Healthy Digestion and Your Microbiome

Consider what should exist in a healthy Digestive System are the balance between the microorganisms that occupy the Microbiome/Microbiota of the digestive system, and all surface areas of the body (including the Respiratory and Integumentary Systems). 

Wikipedia defines the microbiota as an "ecological community of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms"^[1][2] found in and on all multicellular organisms studied to date from plants to animals. A microbiota includes bacteria, archaea, protists, fungi and viruses. Microbiotas have been found to be crucial for immunologic, hormonal and metabolic homeostasis of their host. The synonymous term microbiome describes either the collective genomes of the microorganisms that reside in an environmental niche or the microorganisms’ themselves.^[3][4][5]

The microbiome and host emerged during evolution as a synergistic unit from epigenetics and genetic characteristics, sometimes collectively referred to as a holobiont.^[6][7]

The challenge in healthcare is everyone has limited understanding of this relatively new topic in our society and the approach to define it, understand it, and then try to control it for the purposes of monetization has resulted in more and more exotic health concerns that seem to defy conventional medical treatment.  And what we are left with is a society of people who have too many health concerns, too many medications and too many ruined lives from surgical interventions or the consequences/side-effects of the medical interventions.

Suffice to say; understanding HOW we create health issues becomes paramount if we are ever going to fully solve them once and for all.  This is completely different from the current myopic approach of "profits over people" and creating temporary solutions to a health concern that should be properly addressed initially.  Yet the business of medicine is to mask our symptoms which set a person up for a life-time of health concerns that seem to evolve to more severe outcomes requiring more severe interventions. 

The Benefits of Probiotics and Where To Find Them

Benefits of Probiotics:

• Improve digestion of food
• Enhance absorption of vitamins
• Produce enzymes
• Increase availability of vitamins and nutrients, especially Vitamin B, Vitamin K, lactase, fatty acids and calcium
• Help kill viruses and parasites
• Increase resistance to infection
• Inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria
• Regulate pH value by producing lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide. Increase the acidity of intestine (lower pH value) and inhibit reproduction of many harmful bacteria and yeasts

Probiotics Treat the Following:  

• Infectious diarrhea and traveler's diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Vaginal infections
• Skin infections
• Tooth decay
• Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that causes most ulcers and 
• Chronic stomach inflammation
• Reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance
• Reduce cholesterol levels when high

Foods Containing Probiotics:

• Yogurt*
• Fermented and unfermented milk
• Miso
• Tempeh
• Sauerkraut
• Some juices and soy beverages

*Not all yogurt contains active bacterial culture. L acidophilus, L bulgaricus and S thermophilus are the most common bacterial strains added in yogurt. These bacteria are on the ingredient list. More labels are stating "live cultures" or "active cultures", which you want to look for. Avoid yogurt that is heat treated after culturing. This means the added bacteria was pasteurized, which will destroy live cultures.  At that point, you recieve no benefit to taking them.

What The Medical Profession Has To Say

What the Medical Profession Has to Say About Probiotics, Leaky Gut Syndrome and the Microbiome

The Medical Perspective

Probiotics

It amazes me that in the technological age that we live in, the Medical Community has still not embraced the need for probiotics.  In fact, one of the top Medical Researches was quoted, "Simply avoid the over utilization of antibiotics and your microbiome will correct itself."  That speaks volumes to the understanding the Medical Profession has on the importance of probiotics to offset the level of Digestive System Disruption our current life-styles experience.  And when you appreciate all the things probiotics helps, if we were to help ourselves this way, we may not need the Medical Profession, since we would have no more health concerns.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

WebMD refers to leaky gut as “something of a medical mystery.”  No wonder, because it isn’t even taught as a diagnosis in medical school!

“From an MD’s standpoint, it’s a very gray area,” says gastroenterologist Donald Kirby, MD – Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic – “Physicians don’t know enough about the gut, which is our biggest immune system organ.”  And to think, this is coming from a Gastroenterologist who specializes in the digestive system.

And to make matters worse, Government agencies have also contributed to the confusion. According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS),

There is little evidence to support this theory, and no evidence that so-called “treatments” for “leaky gut syndrome”, such as nutritional supplements and a gluten-free diet, have any beneficial effect for most of the conditions they are claimed to help.  This is in an effort to protect their brand of treatment.

Yet, not everyone agrees. In the words of Linda A. Lee, MD – gastroenterologist and Director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center – “We don’t know a lot but we know that it exists.”  Nevertheless, “In the absence of evidence, we don’t know what it means or what therapies can directly address it.” 

This is an important to point to keep in mind.

In the medical world, IF there are no standard diagnostic criteria for a disease, there are no specific therapies or treatments. Moreover, if there are no “proven” treatment models, then most MD’s are left with no other choice than to travel along the “safe path” and prescribe drugs; which, in this case, are oftentimes Prevacid or generic ant-acids like Tums.  These contribute to the condition and it is no wonder they are confused and fail to acknowledge any connection.

Because most of the medical community denies its very existence, it’s critical that you understand what leaky gut is and what to look out for in case you or a loved-one is affected by it. This way, even though your doctor may not pick up on the clues, you’ll be armed with the knowledge that you need to make the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes.  Consider Dr. Huntoon's Advice below.

Dr. Huntoon's Alternative Medical Treatment Options

Dr. Huntoon has spent 30 plus years understanding the importance of all disease, what causes sickness to begin and what it takes to be and stay healthy. It is his passion and he can and will help you understand how to restore balance to your digestive system and your overall health.  Please appreciate that any time you are exposed to antibiotics (70 percent of them are put into our food supply), you will disrupt your microbiome.  Also of importance is understanding the stress, over-the-counter medicines, prescription medicines, alcohol, refines and processed sugar, additives, preservatives, plastics etc., will contribute to having problems with your microbiome, thus leading to Leaky Gut Syndrome. 

Remember, the Top Foods To Remove that cause leaky gut are sugar, grains, conventional meat, conventional dairy and GMO foods. The top toxic exposures to eliminate are municipal tap water, pesticides, NSAIDS, artificial colors and sweeteners and antibiotics — but remember to always consult with your physician if he or she has prescribed these for you.  Ask questions and see if they are aware of the possible side-effects of their recommending these for your care.  Most times they are not.

Finding a practitioner, like Dr. Huntoon, who can walk you through the different steps necessary to restore your microbiome becomes paramount.  Below are 3 main things you should be aware of and practice if you choose to be healthy.

How Else Can You Establish a Strong Microbiome?

1. Avoid Antibiotics as Much as Possible

Antibiotics have been commonly prescribed for over 80 years now, but the problem is that they eliminate good bacteria in addition to cleaning the body of dangerous “germs,” which means they can lower immune function and raise the risk for infections, allergies and diseases. While antibiotics can save lives when they’re truly needed, they’re often over-prescribed and their consequences are misunderstood.

Over time, dangerous bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, making serious infections harder to fight.  Before taking antibiotics or giving them to your children, talk to your doctor about alternative options and the unintended consequences to our microbiomes that can result from taking antibiotics too often and when they aren’t needed.

2. Lower Stress and Exercise More

Stress hinders immune function because your body diverts energy away from fighting off infections and places it on primary concerns that keep your alive — which is one reason why chronic stress can kill your quality of life. When your body thinks it’s facing an immediate danger, you become more susceptible to infections and experience more severe symptoms while also developing higher levels of inflammation.

Stress causes immune compounds known as cytokines to contribute to the inflammatory response that damages healthy cells. Exercise is a natural stress reliever that can help lower inflammation, balance hormones and strengthen the immune system.

3. Add Supplements

Begin with the source of good bacteria within your digestive system.  This requires a high quality probiotic and should be kept in your refrigerator when being stored.  If the bottle says it does not need to be refrigerated, you are probably wasting your money.  Next, you will need some type of supplement to get rid of the excess amounts of Yeast/Candidia that create the leaky gut syndrome.  This will help to restore balance to the microbiome and return the body back to health.  Other supplements that may be helpful, especially if they are gotten from whole food sources are Co-enzyme Q10, carotenoids, omega-3 fish oil, selenium and antioxidants (vitamins C, D and E).  These can help keep free radical damage from disturbing micrbiota gut health.

Your Solution

So What Can One Do To Help Themselves?

Obviously, the Best Thing To Do would be to avoid all of them, if not greatly minimize your exposure to them as best you can.  This will require you to make some adjustments to your life. 

• Take a Probiotic Daily

Probiotics are very popular these days, except every company that has jumped on the “band-wagon” have done so without a proper understanding of the nature of these healthy bacteria that helps reduce and eliminate the Dysbiosis.  One should strongly considered being evaluated for the need for these and if you experience any of the 14 Digestive System Disruptors, you can guarantee a need for these.

• Take an Anti-Yeast/Candidia Supplement

Taking a supplement that will help to get rid of the excess amounts of Yeast/Candidia as a result of participating in the 14 Digestive System Disruptors becomes vital for restoring balance to your Digestive System Flora.  Without going through this process, you will continue to have and create Leaky Gut Syndrome and the host of health concerns that follow.

• Begin Taking the Time to Get to Know the Food Choices you Make                                     Consider Our Shop With The Doc Program

Read labels and find sources and brands of food that are truly doing the right thing by society.  Invest in these foods and companies and let your dollars support changing the system.  If we do not buy from the companies that continuously put out artificial food-stuff with great packaging and lots of advertising to mislead us all, we can begin to take back control.  This will not be easy and requires the help of everyone.  And even if you are one of the few who makes the choice to avoid the CRAP foods, your health will benefit tremendously.  And then you can be the living example of where society needs to go.

• Repair Your Leaky Gut

If you think that you might have leaky gut after reading this article, then I have two very important things to tell you:

1. You don’t have to suffer any more because there is hope!
2. If you follow these 4 steps to heal leaky gut, you can put your body in the position where it can very well heal itself.

With these 4 steps to heal leaky gut, we have helped countless people over years and I believe that it can help YOU as well!

Your Solution

Dr. Huntoon has spent 30 plus years understanding the importance of all disease, what causes sickness to begin and what it takes to be and stay healthy. It is his passion and he can and will help you understand how to restore balance to your digestive system and your overall health.  Please appreciate that any time you are exposed to antibiotics (70 percent of them are put into our food supply) you will disrupt your Microbiome.  Also of importance is understanding the Digestive System Disruptors of 

• stress,
• over-the-counter medicines,
• prescription medicines,
• alcohol,
• refined and processed sugar,
• additives,
• preservatives,
• plastics etc., will contribute to having problems with your microbiome and lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome. 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Huntoon directly at 845-561-2225.  He looks forward to serving you.