Back Clinic Gastro Intestinal Health Functional Medicine Team. The gastrointestinal or (GI) tract does more than digest food. It contributes to various body systems and functions. Dr. Jimenez takes a look at procedures that have been created to help support the GI tract’s health and function, as well as promote microbial balance. Research shows that 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have stomach or intestinal problems that are so severe that it interferes with their daily activities and lifestyle.
Intestinal or digestion problems are referred to as Gastrointestinal (or GI) Disorders. The goal is to achieve digestive wellness. When an optimally working digestive system is on track, an individual is said to be in good health. The GI tract protects the body by detoxifying various toxins and participating in the immunological processes or when the body’s immune system interacts with antibodies and antigens. This combined with supporting the digestion and absorption of nutrients from an individual’s diet.
Stomach pain, burning, or aching 1-4 hours after eating?
Offensive breath?
Unpredictable abdominal swelling?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might be exposed to mercury in your body.
When it comes to autoimmune diseases, there has been a slight increase in autoimmune diseases that have been around over the past few decades. Everyone knows that when the immune system starts to attack itself, it can cause the body to develop autoimmune disruptors, and even some significant triggers can cause a malfunction in the body as well.
There are many ways that autoimmunity can occur in the body in many different ways. The first one is when the cells are mistaken as a foreign pathogen, and the body attacks itself. The second one is called molecular mimicry. This happens when the body starts to make an antibody to a specific antigen, and these antigens can take the resemblance of any specific proteins; thus, the body’s antibodies will attack the tissues. The third one is when the body becomes affected by environmental triggers and genetic stress; it starts to develop T-cells in the immune system.
Many local integrative doctors and health care professionals are working with functional medicine. They all understand that environmental triggers are one of the factors that can cause dysfunction in the body. With food sensitivities, environmental triggers, and lifestyle factors can cause a person’s body to have inflammation. Inflammation is not only in the joints, but it can also affect the gut’s health as well, causing leaky gut and dysbiosis. There are even toxins that the body can be in contact with that can also affect the immune system significantly. Heavy metals and xenobiotics can cause a total toxic burden in the body, and one of them is mercury.
Mercury
Also known as quicksilver, mercury is a liquid metal and is a naturally occurring element that is found outside in the air, water, soil. Most people are usually exposed to low levels of mercury by consuming fish and shellfish. Although it is safe to consume fish and shellfish, when humans are exposed to high levels of mercury is highly toxic and can lead to mercury poisoning, thus affecting the body.
Studies have found that the connection link between gut health and autoimmune diseases has been in the news regularly with the exposure to high levels of mercury and becoming one of the most significant risk factors for the body to develop autoimmunity. In a 2015 study, author Emily Somers Ph.D. Sc. M. stated that even though mercury at low levels is generally safe are still associated with autoimmunity, and the exposure to mercury has stood out to be the leading risk factor for autoimmunity in the body.
Mercury Poisoning Symptoms
There are many signs and symptoms that mercury poisoning can cause the body to dysfunction. The effects of mercury poisoning can vary depending on the exposure level and on a person�s age. When mercury affects the nervous system, thus can lead to neurological symptoms like:
Physical tremors
Anxiety
Mood swings
Numbness
Memory problems
Other symptoms from mercury poisoning can appear even more if levels of mercury rise in the human body. Some of the severe symptoms can include:
Muscle weakness
Nausea and vomiting
Metallic taste in the mouth
Lack of motor functions
Muscle numbness
Difficulty walking or standing straight
There are more studies about mercury poisoning as they stated how mercury can increase the activation of the T-cell receptor and how self-reactive cells can escape the elimination process during T-cell selection. Other studies have found that mercury can induce autoimmune diseases in humans. For many local chiropractors and health professionals would always ask their patients if they have had any dental fillings in their teeth. If they do, then it turns out that the dental fillings may have mercury in them.
What many people do not know is that dental fillings, especially silver fillings, can contain about forty to fifty percent of mercury. If a person still has these types of fillings their teeth, they might have an increased risk of mercury exposure in their system. In order to reduce the mercury exposure in the body, anybody who has silver fillings can get them replaced with newer and safer alternatives for their fillings.
Conclusion
Mercury is a toxic element that can harm the human body and can develop autoimmune diseases in the immune system. Mercury can also cause many symptoms in the body can cause harm and dysfunction to a person. Sometimes a person may have silver fillings that may cause them to be exposed to mercury and can get them replaced to limit their exposure. Once there is no exposure to mercury in the immune system, the body will start to heal and function properly through a healthy diet and functional medicine. Some products are here to help support the immune system by providing the essential formula to the body and its many functioning systems.
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:
Bigazzi, P E. �Autoimmunity and Heavy Metals.� Lupus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 1994, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7704000.
Johnson, Jon. �Mercury Poisoning: Symptoms and Early Signs.� Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 9 Jan. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320563.php.
Pollard, K Michael, et al. �Toxicology of Autoimmune Diseases.� Chemical Research in Toxicology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 15 Mar. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3076021/.
Team, DFH. �Mercury Exposure and the Autoimmune Connection.� Designs for Health, 9 Oct. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/mercury-exposure-and-the-autoimmune-connection.
Team, WHO. �Mercury and Health.� World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 31 Mar. 2017, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mercury-and-health.
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.
Metabolic syndrome is caused by having more than one condition. Metabolic syndrome often leaves individuals with headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and more! Metabolic syndrome is an epidemic all over the world, but in the US, we are seeing this condition all too often.
Metabolic Syndrome can be defined as having two or more of the conditions listed below:
Women with abdominal fat or a waistline greater than 35
Men with abdominal fat or a waistline greater than 40
Individuals with high blood pressure ( 130/85 or higher)
Patients with triglycerides higher than 150
A fasting glucose of 100 or greater
Low HDL ( good cholesterol ) less than 40 in men and 50 for women
These symptoms are often associated with inflammation. Many people believe inflammation is just something that occurs in the joints and on the skin, but inflammation can occur to the organs inside the body and create havoc.
Metabolic syndrome does not target a specific population but can affect anyone who has an overlap of the factors listed above. Those who have an “apple” or “pear” body shape, are likely to have higher abdominal fat, and therefore are more at risk.
As individuals age, their chances of developing metabolic syndrome increases. On top of age, previously having or having a history of diabetes in one’s family also increases their risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Speaking from personal experience, and having Type 1 Diabetes myself, I can say that metabolic syndrome really takes a toll on one’s body. With experiencing these symptoms first hand, it can leave your body feeling exhausted. When the blood glucose level in the body rises, it causes the blood to become thick due to the excess sugar in the blood. This then causes the heart to work harder and raise the body’s blood pressure due to the effort needed to pump. From here, the body responds with a hard and heavy headache, nausea, occasional vomiting, increased thirst, increased urination, and blurred vision. Recovering from a day of high blood sugars can leave you feeling defeated and similar to feeling like you are recovering from the flu.
One of the things that occur within the body when an individual has metabolic syndrome is their insulin sensitivity decreases. Insulin is the hormone produced that helps to turn the food you eat into fuel for the body or store it as fat. When the insulin sensitivity becomes decreased, it means not enough glucose in the body is being absorbed.� Leading to high blood glucose levels and increases the risk for Type 2 Diabetes.
For those who are suffering from metabolic syndrome, or have one or more of the above risk factors there are ways to take charge. The benefits of taking charge and preventing metabolic syndrome from getting worse or returning means getting back the energy you thought was lost. By decreasing your symptoms and increasing your energy, you could be feeling better than you remembered.
The best diet to quickly gain control of blood sugars and raise HDL is the ketogenic diet. This diet works by eating low carb, high-fat foods. In turn, this makes the body burn fat as fuel rather than carbohydrates. It starts by burning the fat around the pancreas and liver and then starts to burn the intramuscular fat ( excess abdominal weight ). By eliminating most carbs and increasing water intake, individuals can see a decrease in depression, brain fog, their risk of stroke, and blood pressure. All while seeing an increase in sleep and energy.
One of the best ways to reach your goals and stay healthy is to work with a team who understands them and is willing to educate you. We provide 1:1 coaching, scales to track weight that also reports the water weight and BMI of the individual, wrist bands to track caloric activity, and education. The education will help you understand why you are following a specific diet or food guidelines, how that food is breaking down to help you, and what foods to avoid. We will never leave a patient confused or with unanswered questions.
Speaking from personal experience, it is best to get a handle on these symptoms before they cause permanent damage. There are ways and things to do to help reduce your risk. I highly recommend seeing us, or a local doctor to start to build your plan. We can create personalized plans that will help you reach your goals, lower your risk, and work with your lifestyle. Take it from me, you do not want to be stuck feeling the side effects metabolic syndrome comes with.� -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.
Decreased of gastrointestinal motility, constipation?
Increased gastrointestinal motility, diarrhea?
Unpredictable food reactions?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might be experiencing some problems in your body and its entire systems, why not try to incorporate some prebiotics and probiotics into your system.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
With scientific research, media, and works of literature, finding information about how probiotics and prebiotics play a tremendous role in the gut and the digestive system. There has even been new and upcoming research that shows how prebiotics and probiotics can be beneficial for organs and body tissue that is outside the gastrointestinal tract.
When it comes to probiotics and prebiotics, they have a variety of functions that can help human health. Research shows that probiotics have a plethora of conditions that need these tiny microbes to benefit from. From improving IBS symptoms to inflammatory symptoms, probiotics can help patients that have chronic autoimmune diseases can have altering communications between their immune system and their brain. Research shows that when probiotics are being accompanied with fish oil, it can help pregnant women and infants by reducing the risk of any atopic diseases like eczema and food allergies.
Probiotics and Prebiotics Helping the Other Systems
There is even more research that probiotics in the Lactobacillus and the Bifidobacterium genus, can reduce fatty livers and improve the liver enzyme markers. This is important for anyone who is suffering from NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) or NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.) When a person has metabolic syndrome or is obese, there is a review study that shows that prebiotic fibers and certain strains of probiotics can improve the gastrointestinal microbiome diversity. Prebiotics can help improve insulin resistance and brown fat activation in patients that are obese and have metabolic syndrome parameters.
In a late 2019 review, it suggested that when a person intakes prebiotics and probiotics, it can help prevent urinary tract and respiratory tract infections as well as dampening their severity and their duration in the body. This is correlating with another article study as they found that probiotics can help with children who have asthma with its benefits. The studies found that when children received the Lactobacillus strain and have low IgE levels will have a lower asthma attack from the beneficial effects that probiotics can have on the immune system in the body.
Probiotics and Prebiotics Helping With Autism
With probiotics and prebiotics helping out the body with its many beneficial properties, so it is not surprising that it can help with ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder in kids and adults. In a research study, it found that one of the most common non-neurological that manifests in ASD kids and adults is the negative symptoms of the GI tract like diarrhea and constipation. Multiple studies have shown and found that the GI tract in autistic people has a different intestinal microbiota than others. The study found that 37 participants with ASD were in an ABA (applied behavioral analysis) training and taking at least six grams of probiotics in their system. The results showed that the ASD symptoms and the participant’s GI score decreased more when they were introduced with probiotics.
A similar study reviewed that the role of prebiotics and probiotics played in the autism spectrum disorder showed that these two could help improve gastrointestinal symptoms but also when the biotics are combined with gluten. Casein-free diets can significantly reduce the autistic person’s anti-social behaviors. There is still more research being done about probiotics and prebiotics, even though the evidence is inconclusive.
With autism spectrum disorder being a complex developmental condition, that is typically characterized by deficit social and communicative behaviors and even repetitive behavior patterns. When it comes to the gut in an autistic person; however, the study reviewed showed that patients with ASD have different compositions in their gut microbiota. It shows that ASD patients will have derangements and GI severe symptoms in their gut microbiota, especially when the patient is administrated antibiotics. So by using probiotics and prebiotics can be a potential therapeutic option to alter the gut microbiota and its agents.
Conclusion
So all in all, probiotics and prebiotics can do a lot with the body and not just provide support to the gut. Probiotics and prebiotics can help the body lessen the effects of metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and much more. Whether it is taking these microbes in food form or supplement form, they can receive the benefits from these biotics. Some products are there to help support the gastrointestinal system and target amino acids that support the gut as well as providing 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:
Bustamante, Mariela, et al. �Probiotics and Prebiotics Potential for the Care of Skin, Female Urogenital Tract, and Respiratory Tract.� Folia Microbiologica, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 Nov. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31773556.
Huang, Chian-Feng, et al. �Efficacy of Lactobacillus Administration in School-Age Children with Asthma: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.� Nutrients, MDPI, 5 Nov. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6265750/.
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �New Review Demonstrates the Effects of Prebiotics and Probiotics for Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome.� Designs for Health, 4 Jan. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/914.
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �New Review Demonstrates the Role of Probiotics in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.� Designs for Health, 8 Nov. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1145.
Ng, Qin Xiang, et al. �A Systematic Review of the Role of Prebiotics and Probiotics in Autism Spectrum Disorders.� Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), MDPI, 10 May 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6571640/.
Niu, Manman, et al. �Characterization of Intestinal Microbiota and Probiotics Treatment in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders in China.� Frontiers in Neurology, Frontiers Media S.A., 5 Nov. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6848227/.
Team, DFH. �Finding Intestinal Relief with Probiotics.� Designs for Health, 11 Oct. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/882.
Team, DFH. �Probiotics Value Beyond Digestive Health.� Designs for Health, 30 Jan. 2020, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1194.
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.
Greasy or high-fat foods cause distress in your gut?
Temporary relief by using antacids, foods, milk, or carbonated beverages?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might have GERD or gastrointestinal reflux disease in your gut.
When a person is overly stressed, and their body starts to develop problems, especially in the gut, it can cause harm. The gut system is essential to the body because it makes sure that the body is working correctly, that food is being consumed, and making sure inflammation does not happen to cause harm to the body. There are many gut disorders that the GI tract and the gut system can have. It can range from intestinal permeability, SIBO, gut inflammation, and GERD.
GERD and Its Symptoms
GERD or gastrointestinal reflux disease is a common disorder in the digestive tract. This disorder has chronic symptoms that can cause abnormal content in the stomach that is in the esophagus, causing mucosal damage. GERD is multifactorial and is the result of a person who may either stress, a poor diet and risk factors like smoking alcohol and medication usage can cause the condition in the stomach to be chronic if it is not being checked out. Research shows that when there is damage to the esophagus from GERD, it can be due to the cytokine-mediated being inflamed and not being caused by stomach acid directly. It stated that approximately twenty percent of adults do have GERD symptoms in their gut.
There are many symptoms that people can experience if they have GERD. Some of the symptom that causes include:
Heartburn
Respiratory complications
Bad breath
Nausea
Difficulty swallowing
Laryngitis
Even though these are minor symptoms, if a person does not talk to their primary health care physician, the symptoms can become worse if it not treated.
Ways to Dampen GERD Symptoms
Many ways can help dampen the GERD symptoms like pharmaceutical interventions. Even though pharmaceuticals can help manage the symptoms, sometimes they do not correct the underlying factors that GERD has caused and may have side effects that can cause discomfort on the body. It is essential to know that lifestyle changes and any nutritional support are sufficient when a person has acid reflux in their gut. If a person has acid reflux in their gut, they should consider eating smaller food portions, as well as trying to avoid laying down after eating and not eat before bedtime.
Another way to help dampen the GERD symptoms is by using the PPIs (proton pump inhibitors); however, there have been recent studies that PPIs have done more harm than good. Even though PPIs can help lower the GERD symptoms, it has caused more problems like dysbiosis and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) in the body.
The natural and the most effective way to help battle against the GERD symptoms, and that is consuming probiotics. Studies have shown that probiotics can help lower the severity and the frequent symptoms that GERD does to the gut. By consuming probiotics in food or supplements can help the gut produce good bacteria that the gut needs while getting rid of the harmful bacteria. Even though there is more and future research about how probiotics can help the gut. One of the research studies has found out that when probiotics are consumed when there is dysbiosis in the gut, it can help promote gastrointestinal homeostasis and promote growth stimulation for beneficial indigenous gut microbes.
There have been at least thirteen studies that have been extremely positive on the usage of probiotics for gut health. One study talked about how probiotics can reduce the effects of gut problems like diarrhea, constipation, and of course, GERD. While another study stated that when the gut becomes unbalanced with unhealthy harmful bacteria, that probiotics can help restore the gut balance. It stated that probiotics that secrete out a protective substance that turn on the immune system and preventing the harmful pathogens that harm the gut and causing chronic discomfort for not only the gut but also for the body.
Conclusion
With new and upcoming research on how to dampen the effects GERD causes in the gut, patients can consume probiotics to restore their gut health. When chronic inflammation in the gut, it can cause the person to feel bad, and it can lead to many threating symptoms on the body. By consuming probiotics, it can dampen the effects and produce good bacteria in the gut. Some products are specialized in the gastrointestinal system by providing support to the gut and offer nutrients, enzymatic cofactors and phytonutrients to not only the gut but also the body.
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:
Publishing, Harvard Health. �Do PPIs Have Long-Term Side Effects?� Harvard Health, Jan. 2009, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/do-ppis-have-long-term-side-effects.
Publishing, Harvard Health. �Should You Take Probiotics?� Harvard Health, Apr. 2015, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/should-you-take-probiotics.
Cheng, Jing, and Arthur C. Ouwehand. �Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Probiotics: A Systematic Review.� MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2 Jan. 2020, www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/1/132/htm.
Dunbar, Kerry B., et al. �Histologic Changes in the Esophagus in Patients With GERD.� JAMA, American Medical Association, 17 May 2016, jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2521970.
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �New Review Investigates the Role of Probiotics in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).� Designs for Health, 17 Jan. 2020, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1189.
MacGill, Markus. �GERD: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.� Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 18 Jan. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/14085.php.
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.
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.
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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.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might have pain and inflammation in your body. Here are some ways to help naturally ease the pain in your body.
There is some evidence the conventional go-to pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medicine can help by delivering their benefits along with a host of potentially dangerous effects to anyone. Both medical professionals and patients are looking for alternative medicines that have the same effects as pharmaceutical medicine but that are safe and more effective. Fortunately, numerous natural compounds are backed up by clinical research and studies that are available to help anyone that have a variety of issues that are caused by pain and inflammation.
Factors Involving Inflammation
Research from the Cleveland Clinic had warned patients that NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are intended for short-term use. That person should never use it continuously for fever for more than three days and at least ten days for pain without the consultant from a healthcare provider. Studies show that for any fish oils or other sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that have the same effect since it is the precursor to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins and resolvins for the body.
Natural Products for Inflammation
If there is a long-term consumption food that is high in EPA and DHA that are dangerous, there will be a substantial fish-eating population in East Asia and Scandinavia; then, there would be a considerable problem long ago. This, however, is the opposite of what epidemiological studies found since fish consumption is beneficial for the person’s health and improving the biomarker for cardiovascular risk. For anyone that is allergic to fish, eggs, flaxseeds, and it is oil or algal oil is a rich source of omega-3s for the body.
There are other various foods and herbal extracts that been shown to be beneficial in managing pain and inflammation. One of them is ginger. Ginger has been used for a long time as a remedy for upset stomach and indigestion, while also being effective for reducing menstrual cycle pain like NSAIDs. Studies show the herb Boswellia can reduce the pain and stiffness that are associated with osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis and one of the mechanics that are responsible for the body that inhibits the inflammatory 5-LOX (5-lipoxygenase).
What is interesting about Boswellia is that studies show that the herb is different from NSAIDs because NSAIDs may induce potential life-threating GI tract bleeding. The evidence shows that the Boswellia herb can improve inflammatory conditions in the gastrointestinal tract, like chronic colitis. There are more natural compounds that are the potential to ease pain and inflammation like cannabis. With the expanding legalization throughout the US, medicinal and recreational cannabis can help many people deal with their pain with this impressive plant.
Incorporating Changes To Stop Inflammation
Besides incorporating these natural herbs and anti-inflammatory foods into a person�s diet to help alleviate pain and inflammation, no one should neglect the non-diet strategies. Changing food and supplements are not the only changes when a person is seeking alternatives. A past article started to explore how laughter, positive thinking, and maintaining physical activity has the potential to manage chronic pain that the body may encounter. Even though the old saying states that “laughter is the best medicine,” the old saying is contradicted now and days. Even though laughter is not the best medicine, but laughter can undoubtedly be a form of medicine.
Another way a person can reduce or resolve inflammation is by their diet. This can affect what a person does not eat than what they do eat. Studies show that ketogenic diets, which are high in fats and very low in carbohydrates, have been known to increase pain tolerance and reduce acute inflammation. The results were astounding as patients with type 2 diabetes following a ketogenic diet for one year, experienced a 39% reduction in hsCRP, which is a massive indicator for inflammation. Another research study observed patients who followed a ketogenic diet for two years, had a 37% reduction from their baseline.
More research studies show that patients that have metabolic syndrome and follow a carbohydrate-restricted Paleolithic diet for four weeks have experienced a 39% reduction in their hsCRP as well as 35% and 29% reduction in their TNF-a and IL-6. When low-carb Paleo diets are combined with intensity exercises can help improve the body by dampening the inflammatory markers significantly.
Conclusion
For anyone that is living with inflammation in their body, using pharmaceutical medicines is not always the answer. Combining a carb-restricted diet and other natural interventions can help with inflammation. By making small changes for the body, the chronic pain and inflammation can be reduced, thus the body can start healing naturally. Some products are designed to help relax the tight muscles in the body to prevent inflammation while also helping the body to relax and provide a better night’s sleep.
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:
Alhassan, Abeer, et al. �Consumption of Fish and Vascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies.� Atherosclerosis, US National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28992469.
Ammon, H P T. �Boswellic Acids in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases.� Planta Medica, US National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17024588.
Athinarayanan, Shaminie J, et al. �Long-Term Effects of a Novel Continuous Remote Care Intervention Including Nutritional Ketosis for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A 2-Year Non-Randomized Clinical Trial.� Frontiers in Endocrinology, Frontiers Media SA, 5 June 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6561315/.
Bhanpuri, Nasir H, et al. �Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Responses to a Type 2 Diabetes Care Model Including Nutritional Ketosis Induced by Sustained Carbohydrate Restriction at 1�Year: an Open Label, Non-Randomized, Controlled Study.� Cardiovascular Diabetology, BioMed Central, 1 May 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5928595/.
Calder, Philip C. �Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Inflammatory Processes.� Nutrients, Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Mar. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257651/.
Commissioner, Office of the. �The Benefits and Risks of Pain Relievers: Q & A on NSAIDs.� US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, 24 Sept. 2015, www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/benefits-and-risks-pain-relievers-q-nsaids-sharon-hertz-md.
Drug Evaluation and Research, Center for. �FDA Drug Safety Communication.� US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, 9 July 2015, www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-fda-strengthens-warning-non-aspirin-nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory.
Gupta, I, et al. �Effects of Gum Resin of Boswellia Serrata in Patients with Chronic Colitis.� Planta Medica, US National Library of Medicine, July 2001, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11488449.
Gyorkos, Amy, et al. �Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet and High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise Improve Cardio-Metabolic and Inflammatory Profiles in Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Crossover Trial.� Cureus, Cureus, 8 Sept. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6822889/.
Hosomi, Ryota, et al. �Seafood Consumption and Components for Health.� Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, 28 Apr. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4776937/.
Masino, Susan A, and David N Ruskin. �Ketogenic Diets and Pain.� Journal of Child Neurology, US National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4124736/.
Nandivada, Prathima, et al. �Eucaloric Ketogenic Diet Reduces Hypoglycemia and Inflammation in Mice with Endotoxemia.� Lipids, US National Library of Medicine, June 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27117864.
Team, Cleveland Clinic. �NSAIDs: What You Need to Know.� Cleveland Clinic, 2016, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/11086-non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-medicines-nsaids.
Team, DFH. �3 Non-Pharmacological Daily Practices for Managing Pain.� Designs for Health, 1 Feb. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/942.
Team, DFH. �Ginger � as Effective as NSAIDs for Menstrual Pain.� Designs for Health, 5 Jan. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/ginger-as-effective-as-nsaids-for-menstrual-pain.
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