Christine Rosche, MPH, CNS, CBT

Gut Health: Why it Matters

DigestiveHealth.center

For consultation call (650) 856-3151

Date Aired: May 19, 2017

 

Episode Description

The gut is at the root of many diseases. A balanced, diverse microbiome (gut bacteria) is essential for health. Reduced microbiome diversity has been linked to increased gut permeability, autoimmune, metabolic and inflammatory diseases, diabetes (types 1 and 2), obesity, Alzheimer’s, MS, autism, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease. When the gut microbiota is altered or disrupted, it is referred to as “dysbiosis,” which results in the gut becoming inflamed and permeable (“leaky gut”). A leaky gut allows substances to pass through the walls of the gut into the blood stream. This leads to inflammation and oxidative stress – triggers for chronic diseases. A permeable gut also can start an autoimmune response because antibodies are formed against the food proteins that pass through the wall of the gut. Gut health is intricately connected to brain health. You will learn about gut health and how it effects overall health.

Functional Medicine

Identifies the root issue of a disease

medical crisis appears

IMPORTANCE OF GUT HEALTH

  • Hippocrates said all disease start in gut
  • The large intestine is the size of football field
  • There are billions of bacteria in the gut. They regulate inflammation and the immune system.
  • 75 % of the immune system is in the gut
  • gut affects:
    • skin (acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, headaches
    • brain (depression, anxiety ADD),
      • bad bacteria and leaky gut can lead to depression
    • sinus (frequent colds)
    • food sensitivity
    • joints – rheumatoid arthritis
    • other:  constipation, adrenal fatigue affects every organ of body

BIDERECTIONAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GUT AND BRAIN

  • Bacteria in gut can lead to autism, depression, anxiety
  • Research has shown all people with brain disorders (depression, anxiety, poor memory, poor focusing) have gut problems like constipation and bloating
  • Symptoms are related to inflammation traveling from the gut to the brain
    • 75-80 % of autistic patients have gut abnormality
  • Gut bacteria affect all the neurotransmitters
    • Diet and fixing the gut bacteria can recover ability to make neurotransmitters

BACTERIA PRODUCE NEUROTRANSMITTERS

  • Lactobacillus and Lactobifido Produce GABA
  • Sacrymices escarica produce epinephrine
  • Bacillus produces dopamine

VAGAL NERVE THERAPY

  • Christine describes her pioneering work of modulating inflammation by increasing vagal tone.
  • Low vagal tone can lead to cardiovascular disease, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, depression, diabetes, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, and cognitive impairment
  • Vagus nerve stimulation reduces and modulates metabolic conditions and inflammation
  • Vagal tone can be measured with heart rate variability (HrV)
  • She describes herself as a pioneer by using heart rate variation biofeedback and breathing with normalizing the gut to cure medical conditions.
  • Good vagal tone is associated with parasympathetic states (such as restorative functions after a Thanksgiving meal.
  • Working on vagal tone causes the good bacteria start growing and staying in place
  • Makes gut different in digest, promote dispersion good

Techniques to increase vagal tone

  • Breath from belly
  • humming,
  • singing
  • Repeating “ ohmmmm “
  • Loving kindness meditation
  • Washing face with cold water

INITIATION OF AUTOIMMUNITY

  • Typically the gut has tight junctions. When these are weakened, the gut becomes permeable
  • bacteria, viruses, and other substances go into the blood stream causing autogenic reactions as the body sees these as foreign and mounts defense

 

PROMOTION OF BAD GUT HEALTH

  • A couple of Advil per week kills good gut bacteria
  • stress
  • antibiotics
  • colonoscopy prep wipes out the good bacteria so with this test, have to recolonize the gut with good bacteria

CAUSES OF A LEAKY GUT

Gluten

  • damages the gut lining even if there is no gluten sensitivity
  • has pesticides, such as glyphosate
  • All grains increase the body’s pesticide load and can destroy the gut and brain.
  • There is indirect exposure by eating animals that were fed hormones, insecticides and antibiotics.

Glyphosate

  • Adversely affects the microbiome
  • Autism highly correlated
  • Over 170 peer reviewed article
  • Autism is increasing and is expected to affect 50 % of the population in 2025 ½ autism
  • rats fed GMOs got tumors and multiple organ damages
  • glyphosate destroy shikimate pathway which makes neurotransmitters

    Antibiotics

    Sugar, processed foods

    Toxins

  • Toxins increase 10 fold and are related to autoimmune disease and autism

FUNCTIONAL GUT TESTS

Gut Health Test

  • complete picture how every aspect of gut, body function beneficial flora
  • shows how we manufacture vitamins, digest food
  • assesses digestive absorption
  • Shows balance between good and bad bacteria
  • identifies yeast, bacteria, parasites and recommended treatment
  • Determines if there are the right enzymes to digest carb, fats, veggie
  • inflammation markers include lactoferrin, calprotectin
  • Can identify the risk for colon cancer
  • Occult blood test
  • Includes color results including what bacteria react to
  • She retests every six months
  • One to three day stool collection
  • Gives information on future risk for cancer. By the time standard colonoscopy or occult blood test shows problems, the disease process is very advanced.

German Test (M2PK Test)

  • Standard US tests will miss a lot of cancers.
  • Measures all the enzymes that are elevated in colon cancer
  • If moving towards cancer, she sends to Germany for a further test
  • Shows what need to do to prevent growth of unhealthy bacteria

SIgA  Test

  • Immunology measure used in  countries other than the US
  • Measures immunity response
  • If measure is too low < 40, cannot fight off bacteria including infections

Stool Transit Time

  • Optimal transit time is 12 – 24 hours
  • Key to getting rid of toxins
  • Constipation too slow a transit time – toxins go back into intestines causing more inflammation
  • Diarrhea too fast a transit time- nutrients will not be absorbed
  • Measure with activated charcoal or beets and wait until you see these in the stool

RESTORING HEALTHY GUT FLORA

Probiotics:

  • Restore mucosal lining
  • Restore immune response
  • Whey protein from grass fed cows
  • L-glutamine to restore gut lining and increase SIgA
  • Certified organic elimination diet
  • Fermented
  • Avoid
    • lectins from gluten and grains,
    • processed gluten
    • alcohol, soy sauce
    • Bad bacteria love to feed on sugar and grains
    • Genetically modified foods

Cause Leaky Gut

  • Gluten
  • Stress / high cortisol levels
  • Prescription drugs
  • Any over the counter drugs (per Christine)
  • Grains
  • Gut damage is usually caused by a combination of factors such as antibiotics, drugs, long term stress, eating highly processed foods with toxins
  • EMF