GI Tract
The body’s GI tract or gut holobiome is where much of the wellness-magic occurs. Your GI tract comprises more than 4,000 square feet of surface area (think tennis court). The 400 estimated different types of bacteria that make up the gut holobiome are critical to our health, yet most people take the hard work of the “don’t get no respect” gut microbes for granted. Your gut holobiome is so important to overall health, that it is sometimes called the “second brain.” There are more nerve cells in the gut holobiome than in your spinal column. The brain communicates with your gut holobiome through the sympathetic nervous system, also called the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve bandwidth to the gut holobiome is nine times that of any other organ.
Your gut holobiome starts in your mouth and ends at your anus. The GI tract is responsible for everything from preventing harmful bacteria entering the body to breaking down and absorbing fats, proteins and carbs. The holobiome flora concentrations vary throughout the GI tract. Flora is weakest in the stomach and the top of the small intestine. (104 organisms/ml to 1011 /gm in stool). Within the GI tract all food is broken down by microbes into single molecules: protein->amino acids, fat->fatty acids, carbs->glucose and fructose. The single molecules pass through the mucosal cells into the portal veins or lymph system. The portal veins and lymph system are where most of the body’s immune system anti-bodies live.
Anything larger than a single molecule within the blood stream will invoke an immune system response from the body’s toll like receptors (TLR). The types of large molecules which can invoke an immune system response include: insoluble fibers, waste products, bacteria, viruses, and partially digested food particles. A one cell thick intestinal mucosal barrier lining is the only thing keeping this chemical soup from entering your body’s tissues and bloodstream. (the cells are called enterocytes). The one cell thick lining is tasked with multiple functions: let single molecules of fats, proteins and carbs into the bloodstream while keeping everything else out.
When the cell wall is breached it is commonly called, “leaky gut syndrome.” For years the medical literature treated the condition as “meh” only lately has the seriousness of the condition been acknowledged. The reason being, the breach is two ways. Not only do nasty bacteria, viruses and undigested food particles “leak” into the blood stream, antibodies in the blood “leak” into the GI tract. Once in the GI tract the antibodies will attack all bacteria causing GI tract issues such as poor nutrient absorption, bloating, gas, swelling and inflammation. The bottom line, if the gut wall is breached, the body’s immune system invokes an immune response. The immune response will cause systemic chronic inflammation and if left long enough will progress to acute inflammation autoimmune diseases where the body attacks both the unwanted invaders and healthy body tissue.
Still don’t believe bacteria play a critical role in what makes us human. Believe it or not there are more bacteria in your body than human cells. Gut microbes play a huge role in cravings, energy levels, energy metabolism and producing chemicals like serotonin (mood), melatonin (regulates sleep) and dopamine (neurotransmitter). Artificial food ingredients, antibiotics and chemical pesticides all can adversely impact gut microbes and may lead to “leaky gut syndrome.” Fecal transplants once the butt of many jokes is now a standard procedure for anyone who needs to replace digestive bacteria lost to either disease or antibiotics.
Your GI tract is sensitive to not only what you eat, but the entire food chain of what you eat-ate. This applies to the consumption of plants, mammals and sea food.
LOF- If your gut microbes are unhealthy so are you!
LOF- If you gut wall is damaged you will have systemic chronic inflammation which eventually may become acute inflammation leading to autoimmune diseases.
LOF – Gum disease is a source of harmful bacteria in the body. Try flossing your teeth in the shower. It makes an unpleasant activity a lot more enjoyable.
LOF- You are what you eat-ate. If your food was exposed to antibiotics, GMO grains/soy or pesticides then these chemicals immune to most food processing will progress through the food chain and ultimately end up in you.
When looking for probiotics, good gut bacteria are lactbacilli and bifidobacterial.
Avoid foods or sanitary conditions that promote bad gut bacteria such as e.coli, enterobacteria and clostridia
[Link to the role of gut microbes in nutrition and health]