Your gut is considered your second brain, though once you read further on you might question this statement and consider if it might actually be your first brain!
This is a very simplified layout of what the gut is and how it impacts our body.
Let’s start with some simple facts:
The gut is essentially 7 to 9 meters long tunnel that is a well-guarded and regulated exchange corridor (separate from the rest of the body)
The entryway for essential nutrition to fuel every cell in the body - through the mouth.
The exit path for most toxins and waste of external and internal origin - through the anus.
It is guarded by a population and diversity of tens of trillions of microbes which contribute over 300X as much DNA as we do! (fascinating research on how they exchange genes among them and also pass to humans!)
The good bacteria support our body in different way such as producing vitamins, enzymes and beneficial fats(SCFAs), maintaining proper intestinal permeability & regulating serotonin production.
The gut is the home of over two thirds of the immune system (consider supporting your gut if you have weak immunity, allergies, over-reactivity to food or environment).
This exchange corridor is controlled by a very complex, one-cell thick semi-permeable interface (the intestinal lining).
The gut has its own nervous system (the enteric nervous system) which generates neurotransmitters that are used throughout the body. Neurotransmitters are basically chemical messengers which transmit messages between neurons, or from neurons to muscles.
The gut and brain work as an integrated axis, connected via the vagus nerve (the longest nerve in the body) with 90% of the nerve fibers going from the gut to the brain… so which one is dictating the other!
Why does gut health matter?
Because most dis-eases and diseases begin in the gut and progress from there.
This is a key focus area when working on brining balance to the body no matter what symptoms you are dealing with from headache, eczema, joint pain... etc., so not necessarily digestive discomforts and symptoms.
What could go wrong in the gut?
A lot really...
Dysfunction in various parts of the digestive system which affect the health of the organs, sufficiency of digestive secretions, integrity of the intestinal lining (leaky gut), proper digestion and nutrients absorption
Imbalance in the microbiome: not enough good bacteria, pathogens overgrowth, microbial overgrowth in the wrong part of the intestines
Low-grade chronic inflammation and immune system hyper-activation
Hormonal imbalances such as thyroid, insulin and cortisol which affect the functions of the various organs in the digestive system. The whole body is interconnected afterall!
And these happen because of:
Insufficient nutrients whether because of malnutrition (food choices of low nutritional value), maldigestion or malabsorption
Toxins overload: exposure through the environment, processed foods and additives, pesticides, dental work, GMO, toxic waste of the microbes themselves
Stress: whether it is mental, emotional, physical or physiological
What can you do about it?
There's so much in your control if you focus on food, toxins and stress. I'm here to support you when you are ready to take action.