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?
An overall sense of bloating?
Difficulty digesting roughage and fiber?
A sense of fullness during and after meals?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then there might be some problems with your gut system or immune system. How about adding some arabinogalactan into your diet.
Around eighty-eight percent of Americans are living with compromised metabolic health and becoming overweight or obese. Some people are typically healthy and take active measures to stay that way through a healthy diet, which consists of eating the right nutritional food and exercising regularly. While with others, they are consuming high sugar and fatty processed foods and are being inactive and not exercising. When people fall behind on trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle, they need some reliable backup evidence to help them get back on track.
With the constant flood of information about the latest trendy diet or superfood airs on television, the radio waves, or being adversities on the online web and newspapers, it might be challenging for patients to find the right help that they need amongst all the media outlets. Two things can help influence a person’s overall health by supporting a person’s immune system function and even maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. The supplement, arabinogalactan, which is sourced from the larch trees, is a compound that can fill both roles to support a healthy, functional body.
Arabinogalactan
Arabinogalactan is a fiber that is found in many plants; however, it is mostly found commonly in the wood from the larch tree, and the larch tree wood comes out larch arabinogalactan. Larch arabinogalactan is highly branched polysaccharides that have a galactan backbone with side chain acids of galactose and arabinose, which are both monosaccharides. Surprisingly though, arabinogalactan falls into the carbohydrate category known as hemicelluloses. Research shows that hemicelluloses are non-starch polysaccharides that can occur abundantly in the primary and secondary cells walls from plant cells. With arabinogalactan being found in all plant life from the seeds, roots, leaves, fruit, and sap, it is traditionally used to treat specific ailments.
Arabinogalactan Beneficial Properties
There are many beneficial properties that larch arabinogalactan can provide as this supplement can help stimulate the body’s immune system and even prevent viral and bacterial infections that enter the body. Arabinogalactan has been used as traditional medicine for centuries as people have been taking advantage of its medicinal properties. Some of the beneficial properties that arabinogalactan can prevent or even treat the following health conditions like:
Asthma
The common cold
High cholesterol
Liver cancer
Pneumonia
Studies even have shown that arabinogalactan can even promote a healthy gut flora in the body. The research shows that arabinogalactan can help resist digestion from the salivary enzymes and even the enzymes in the small intestines. When this happens, arabinogalactan allows itself to arrive at the large intestines. It transforms to be a prebiotic fiber, where it has high fermentability and can be used for beneficial colonic microorganisms. The research even shows how there is a unique chemical bond that forms the arabinogalactan molecules and making them resistant to digestion.
Arabinogalactan is a product of microbial fermentation known as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and is with butyrate, propionate, and acetate. Since research shows that SCFAs play an essential role in the body’s gut health, especially butyrate, it has become the primary fuel source for colonic epithelial cells. Since butyrate helps increase mucin production in the gut system, it can even help contribute even better health by reducing the likelihood of pathogenic bacterial adhesion to the colon. With the combination of arabinogalactan, the gut system and the intestinal walls are well protected.
Butyrate and arabinogalactan can help each other improve the integrity of cellular tight junction. When the gut starts having obvious implications, butyrate and arabinogalactan can help maintain a proper intestinal permeability and limiting the passage of incomplete digested peptides into the body�s systemic circulation. Studies have shown that the immune response to these errant peptides can be a significant etiological and causal factor in numerous chronic illnesses, especially in autoimmune conditions. When a person consumes arabinogalactan, the supplement has been known to increase the colonic population of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. Studies have found that these two organisms have a potent antimicrobial effect against pathogenic bacteria that is affecting the gut flora.
Conclusion
Arabinogalactan is a carbohydrate that is found in the larch tree and can provide support to the immune system and the gut system. This supplement is a powerhouse when it is consumed and can fight off pathogenic bacteria that can harm not only the body but also cause intestinal permeability to the gut, thus creating leaky gut. With arabinogalactan having these fantastic beneficial properties, the body will thank this carbohydrate for protecting the immune system and the gut system. Some products are used to help support the immune system and the gastrointestinal system by using advance formulas to provide more excellent stability to the body by offering hypoallergenic nutrients and enzymatic cofactors that the body much needs.
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:
Dion, Carine, et al. �Does Larch Arabinogalactan Enhance Immune Function? A Review of Mechanistic and Clinical Trials.� Nutrition & Metabolism, BioMed Central, 12 Apr. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4828828/.
Fasano, Alessio. �Zonulin, Regulation of Tight Junctions, and Autoimmune Diseases.� Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384703/.
H�tt, P, et al. �Antagonistic Activity of Probiotic Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria against Entero- and Uropathogens.� Journal of Applied Microbiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16696680.
R�os-Covi�n, David, et al. �Intestinal Short Chain Fatty Acids and Their Link with Diet and Human Health.� Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers Media S.A., 17 Feb. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4756104/.
Team, DFH. �Arabinogalactan � Immune Function Enhancer.� Designs for Health, 1 Oct. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1117.
Team, UNCCH. �Only 12 Percent of American Adults Are Metabolically Healthy, Carolina Study Finds: UNC-Chapel Hill.� The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 29 Nov. 2018, www.unc.edu/posts/2018/11/28/only-12-percent-of-american-adults-are-metabolically-healthy-carolina-study-finds/.
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.
Stomach pain, burning, or aching 1-4 hours after eating?
Aches, pains, and swelling throughout the body?
Greasy or high-fat foods cause distress?
Inflammation in the intestinal lining of your stomach?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might be experiencing the leaky gut syndrome. How about trying spore-based probiotics to dampen the effects of leaky gut.
Spore-Based Probiotics
The human body has many functions as there has been researched on how probiotics can help gut flora. With the usage of spore-based probiotics, what they are, and how they function with the GI (gastrointestinal) tract. The research shows how spore-based probiotics are more functional than the commonly used LAB (lactic acid bacteria) probiotic supplements and how spore-based probiotics may benefit and support the digestive system to make sure that it is functioning correctly. Anyone using spore-based probiotics will realize that it can aid the overall digestion and help promote the body to have a daily bowel regularity and function.
Spore Probiotics Help Support LAB
Many shelf-stable, spore-forming bacteria can help and improve the survival of LAB probiotic supplements. These spore probiotics can help with leaky gut symptoms that have affected the gut system as well as reducing the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria that are within the intestines, which can often be the root cause for GI distress and digestive pathologies. The spore-based probiotics are known as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, and Bacillus clausii are some of the spore probiotics that can help the gut system and dampen the harsh symptoms that can do more harm than good.
The spore Bacillus subtilis is a spore-based, non-pathogenic probiotic that has been recently gaining interest in many research studies and, surprisingly, in new supplement formulas. Studies have shown that Bacillus subtilis can withstand the harsh conditions of the GI tract, unlike Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli, which both of these species are lactic acids and both of their effects have mixed results in scientific studies. Bacillus subtilis, it can help produce an extracellular matrix that can protect itself from stressful environments that it encounters. Studies have shown that when Bacillus subtilis and lactic acid bacteria are being cultivated together while also increasing the survivability and are considered to be a novel delivery technique.
There are even some more research studies showing that when LAB supplements are being co-administered with spore-based probiotics. The biodiversity of the microbiome increases as more probiotics are being delivered to the intestines, so that way the bacteria can propagate robustly so the gut system can function correctly.
Leaky Gut Syndrome and Spore-Based Probiotics
With spore-based probiotics, they can be part of dietary endotoxemia and can be correlated with a variety of preventable conditions that are chronic and non-communicable. These conditions can be anything from type 2 diabetes to chronic pain in the body. Researchers have found that with there are levels of endotoxins in the blood, they are classified as either leaky gut syndrome or intestinal permeability. These two conditions are similar since they affect the gut, due to the endothelial lining from the intestines and through years and years of eating poorly. The endothelial lining is a single thick cell layer that lines in the intestines. When someone eats poorly, it can cause a highly inflammatory response, and the mucosal lining will create gaps allowing endotoxins, allergens, bacterial pathogens to escape and travel through the bloodstream, thus resulting in endotoxemia.
A research study from the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology stated that healthy subjects were identified as having dietary endotoxemia. When this happens, there is an elevated level of endotoxins in the blood after consuming very high fat and high sugar meal that is highly common in Western society. What the study found was that participants received either rice flour or a multi-spore supplement for thirty days, while maintaining their regular diets and lifestyle. The results showed that participants that took the multi-spore supplements had a 42% decrease in post-prandial endotoxins and a significant reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines. So by adding spore-based probiotics supplements orally, it can provide anyone an excellent adjunct to a healthy diet and lifestyle by reducing leaky gut syndromes in the body.
Spore-Based Probiotics Can Protect Against Pathogenic Bacteria
The beneficial properties from the Bacillus spores can produce a variety of antimicrobial and antifungal lipopeptides to help the body find the balance for the internal bacterial that’s inside the body. When spore-based probiotics help find a microbial balance in the gut, it can help reduce or even prevent an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria that is in the small intestines that have been affected by SIBO. What is surprising is that spore-based probiotics are aggressively competitive than lactic acid bacteria. With spore-based probiotics being aggressively competitive, they can help keep foreign invaders at bay, while also giving the host a better opportunity to return to a homeostasis state more quickly. Studies from Cornell University have determined that Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus clausii spores can have intrinsic antibiotic-resistant genes as well as having non-toxin-producing genes to inhibit the cytotoxic effects of bacterial toxins that are in the body. Another study showed that Bacillus subtilis could maintain a favorable balance of the microflora in the GI tract effectively. Bacillus subtilis are helping the gut by producing beneficial properties and even producing a protective extracellular matrix to protect the good bacteria that is in the gut.
Conclusion
By providing the gut probiotics, especially spore-based probiotics can help dampen the effects of leaky gut syndrome and inflammation that can cause discomfort in the gut system. By consuming spore-based probiotics, the gut can benefit these probiotics since the spore probiotics can aggressively attack the bacterial pathogens that harm the gut. Spore-based probiotics can help the gut create good bacteria in the gut flora and even prevent the effects of the leaky gut so the body can be functional, including the gut. Some products, when combined with spore-based probiotics, can offer support to the gastrointestinal system while also providing metabolic support for 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:
Cuentas, Ana Maria, et al. �The Effect of Bacillus Subtilis DE111 on the Daily Bowel Movement Profile for People with Occasional Gastrointestinal Irregularity.� Department of Science and Technology, Deerland Enzymes, Cobb International Blvd, 10 Nov. 2017.
Elshaghabee, Fouad M.F., et al. �Bacillus As Potential Probiotics: Status, Concerns, and Future Perspectives.� Frontiers, Frontiers, 24 July 2017, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01490/full#h5.
Elshaghabee, Fouad M F, et al. �Bacillus As Potential Probiotics: Status, Concerns, and Future Perspectives.� Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers Media S.A., 10 Aug. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5554123/.
Khatri, Indu, et al. �Composite Genome Sequence of Bacillus Clausii, a Probiotic Commercially Available as Enterogermina �, and Insights into Its Probiotic Properties.” BMC Microbiology, BioMed Central, 1 Jan. 1989, bmcmicrobiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12866-019-1680-7.
Kimelman, Hadar, and Moshe Shemesh. �Probiotic Bifunctionality of Bacillus Subtilis-Rescuing Lactic Acid Bacteria from Desiccation and Antagonizing Pathogenic Staphylococcus Aureus.� Microorganisms, MDPI, 29 Sept. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6843919/.
Knight, Chinyere A., et al. �The First Report of Antifungal Lipopeptide Production by a Bacillus Subtilis Subsp. Inaquosorum Strain.� Microbiological Research, Urban & Fischer, 2 Aug. 2018, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944501318304609.
Kov�cs, �kos T. �Bacillus Subtilis.� DTU Research Database, Elsevier, 1 Jan. 1970, orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/bacillus-subtilis.
McFarlin, Brian K, et al. �Oral Spore-Based Probiotic Supplementation Was Associated with Reduced Incidence of Post-Prandial Dietary Endotoxin, Triglycerides, and Disease Risk Biomarkers.� World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology, Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 15 Aug. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5561432/.
Team, DFH. �Balance Bacteria with Spore-Based Probiotics.� Designs for Health, 4 Feb. 2020, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1196.
Yahav, Sagit, et al. �Encapsulation of Beneficial Probiotic Bacteria in Extracellular Matrix from Biofilm-Forming Bacillus Subtilis.� Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29806505.
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.
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.�
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