It is estimated that about 80% of all of the body’s immune defenses—the white blood cells—are located in the intestinal tract. These white blood cells are like the bouncers at a club. Their job is to allow all of the good guys into the body—the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, for example—and [...]
Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS is a functional disorder of the bowel characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort associated with altered bowel movements. Bowel movements may tend towards constipation, diarrhea, or alternating constipation and diarrhea. Often there is bloating, excessive gas, and mucus in the stool. IBS is a common disorder affecting up to 10-15% [...]
Digestion works like a giant food processor, using both mechanical and chemical means to break down the food you eat into nutrients suitable for your body to use. The digestive system consists of the alimentary canal and its related glands and organs. The alimentary canal is a hollow tube some twenty-seven feet long which goes [...]
The gut microbiome represents the total population of microbes which reside in the intestine. The microbial makeup for each individual is as unique as an individual’s fingerprint. The Human Microbiome Project sponsored by the National Institute of Health was established to identify and characterize the microorganisms which are found in association with both healthy [...]
The 4 R’s protocol has been used successfully for years in functional medicine. It involves removing anything that is making you sick, replacing anything you are deficient in, re-inoculating the gut with probiotics and repairing any damage to the intestinal lining. The first of the 4 R’s involves removing any allergenic foods, chemical irritants, [...]
Colostrum, one of the main ingredients in our leaky gut protocol, is truly a miraculous substance. Colostrum is the first milk that is produced by all mammals just before giving birth. Compared with milk that is produced later, colostrum contains a higher concentration of proteins, growth factors, and antibodies. When newborn babies drink colostrum, it [...]
What would you think if I were to tell you that your intestines—and more specifically, the bacteria inhabiting your intestines—communicate information to your brain that affects your mood? That is exactly what recent medical research and even human clinical trials are telling us: optimizing the bacteria in the human gut (the gut microbiome) can reduce [...]
We talk a lot about digestive health in our practice and have a very successful protocol to correct what is commonly known as “leaky gut.” In leaky gut, the intestinal barrier breaks down and allows passage of undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins into the body. Think of the small intestinal lining like a cheese [...]