#1 Rule in Gut Health… It May Not Be What You Think
Having gut trouble? Or mood, or other health issues and you’ve heard your gut might have something to do with it?
It is true. Much of what is going on with your thyroid or your mood or your joint pain or your brain has origin in your gut. It is great that this truth is coming to light.
The focus is often the large intestine. Rightly so, since that is were the majority of the beneficial bacteria live. These beneficial bacteria or the lack of them is a huge factor in your overall health.
Even the small intestine is getting some notice these days. The recognition of SIBO, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, is rising. You may recall SIBO is when bacteria or yeast migrate from the large intestine where they belong to the small intestine where they don’t belong.
What is not well recognized is the concept that… digestion happens north to south.
Think about food. See food. Smell food. Chew food. Saliva mixes with food.
Swallow.
Stomach releases HCL. HCL further breaks down food, particularly protein.
HCL causes acidity.
Acidity reaches small intestine. It stimulates pancreas to release pancreatic enzymes to break down starches into digestible bits. Acidity stimulates contractions of gallbladder to release bile. Bile breaks down fats into digestible bits.
THEN, nutrients from these properly broken down bits can be absorbed through the lining of a healthy small intestine. The fiber that is left will feed beneficial bacteria in large intestine.
What’s going on in the small and large intestine is a direct result of what goes on upstream.
Digestion starts at the top… when you think about eating, smell food, take a bite. And you chew. As these steps happen saliva is released that mixes with your food. This is the beginning of that food being “digested”.
Yes, there is value in chewing your food well. For optimal digestion, food is liquid when it reaches your stomach.
Did you know that when you think of eating something sweet, your pancreas goes ahead and puts out insulin in preparation? If you think of eating a hamburger or other protein, your stomach goes ahead and puts out HCL, hydrochloric acid, to be ready to break down that protein.
Once your chewed food reaches your stomach, the HCL there further breaks it down. The HCL also creates an acidic environment. When that acidity reaches the small intestine it triggers the pancreas to secrete enzymes that breakdown and digest starches.
HCL acidity also causes the gallbladder to contract. This contraction causes bile to be released. Bile will help to break down fats into digestible bits. Bile also stimulates intestinal motility so things keep moving along. This is important.
The acidity from HCL also sterilizes the gut. This decreases the likelihood of H. pylori or other potential pathogens getting a foothold.
The sight, smell and action of chewing your food activate your vagus nerve. It stimulates saliva release, swallowing and further motility. Blood flow is sent to your gut. Digestive enzymes are released.
Digestion is a beautiful orchestra of north to south function.
What if there is a problem or decreased function along this path? It will have downstream consequences. And over time this can lead to problems.
If you don’t produce enough saliva, or have trouble swallowing there may be motility issues further down. This may mean chronic constipation, which can lead to SIBO, headaches, and more.
If you don’t produce enough HCL then protein will sit in your stomach and rot, feeling like a rock in your stomach. The rotting creates gas. This gas causes reflux and heartburn. Unfortunately, this leads people to take antacids. This further depletes HCL that is so critical to digestion.
Insufficient HCL means insufficient pancreatic enzymes and bile so starches and fats don’t get properly broken down and digested. Insufficient bile means insufficient mobility resulting in constipation. Insufficient HCL means opportunistic bacteria like H. pylori can grow and flourish.
What if your small intestine is inflamed? It may not absorb nutrients that are available. Nutrient deficiencies result.
A diet of sugar, fast food, and limited vegetables is pro-inflammatory. Inflammation in the gut will result in intestinal permeability, or leaky gut. Instead of nutrients being absorbed properly via a healthy gut lining, larger bits of food and bacteria will slip through the gaps provided by leaky gut, and get into your bloodstream.
Once in the bloodstream, these substances trigger an immune response. And, they can go to your brain, your joints, or other parts of your body and cause inflammation and problems. Then you think you have a brain problem or a joint pain problem when you really have a leaky gut, north to south digestion problem.
An ANTI-inflammatory diet includes plenty of olive oil, fish and fish oils, anti-oxidant and flavonoid superfoods like fruits and vegetables, and essential fatty acids. These foods nourish and promote a healthy gut lining. And in turn a healthy gut lining will absorb nutrients and block harmful substances from entering your bloodstream.
That is really important.
But, the #1 rule of gut health is… Think north to south.
Every point along the way is there for a reason.
If you are taking antacids regularly because of indigestion, heartburn, reflux, or you are constantly burping or have stomach pain, constipation or excess gas, know that you don’t have to just live with it. It is telling you something isn’t right.
The reality is that your brain fog, joint pain or mood disorder may be related to your north to south gut function not working well.
You may have a nutrient deficiency even though you are eating well and taking great supplements. Poor digestion of food, inflamed gut and subsequent malabsorption of nutrients may mean that good food and supplements are going through you and into the toilet, leaving you deficient.
The current answer to everything seems to be… take a probiotic. You can take probiotics all day long and not help the problem if the problem originates further upstream.
Let me know if you want to look at your north to south gut health. Often just reviewing labs you’ve had in the last year or 2 will give me hints about what is going on with you and what we can do to fix it.