Inside the body lies the internal organs that provide the nutrients and energy for the body to stay in motion. The gut system helps the body energy by digesting the consumed food that gets turned into energy and nutrients beneficial for the vital organs, muscles, tissues, and growth that the body needs. The gut system also helps regulate the other body systems like the musculoskeletal system, the immune system, central nervous system, and the endocrine system. The gut system operates by transporting these nutrients to make the body operational, to name a few needs. When unwanted issues start to enter the gut system and cause havoc, it can lead to many chronic problems that will cause the body to be in constant pain while causing other issues that affect the entire body. Today’s article will look at how different gut issues start to affect the body and how an amino acid named glutamine can provide beneficial relief to various gut issues. Referring patients to qualified and skilled providers who specialize in gastroenterology treatments. We guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is essential for asking insightful questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.
How Gut Issues Affect The Body
Have you been experiencing pain located in your gut? Does your gut seem to be extra sensitive after consuming food? Have you been anxious or stressed that it has been affecting your body? Experiencing these symptoms are signs that you might have some gut issues that are affecting your body. Research studies have found that gut issues or disorders usually develop when the gut has either underproduced or overproduced the beneficial gut bacteria that can influence harmful bacteria to attack the gut’s intestinal walls. Gut issues can also be influenced due to lifestyle choices or autoimmune disorders that affect the gut and the rest of the body and its systems. Additional information has found that when the microbiome is being challenged with factors that change the physiology of the gut microbiome. These changes will cause an increase in the intestinal permeability, which allows the harmful bacteria to leak out, causing the immune system to attack the exposed bacteria at the intestinal walls leading to inflammatory issues.
Other research studies have found that gut bacteria provides an essential role in the body as it helps supply the vital nutrients beneficial for the body’s health. When abnormal changes affect gut bacteria, the gut ecosystem accelerates dysbiosis, causing many chronic issues. Many individuals will begin to lose their quality of life due to pain. Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate the chronic issues affecting the gut and even help lower the harmful bacteria by replenishing the beneficial bacteria while reducing inflammatory markers.
An Overview About Glutamine-Video
Have you been experiencing issues that are affecting your gut? Has your torso area been feeling tender to the touch? How about random pain spots that are in your abdomen? You could be experiencing gut issues affecting your overall health and wellness. Why not incorporate glutamine into your daily supplementation. Research studies mentioned that glutamine is an amino acid with beneficial properties in replenishing the immune system and metabolizing in the gut and other vital organs that need glutamine to nourish the cellular structure for the body to feel better and provide energy for many individuals. The video above includes information about the benefits of glutamine and how it can help the body.
How Glutamine Helps The Gut
As stated earlier, glutamine is an amino acid with beneficial properties that are utilized to provide energy for the entire body. Research studies have shown that glutamine in the gut system can maintain the intestinal structure and function as the body ages while regulating the tight junction proteins. Glutamine has also helped modulate the gut intestinal permeability effects of HPA-axis stress that affects the gut and protects the cells from apoptosis and cellular stress. Additional research studies have provided that when individuals take glutamine as part of their daily regime, they will have a better inflammatory response and redox balance in the gut with the combination of physical activities. Utilizing glutamine for gut health can help improve the gut function and gastrointestinal permeability function for many athletic individuals.
Conclusion
Overall, the gut system utilizes glutamine for optimal gut health in dampening the effects of gut issues and disorders that will affect the body. The gut provides the transportation of the essential nutrients for the rest of the body systems that need them to function correctly. When unwanted factors or unhealthy lifestyles affect the gut system, it can increase the harmful bacteria in the gut and diminish the beneficial bacteria. This will cause the inflammatory cytokines to attack the intestinal permeability walls and cause more issues that will affect the body. Beneficial supplements and nutrients that help alleviate inflammatory factors or alleviate gut issues are there to provide relief by dampening these harmful effects and repairing the body. Incorporating glutamine into your gut will help the body recover over time and become pain-free.
References
Almeida, Ewin B, et al. “L-Glutamine Supplementation Improves the Benefits of Combined-Exercise Training on Oral Redox Balance and Inflammatory Status in Elderly Individuals.” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Hindawi, 22 Jan. 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7204202/.
Clapp, Megan, et al. “Gut Microbiota’s Effect on Mental Health: The Gut-Brain Axis.” Clinics and Practice, PAGEPress Scientific Publications, Pavia, Italy, 15 Sept. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/.
Cruzat, Vinicius, et al. “Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation.” Nutrients, MDPI, 23 Oct. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266414/.
Kim, Min-Hyun, and Hyeyoung Kim. “The Roles of Glutamine in the Intestine and Its Implication in Intestinal Diseases.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI, 12 May 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5454963/.
Nouvenne, Antonio, et al. “Digestive Disorders and Intestinal Microbiota.” Acta Bio-Medica : Atenei Parmensis, Mattioli 1885, 17 Dec. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6502202/.
Zhang, Yu-Jie, et al. “Impacts of Gut Bacteria on Human Health and Diseases.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI, 2 Apr. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425030/.
The previous article talked about how photobiomodulation or low laser therapy can help improve the gut microbiome. Today’s article gives an in-depth look at how photobiomics can provide the therapeutic potential to the gut. When it comes to the gut, an individual must take care of it. Supplying it with wholesome, nutritional food feeding the good bacteria will provide outstanding results like more energy throughout the day, the feeling of being full, weight loss, and healthy brain function. By eating these nutritional foods, the body can feel good; however, when harmful bacteria come into play and starts attacking the gut, it causes the gut microbiome to have all sorts of problems that can turn into chronic pain. Some of the ailments can be leaky gut, IBS, and inflammation, to name a few. When these harmful pathogens affect the gut, it can cause the body not to function correctly and dampen a person’s ability to go about their everyday life.
Photobiomodulation Works With The Gut
So how does photobiomodulation work with the gut microbiota? Research studies show that when photobiomics are being applied to the gut, the low laser wavelength can help rebalance what is happening to the gut and maintain diversity in the gut microbiota. It can sustain a healthy production of vital metabolites, and the diversity can help the gut from getting many harmful bacteria from causing too much trouble in the gut. Not only that, but photobiomodulation therapy affecting the gut, directly and indirectly, gives it a mimicry of the circadian clock from the brain. Since the brain and gut are connected with the brain giving signals to the gut microbiota to regulate and produce the bacterial metabolites.
The Brain-Gut Connection
The brain and gut connection is more of consistent bidirectional communication between the brain and gut. Studies show that the gut and brain connection ensures the proper maintenance of gastrointestinal homeostasis and has multiple effects on motivation and cognitive functions in the body. When inflammation comes to play in the gut; however, it can affect the gut to not work properly and disrupt the signals it is receiving from the brain and vice versa. When there is a disruption in the bacterial diversity in the gut, it can decrease the brain’s circadian rhythm. The disruption of the bacterial diversity of the gut can even reduce vitamin D absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation and heightening the effects of autoimmune properties that the body is experiencing.
Vitamin D and Photobiomics
Studies have shown that vitamin D plays an essential role in bone health and regulating gastrointestinal inflammation. This is huge since vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties and can dampen the effects of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and IBD or inflammatory bowel diseases. Vitamin D has many beneficial properties since it can help improve the body’s immune system and has anti-inflammatory properties. Anyone who takes vitamin D in supplement form or food form as part of their daily ritual will notice that they have more energy in their system and feel good overall. That is because vitamin D can modify the integrity of the epithelial cell in the gut and increase the composition and immune response to the gut microbiome. When vitamin D and photobiomics are combined, it can restore the vitamin D receptors in the gut and cause improvements to body immunity and bone health and dampen the inflammatory effects that were causing harm to the body.
The Vagus Nerve
Another unique fact that photobiomodulation can help is that it can improve low vagus nerves in the brain. Since the brain and gut are connected, it shows that photobiomics can help the brain by decreasing the inflammation receptors that are disrupting the brain-gut connection and causing problems to the body. The vagus nerve is a part of this connection since it sends the information back and forth from the brain to the gut. Studies show that the vagus nerve is represented as the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. This means that the vagus nerve can oversee many crucial bodily functions, including sending information between the brain and gut. Not only that, but the vagus nerve represents an essential link to neurological and inflammatory responses to the body. When inflammation affects the gut and the vagus nerves, it can disrupt the signals to the brain, causing the inflammation to become worse and hurting the body. Treatments like photobiomodulation can target the vagus nerve and help increase the vagal tone in the body and inhibit cytokine productions.
The 4 R’s
When the body is being affected by inflammation, treatments can help the body feel a bit better and start recovering. With photobiomodulation therapy and natural foods that are beneficial to the gut can bring the balance of a healthy lifestyle back to a person. For a better gut, doctors have recommended the 4’s for gut health.
The First R: Remove
REMOVE– Removing foods that a person has a food sensitivity or allergic reaction to can help dampen the effects of inflammation to the gut. These can be common foods like dairy and wheat or processed food containing high fats and added sugars.
The Second R: Replace
REPLACE– By replacing processed food with wholesome, nutritional food that is chalked up with the necessary vitamins and minerals can give the body more energy and put the person in a good mood. Thus, helping the gut produce more enzymes to digest the nutritional foods.
The Third R: Reinoculate
REINOCULATE– Adding prebiotics and probiotics into your recovery process can help improve the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Fermented food is a great way to get the necessary probiotics and prebiotics into the gut.
The Fourth R: Repair
REPAIR– Eating certain food that can help repair the gut lining in the gut microbiota ensures that inflammation won’t flare up due to gut stress. Adding fermented foods, butyric acid, L-glutamine, and aloe vera into a person’s diet is excellent in gut repair.
Conclusion
Overall, gut health is essential to the human body as it helps the body function properly. With the help of photobiomodulation, it can help the recovery process. Since photobiomics are still providing excellent results to treat patients with inflammation, it is necessary to combine whole, nutritional foods and the proper supplements into the everyday lifestyle so the body doesn’t have specific ailments like inflammation. This new combination has opened the doors to many new avenues of effective treatments for inflammation and improving overall body health and wellness.
References:
Breit, Sigrid, et al. “Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, Frontiers Media S.A., 13 Mar. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5859128/.
Carabotti, Marilia, et al. “The Gut-Brain Axis: Interactions between Enteric Microbiota, Central and Enteric Nervous Systems.” Annals of Gastroenterology, Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology, 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/.
Craig, Ian. “The 4 R’s of Gut Health.” The Nutritional Institute, 28 May 2018, https://thenutritionalinstitute.com/resources/blog/292-the-4-r-s-of-gut-health.
Silverman, Robert G. “Photobiomics: A Look to the Future of Combined Laser and Nutrition Therapy.” Chiropractic Economics, 5 Oct. 2021, https://www.chiroeco.com/photobiomics/.
Tabatabaeizadeh, Seyed-Amir, et al. “Vitamin D, the Gut Microbiome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.” Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 23 Aug. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116667/.
The body has a variety of functions that work simultaneously to make sure that it’s working correctly. From the musculoskeletal system all the way to the endocrine system, the body has good bacteria that cause each system to work as it should be. However, sometimes an injury or autoimmune factor comes to play when it affects the body, causing a person to feel pain or not function properly. Many remedies and treatments can help the body by dampening the harmful effects that trigger various problems like inflammation, IBS, leaky gut, and much more. One of the treatments that physicians have used to help patients is photobiomodulation or low laser therapy.
Photobiomodulation Explained
Low laser therapy or photobiomodulation is when the body is exposed to a cold laser in the affected area. The laser wavelength targets the area through the skin to the mitochondrial. Studies have shown that photobiomodulation mechanics can help the body at the molecular, cellular, and tissue-based level causing therapeutic relief. When exposed through treatment, the laser wavelength can help give the injured area of the body relief that can last for hours to months with regular treatment.
Photobiomodulation Benefits
Another study found that photobiomodulation can heal and stimulate body tissue, thus relieving pain and inflammation, causing the microbiome to alter in the body. The study also mentions that photobiomics can indirectly affect the microbiome and cause harmful bacteria or inflammation to halt, causing the body to boot its immune system. One study has even found that even though photobiomodulation has been widely accepted to treat low-back pain, it can be highly effective when modulating the gut microbiome. This means that when photobiomodulation and nutritional therapy are combined, they can help treat gut issues, low vagal tone, and autoimmunity in the body.
The Gut System
The gut microbiome is one of the important biomes in the body that plays a huge role. The gut microbiota can help the body internally by regulating its metabolism and protecting itself from harmful pathogens; thus, a healthy gut flora is mainly responsible for an individual’s overall health. Studies have shown that the gut microbiota comprises two significant phyla, which are Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. The study also mentions that a normal gut microbiome can help maintain the structural integrity of the gut mucosal barrier, immunomodulation, and metabolize xenobiotics.
The Microbiome of the Gut
Since the gut microbiome makes sure that the body is healthy, sometimes unwanted pathogens can affect the gut, disrupting the body. Studies show that the gut microbiota can ensure homeostasis while recognizing bacterial epitopes in intestinal epithelial and the mucosal immune cells. But when harmful bacterias invade the gut, either by food sensitivity or autoimmune factors, the gut takes a heavy toll, causing the body to feel unwell. These factors can cause body inflammation, leaky gut, or IBS, thus making the individual feel pain if it’s not treated, causing more problems.
Conclusion
Overall, doctors using photobiomodulation on the gut is beneficial in the overall wellness of the body. The photobiomics have proven extraordinary therapeutic effects by targeting the inflamed area and improving the area by raising the antibodies to combat the inflammation and reducing gastrointestinal wall damage. By utilizing photobiomodulation and natural food therapy together, the body can recover quickly and achieve overall wellness.
References:
Hamblin, Michael R. “Photobiomodulation or Low-Level Laser Therapy.” Journal of Biophotonics, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5215795/.
Jandhyala, Sai Manasa, et al. “Role of the Normal Gut Microbiota.” World Journal of Gastroenterology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 Aug. 2015, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26269668/.
Liebert, Ann, et al. “‘Photobiomics’: Can Light, Including Photobiomodulation, Alter the Microbiome?” Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Publishers, Nov. 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6859693/.
Sekirov, Inna, et al. “Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease.” Physiological Reviews, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 July 2010, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20664075/.
Silverman, Robert G. “Photobiomics: A Look to the Future of Combined Laser and Nutrition Therapy.” Chiropractic Economics, 5 Oct. 2021, https://www.chiroeco.com/photobiomics/.
Can irritable bowel syndrome cause back pain? Is there some relation, what are the treatment options, and can those therapies help with the aches, soreness, and overall discomfort? Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not life-threatening but is definitely life-changing with the gas, bloating, abdominal pain and changes in bathroom habits. Many with IBS develop symptoms outside of the stomach. The most common is back pain. Here�s what to know.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic disorder that affects the lower part of the digestive tract. The common symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. There could be some combination of the two. Individuals also experience cramping, gas and bloating. Symptoms can be mild or severe and come and go. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all. Around 10-20% of adults have IBS, and women are twice as likely to develop the syndrome. It’s usually diagnosed in people under 50, and if a family has a history of IBS, this increases the chances of also having it.
The exact cause of IBS is still unknown, but it is believed to involve the way the brain interacts with the gastrointestinal tract.
Anxiety
Hormone fluctuations
Certain foods
These can trigger or worsen symptoms. There is no single test to diagnose IBS. Doctors rely on medical history, physical exams and ruling out other illnesses. No cure exists for IBS but there is a variety of treatments that can help relieve symptoms. Many experience anxiety along with job, school and relationship disruptions, all that can begin to lower quality of life.
IBS and Back Pain
Individuals can develop extraintestinal symptoms or symptoms involving other areas of the body.
This includes:
Sleep problems
Headaches
Urination problems
Fatigue
Muscle pain
Pelvic pain
Jaw pain
Back pain
Backaches and pain are common with irritable bowel syndrome. Studies have shown it affects 28-81 percent of individuals with the syndrome. Some believe that it is what is known as referred pain that originates elsewhere in the body and is felt in the back. Gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and bloating have been linked to back pain.
Other health conditions associated with back pain can also present at the same time. Interstitial cystitis is a chronic illness that causes bladder pressure and pain, and also cause fibromyalgia. 3 in 10 individuals with irritable bowel syndrome check-off the criteria for fibromyalgia. Rheumatoid arthritis is another condition.
Treatment
Treatment is different for everyone. There are treatment options available. The best approach is usually a mix of these strategies. Treating the irritable bowel syndrome could also help ease back pain. Surgery is not needed for IBS-related back pain, as well as long-term painkillers. Speak with a healthcare provider to find the right combination for you.
Treatments include:
Dietary changes: There is no specific diet for IBS but your doctor could recommend changing fiber intake or keeping a food diary to pinpoint foods that trigger symptoms. Limiting citrus, carbonated drinks, and foods that contain carbohydrates linked to gastrointestinal troubles. These include:
Wheat
Dairy
Legumes/beans
Stress reduction: People who experience high levels of stress can feel pain more intensely, whether gastrointestinal or back pain. Deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery can help ease tensions. Exercise can also help like yoga, tai chi, walking, swimming, jogging, and biking are often recommended.
Therapy: Some individuals can benefit by speaking with a mental health professional. Studies have found that cognitive-behavioral therapy that shows you how to recognize and change stress response can be especially valuable for dealing with IBS and back pain.
Medication: Depending on the symptoms and underlying cause of the irritable bowel syndrome medication can help. Antidepressants are used to ease the pain for some patients, while anti-diarrheal loperamide is for reducing diarrhea in others. Discuss any medication you take with a doctor.
Functional medicine/Complementary health: Many find relief with alternative therapies. Hypnosis, for example, has been linked to improved gastrointestinal symptoms, lower levels of anxiety and other benefits.
Probiotics/supplements: Supplements are believed to help balance out beneficial gut bacteria. There is also evidence that probiotics can help relieve certain IBS symptoms. Ask your doctor if probiotics could help.
If you have irritable bowel syndrome along with back pain, get in touch with a healthcare provider. They can help you learn what is causing the uncomfortableness, test for other conditions and set up a treatment plan. The faster you reach out, the faster you can start to feel better.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might be experiencing some gut and liver issues in your body.
The role of the gut-liver axis in NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) has been examining probiotics and have found some new information on the gut microbiome and how probiotics work in NAFLD. The new information that future research found was quite interesting. It stated that there were about 26 major randomized controlled trials that used probiotics for NALFD that ranged between 20 to 200 individuals in four weeks to 1 year. The laboratory assessments included liver enzymes and anthropometric parameters in the body. Some of the studies added cardiovascular risk factors like C-reactive proteins and lipid profiles as markers for insulin resistance. Furthermore, most of the studies have used a probiotic formulation that includes multiple species, although a few were conducted by using a single strain.
What NAFLD does to the body is that it becomes a hepatic consequence of metabolic syndrome. This includes obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. What is interesting about the connection between gut microbiota and NAFLD has been attracting a significant amount of attention in recent years. The data has shown that the gut microbiota can affect the hepatic lipid metabolism while also influencing the balance between pro/anti-inflammatory effectors in the liver.
Chronic Liver Diseases
Even though chronic liver disease is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Studies showed that gut dysbiosis was identified as an essential factor in the pathogenesis of the liver disease. The relationship between the gut microbiota and the liver is still not understood, but the dysfunction of leaky gut and an increased bacterial translocation into the liver. Another study showed that immense importance is a massive advancement in understanding the roles of the gut and liver microbiome that is driven by a high DNA sequencing and improving them.
There are many stages of liver disease that can happen, but when it comes to excessive alcohol in the liver. Studies show that excessive alcohol consumption is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The stages of alcoholic liver disease are hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, and, ultimately, liver cirrhosis. One of the main characteristics of alcohol liver disease is that there is an increased gut permeability due to a direct toxic effect of alcohol on the epithelial cell in the gastrointestinal tract and a decreases expression of the tight-junction protein.
Probiotic Supplements
For probiotic supplementation, they have demonstrated a significant decrease in liver enzymes, which were compared to the placebo group. Studies found that probiotics were shown to have synergistic effects with metformin on liver enzymes for patients that have NASH. Any products that contained both prebiotics and probiotics can demonstrate a similar effect in the probiotic groups. In another study, it showed a reduction of intrahepatic fat that is measured by MRI, but the improvement in liver enzymes in the body did not reach any clinical significance. It is essential to know that liver enzymes can have a highly variable and do not always have a direct correlation with disease progression that they may encounter.
Research shows that there are five meta-analyses included and that they all demonstrated that probiotics and synbiotics have improved on AST and ALT levels in the body significantly. Surprisingly, several other studies have assisted probiotics by countering hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and liver stiffness in the body. Ultrasound imaging can help assist these parameters and show some positive clinical outcomes with these two supplements.
When probiotics help restore the gastrointestinal barrier function in the body, they can eliminate the harmful bacteria that has interacted with the gastrointestinal system. Not only that, but probiotics can also be beneficial by modulating the immune system, reduce liver fats, and improve the liver enzymes as well. By using probiotics, they are most likely to be more productive by helping the body and preventing bacterial translocation in the gut, thus reducing the effects of the intestinal microbiota on the liver to prevent chronic illnesses from forming and causing havoc.
Conclusion
For individuals that have NAFLD, they will already establish the disease and required a higher nutrient intake demand than what can be obtained from any diets alone. So using dietary supplements should be considered to help reduce the NAFLD disease’s progression, thus improving the liver and its functions. The gut-liver axis is connected to the body since if anything happens to the liver like chronic diseases, it can affect the gut as well. Using probiotics to help the liver is essential to make sure that the liver is functioning correctly and that the body is being as healthy as possible. Some products are here to offer gastrointestinal and metabolic support while also supporting multiple aspects of the biliary system.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �New Review Demonstrates the Role of the Gut Microbiome and Probiotics in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.� Designs for Health, 25 Nov. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1160.
Konturek, Peter Christopher, et al. �Gut?Liver Axis: How Do Gut Bacteria Influence the Liver?� Medical Sciences (Basel, Switzerland), MDPI, 17 Sept. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6165386/.
Tripathi, Anupriya, et al. �The Gut-Liver Axis and the Intersection with the Microbiome.� Nature Reviews. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6319369/.
Xie, Chencheng, and Dina Halegoua DeMarzio. “Role of Probiotics in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Does Gut Microbiota Matter?” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 19 Nov. 2019, www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/11/2837.
The microbiome is a crucial part of the body and how effectively it functions.� The microbiome plays a significant role in the immune system, the digestion of food, how the body metabolizes drugs, detoxification, vitamin production, as well as protection from foreign innovators. However, just like many other parts of the human body, it is greatly influenced by stress, environmental factors, and sleep which can ultimately impact intestinal permeability.
Ideally, the best functioning microbiome is diversified. The more diversity a microbiome has, the more stable and resilient to antibiotics it becomes. In addition to this, a diversified microbiome also has stronger pathogen resistance.
The microbiome is filled with many different bacteria strains that all play essential roles in keeping the gut healthy and controlling intestinal permeability.
Bacillus is a spore-forming bacteria whose major role is the production of B and K2 vitamins in the gut.
Clostridia compromise about 10-50% of the microbiome and are anaerobes that are not found in probiotics. These thrive on high fiber and polyphenols.
Akkermansia makes up 1-3% of the microbiome and helps to reduce inflammation and protect against inflammatory bowel disease.
Lipopolysaccharides are bound on gram negatives residing in the gut and protecting the bacteria from bile salts. (Lipopolysaccharides are normal in the gut, but they are not normal in the bloodstream)
The main reason it is important to have a diversified and healthy gut is to avoid problems with intestinal permeability or “leaky gut syndrome”.� A leaky gut refers to how easily substances that are not fully digested pass through the intestinal wall. This occurs when the tight junctions of the walls become loose, allowing the gut to be more permeable.� This is how bacteria and toxins pass from the gut into the bloodstream, causing inflammation and other autoimmune diseases.
Keys to a healthy gut:
Eat more organic fruits, vegetables, and fermented food
Try to limit the amount of food that is boiled as boiled foods contain fewer polyphenols
�Supplements such as Vitamin D, Vitamin C and Omega 3’s
Detox: sauna, yoga, meditation, and regular exercise
Prebiotics and Probiotics
It is important to remember that the best thing for a healthy gut is diet. Suppliments and pills can help, but in the long run, a diet is the most important and influenctial factor to the gut. A gut healthy diet will aslo help to maximize liver detoxifaction. If you do not know where to begin, I recommend getting a gut zoomer blood test and consulting with a doctor about what probiotics and diet are best for you. – Kenna Vaughn, Health Coach�
Ever wondered why you feel sluggish from a long day? Or feel sick to the stomach when you ate something bad or overindulged on your favorite food? Could it be that your gut is showing signs of stress and discomfort due to certain habits that you may encounter and didn�t even know about it?
In our previous article, we talked about the six types of food that our gut needs to be healthy. Since our gut contains trillions of microbiomes, both good and bad, these microbiomes play an important role in our overall health. A healthy microbiome improves our gut health, heart health, brain health, controls our weight and regulates our blood sugar. With the good bacteria in our gut, the bacteria benefit us with a good digestive system and destroys the harmful bacteria. But certain lifestyles and diet choices can actually increase the bad bacteria and lower the good bacteria and overall health.
Here are five surprisingly lifestyle choices that are hurting your gut:
Not Eating a Wide Range of Foods
Our gut plays an important role in our overall health. When we eat good whole foods, our gut is happier; we have more energy to complete any task that is thrown at us and we are getting nutrients for our gut flora. However, during the past couple of decades, we have been leaning more into processed foods due to the economic pressures of increased food productions. FOA stated that �75 percent of the world�s food is generated from only 12 plants and five animal species� and that is very bad to our gut flora.
Here at Injury Medical & Chiropractic Clinic, we inform our patients about the importance of eating nutritious, whole foods to promote not only a healthy gut but a healthy mind. When the body gets introduced to a wide variety of whole foods (with a high fiber content), our gut starts to repair the damage of processed food that we may have consumed internally.
However, when you disregard prebiotics to your diet, you are harming your digestive health. Without prebiotics, our digestive system slows down the development and diversity for our gut flora. So in order to have a healthy microbiome development, you need to incorporate foods filled with both digestible and indigestible fibers to your diet. Some foods included in this category are oats, nuts, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, bananas, pears, chickpeas, and beans.
Sticking to a high fiber diet maybe challenging however, there is the option of taking prebiotic supplements. If you have a food allergen or food sensitivity to any high enriched fiber foods, taking prebiotic supplements can actually help grow Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium in your gut and be beneficial to your health without the discomfort.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Every adult enjoys alcohol once in a while. Yes, it�s one of those beverages that help you relax a bit after a long day, however, too much of it can lead to alcohol abuse and addiction. So, did you know that consuming that much alcohol is bad for your heart, liver, and brain; thus hurting your gut health and giving you dysbiosis?
One study stated, that the alcoholics with dysbiosis had a lower median abundance of Bacteroidetes and a high abundance of Proteobacteria. The ones that weren�t alcoholics were not affected by the study.
However; there is some good news on limiting yourself to alcoholism and that it can be beneficial to your gut bacteria. If you moderately consumed red wine responsibly, the polyphenols in the wine can help benefit your gut flora. So, enjoy a glass of wine once in a while as a small treat that should not be taken for granted.
Inadequate Sleep
In one of the previous articles, we talked about how to achieve a good night sleep through herbs. When we get little to no sleep through our hectic lives, it affects us through various health problems, including heart disease and obesity. In a 2016 study, researchers discovered the effect of short-term sleep deprivation on the gut microbiota after two days.
When our body doesn�t receive the recommended 8 hours of sleep, our gut takes a huge toll as we feel sluggish and exhausted. So, to make sure that our gut microbiome will be taken care of, we recommended to turn off your electronical devices at least 30 minutes before you get ready to settle down for the night. Turn off all the lights, and don�t drink any liquids at least two hours before bed, close your eyes and take a deep breath in a meditative state, and relax as you drift off into slumber town.
Inadequate Exercise
Through our fast-paced lifestyle and stressful jobs, it�s hard to find time to exercise. But when we actually do find time to exercise, not only do our minds feel good; but our body and gut feel good as well. However, things always come up when we are in an exercise routine and we have to skip exercising altogether. It happens to all of us and it�s hard to pick up where we left off when we tried to exercise.
When we don�t exercise at least a couple of times out of the week, our bodies take a huge toll on us as we gained weight, our stress is way too high, and we have a higher chance of getting a chronic disease. When this happens our gut flora is a huge disadvantage. Here at the clinic, we strive to inform our patients about the importance of exercising and that it not only changes their lives but also changes their mood entirely.
However, don�t just go into a hard exercise routine where you will injure yourself. Start off with a low-intensity workout then build it up as you go because your gut flora will thank you for it.
As a final say, we here at Injury Medical want to keep you informed on nutrition and ways to help you improve your ailments with these 5 surprises. But to also educate you on what may be hurting your gut. With these surprises and slight changes to your daily life, your gut will be thanking you for the long haul.
NCBI Resources
According to evidence from a 2016 research study, the gut�s immune system is fundamental towards preventing a variety of diseases and it may often contribute to metabolic disorders. However, it might also help provide a treatment goal when observing systemic inflammation in insulin resistance. Moreover, modified gut immunity has been linked with changes to the gut microbiota, intestinal barrier function, gut-residing immune cells, and resistance to antigens which enter the gastrointestinal, or GI, system. Although this has been previously believed to raise the danger of esophageal ailments including, pathogenic infections and chronic inflammation, which may ultimately lead to chronic health issues.
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