Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 3: Immune Health - Gut/Digestive tract and immunity: what you can do to enhance it - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor - a podcast by Discussions with successful health experts such as Ben Greenfield, Terry Wa

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy at any Age Part 3:  Immune Health - Gut/Digestive tract and immunity: what you can do to enhance it - Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

In times past, it was erroneously believed that bacteria had little or nothing to do with our wellbeing, but recent research has made it clear that bacteria contribute greatly to our immunity and overall wellbeing, specifically the bacteria found in our gut.

There are over 10,000 species and trillions of microorganisms in our gut, and they all form what is called the gut microbiome. So, it’s not far-fetched when people say “we are more bacteria than we are human.”

The gut microbiome impacts many physiological processes in the body, including weight, digestion, and level of concentration, mood, and more. However, there are pathogenic bacteria and good friendly bacteria.

The same way the bad guys or bad bacteria can overpopulate your gut, good bacteria can too.

When you change the way you eat, it can change the expression of your genes by boosting the population of the microbiome with diverse microbial cells.

Cutting out processed foods and adding more prebiotic fiber is essential in increasing biodiversity.

Probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, etc. work well to introduce strong microbes to your gut, supporting a more efficient gut microbiome. This has a strong influence on your immunity, and we’ll show you how.

How do gut bacteria impact immunity?

Your immune system has a role to protect your body from pathogens and foreign bodies. It basically consists of a group of cells, organs, and proteins that work together to protect the body from germs, viruses, and pathogens generally.

When your immune system is working perfectly fine, it goes unnoticed, but when it is not in good condition, your defenses become too weak to fight. Many opportunistic bacteria and pathogens swoop in and outnumber the good bacteria.

So how does the gut or digestive tract come into play?

Many studies have clearly shown how human cells and microbial units coevolved together in symbiosis. The immune system has a strong link with gut bacteria.

Like we’ve mentioned earlier, most of the human microbiota is present in the gut, and so does 70-80% of the immune system. Both the gut bacteria and the immune system work in a symbiotic way to eliminate harmful pathogens and ensure that the body is protected.

The gut influences the strength of the immune system, which in turn forms the diversity of the microbiome. Throughout life, other factors like diet, lifestyle habits, and environment shape the composition of the gut flora.

The gut bacteria act as a gatekeeper and teach the immune cells called T-cells to identify and distinguish foreign agents from our own tissue.

When the antibodies produced in the body cannot access certain pathogens that attack your body cells, the T-cells come in to handle the situation and destroy the infected cells. This process is known as cell-mediated immunity.

That’s why it is important to maintain a powerful immune system that communicates well with the gut.

When everything is working normally, the gut sends signals for the development of a healthy immune function that regulates immune function. In return, the immune system supports an increase in the population of health-promoting microbes.

When the gut and immune system are in good working relations, your body responds to pathogens and tolerates harmless bacteria, preventing autoimmune responses and ensuring your overall wellbeing.

To enhance the function of your gut bacteria, eat organic foods, decreasing or eliminating fluoride, cut out processed foods, and include more prebiotic fiber (legumes and vegetables) and probiotics in your diet.

When your gut is filled with the good guys, your whole body enjoys it as your immune system stays strong to ward off pathogens.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our chiropractic office to learn more about your gut health and how it affects your immune system. We will also show you natural measures to boost the health-boosting bacteria in your digestive tract.

 

 

 

Further episodes of Health Made Easy with Dr. Jason Jones

Further podcasts by Discussions with successful health experts such as Ben Greenfield, Terry Wa

Website of Discussions with successful health experts such as Ben Greenfield, Terry Wa