebiotics Benefits
Hippocrates was right when he stated that “all diseases begin in the gut.” The information paved the way for many functional medicine practitioners to help many cancer patients. By adding any anti-inflammatory foods in a person’s diet like the Mediterranean diet or even a plant-based ketogenic diet is excellent for cancer patients. It is recommended for cancer patients to increase their intake of prebiotics and probiotic-rich food. It is proven that probiotics and prebiotics can help reduce the negative side effect that most patients go through during their chemotherapy experience. With prebiotics and probiotics, they are fiber-rich foods that can be fermented and be consumed so people can get the beneficial and commensal bacteria that are residing in the gut and can improve the gut microbiome composition.
Conclusion
With the gut and brain connection, they work together by making sure the body is functioning correctly. When it is chemo-brain, however, it can cause dysfunction in the body by impairing the body’s entire system through chemotherapy. By adding probiotics and prebiotics to a cancer patient’s diet can help them at least get their body the nutrition and beneficial properties they need. Some products are beneficial to the body by supporting not only the gut but also making sure that the brain is being supported as well.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Arora, Malika, et al. �Impact of Probiotics and Prebiotics on Colon Cancer: Mechanistic Insights and Future Approaches.� Latest TOC RSS, Bentham Science Publishers, 1 Jan. 1970, www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cctr/2019/00000015/00000001/art00005.
Caldwell, Emily. �A Possible Gut-Brain Connection to ‘Chemo Brain’.� Medical Xpress – Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 23 Oct. 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-10-gut-brain-chemo-brain.html.
Caldwell, Emily. �The Gut May Be the Ticket to Reducing Chemo’s Side Effects.� Medical Xpress – Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 11 Nov. 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-11-gut-ticket-chemo-side-effects.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter.
Loman, B. R., et al. �Chemotherapy-Induced Neuroinflammation Is Associated with Disrupted Colonic and Bacterial Homeostasis in Female Mice.� Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 11 Nov. 2019, www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-52893-0.
Neumann-Raizel, Hagit, et al. �2-APB and CBD-Mediated Targeting of Charged Cytotoxic Compounds Into Tumor Cells Suggests the Involvement of TRPV2 Channels.� Frontiers, Frontiers, 17 Sept. 2019, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2019.01198/full.
staff, Science X. �’Chemo Brain’ Caused by Malfunction in Three Types of Brain Cells, Study Finds.� Medical Xpress – Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 6 Dec. 2018, medicalxpress.com/news/2018-12-chemo-brain-malfunction-cells.html.
staff, Science X. �Technique Targets Cancer Cells and Leaves Healthy Ones Alone.� Medical Xpress – Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 27 Nov. 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-11-technique-cancer-cells-healthy.html.
Team, DFH. �New Research – Gut Solutions to Chemotherapy.� Designs for Health, 2 Jan. 2020, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1179.
The University offers a wide variety of medical professions for functional and integrative medicine. Their goal is to inform individuals who want to make a difference in the functional medical fields with knowledgeable information that they can provide.
Do you experience chronic gut health issues? Research studies have found that Parkinson’s disease (PD) may be associated with the gut-brain connection. Evidence in a group of mice demonstrated that PD can actually start in the gut, which may explain why patients with PD have constipation and other gut health issues. Scientists have also found that patients with Parkinson’s disease report having gut health issues up to 10 years before experiencing tremors and other symptoms. According to other research studies, patients with PD may even have different biodiversity of gut bacteria than other healthy adults. �
Outcome measures in the group of mice showed that the “harmful” alpha-synuclein fibers that build-up in the nerve cell endings of patients with Parkinson’s disease can immediately affect neurons in the brain. Scientists found this by identifying the spread of alpha-synuclein fibers in the nerve cell endings of the affected neurons in the brain of patients with PD. Alpha-synuclein is a fat-soluble substance, generally found in healthy neurons, however, alpha-synuclein molecules can clump together and damage brain cells. Scientists also found that patients can have a build-up of alpha-synuclein fibers in their gut. �
The Gut-Brain Connection
A collection of fibers, known as the vagus nerve, which starts in the brain stem and extends to the major organs, including the gut, is believed to be the main source of PD associated with the gut-brain connection. Recent research studies of vagotomy patients demonstrated a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Scientists have also found that alpha-synuclein fibers injected into the digestive system of a group of mice can reach the brain through the vagus nerve. If alpha-synuclein molecules can reach the brain from the gut, why does the fat-soluble substance build-up in the gut in the first place? �
Scientists believe that alpha-synuclein develops in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to help combat pathogens and other “harmful” components. Michael Zasloff, a professor at Georgetown University, and his colleagues reported that alpha-synuclein molecules developed in healthy children after having an infection and alpha-synuclein seemed to trigger immune cells. Scientists also believe that alpha-synuclein can build-up in the GI tract due to the gut microbiome itself. Evidence in a group of mice demonstrated that bacteria can ultimately activate the development of alpha-synuclein in the gut and brain. �
Research studies have started to understand how the gut microbiome may be associated with Parkinson’s disease. Scientists have found that patients with Parkinson’s disease have a unique biodiversity of gut bacteria and scientists have also found that fecal microbe transplants from patients into a group of mice may increase alpha-synuclein in the brain and worsen symptoms in patients with PD. Other research studies have also shown that alpha-synuclein molecules seem to trigger microglial cells. This substance may send a signal through the vagus nerve or penetrate it completely through the bloodstream. �
Inflammation and Parkinson’s Disease
According to several research studies, inflammation caused by an abnormal gut microbiome may also cause the development of Parkinson’s disease. In one research study, Inga Peter, a genetic epidemiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and her colleagues analyzed the relationship between inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) and Parkinson’s disease. The analysis compared 144,018 participants with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease and 720,090 healthy controls where PD was 28 percent higher in people with IBS than in those in the control group, supporting previous research study findings. �
Inflammation is believed to increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease because it may increase alpha-synuclein as well as increase intestinal and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Inflammation may also increase cytokines, molecules which can increase inflammation in the body. Moreover, an abnormal gut microbiome can also cause inflammation. However, because not all patients with Parkinson’s disease will have inflammatory bowel syndrome or any other gut health issues, further evidence is still required to determine how the gut-brain connection can ultimately be associated with PD. �
If this is indeed true, however, it will allow scientists to develop new interventions for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease that targets the gut instead of the brain. Several research studies have already started to analyze the effects of these new interventions. In 2015, Michael Zasloff and his colleagues started a company, known as Enterin, which is currently testing a substance that decreases the development of alpha-synuclein molecules in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Although the treatment is intended to reduce constipation, the scientists hope that they will be able to prevent or even restore the effects of PD. �
Although many research studies and evidence support the hypothesis that Parkinson�s disease may be much closely associated with the gut-brain axis than we thought, the question of how early the digestive system changes may occur is still unknown. Furthermore, other scientists still suggest that PD may start elsewhere in the body. �I believe that there�s possibly various sites of origin for Parkinson�s disease,� stated Viviane Labrie, a neuroscientist at the Van Andel Research Institute in Michigan. �For several people, it might be the gut while for several people, it might simply be something that occurs in the brain.�
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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder that affects the central nervous system. PD can cause various, well-known symptoms, including tremors, slowed movements, stiffness, and loss of balance, among others. Research studies have demonstrated that nerve cell damage in the brain can decrease dopamine, a neurotransmitter and/or hormone, that can cause Parkinson’s disease. However, scientists have found that the gut-brain connection may ultimately be associated with PD. Inflammation caused by an abnormal gut microbiome as well as gut health issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is also believed to be one of the main factors for PD associated with the gut-brain connection.�- Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T. Insight
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.�
Curated by Dr. Alex Jimenez �
References:
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. �New Research Shows Parkinson’s Disease Origins in the Gut.� Medical Xpress – Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 26 June 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-06-parkinson-disease-gut.html.
CureParkinsonsTrust. �New Evidence Suggests Parkinson’s Might Not Start in The Brain.� The Cure Parkinson’s Trust, 28 Nov. 2019, www.cureparkinsons.org.uk/news/parkinsons-starts-in-gut.
Kwon, Diana. �Does Parkinson’s Begin in the Gut?� Scientific American, Scientific American, 8 May 2018, www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-parkinsons-begin-in-the-gut/.
Neurotransmitter Assessment Form
The following Neurotransmitter Assessment Form can be filled out and presented to Dr. Alex Jimenez. The following symptoms listed on this form are not intended to be utilized as a diagnosis of any type of disease, condition, or any other type of health issue. �
Additional Topic Discussion: Chronic Pain
Sudden pain is a natural response of the nervous system which helps to demonstrate possible injury. By way of instance, pain signals travel from an injured region through the nerves and spinal cord to the brain. Pain is generally less severe as the injury heals, however, chronic pain is different than the average type of pain. With chronic pain, the human body will continue sending pain signals to the brain, regardless if the injury has healed. Chronic pain can last for several weeks to even several years. Chronic pain can tremendously affect a patient’s mobility and it can reduce flexibility, strength, and endurance.
Neural Zoomer Plus for Neurological Disease
Dr. Alex Jimenez utilizes a series of tests to help evaluate neurological diseases. The Neural ZoomerTM Plus is an array of neurological autoantibodies which offers specific antibody-to-antigen recognition. The Vibrant Neural ZoomerTM Plus is designed to assess an individual�s reactivity to 48 neurological antigens with connections to a variety of neurologically related diseases. The Vibrant Neural ZoomerTM Plus aims to reduce neurological conditions by empowering patients and physicians with a vital resource for early risk detection and an enhanced focus on personalized primary prevention. �
Food Sensitivity for the IgG & IgA Immune Response
Dr. Alex Jimenez utilizes a series of tests to help evaluate health issues associated with food sensitivities. The Food Sensitivity ZoomerTM is an array of 180 commonly consumed food antigens that offers very specific antibody-to-antigen recognition. This panel measures an individual�s IgG and IgA sensitivity to food antigens. Being able to test IgA antibodies provides additional information to foods that may be causing mucosal damage. Additionally, this test is ideal for patients who might be suffering from delayed reactions to certain foods. Utilizing an antibody-based food sensitivity test can help prioritize the necessary foods to eliminate and create a customized diet plan around the patient�s specific needs. �
Gut Zoomer for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
Dr. Alex Jimenez utilizes a series of tests to help evaluate gut health associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). The Vibrant Gut ZoomerTM offers a report that includes dietary recommendations and other natural supplementation like prebiotics, probiotics, and polyphenols. The gut microbiome is mainly found in the large intestine and it has more than 1000 species of bacteria that play a fundamental role in the human body, from shaping the immune system and affecting the metabolism of nutrients to strengthening the intestinal mucosal barrier (gut-barrier). It is essential to understand how the number of bacteria that symbiotically live in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract influences gut health because imbalances in the gut microbiome may ultimately lead to gastrointestinal (GI) tract symptoms, skin conditions, autoimmune disorders, immune system imbalances, and multiple inflammatory disorders. �
Formulas for Methylation Support
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Proudly,�Dr. Alexander Jimenez makes XYMOGEN formulas available only to patients under our care.
Please call our office in order for us to assign a doctor consultation for immediate access.
If you are a patient of Injury Medical & Chiropractic�Clinic, you may inquire about XYMOGEN by calling 915-850-0900.
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Modern Integrated Medicine
The National University of Health Sciences is an institution that offers a variety of rewarding professions to attendees. Students can practice their passion for helping other people achieve overall health and wellness through the institution’s mission. The National University of Health Sciences prepares students to become leaders in the forefront of modern integrated medicine, including chiropractic care. Students have an opportunity to gain unparallel experience at the National University of Health Sciences to be able to help restore the natural integrity of the patient and define the future of modern integrated medicine. �
Part of understanding the body and treating symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, joint pain, and overall discomfort is realizing that the body is an intricate system that functions as one. In modern medicine, we have become used to seeing different specialists for different body systems ( i.e the endocrine system, the nervous system, etc.). However, in all reality, the body is made up of all these systems to work together to maintain homeostasis.
Wellness is best defined by the National Wellness Institute as, ” An active process through which people become aware of, and make a choice toward, a more successful existence (The Six Dimensions Of Wellness)”.
In general, wellness is applied in one’s life to incorporate all aspects of health. Similar to the systems in the body, wellness is not just isolated to one part. The National Wellness Institute has promoted and defined there to be six dimensions of wellness.
Emotional
Occupational
Physical
Social
Intellectual
Spiritual
These dimensions dive deep to incorporate mental health and physical health. Mental and physical health are closely intertwined and often times relate to each other. By applying the six dimensions of wellness into your life, you are treating the body as a whole and allowing yourself to embrace the mind-body connection for optimal wellness.
Emotional:
The ability to be alone and have your own feelings and thoughts not overwhelm you, expressing emotions in a healthy way, and to be able to be compassionate towards others’ emotional state.
Occupational:�
The work you put in every day and understanding that it has a purpose and point to fulfill not only the necessary job duties but also the soul.
Physical:
The practice of regular physical activity, healthy eating/nutrition, and a regular healthy sleep schedule. These are essential elements to fuel life and heal the body.
Social:
To be able to regularly socialize and react with others. This includes interacting with people in all aspects of life and engaging in a healthy living environment.
Intellectual:
Not only referring to education, but allowing the mind to open up and connect to the lively world around.� Intellectual wellness has a main focus of creativity while exploring problem-solving and critical thinking.
Spiritual:
Knowing that there is a purpose in life that the life you are living is meaningful.
Essentially, by applying these six dimensions of wellness into everyday life, a person becomes more aware of how each dimension is connected to another and how they contribute to healthy living. Emotional health has a lot to do with mental health. By aligning emotional health with mental health, the physical health the body receives is less inflammation, a healthier gut, and more mental clarity.
Similarly speaking, occupational health has a lot to do with physical health. If the occupation one has is constantly exhausting them and causing high levels of stress, the hormones in their body will start to become off balance. This will affect their health in the way that they will not be sleeping as well, causing fatigue and the body to react with inflammation because it is not getting an adequate amount of rest to properly heal.
Physical health is important because by incorporating regular physical activity into one’s life, endorphins will be released more often. Physical activity is used to treat many mental health disorders as well as prevent many physical disabilities.
Often times, anxiety or stomach issues can be brought on by social events. Social wellness works on healthy communications with others around you while also being able to be comfortable and confident.
Intellectual wellness happens as individuals explore and connect with others. If one is not complete or working on the intellectual wellness side of things, this can cause depression and poor health due to not being stimulated and interactive.
The last dimension of wellness is spiritual.� Spiritual wellness does not mean that you believe in a specific thing, but rather that your life has a meaning and you have a purpose.
By incorporating these six dimensions, it allows the human body to connect with itself. by opening up the communication between the systems, a new level of wellness can be achieved.
The six dimensions of wellness is a more holistic approach to healthy living. These dimensions will help individuals reach their full potential while learning and acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to health. I highly recommend incorporating the six dimensions of wellness into everyone’s life as the healing benefits it can bring are remarkable. Treating the body as a whole and realizing that your gut health is related to your brain health is eye-opening and creates a lot of room for potential healing. – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach�
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.�
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might be experiencing some gut and liver issues in your body.
The role of the gut-liver axis in NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) has been examining probiotics and have found some new information on the gut microbiome and how probiotics work in NAFLD. The new information that future research found was quite interesting. It stated that there were about 26 major randomized controlled trials that used probiotics for NALFD that ranged between 20 to 200 individuals in four weeks to 1 year. The laboratory assessments included liver enzymes and anthropometric parameters in the body. Some of the studies added cardiovascular risk factors like C-reactive proteins and lipid profiles as markers for insulin resistance. Furthermore, most of the studies have used a probiotic formulation that includes multiple species, although a few were conducted by using a single strain.
What NAFLD does to the body is that it becomes a hepatic consequence of metabolic syndrome. This includes obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. What is interesting about the connection between gut microbiota and NAFLD has been attracting a significant amount of attention in recent years. The data has shown that the gut microbiota can affect the hepatic lipid metabolism while also influencing the balance between pro/anti-inflammatory effectors in the liver.
Chronic Liver Diseases
Even though chronic liver disease is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Studies showed that gut dysbiosis was identified as an essential factor in the pathogenesis of the liver disease. The relationship between the gut microbiota and the liver is still not understood, but the dysfunction of leaky gut and an increased bacterial translocation into the liver. Another study showed that immense importance is a massive advancement in understanding the roles of the gut and liver microbiome that is driven by a high DNA sequencing and improving them.
There are many stages of liver disease that can happen, but when it comes to excessive alcohol in the liver. Studies show that excessive alcohol consumption is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The stages of alcoholic liver disease are hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, and, ultimately, liver cirrhosis. One of the main characteristics of alcohol liver disease is that there is an increased gut permeability due to a direct toxic effect of alcohol on the epithelial cell in the gastrointestinal tract and a decreases expression of the tight-junction protein.
Probiotic Supplements
For probiotic supplementation, they have demonstrated a significant decrease in liver enzymes, which were compared to the placebo group. Studies found that probiotics were shown to have synergistic effects with metformin on liver enzymes for patients that have NASH. Any products that contained both prebiotics and probiotics can demonstrate a similar effect in the probiotic groups. In another study, it showed a reduction of intrahepatic fat that is measured by MRI, but the improvement in liver enzymes in the body did not reach any clinical significance. It is essential to know that liver enzymes can have a highly variable and do not always have a direct correlation with disease progression that they may encounter.
Research shows that there are five meta-analyses included and that they all demonstrated that probiotics and synbiotics have improved on AST and ALT levels in the body significantly. Surprisingly, several other studies have assisted probiotics by countering hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and liver stiffness in the body. Ultrasound imaging can help assist these parameters and show some positive clinical outcomes with these two supplements.
When probiotics help restore the gastrointestinal barrier function in the body, they can eliminate the harmful bacteria that has interacted with the gastrointestinal system. Not only that, but probiotics can also be beneficial by modulating the immune system, reduce liver fats, and improve the liver enzymes as well. By using probiotics, they are most likely to be more productive by helping the body and preventing bacterial translocation in the gut, thus reducing the effects of the intestinal microbiota on the liver to prevent chronic illnesses from forming and causing havoc.
Conclusion
For individuals that have NAFLD, they will already establish the disease and required a higher nutrient intake demand than what can be obtained from any diets alone. So using dietary supplements should be considered to help reduce the NAFLD disease’s progression, thus improving the liver and its functions. The gut-liver axis is connected to the body since if anything happens to the liver like chronic diseases, it can affect the gut as well. Using probiotics to help the liver is essential to make sure that the liver is functioning correctly and that the body is being as healthy as possible. Some products are here to offer gastrointestinal and metabolic support while also supporting multiple aspects of the biliary system.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �New Review Demonstrates the Role of the Gut Microbiome and Probiotics in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.� Designs for Health, 25 Nov. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1160.
Konturek, Peter Christopher, et al. �Gut?Liver Axis: How Do Gut Bacteria Influence the Liver?� Medical Sciences (Basel, Switzerland), MDPI, 17 Sept. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6165386/.
Tripathi, Anupriya, et al. �The Gut-Liver Axis and the Intersection with the Microbiome.� Nature Reviews. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6319369/.
Xie, Chencheng, and Dina Halegoua DeMarzio. “Role of Probiotics in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Does Gut Microbiota Matter?” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 19 Nov. 2019, www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/11/2837.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might have the holiday blues.
For many people, the holiday season can bring out the chaos, stress, and anxiety in anyone. Even though this time of year is where everyone shows gratitude and peace, it is also the busiest time as well with a never-ending list of things to do that seems to overtake the sense of peace and calm that everyone wants in the holiday season. The occasional anxiety is always around and expected to be part of everyone’s life and is not alarming, like long-term stress. When the body is in a constant fight or flight mode all the time, and a person is running around in a state of chronic stress, it can take a tole of the body and can negatively impact every system, especially in the endocrine system.
HPA Axis Dysfunction
When physiological and emotional stressors are triggered, they release an abundance of cortisol into the body’s circulation that stimulates the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis. When the HPA axis is overactive from a large amount of cortisol, it can wreak havoc on the adrenal glands, thus leading to harmful factors in the endocrine system. Some of the harmful factors include:
Hormone imbalances
Inflammation in the gut
Adrenal exhaustion
Blood sugar dysregulation
Decrease in neurocognition
When these harmful factors cause physiologic imbalances in the body, they may lead to being diagnosed as mood disorders like GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) or even more severe conditions like Addison’s disease. With any of these harmful factors, they can elevate glucocorticoid level to critical levels and impacting the production and signaling of two neurotransmitters: GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and serotonin.
Stress Symptoms
There are many characteristics of anxiety and panic disorders that can be manifest in different ways, depending on the person. Some of the common signs and symptoms include:
Tensed muscles
Being irritable
Insomnia
Shortness of breath
Panic attacks
Being tired constantly
Even though there are ways to lower cortisol levels, antidepressant medications like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are usually the first line of treatment in conventional biomedical health. Studies show that even though these medications can help a person, the results are underwhelming due to that antidepressant medication is ineffective when the condition is long term and can cause physiological imbalances to the body. The effects can deplete the nutrients while causing deleterious and unwanted adverse effects that the body does not need.
Anyone who is weaned off from the medication might experience a relapse from the antidepressants and might have a higher risk of discontinuation symptoms in their body. A study showed that about 72% of depressed individuals received a “brief dynamic therapy,” and the results showed that they did not experience any depressive recurrences than the 46% individuals who were treated with antidepressant pharmacotherapy. In a research study, it concluded that the common antidepressant drug was ineffective for patients and provided them with no clinical reduction for their depressive symptoms after six weeks of usage and after twelve weeks of usage, thus providing weak evidence of reducing depressive symptoms.
Beneficial Ways to Reduce Stress
There are many stress-management techniques and strategies to help anyone battle the overwhelming holiday stress and provide optimal health for their bodies. During this hectic season, patients can learn by taking deep breaths, practicing mindfulness, and meditation whenever discomfort starts to rise in their bodies. Research shows that brain mechanisms can affect a person’s behavior and anxiety. By bringing patients’ awareness, they will know that everything will get accomplished, they must recognize that they cannot please everyone, or try to be in two or more places at once. Once they realize that these methods work, they will feel more grounded, and then their bodies will shift their nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic.
A recent study showed that regular physical activity could provide beneficial results for anyone that has depression and anxiety while also providing mono- or adjunct-therapy to improve the symptoms. The results showed that a six-week exercise program for college students that are getting ready for finals could adopt a mindful practice once per week to reduce stress and anxiety. In addition to exercise regiment, adding a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, whole food diet that’s rich with polyphenols and macronutrients is fantastic for the body. For anyone, it is best to avoid fatty foods, refined sugars, and carbohydrates to avoid the stimulants and depressants, since it may increase the feelings of stress and anxiety.
For supplements and vitamins, a review that was published earlier this year highlighted the anxiolytic properties of omega-3, PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids), and N-acetyl-cysteine due to their incredible abilities to counter oxidative stress, brain and gut inflammation, and glutamatergic dysfunction while also being a better alternative than consuming pharmaceutical drugs. Taking these supplements is beneficial to the body because it will calm down the body’s stress response, the nervous system, and promote neurotransmitter balance.
Conclusion
Even though it is the holiday system, a person can feel the overbearing stress that comes with the season of giving. There are many ways to reduce holiday stress by finding meditative ways and eating nutritious anti-inflammatory foods to lower down the cortisol levels in the body. When the cortisol levels are high, it can affect the body and the significant systems drastically. Some products are here to help support the body by reducing the effects of temporary stress and offer gastrointestinal and metabolic support.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Faquih, Amber E, et al. �A Review of Novel Antidepressants: A Guide for Clinicians.� Cureus, Cureus, 6 Mar. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6504013/.
Krishnakumar, Divya, et al. �Meditation and Yoga Can Modulate Brain Mechanisms That Affect Behavior and Anxiety-A Modern Scientific Perspective.� Ancient Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4769029/.
Lemay, Virginia, et al. �Impact of a Yoga and Meditation Intervention on Students’ Stress and Anxiety Levels.� American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, June 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31333265.
Lewis, Gemma, et al. �The Clinical Effectiveness of Sertraline in Primary Care and the Role of Depression Severity and Duration (PANDA): a Pragmatic, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Randomised Trial.� The Lancet. Psychiatry, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31543474.
Maund, Emma, et al. �Managing Antidepressant Discontinuation: A Systematic Review.� Annals of Family Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, Jan. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30670397.
Rosso, Gianluca, et al. �Five-Year Follow-up of First-Episode Depression Treated with Psychodynamic Psychotherapy or Antidepressants.� Psychiatry Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30878853.
Saeed, Sy Atezaz, et al. �Depression and Anxiety Disorders: Benefits of Exercise, Yoga, and Meditation.� American Family Physician, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 15 May 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31083878.
Santos, Patr�cia, et al. �Anxiolytic Properties of Compounds That Counteract Oxidative Stress, Neuroinflammation, and Glutamatergic Dysfunction: a Review.� Revista Brasileira De Psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999), Associa��o Brasileira De Psiquiatria, 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30328963.
Team, DFH. �Calm Holiday Stress with Supplements.� Designs for Health, 3 Dec. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1162.
Team, NIMH. �Anxiety Disorders.� National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml#part_145336.
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