Do You Want To Improve Your Health? Start With Your Intestines

Taking care of intestinal health affects the whole organism. The bacterial flora of the digestive tract influences the immune system, hormones and the nervous system, both central and peripheral.

Microorganisms present in the intestines have been known to play a very important role in human digestive health for many years.

However, in recent research it was determined that flora plays a very important role in health, since it could be related to obesity and metabolic health, among other aspects.

Having good gut health could become key to overall wellness. While gut health was linked to digestive health for hundreds of years, it has now been shown that good gut health influences that of the rest of the body.

The intestines and health

The microorganisms present in the intestine are essential for digestive health. In addition, they are also important for the immune system, as shown in the study ‘Role of the gastrointestinal microbiota in regulating the immune response’, published in 2016. In fact, a good part of the immune system is found in the intestines.

In the intestines, microorganisms play an important role in the development of a strong and balanced immune system. There, the immune system produces antibodies. In fact, these are the ones responsible for keeping different types of diseases at bay.

In addition to its important role in developing a strong immune system , the intestines are also responsible for much of the body’s neurotransmitters. These are the ones that are related to mood and feelings. Thus, the gut microbiota is closely related to the central nervous system in what is called the microbiota-gut-brain axis, according to recent research.

When a person has problems with the gastrointestinal tract, they can suffer from other health disorders, as reflected in scientific articles published on the subject. Some of them can be, for example:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

• Diabetes
• Chronic fatigue
• Fibromyalgia
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eczema

All these diseases and disorders related to them always need medical treatment prescribed by the specialist, which cannot be substituted by any other remedy. Before any symptoms, the first step should be to consult the doctor and follow his instructions.

Knowing all this, it may be time to start taking care of the intestines as an aid to improving health, although without substituting other treatments. For this, the naturopathic doctor Amy Myers, a specialist in functional medicine, has created the 4 R program. This program aims to heal the intestines to heal oneself.

As we have seen previously, and as all recent research shows us, including the ones we have mentioned, some health disorders have their origin in problems with the intestinal microbiota. This is where this program comes from. A good functioning of the gastrointestinal system is essential for good health.

The 4 R Program

Repair the damage

In this first step, the goal will be to get rid of everything that hurts the gastrointestinal tract. For this, it may be necessary to eliminate some inflammatory foods and gastric irritants such as alcohol, caffeine or drugs. Also those that can cause some type of infection.

Among the inflammatory foods we can find all those foods that can cause some type of intolerance, such as:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• The corn
• The soy
• The eggs
• The sugar

In case of intestinal discomfort, the doctor can perform tests to detect these possible intolerances and specify the specific level of certain proteins in the blood and for food sensitivity. In this way, we can check if there is an intolerance to any of these foods and, in that case, eliminate it from the diet.

There may also be an infection that we are not aware of. Infections can be caused by parasites, bacteria, or yeast. A stool analysis helps to determine the level of good bacteria and to detect if there is any type of infection. This, of course, would have to be indicated and assessed by the specialist doctor.

To eliminate infections there are treatments, antiparasitic drugs and even antibiotics. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe them.

Replace

The body needs essential ingredients to achieve good digestion and to achieve a correct absorption of nutrients. However, the use of medications, diet, disease or aging can deplete these elements. Therefore, in these cases of deficiencies, it is very important to include them in the diet to achieve proper digestion. Among these, we find:

• First of all, digestive enzymes.
• On the other hand, acids.
• Lastly, hydrochloric bile acids.

Kingdomcular

It is very important to restore the beneficial bacteria of the intestine so that it works properly when some disorders have modified or eliminated them. For example, this is the case of treatments with antibiotics or other drugs or of some diseases.

In those cases, the microbiota can be restored by consuming a probiotic supplement that contains beneficial bacteria, such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. In addition, it is also important to increase your fiber intake.

Repair

The last step of this program focuses on repairing the intestine through a diet rich in essential nutrients. The intestine needs us to provide it, through food, with some nutrients that help it fulfill many of its functions.

In some critical situations, L-glutamine supplements may be necessary to repair the gut. This is an amino acid that helps rejuvenate the lining of the intestinal wall.

In addition, it is essential to provide it with other important nutrients such as zinc, omega-3 fatty acids from fish, vitamin A, C, E, etc. Normally, all these nutrients are acquired in sufficient quantities if we follow a balanced diet, under normal conditions.

This program to heal the intestine can become the perfect support for the treatment of different diseases. It is worth putting it into practice and starting to take advantage of all its health benefits. Do not forget to always consult the doctor!