This column is the second in a series on how to heal your gastrointestinal tract to improve your health and change your life. To begin, science is in its infancy of discovery about how the gastrointestinal system contributes to your health. One important discovery has been the relationship between your diet and your immune system. In short, dysfunction of digestion can impair your immune system which can lead to disease. Today we will discover that you have two brains: one in your skull, the other in your gut.
Have you ever had a gut feeling? Have you ever had butterflies in your stomach? Both of these examples are common human experiences. They demonstrate how the solar plexus and the organs of the gastrointestinal system are intimately associated with our emotions. You could say that the gut is our emotional center.
If you took all of the nerve cells that control your gastrointestinal system and you put them all together, they would form a mass larger than your brain. This area of our bodies also is responsible for 90 percent of serotonin production. Serotonin is a chemical in our bodies that protects us from depression and anxiety.
Most antidepressant medications focus on increasing the amount of serotonin in our brains. However, if most of the serotonin comes from the gut, then your diet plays a large role in the development of depression. Currently medical practice is focused on the brain, when it should be focused on the gut for the treatment of depression.
Science is now showing that changes in diet can reduce depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue and help children with attention deficit problems. The reason is because the right diet can increase serotonin production from your gastrointestinal system. In some cases diet alone can alleviate the need for antidepressant medications.
The digestive tube is 10-to-15 feet in length. Anatomically, it is composed of layers and folds. The system of folds yields a contact surface area 200 times the area of your skin. This contact area is exposed to countless toxic elements in a typical Western diet.
Pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, gluten and lactose are just a few of the substances that we must process through digestion. Along the way, these substances have ample opportunity to initiate an inflammatory reaction within the confines of the digestive tube.
The wall of the digestive tube is formed by cells that serve as a barrier allowing nutrients into the body and keeping harmful substances from entering the bloodstream. The cells are secured to one another with a compact and tight association known as a, “tight junction.” This allows the good nutritious materials in and keeps the bad materials out.
A poor diet over a long period of time can loosen the association between these cells and create spaces and gaps. This is known as a, “leaky gut.” The consequences of which is an inflammatory reaction that can impact the entire body. One example that can initiate this process is undigested food particles.
I have two practical recommendations for you. If you eat meat, make sure that you chew your food. Chewing more will break down the food so that large pieces are not exposed to the lining of your gut. Try chewing 30 times with each bite of food.
Another recommendation is to drink green smoothies and shakes. Blended food is easier to digest. Try mixing spinach or kale with some fruit, blend it all together and enjoy. Your body will thank you and it is delicious.
Matthew McQuaid, DPM is a board certified foot surgeon practicing in Lakeport. He has a particular interest in Mind/Body medicine and its impact on healing. He is an award winning author and teacher. For more information call (707) 263-3727 and visit www.drmcquaid.com.
