Digestive system critical component to health

A balanced and functioning digestive system is such a critical component to health. Everything we eat must be broken down and dissolved in order to be absorbed as daily nutrients and calories.

The digestive system is also an important component of our immune system. The enzymes, acids and bacteria in our body help to keep out foreign invaders such as viruses and parasites. I have read some claims that say 60-70 percent of our immune system is in our gut.

The largest population of immune cells reside in the gut mucosa. These secrete a special kind of cells, called lymphocytes, which attack harmful invaders.

When things get thrown off, many things can go wrong. The biggest of which would be an inflammatory response, not only in our digestive system, but also in the rest of our body. Chronic inflammation can lead to arthritis, Alzheimer’s, asthma, atherosclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, and multiple sclerosis.

Today, a staggering 70-80 percent of Americans are living with a debilitating chronic illness. I think that most of these can be linked with inflammation.

Toxins contribute to inflammation. We are affected by toxins from the environment, foods we eat, and metabolic processes in our body. When we drink alcohol, eat sugar, and processed foods made of flour, we can get inflamed.

This can also arise from use of antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and pain medications. Physical and mental stress can create toxins.

All these factors erode the lining in our gut which leads to permeability, commonly called leaky gut. This is like small holes opening up inside your stomach and small intestines.

This would allow very small particles into your body like viruses, bacteria, and undigested food particles. Particles that don’t belong inside. This triggers your immune system to go to work. When these particles begin to travel, white bloods cells go into attack mode.

These protector cells can get overworked. They will also attack the nutrients and probiotics that are designed to actually heal our body, and our gut. The result is that we start to get malnourished as a result. And our immune system can begin to ramp up and start attacking healthy tissue and cells. This is known as an autoimmune response.

We also have a detoxification system in our body that is typically capable of getting rid of the things that are harmful. This happens in our liver and kidneys, and this system can start to get overworked, as well, when extra things are coming in through the gut.

You can see just how important our digestive health is. I’ve come to believe that many problems originate within our digestive system. And can be repaired by fixing our gut.

Some of the symptoms that indicate you many have an imbalance in your gut include low energy, tiredness, fatigue, irritability, mood swings, pain, airborne allergies, food sensitivities, and sugar cravings. Bloating, diarrhea, constipation can also reflect digestive issues.

One of the most effective ways I’ve found to address many of our health concerns is to look at what we put into our mouths. Though this solutions seems rather simply, it is not easy. I can attest to that.

Some of the tools I use to address digestive issues include an elimination diet, fasting, probiotics, and digestive enzymes. Stool tests can reveal imbalances in bacteria and yeast, all well as identify parasites and inflammation.

At times it becomes important to do a complete overhaul of our digestive system. This includes attacking the areas of overgrowth and repairing the damage that has resulted. Come on down if you’d like hear what this entails.

Scott Porter is a functional medicine pharmacist at Sandpoint Super Drug. He is a member of the Sandpoint Wellness Council.