Our bodies are incredible, all of the the different systems beautifully interconnected and working together.
Our immune systems are our protectors. Constantly asking- Are you self? Are you safe? Always ready to mount and investigation and attack, if necessary. Healthy digestion is critical to healthy immune function.
The immune system and digestion are intimately connected with 80-90% of our immune system living in our gut.
The immune system can become dysregulated by over functioning or under functioning. Same coin, different sides. Whether it is that immune system needs support to calm down or needs stimulation, optimizing digestion will be hugely beneficial.
Many of the above are autoimmune conditions. These arise when our immune system starts attacking our own tissue and are so common. Currently, 1 in 6 people have an auto immune illness – 75% of them being women.
So how is does digestion impact the immune system?
Digestion is a north to south process, starting in the brain. Ideally it starts with a calm parasympathetic state and we are taking the time to time to chew our food fully. If we’re in a high stress state while eating, our body really isn’t in digest mode and beyond that, a high stressed state in general leads to compromised immune function. Establishing mindful eating habits, and reducing stress is a huge step toward more balanced digestion and immune function.
photo © 2020 Nutritional Therapy Association, Inc.
Past the brain and mouth, when digestion is functioning optimally it acts as a barrier of defense by killing pathogens on our food with stomach acid (HCL) and/or Pepsin in the stomach. less than optimal amounts of HCL and Pepsin is quite common and allows more pathogens can make it into the system.
In addition to more pathogens making it past the stomach, having low amounts of HCL and Pepsin means we’re also not able to break down food as optimally as we should leaving partially digested or undigested food particles to move on to the small intestine. This cascades into more digestive dysfunction and potentially sets the stage for food reactions, a damaged and inflammed mucosal layer of the intestinal wall, “leaky gut” and a chronic inflammatory state/immune response.
Leaky gut (AKA intestinal permeability) can contribute to allergies, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and progressive degeneration.
.Photo by Jeremy Thomas Illustration: Charis Tsevis
Just as the earth, the ocean and the atmosphere all have a microbiome, our human body has an incredible microbiome as well.
The heath of our microbiome has a significant effect on the immune system and the way it manifests in the body. Healthy gut flora in the large intestine help stimulate the immune system and crowd out pathogenic bacteria. Anti inflammation (the calming of the immune system) is triggered in a number of ways, one being regulatory T cells. These cells are stimulated by commensal gut microbes.
In compromised digestion, pathogenic microbes that are able to migrate through the digestive tract and into the large intestine can crowd out the healthy flora of our microbiome and lead to an overgrowth of parasites, fungus and aggressive bacteria.
Antibiotics, stress and diet all can disturb out microbiome. Support your microbiome by making sure you are getting enough prebiotic fibers and probiotics!
How else do we support digestion and immune health?
As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I’m looking to find the root of the imbalance. Then finding ways to slowly and methodically address issues through a holistic and foundational approach.
We can support the gut and immune system by reducing stressors and strengthening defenses. Through individual targeted foundational support, focusing on ways to nourish the body and paying attention to find the stressors so we know what to reduce.
Some things to start with:
-creating mindful eating habits
-supporting healthy stress, sleep and movement
-identifying food reactions
-healing and sealing the gut by supporting the mucosal lining
-adding in foods and therapeutic nutrients that support healthy HCL production, liver and gallbladder function and gut health.
And last but definitely not least, I’ll always be bringing it back to food. A nutrient dense, whole foods diet and proper hydration will support digestion and all other functions of our body.
Some particularly nourishing foods for digestion are bone broth, slow cooked meats and veggies, nuts/seeds (if tolerated) beets, fennel, dandelion root and leaves, ginger, okra and fermented foods.
Some gut supoprtive plants are chlorophyll, marshmallow root, slippery elm, thyme, oregano, caraway oil, peppermint oil, psyllium, mullein, goldenseal, lemon balm and chamomile.
