endogut

GUT BACTERIA
“HEALTHY FLORA”  -vs-  “UNHEALTHY FLORA”
If you have followed my blog, you are aware of how important the “Good Bacteria” are when it comes to health.  Your whole body contains about 100 Trillion cells.  Believe it or not, your gut contains about ten times that number of between 500 and several thousand species of bacteria.  The majority of these bacteria are not only “Good”, they are critical to your immune system function and overall health.  Let’s see why your Gut Flora is sometimes called “The Forgotten Organ”.

• THEY MANUFACTURE VITAMINS:  They make Biotin — one of the B vitamins as well as Vitamin K.  As I said earlier, many researchers believe a healthy MICROBIOME can produce all the vitamins you need except Vitamin D (which you get from the sun) and Vitamin C.

• THEY PRODUCE ENERGY:  Good Bacteria can utilize energy from unused materials via the process of fermentation.  Some fermentation is great.  However, too much fermentation and you have a problem on your hands.  In a Dysbiotic Gut, food will tend to be fermented as opposed to digested.  Cancer is a fermenter as well (HERE).

• THEY “TRAIN” THE IMMUNE SYSTEM:   Research published in the Jan 2010 issue of Nature Medicine, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, shows us that the gut’s good flora keep the immune system locked, cocked, and ready to rock. Senior author Jeffrey N. Weiser, M.D. likens this process to the performance differences between cold engines and warm engines. If the Immune System is already warmed up by “good bacteria”, it can better cope with the various attacks against your body.  As you might imagine, antibiotics prevent an immune system from “idling”.  Be aware that many people see Childhood Diseases (measles, mumps, chicken pox, etc) in the same way.  They actually “train” and develop the Immune System (HERE).

• THEY PREVENT OVERGROWTH OF PATHOGENIC (“BAD”) BACTERIA:  There are so-called “bad” bacteria that live in harmony with the good bacteria.  Keep in mind that we have to have certain amounts of all these bacteria in our system in order to stay healthy.  The problems start when the two sides get out of balance.  Too many bad bacteria is called Dysbiosis.  Experts are showing us that we are killing off our good bacteria so fast, we are wiping out entire species —- forever (SEE HERE).  There are severe consequences for doing this.  THIS and THIS help explain why simply taking Probiotics is not always the simple solution it’s been made out to be.  It’s also why you need to avoid antibiotics like the deadly plague they are (HERE).

• THEY PREVENT OVERGROWTH OF OTHER PATHOGENIC (“BAD”) ORGANISMS:  There are a host of critters out there that we do not want in here.  Some of these include Yeasts (Candida is a biggie), Molds, Fungus, Parasites, Protozoa, etc.  Good bacteria actually keep these in check.  Women understand this better than anyone (vaginal yeast infections after using antibiotics).  The real problem, however, is not vaginal yeast; it’s Systemic Yeast (blood-borne yeast infections).  What do you think happens when yeast (or the toxic chemicals yeast produces) get into the blood stream?  How about a Leaky Gut or some Fibromyalgia?
• THEY CONVERT 20% OF YOUR BODY’S INACTIVE THYROID HORMONE (T4) TO THE ACTIVE FORM (T3):  Hypothyroidism affects a minimum of 10% of America’s population (some experts claim the number is double that).  Dysbiosis is a huge contributing factor in this because it inhibits the rate of conversion of Thyroid hormones.
• THEY DEGRADE METHYL MERCURY — THE MOST TOXIC FORM OF MERCURY:  MERCURY is the single most toxic non-radioactive element on the planet.  To get it out of your body, it must be converted into a form that cannot be stored in your fatty tissues.  Good Bacteria do this.

Although I heavily promote restoration of the Normal Gut Flora in my clinic by taking PROBIOTICS (HSO’s — Homeostatic Soil Organisms; the same bacteria found in organic soil), for many people, simply taking probiotics is not enough.  One of the reasons that it can be difficult (impossible) to think that you can simply take probiotics and restore good bacteria has to do with bio-films (see next link). Bio-films are microscopically thin membranes that are thrown up by colonies of bad bacteria to be used as a barrier or wall against anything trying to destroy it..  These membranes make it exceedingly difficult for the Immune System cells to get at them in order to kill them. 

There are natural treatments that can disrupt the biofilms enough to kill the overgrown pathogenic colonies, but some of these can be temporarily harsh and may provoke something known as a “HERXHEIMER REACTION“.  This is the body’s reaction to too many toxins being released into the system all at once.  No, it will not kill you, although it might leave you with cold-like (or even flu-like) symptoms for a few days.  The Herxheimer Reaction is caused by an overload of your body’s filtration systems (primarily liver, kidneys, and lymphatics) as it struggles to get rid of the toxic residue of quantum amounts of dead bacteria.  The bottom line is that effective treatment of Dysbiosis can sometimes leave you feeling temporarily worse.

HOW DO PEOPLE DESTROY THEIR GOOD BACTERIA & END UP WITH TO MANY OF THE BADDIES?   ANTIBIOTICS!
Although there are numerous factors that cause imbalances in the Good Bacteria – Bad Bacteria ratio (NSAIDs, the pill, HRT,  Systemic Inflammation, Chronic Stress, weakened Immune system, systemic infections, poor sleep habits, not eating healthy foods, vitamin / mineral deficiencies, etc), the primary culprit is using Antibiotics.  And although Antibiotics start the process and get the Dysbiosis ball rolling, the thing that feeds it and keeps the ball rolling is the massive over-consumption of processed carbs, GRAINS, SUGAR, and even high Glycemic Index fruits (HERE).

The Centers for Disease Control admits that approaching half of America’s hundreds of millions of yearly antibiotic prescriptions are completely unnecessary.  Many experts say that the actual number of unnecessary antibiotics is higher than that — much higher.  I have seen estimates that the number is closer to 90%. Antibiotics were invented as a stop-gap measure to save lives when all else had failed. The more you use antibiotics, the weaker you make your own immune system.  If you go online right now, you can find study after study that proves the scientific community is worried (“freaking out” might be a more accurate term) over the fact that we are causing extinction of various strains of good bacteria, and causing the rise of “SUPER BUGS” at the same time!  So why aren’t the prescription habits of the doctors in your town changing.  Ask them, not me.

GUT / BRAIN CONNECTION:

• ENTERIC NERVOUS SYSTEM CONTROL:  The Enteric Nervous System is the Digestive System’s own private nerve system that regulates the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon.  It helps push food along with peristaltic contractions as well as controlling the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream.  And, as we talked about previously, it protects the body against harmful bacteria, yeasts, parasites, fungi, undigested particles of food, heavy metals, and toxins of all sorts, that can enter the blood stream along with completely digested food. By the way, when the body can no longer control this situation, it is referred to as Increased Intestinal Permeability or Leaky Gut Syndrome.

• CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CONTROL:  The brain does not give up total control of the of “The Gut” (digestive tract).  One of the cranial nerves (Vagus) comes off the Medulla Oblongata of the lower brainstem to control the parasympathetic innervation (the part of the nervous system that promotes good bowel moments and good digestion) to the gut.  To see why this is important, read on.

• FIGHT OR FLIGHT — SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE:  The body has two nerve systems — sympathetic and the part we talked about in the previous bullet, the parasympathetic.  99% of the time, your body should be in parasympathetic mode — relaxation.  Due to constant stress (emotional stress, dietary stress, physical stress, etc), many people end up with their Adrenal Glands in the “ON” position, and the body in a constant “Fight or Flight” (sympathetic) response.  The body will not only not digest food, it will either expel it (diarrhea / vomiting) or shut down the digestion process to the degree it can (constipation).  For more on this phenomenon, see HERE.

• THE GUT TRIGGERS ACUTE IMMUNE RESPONSES:  We are learning that the gut is important for immune response via the good bacteria that make a home there and provide the vast majority of your body’s Immune System power.  However, we must also be aware that the gut can trigger mast cells in the lining of the small intestine and colon to release histamine.  This causes an Inflammatory response that attracts immune cells from the blood stream into the area.

• NEUROTRANSMITTERS:  Acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin are all found in the gut. And not only are they found there, it is estimated that as much as 95% of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut (HERE).  Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps give people “good” feelings — feelings of well-being. It plays a critical part in the communication between the brain and the gut (this is why people who take Prozac and other SSRI ANTIDEPRESSANTS will often experience digestive problems like diarrhea or constipation that can be stimulated by excessive serotonin). 

A Food Sensitivity, on the other hand, is frequently defined as being milder than an Allergy because it is said that the Immune System is not actually attacking the offending food.  This, however, is not completely true. Food Sensitivities affect at least 1/3 of the population, and do so via Immune System reactions.  These reactions are not typically as immediate as they are in a Food Allergy, but they can be just as severe, affect any and all body systems — often in ways that are seemingly unrelated, and last for days (even weeks).  Because they do not happen immediately, people will often live a lifetime suffering from a Food Sensitivity and never realize what it is.  Why?  How many doctors are talking about this?  Fortunately for the general population, a few are. The most common food sensitivities include:

• Milk

• Gluten

• SOY

• Peanuts

• EGGS

• Corn

• Yeast

Although I tend to use the words “Sensitivity” and “Intolerance” synonymously, this is not technically accurate.  Food Intolerances are best understood in terms of Lactose Intolerance.  People do not have the enzyme (Lactase) to deal with Milk Sugar (Lactose), so they react.  The reactions are typically characterized by bloating, loose stools, constipation, diarrhea, and gas.  Give people the proper enzyme and the problem is solved.

How do you know if you have Food Allergies, Sensitivities, or Intolerances?  To know for certain do an ELIMINATION DIET.  If Food Sensitivities (or other triggers) continue unchecked, the result is going to be unbridled Inflammation.  As you know from previous links, Inflammation is not simply swelling.  It is a group of chemicals that attacks your body from every conceivable angle.  One of the chief areas that is attacked is the Gut.

Any time the gut is over-run by inflammatory mediators, you will have problems —- big problems.  The leader of the pack, so to speak, is Leaky Gut Syndrome.  Leaky Gut Syndrome (along with Leaky Brain, Leaky Lung, Leaky Cord, Leaky Nerve, etc) is characterized by an “Increased Permeability” of the mucosal layer of the small intestine.  Increased Intestinal Permeability (The medical community’s word for Leaky Gut Syndrome) means that things that should not get into the blood stream do get into the blood stream.  When this happens, huge problems are created.

Leaky Gut Syndrome (along with Leaky Brain Syndrome, Leaky Lung Syndrome, and other similar “LEAKIES“) are huge roadblocks to getting healthy.  When the Immune System chemicals that we collectively refer to as “Inflammation” build to critical mass, they start wreaking havoc on the body. Unfortunately, most of the medical community does not admit that Leaky Gut Syndrome even exists despite the fact that there are over 10,000 studies on the subject.  Why not?  They don’t have a drug for it. 

Glucagon, on the other hand, works opposite to Insulin.  It takes stored fat and converts it into blood sugar that can be burned as energy.  Just remember, a failure to control insulin is the root of a huge percentage of the illness and disease that commonly affect Americans — including numerous problems of the Endocrine System. 

When we were young, many of us believed we could handle sugar overload (I CERTAINLY DID).  After all, who doesn’t know people that used to (key words here, “used to”) be able to eat an entire pizza, follow it with several Krispy Kremes, wash it down with a 55 gallon barrel of soda, and still maintain an acceptable weight — or even remain DOWNRIGHT SKINNY.  If you are living like this, trust me; it won’t last.  It can’t. The proof can be found at your next high school reunion.  When the pancreas is perpetually overtaxed, it recruits the Adrenal Glands to take up the slack, and Katie bar the doors because what happens next is a perpetual grab-bag of dysfunction. 

Have you ever noticed that you tend to get very tired after a heavy meal (particularly a meal high in refined carbs — potatoes, pasta, bread, sugar, etc)?  This is due to insulin doing its job.  We eat a high carb meal, which rapidly increases blood sugar.  Because blood sugar must be kept in a constant range, the body releases insulin to move sugar out of the cells to be used as energy or stored as fat.  The result is often a rapid drop (sometimes more like a “plummet”) of blood sugar.  It actually “reactively” drops below normal causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).  This is “REACTIVE HYPOGLYCEMIA” and is always a sign of Dysglycemia —- an early step on the road to Diabetes.

Dietary stress causes the Adrenal Glands to secrete Cortisol — the body’s chief stress hormone.  One of the many jobs of cortisol is to increase blood sugar.  The constant yo-yo’ing caused by meals or snacks high in sugar and refined carbs, not only burns out the pancreas (leading to Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Diabetes), it exhausts the Adrenal Glands and Hypothalamus as well (HERE).  On top of that, increased cortisol levels can actually shift active thyroid hormone (T3) back to the inactive form (T4), causing further symptoms of Hypothyroidism.  It also exhausts the brain’s control centers for cortisol production (chiefly the Hypothalamus and Pituitary).

CONSISTENTLY HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS CAUSE:

• Diminished Immune System Function

• Frequent Infections / Colds / Illness / Ulcers

• Hypothyroidism/ Low Energy Levels

• High Blood Pressure

• High Blood Sugar & Reactive Hypoglycemia (subsequent rapid drop in blood sugar)

• Obesity (particularly abdominal fat and the upper back — like a “hump”)

• High LDL Cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol)

• Increase Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease (heart attacks, strokes, etc)

• Female Hormonal Issues

• Depression / Anxiety

• Muscle Weakness

• Osteoporosis

• Increased Pain Sensitivity

• Acne

IMPORTANT NOTE: Rarely talking about full-blown Cushing’s Syndrome here.  Cushing’s Syndrome is a condition caused by dramatically elevated Cortisol levels in the blood whose symptoms are similar to those seen above and include elevated blood pressure, diabetes, pink / purple stretch marks on the abdomen, fatigue, depression, moodiness, and accentuated fatty tissue on the face and upper back. Women with Cushing’s Syndrome may develop irregular menstrual periods and develop new facial hair growth, as well as a decrease in sex drive.  Sometimes the line between Adrenal Fatigue and Cushing’s Syndrome is very thin, but Cushings can be diagnosed via blood tests — Adrenal Fatigue is subclinical.

And here is the final kick in the teeth as far as your gut is concerned.  A 2007 issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology published a study that described a relationship between perpetually high cortisol levels and increased incidence of Chronic Inflammation, Chronic Infections, and Gut Dysbiosis.  That’s right.  Even though the American medical community continues to play the “ostrich” and deny the problem, the Europeans are completely aware of this phenomenon and are light years ahead of us in trying to deal with it, as well as educating both their doctors and the general public about this crisis. 

Not only will increased dietary stress lead to increased cortisol production, which in turn leads to a weakened Immune System; it leads to all sorts of other problems including Fibromyalgia (Adrenal Fatigue) and OBESITY — particularly “Central Obesity” (BELLY FAT).  Trailing just behind our country’s epidemic of Blood Sugar Regulation Dysfunction and Gut Dysfunctions; ADRENAL GLAND IMBALANCE is one of the most common (and least diagnosed) health problems facing Americans today.  Oh, if you want to find out how healthy or “burned out” your adrenal glands are; you need to do a salivary ASI test.

The Thymus Gland sits between your heart and chest wall, and is made up of cells whose purpose is to both to produce and “train” T-Lymphocytes — white blood cells that are otherwise known as T-cells (see link below).  These cells are part of what we call “Cell Mediated Immunity“.  Cell Mediated Immunity is the part of your immune system that is involved with THE TH-1 PATHWAY, which is the part of the immune system that carries on the work of destroying invading pathogens. THE TH-2 SYSTEM (“Humoral Immunity“) is involved with making the antibodies that “mark” invaders for destruction by the TH-1 System. 

The T-cells made and trained by the Thymus Gland make up what we call the “TH-1 PATHWAY” and include….

• HELPER T-CELLS (AKA CD4 CELLS):  This class of cell is responsible for “helping” other immune system cells to mature, as well as with immune system processes.  Once activated, they divide rapidly and produce Inflammatory Chemicals called “Cytokines”, which are part of the body’s natural Inflammation process.  When too much Inflammation is present it drives all sorts of ugly and debilitating health problems.
• CYTOTOXIC T-CELLS:  These cells go after cells infected with either Viruses or Cancer.
• MEMORY T-CELLS:  These cells hang around long after an infection is resolved.  Their job is to recognize (from memory) the pathogen that caused the problem in the first place, and then rapidly replicate itself into other T-cells capable of dealing with the pathogen. 
• REGULATORY T-CELLS (TREGS) / SUPPRESSOR T-CELLS:  This group of cell’s duty is to both slow down or halt Immune System processes, as well as suppressing T-Cells that have been deemed “unfit” by the Thymus Gland (HERE).  All of this prevents your Immune System from becoming a runaway train.
• KILLER T-CELLS:  These do exactly what their name implies; they kill pathogens.  These cells have aspects that make them similar to Inflammation. 

Many children are born with immune systems that are already so weakened by mom’s poor habits that they simply need the trigger (Heavy Metals, ANTIBIOTICS, Parasites, VACCINES, etc).  This is because mom got pregnant while dealing with one or more of these very problems herself.  The result?  A child that is born with Autism, eczema, psoriasis, IBS, ASTHMA, reflux, food sensitivities, as well as a whole host of others.