permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

Dr. Isaac Eliaz: It's All in Your Gut! How to Enhance Mood, Immunity
and More Through Digestion
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-isaac-eliaz/digestion_b_1181599.html
Dr. Isaac Eliaz is a respected clinical practitioner
It's All in Your Gut! How to Enhance Mood, Immunity and More Through Digestion
Posted: 1/14/12 11:07 AM ET

Your body's many systems work closely together to maintain optimal
health, so when one system is off balance it can trigger a domino
effect, potentially igniting a cascade of chronic health
complications. One system that is particularly responsible for overall
well-being is your digestive system -- a strong, yet delicate
ecosystem that controls the presence of harmful invaders and maintains
digestive and overall health. To achieve this impressive feat, your GI
tract relies on the presence of "good bacteria," specialized immune
cells and a complex network of neurological and hormonal components.
In fact, this 30-foot long tract is a major headquarters for immunity,
neurological health and more. Digestive health directly impacts your
immune health, and vice versa. Your gut is also home to the largest
concentration of mood-altering neurotransmitters such as serotonin.
And now researchers are discovering how beneficial microflora
(friendly bacteria) do so much more for our state of being than we
previously believed.

When your digestive system is not functioning properly, it can result
in poor nutrient absorption/malnourishment and lead to a number of
chronic problems and symptoms, including acid reflux, indigestion,
irritable bowel disease and others. But it can also directly impact
overall health as well as the health of your immune system, nervous
system, hormonal health and more. In order to truly enhance your
health -- physical, mental and/or emotional -- it's important to also
understand how your digestive system is connected to immunity, energy,
mood and even behavior.

Immune Health, Probiotics and Mood

Your immune system is an important part of digestive health, as it is
comprised of cells, proteins, tissues and organs, which all work
together to defend the body against bacteria, toxins, infections and
diseases. Gastrointestinal immune cells are a vital part of the
lymphoid branch of immunity, which secretes lymphocyte cells to attack
harmful invaders. These gut-lymph tissues include specialized areas
called "Peyer's Patches," and other gut immune cells, which all work
to identify and kill any pathogens, toxins or other health-robbing
substances we may have ingested.

In addition to specialized immune cells, your GI tract is also home to
numerous species of microflora, which help prevent the overgrowth of
harmful microbes such as bacteria, yeasts and parasites. These good
bacteria are also critical for overall immunity, as they have been
shown to enhance the function of "Natural Killer" immune cells.
Probiotics also form a barrier on the intestinal wall, thus serving as
a powerful line of defense to prevent pathogens and germs from being
absorbed.

The many strains and species of probiotics or good bacteria in our
digestive tract are vital to our health for a number of reasons. They
assist in digestion, the manufacturing of vitamins and protect from
the overgrowth of disease-causing organisms. Exciting new research
also suggests that each person's internal ecosystem of friendly
bacteria is unique and can influence our neurology and mental states,
including the development of our brains during infancy. Bacteria
colonize the gut in the days following birth during a sensitive period
of brain development. Research shows that microflora in the gut can
influence behavior throughout our lives by inducing changes in the
expression of certain genes that control brain and neurological
function. Pre-clinical studies have likewise shown that higher levels
of beneficial bacteria in the gut can reduce anxiety, depression and
neurotic behavior and even combat the effects of stress.

The Gut-Neuroendocrine Connections

The neuroendocrine system (branches of the hormonal and nervous
systems that work closely together) also plays an important role in
digestive and overall health. Your gastrointestinal system is the most
abundant source of regulatory neurotransmitters and neuro-peptides
outside the brain. An example of this is the fact that serotonin, one
of the brain's chemicals that influences mood, actually has its
highest concentrations in the gut. Scientists and researchers are
currently studying the numerous links between our nervous system,
hormones and immune system. The gastrointestinal system serves as rich
ground for observing these connections.

Digestive Herbs & Nutrients That Also Benefit Mood, Immunity, Hormones
and Energy

One interesting link is the fact that many digestive-supporting herbs
and supplements also work to improve brain and neurological function,
hormone balance, immune health and more. Below you will find a list of
nutrients and botanicals that can help improve digestive health, while
also benefiting a number of other related systems in the body.

Top Recommendations

Supplements are especially important for digestive health, as they can
offer significant and relatively fast-acting support for components of
your digestion that are not functioning optimally. The following is a
list of key nutrients that support not only digestive, but other
connected areas of health as well:

• Probiotics and Prebiotics: These are two of the most important
supplements you can take to help restore healthy digestion. Probiotics
provide live strains of friendly bacteria that are crucial for
digestive, immune and neurological health, and prebiotics ensure that
your friendly flora are provided with a nourishing environment in
which they can thrive.

• Zinc: An important nutrient for digestive health, which also plays
critical roles in hormone regulation, immune health and neurological
function.

• Chinese Cardamom: Offers numerous benefits for digestion, increases
antioxidant levels and boosts immunity. Also helps to combat unhealthy
cellular growth and balance hormones with the compound Indole-3
Carbinole.

• Cinnamon: Soothes digestive discomfort, improves digestive capacity,
boosts immunity and balances blood sugar.

• Ginger Root: Improves digestion, reduces inflammation, purifies GI
tract, increases antioxidant levels and boosts immunity.

• Fish Oils: Reduce inflammation and help heal GI tract lining,
improve nutrient absorption, balance hormones, improve neurological
function and boost immunity.

• Protolytic Enzymes: Increase digestive capacity and nutrient
absorption, boost immunity and increase vital energy.

Additional Tips for Improving Digestive Health and Well-Being

There are many factors that influence the health of our digestive
system. Some of the most common causes of digestive discomfort include
poor diet, late meals, rushed eating, food allergies and most of all,
stress. Simply taking the time to slow down and eat healthy foods in a
mindful way can greatly improve digestive health and relieve tension.
The following practical tips can help you improve overall digestion
for optimal health:

• Include an abundance of fiber in your diet from fresh fruits,
vegetables and whole, unprocessed grains

• Avoid processed foods, commercial meats and trans-fats (unhealthy fats)

• Test for food allergies and sensitivities with your doctor

• Refrain from eating two to three hours before bedtime

• Drink plenty of filtered water and herbal teas for proper hydration

• Find healthy ways to relieve stress such as meditation, exercise and 
laughter

• Practice yoga for improving digestive function and reducing stress

• Limit your use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs

• Limit caffeine and alcohol, which damage friendly bacteria

The Gluten-Free Movement

If you have ongoing digestive or immune issues, it is possible that
you may have an undiagnosed gluten sensitivity, which is common for
many people. Gluten-dense foods can interfere with digestive capacity
and have also been found to contribute to the onset of inflammatory
conditions, autoimmune disorders, neurological and behavioral illness,
skin diseases, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue and a host of other
degenerative conditions. A growing population presenting such symptoms
have tested negative for gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, an
autoimmune condition where any intake of gluten damages the lining of
the small intestine. However, after following a strict gluten-free
diet for even as little as a week or two, their symptoms clear up
dramatically.

Time Tested Wisdom Validated by Science

These intriguing connections confirm what traditional healing systems
have proposed for thousands of years -- that individual digestive
ecosystems play a large role in how we look, feel, think and act.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teaches that there are direct
relationships between different systems of the body. Western medicine
is uncovering many of these same relationships, such as the complex
gut/brain connection, from a scientific standpoint. These striking
parallels between modern science and ancient healing wisdom will
continue to unfold as our research-based understandings of human
physiology continue to shed new light onto time-tested philosophies of
health and healing.

Broad spectrum health benefits are common to many natural therapies.
In the case of digestive health, however, the seemingly diverse
effects offered by many digestive remedies give us a more in-depth
perspective on the direct connections between gut health, immune
health, brain function and overall well being. For optimal health and
wellness, listen to your gut!

References

1. Bienenstock, J., Bravo, J.A., Chew, M.V., Cryan, J.F., Dinan, T.G.,
Escaravage, E., Forsythe, P., Savignac, H.M. "Ingestion of
Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA
receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve." PNAS 108.38
(2011) 16050-16055.

2. Cryan, J. F. and O'Mahony, S. M. "The microbiome-gut-brain axis:
from bowel to behavior." Neurogastroenterology & Motility 23. 3 (2011)
187-192.

3. Diop L., Guillou S., Durand H. "Probiotic food supplement reduces
stress-induced gastrointestinal symptoms in volunteers: A
double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial." Nutrition
Research 28.1 (2008) 1-5.

4. Messaoudi M., Lalonde R., Violle N., Javelot H., Desor D, Nejdi A.,
Bisson J.-F., Rougeot C., Pichelin M., Cazaubiel M. And Cazaubiel
J.-M. "Assessment of psychotropic-like properties of a probiotic
formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum
R0175) in rats and humans." Br J Nutr. 105.5 (2011) 755-64.