Digestive Health and Chronic Illnesses

For the body to feel healthy, the digestive tract must be functioning optimally. The bowels are needed to absorb nutrients used to perpetually repair the body and eliminate toxins excreted by the liver. Nearly 70 percent of the immune system resides in the digestive tract, so aggravation of the bowel can stimulate two-thirds of the body’s defenses. A common concern in those with chronic illness connected to bowel issues is the overgrowth of infective bacteria or yeast in the gut. Certain guidelines can be followed to help promote the healthy bugs that should reside there.

Diet is one of the biggest influences on chronic health conditions. Refined sugars found in sweets will significantly limit the body’s immune system, and are a great food source of problematic bugs. Consumption should revolve around vegetables, fruits and proteins. Avoid food that comes in packages or is designed for a long shelf life. Most of this processed food lacks vitamins and minerals and only supplies empty calories. Steer clear of high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils as well.

Food for medicinal purposes is a concept that dates back thousands of years to Hippocrates, as does food as a poison. For many, chronic health issues persist until certain food triggers are identified. Along with artificial preservatives, coloring agents and sweeteners, other common culprits include dairy and grains containing gluten. Consider that if your body doesn’t tolerate an ingredient like wheat, it will go through a reactive process every time it’s exposed to wheat. This is not a problem for everyone, but can be a significant issue for those with chronic illness, irritable bowel, dysbiosis (the overgrowth of infective bacteria in the bowels) and fibromyalgia. (For more common questions and expert answers on Fibromyalgia, visit Sharecare.com.) An inexpensive way to evaluate this potential problem is a food elimination diet. Elimination diets provide a means to perform a diagnostic test on what foods may be aggravating the body.

Nutritional supplementation can be very helpful for overcoming a potential imbalance of good bugs vs. bad bugs in the bowel. Probiotics (needed good bacteria) should be considered for its benefits to the bowels. The good bacteria are needed to crowd out the bad pathogens. In particular, the probiotic strain Saccharomyces boulardii is thought to help displace problematic yeast that may have nestled in the bowel.  Probiotics are typically well tolerated, and remain an essential part of a healthy digestive tract. Garlic, 1-2 cloves daily, is thought to be effective against dysbiosis due its antifungal potential. Other nutrients for improving strength and energy can be necessary depending on the patient. For example, constipation may require higher doses of magnesium and vitamin C. Diarrhea may call for digestive enzymes or higher doses of probiotics. Again the idea is to strengthen the body so that the immune system can take care of itself.

Hormone balance is also extremely important to maintain the integrity of the bowel and strength of the immune system. Too much or too little of various hormones can inhibit the immune system’s function and impact chronic symptoms. Thyroid hormone and cortisol can have a significant impact on the function of the body. Cortisol is often called the stress hormone. It plays a role in the integrity of the bowel wall and its defenses. Patients with chronic symptoms of fatigue, pain, irritable bowel or muscle spasms will often display an irregular cortisol pattern. Thyroid hormone performs several functions in the body and should be evaluated in anyone suspected of having dysbiosis or yeast overgrowth. These hormones, and possibly others, should be evaluated through a team approach with a physician comfortable with this subject.

The role of heavy metal detoxification is becoming a hot topic in regards to chronic illness. With respect to dysbiosis, many experts theorize that heavy metal and toxin burden from mercury, lead, cadmium, PCBs and other pollutants can easily overwhelm a stressed system. Toxins put pressure on the major detoxifying organ, the liver. The bowel becomes a major source of toxin elimination, but this can overwhelm the necessary functions of the bowel. Heavy metals are also thought to wreak havoc with the digestion system which affects nutrient absorption. The immune system also absorbs some stress from increasing toxin burden. Some research even points to the tendency for certain pathogens like yeast to attract to certain metals, like mercury. The implication here is that a person concerned with yeast overgrowth or dysbiosis might not easily restore a natural balance of the bacterial environment without establishing a healthy detoxification method.