The father of medicine, Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Over the last 11 years
as a practitioner, I would say that digestive issues is one of the most common complaints I deal
with in my office. If you have any health issue, I believe the gut is the place to start.
Here are some suggestions on how to fix the gut.
1 Eliminate irritating foods:
Avoid anything processed or genetically modified. If necessary, blood tests can be done to
pinpoint exactly which food someone is reacting to, however a good rule of thumb is to avoid
highly allergenic foods like dairy, wheat, corn and soy.
Assessing stomach acid and enzyme function is extremely important as well, more information
about that here.
2 Clear overgrowths, parasites and funguses:
- Without proper HCL, many people today have an overgrowth of bacteria in their small
intestine called SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth). This makes digestion difficult.
There are tests, products and protocols at the office that can help clear SIBO, parasite and
funguses. - Dysbiosis is an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria relative to the good bacteria can also be an
issue. Reducing sugar, adding probiotics and antibacterial foods like coconut oil, oregano
and garlic can all be beneficial.
3 Boost motility:
- Bowels should move 2-3 times a day. Constipation will cause fecal matter to build up,
toxins to reabsorb and off gas inflammatory endotoxins that slow your metabolism.
Adequate thyroid function, proper HCL production and a diet full of fresh fruits and veggies
can help with constipation. Additionally, magnesium supplements, fennel seeds, walking
after meals and adequate hydration can also help.
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4 Restore the gut:
- Bone broth is a great place to start to repair the intestinal lining.
- Drink green smoothies! The enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are a great way to
reduce inflammation, improve bowel movements and increase nutrition. - Collagen is high in amino acids which strengthens the gut lining and reduces bloating
- Aloe helps sooth intestinal inflammation, improves digestion and helps move bowels
- Eat a diet of whole foods e.g fruit, vegetables, animal meats and good fats
Additionally, eating beef liver is great for B and A vitamins, pumpkin seeds are high in zinc and
getting as much sunlight as possible for vitamin D all help restore balance in the digestive tract.
If you want more information call the office today 517 721 1904.