Have you ever heard of the gut brain connection? If you have dove into health and prevention and how the body works, you probably have. For everyone else you probably think it sounds crazy! There are many books about the connection, if you wanna pick one up.

The gut brain axis controls: central nervous system, neuroendocrine system, neuroimmune system, sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, enteric nervous system, and intestinal microbiota.

Bacteria and microorganisms control everything in the body. Yes! There is GOOD bacteria and if you don’t have it in the gut due to antibiotic use, poor diet, lifestyle choices, you will have illness.

When we are born, our gut is sterile. When we come out of the birth canal we are coated in bacteria (don’t wash those babies immediately!! Wait a few days). So babies born c-section don’t receive the good bacteria we are suppose to get when we are born vaginally. They have higher rates of asthma, lung issues and autoimmune diseases.

Triggers

Triggers for gut issues (leaky gut) and the gut brain connection imbalances include:

• Stress- physical (lack of exercise or too much exercise or infections), mental
• Environmental- Chemical (medications, pollution,) *NSAIDS really break down the gut barrier
• Dietary- food sensitivities (gluten, dairy, other things) alcohol, soda or generally a poor diet!

High fructose corn syrup when consumed goes down into the gut and makes endotoxins (bad) more easily go through the gut barrier which bind to the local immune cells. There is an immune response elicited and the immune response causes full body inflammation. This leads to heart disease, depression, anxiety, cancer, autoimmune disease or any other disease. All disease starts with inflammation!

In a study where patients had depression and consumed high fructose, when the fructose is eliminated, depression has been shown to get better.

Symptoms of Leaky Gut

Leaky gut can cause a huge variety of symptoms. Those that are constant and no matter what you do, just won’t go away. Here are some of the most common symptoms:

• chronic diarrhea, constipation, or bloating
• nutritional deficiencies
• fatigue
• headaches
• confusion
• difficulty concentrating
• skin problems (acne, rashes, or eczema)
• joint pain (full body pain)
• widespread inflammation

What to Take to Help Your Gut

So you have symptoms of “Leaky Gut”, what should you do to heal the gut and decrease your inflammation in the body?

• Vitamin D– has receptors present throughout the entire body. It’s prominent in the brain and in the gut and preserves the junction and stimulates epithelial cell renewal. It also modulates immune function.
• Vitamin A– is responsible for cellular availability of retinoic acid (which plays a role in gene expression). Low levels have an adverse effect on barrier function and tight junctions (leaky gut).
• Zinc– important for tight junction health.
• Magnesium– deficiency has been reported to reduce tight junctions and reduce bifidobacteria content in the gut because it promotes inflammation.
• Fish Oil– omega 3 is anti-inflammatory which helps heal the gut.
• Decrease alcohol intake which breaks down the lining of the gut and causes inflammation.
• Decrease consumption of soda– high fructose in the diet causes fatty liver, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
• Exercise– Adding exercise into your life helps you reduce stress. 30-60 minutes 4 times a week.
• Change your diet– we want a that is anti-inflammatory. Stay away from sugar, pastas, bread, dairy, soy, boxed dinners, fast-food, etc.
• Take Probiotics- increase good bacteria in the gut and balances out the imbalance of good vs bad.
• Get adjusted– getting adjusted by the chiropractor helps the central nervous system stress by helping reduce
• Take a Digestive Enzyme- a digestive enzyme helps to break down the food we eat.

Chiropractic

If you have any questions give us a call or find a chiropractor that is willing to address leaky gut issues. Changing up your diet, adding a few vitamins and supplements and starting a light exercise regime can drastically change your life.

Chiropractic aims to find out the root problem to all the issues you are experiencing. Getting adjusted is the keystone to your central nervous system and nourishing your body with healthy foods keeps you functioning optimal. If you want to stay off drugs, watch what you do with your body and what you put into your body!

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, INC.
El Reno, OK 73036