Digestive & Immune Health
Chronic dis-ease begins in the gut, therefore healing needs to start in the gut.
Our digestive system or intestinal tract separates the inside of our body from the outside. It forms a defensive barrier preventing harmful substances from getting into the blood and causing inflammation within the body. Our digestive system is responsible for processing food from the moment it is consumed, until it is absorbed and released by the body as a stool. Inside the large intestine lies the gut microbiota which plays a crucial role in overall health and immunity by protecting against pathogens, regulating metabolic, endocrine, and immune functions, influencing drug metabolism and nutrient absorption. Research also suggests that 70% of the human immune system is found in the gut as well as 80% of plasma cells responsible for antibody production.
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Stress is a major cause of short-term and long-term digestive upset.
Stress is a major cause of short-term and long-term digestive upset because at times of stress, our parasympathetic nervous system is downregulated slowing down digestion and creating favourable conditions for pathogenic bacterial overgrowth. Stress stops food from being broken down properly and absorbed through the gut wall, and slow moving bowels mean waste is able to stagnate in the bowels. Stagnation in the bowels changes the balance of bacteria in the gut causing pathogenic overgrowth, increased intestinal permeability, and increases the risk of developing autoimmune conditions.
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A strong digestive system equals a strong immune system.
Many health issues have their origins in poor digestive health whether this be insufficient stomach acid (rarely do we have too much), lack of bile due to sub-optimal liver or gallbladder function, intestinal permeability (known as leaky gut) that allows foreign substances to reach the blood triggering the immune system causing inflammation and the development of allergies and autoimmune conditions, or bacterial overgrowth in the small or large intestine.
Symptoms that your digestive function isn't working properly include IBS, bloating, wind, pain, constipation, or diarrhoea, eczema, and autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, alopecia, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases.
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Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy can help strengthen a weakened digestive system and calm an over zealous immune system using diet and lifestyle as medicine to address stress levels, insufficient stomach acid, impaired liver and gallbladder function, food sensitivities and intolerances, compromised gut wall integrity, overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, and impaired detoxification through optimisation of gut motility.