This document provides information about gut health and caring for the gut. It defines the gut as the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus. The gut has memory and can sense what is good or bad through its nervous system. Modern life causes stress that impacts the gut. Common gut conditions are discussed. Tips are provided for optimal gut health, including eating whole foods, probiotics, sleep, and exercise. The goal is to avoid doctors, drugs, and surgery by taking good care of the gut on an ongoing basis.
2. WHAT IS THE "GUT"?
HOW DOES YOUR GUT FEEL?
HISTORY IS RECORDED IN YOUR GUT
GUT IN MODERN WORLD STRESS
GUT CONDITIONS WE SEE CONSTANTLY
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR GUT
AVOIDING SICK DOCTOR VISITS, DRUGS,
SURGERY
REFERENCES
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The Gut is a cute 3 letter word for the
gastrointestinal tract that begins in the
mouth and ends at the anus.
The gut is where all digestion or
preparation of food for sustenance
and health in the body occurs.
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The process of digestion is a rather complex series of
remarkable actions by the body that involves the
orchestration of several systems working together in
precise form. Layers and groups of muscles, nerves,
tendons, blood cells, secretory cells, bones that sense and
feel the "food" of life communicate with each other and
perform tasks that seem almost inconceivable.
Digestion is a phenomenal dynamic event involving not
only physical feelings or sensations but the instinctive and
experiential aspects of the human being behind it.
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This is a question that is answerable by:
A. The actual mechanism
AND
B. Your personal sensation at any given
moment in time
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A. With regard to how the gut is able to "interpret" or sense what it needs or
avoids, one has to recognize that there are multiple detection components.
From all the senses sight, smell, taste, hearing, touching and the intangible
sixth sense, our gut can respond in different ways that are imprinted, literally
MEMORIZED, due to the recall capacity of our digestive tract. Yes, the gut
can remember with the help of the precision of a nervous system!
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Nerve pathways along the lining of the gut connect with the
brain, spinal cord and the "unconscious knowing" part of the
human being. The latter "knowing" can sense what is
happening or about to happen hence the
GUT FEELING.
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B. The personal sensation of the condition of the gut, i.e.,
no discomfort, a warm fulfilled feeling or a lot of
discomfort, is all relative to how well one cares for it.
Under optimal conditions, WE SHOULD NOT FEEL
the gut but only for the:
1. Urge or hunger to eat.
2. Urge to defecate.
3. Purpose of sensing satiety or “I have eaten
enough”.
4. Purpose of expelling or removing a toxin or
irritant from the body.
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In other words, the gut should not be in pain or
distress unless it has to protect itself! Pain and
other sensations would indicate that
SOMETHING IS WRONG and needs correction.
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As mentioned already, the gut has
memory for what it experiences and
senses. In essence, it knows
EVERYTHING. There is virtually
nothing you can hide from it. There is
much more "eating" going on than
you even realize:
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1. All GOOD that is ingested is favorable and
the gut has no issues and does not signal
danger or distress.
2. All BAD that is ingested is unfavorable and
the gut will react with some signal to protect the
entire body.
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It is not merely a question of what you eat via the
oral (mouth) cavity. You also are absorbing or
taking in materials via the breath, skin and other
senses that are essentially "eating" the
environment or world you are inhabiting!
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Any good experience will generally lead to a
pleasant overall bodily sensation that INVOLVES
the gut because it ABSORBS and PROCESSES
food and materials that are going into it in all the
various ways and means. This is positive and the
gut recalls and records it all.
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Good news
Celebration
Falling in love
Meditation
Moments of joyful play
Laughter
Loving a pet
High quality pleasant tasting
food/drink (careful not to think
coffee and alcohol are taken
lightly!!!)
Home cooked meals made with
love and careful
selection/method of preparation
Balanced 2 - 3 meals of
nourishment daily
Good sleep
Examples of POSITIVE influences on the gut:
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Bad news
Depression and feelings of
hopelessness
Loss of someone or something
Anger
Witness or victim of violence
Conflicts, war, arguments
Fast food
Low quality beverages artificially
sweetened or flavored, highly
processed
Microwave ovens for food prep
Frying and barbecue grilling
meats (or any foods)
Eating too fast or hurried with
poor chewing
Eating excessively
Late night eating/drinking
Examples of NEGATIVE influences on the gut:
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Aches and pains
Anxiety and depression
Other conditions or illnesses that exist
Partner/spousal issues
Are the kids ok?
Bills and finances
Driving
Making important tough decisions
Any risks or threats to the self or family
Just waking up to face the day can be a
huge stress on the body on the gut.
The feeling of having to face challenges in today's
world will impact the gut. Let's see what some of
those stressors are:
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There are MANY unmentioned stressors
(it would take a book to list!!), but it is CRITICAL that we take
the time to sort out and solve issues to protect our guts that
ultimately protect our lives!!
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Modern life has stress all over it such that the GUT
is a target for so much of this. As a result or
consequence, diseases of gut and other organ
systems can and will result anywhere in the body.
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Here are gastrointestinal conditions that are virtually constant in
medical and healthcare practices:
• Oral ulcers, cancers, dental deterioration
• Esophageal disturbances like reflux, strictures, ulcers and
cancers
• Stomach ailments, ulcers, cancers
• Intestinal disturbances, food intolerances, numerous growths,
cancers
• Liver diseases with hepatitis commonly seen, also site of cancer
metastases
• Gallbladder disease
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The conditions above are related to multiple
factors with food/diet, environmental exposures
and, to a lesser extent, genetics.
All the surfaces of the gut are exposed to an
enormous amount of material from the
environment. Any and all choices that you make
with regard to your nutritional means, the people
you spend time with, the atmosphere you choose
to dwell in and the mood you choose to have will
impact your gut, therefore, your life.
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As I mentioned above, a well chosen, high-quality meal plan that is home
cooked (prepared by self or a caring, loving set of hands and heart) is optimal
for the gut.
Complete CHEWING that is done slowly and steadily is something we all
should do but far too many do not. Good chewing is the best means of
preparing your food for its journey through the rest of the gut. This is a
preventive measure to help avoid digestive disturbances.
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Besides the diet, one is recommended to live to defend and
protect, invigorate, condition and de-stress the body/gut. If
you need a counselor or advisor on coping with a troubled
past or present complex psych issue, you are strongly
advised to seek help on this.
25. The following list is one indicating basic rules to follow to
help achieve or maintain a better gut:
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1. Keep or attain a calm, sound mind.
Use relaxation techniques,
emotional freedom techniques,
meditation, yoga, chanting,
humming, time with nature.
2. Dwell in peaceful, nonviolent
atmospheres.
3. Choose high quality food that is
organic, free of synthetics, plant-
based, home cooked.
4. Avoid microwaving of food that
destroys all nutrients.
5. Avoid high heat frying and
barbecuing with meat, especially.
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6. Don't buy processed meat.
7. Eliminate junk food.
8. Dairy is a problem so beware and make the
right choice. Remember, you don't need it.
More digestive diseases emerge from this
category of foods than most others.
9. Take fermented foods daily like sauerkraut,
miso soup, tempeh, kimchi, pickled food.
Do not take excess salt, especially if you
have high blood pressure or heart/ fluid
overload issues.
10. Reduce or eliminate meat. Choose "known
grass fed". Wild fish is ok to take a few
times a week. Reduce high mercury fish
like tuna.
11. Chew slowly and thoroughly until food is
liquefied.
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12. Do not overeat. Stop and FEEL the gut as it signals some fullness is beginning. Save the rest for
another meal.
13. Eat sitting down whenever possible.
14. Do not eat a few hours before bed to eliminate taxing the digestive tract during slumber.
15. Choose a probiotic of 5080 billion CFUs daily in AM.
16. Add two to four tablespoons flaxseed grounded to your meals daily
17. Take a high-quality multimineral daily.
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18. Do a liver cleanse for 1 month to follow up with a colon cleanse the next month. Health stores
sell these in capsule form. You may choose your own method for cleansing. Do at least twice
annually.
19. Add a good digestive enzyme to your diet to take before a meal if you are experiencing gas and
bloat with meals. Check with your provider to see if low stomach acid may be your problem.
20. Sleep well. Remove all obstructions to sleep such as TV, computer, phones, lights, noises,
fumes, synthetic bedding covers.
21. Exercise every day to increase vitality and to stimulate all smooth muscles along the gut and
other organs.
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AVOID THE "SICK" VISITS TO DOCTOR, DRUGS AND SURGERY
We need to care for the Gut CONTINUOUSLY!
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BE AWARE and ask yourself just how you can be better at living to
avoid medication, procedures, surgeries or anything else that is
unnatural to the body.
Take a good look at your lifestyle and decide if you need MAJOR
OVERHAUL or some minor tuning up.
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1. Try to follow the basics
listed above.
2. Keep a diary of your habits,
and see a health provider or
life coach who understands
the gut and can help guide
you on your quest to heal or
take better care of gut and
your life.
3. Reward yourself for making
progress with a massage or
retreat to a tranquil,
beautiful place.
4. Share with others and be in
love with life.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PLANNING YOUR GUTHEALTH
SCHEDULE:
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Fleming, A. Go Dairy Free. Fleming Ink, English, 2008
Haas, E., M. D. The New Detox Diet. Celestial Arts,
USA, 2004
Kushi, M. The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health.
Ballantine Books, USA, 2003
Pitchford, P. Healing with Whole Foods. North
Atlantic Books, USA, 2002.
Watson, B., N. D., Smith, L., M. D. Gut Solutions,
Renew Life Press, USA, 2003
REFERENCES
