Issue #275: 7 Gut Busters
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From the Lab: 7 Gut Busters
Speed Read: Walking Backward
Thursday Night In: Thai-Inspired Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup
“Quite literally, your gut is the epicenter of your mental and physical health. If you want better immunity, efficient digestion, improved clarity, and balance, focus on rebuilding your gut health.”
The percentage of adults (18-44) who have digestive issues at least a few times a month. (MDVIP Survey, March 2023)
From the Lab
Most of us have gut issues (see Stat of the Day).
Mine got serious three years ago when I was diagnosed with “leaky gut.”
This increasingly diagnosed condition happens when we get holes in our intestines and stuff that shouldn’t get into the bloodstream does and causes all kinds of problems for us.
We said in the previous issue (#274) that our gut is our second brain. It’s also our first line of defense when it comes to our immune system.
70-80% of all our immune cells - those brave fighters that attack unwanted invaders that are always trying to sneak into our body - live in our gut.
Some of these cells - special white blood cells - are responsible for maintaining that wall.
They help create “tight junctions” so that food, waste molecules, and bacteria all stay inside our gut.
But when the immune system fails and holes pop up, then these things “leak” into our body and blood stream.
So you know what happens?
Our immune system recognizes the problem and the fighter cells (cytokines) set to take it down.
But just like when we get a viral infection like the flu - the symptoms are from the fight between our immune system and the invader.
We don’t get a fever from the virus - we get a fever because our body is trying to overheat the invader. Our nose is running because we’re trying to get the virus out and it’s green because it’s full of dead macrophages (another immune fighting cell).
So when our immune system sees unknown invaders outside our gut - it attacks, and we feel sick.
For most of us, it’s a major nuisance that makes us feel fatigued, maybe keeps us home from work for awhile, or even self-conscious about our gut.
But it can create IBS, Crohn’s Disease, and even autoimmune issues where our immune system constantly attacks our own cells.
Why is this happening and what can we do about it?
There are seven gut busters that are becoming more prevalent in today’s world that make leaky gut more common - avoid them as much as possible:
Antibiotics - if you’re really struggling with a bacterial infection, these can be lifesavers. But they are overprescribed and crush our gut (just look at the name “antibiotic” compared to “probiotic”). Try to avoid these medications as much as possible and don’t eat meat that’s been pumped with antibiotics.
Painkillers - nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aka Advil, Motrin, crush our gut walls. Again, these can be necessary for pain relief, but chronic or repeated use is bad for our gut.
Stomach Acid Blockers - more than 15 million Americans have prescriptions for these drugs. They do what they tell you they will - they reduce stomach acid. This allows bad bacteria to grow and disrupts our gut. We’ve also talked about how these drugs reduce our nitric oxide production and may cause even more serious problems (see Issue #253).
Plastic - we talked about endocrine disruptors last week and that BPA is also going to affect our gut and ability to process food.
Pesticides - the other topic from last week. We use 280 million pounds of glyphosate each year and it’s now found in 87% of all kids. They (us) are growing up with bad gut health.
Stress - just like stress affects our brain, the neural network of our gut is also impacted and stress literally changes the lining of our gut walls.
Processed Food - saved the most obvious culprit for last. Obviously what we eat matters to our gut. Too much sugar lowers the good bacteria and increases the bad bacteria.
If you think you’ve got a gut problem or just want to make sure you don’t get one in the future - avoid these seven disruptors.*
*If it’s more serious - go see a medical professional who will look to identify and solve the root cause of the problem, not simply mask the systems with a pill
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Don’t Talk to Me Like That: Never say these things to your partner - hint: they include vague generalizations, deflections and dismissals - but you already knew that. (NYTimes)
The Conflict of Walking Backward: Jason Gay, as only Jason Gay can, contemplates the latest health fad - walking backward. Is it good, is it bad, can you make it stick? We say try new things…just, in this case, be safe and enjoy the onlookers! (WSJ)
The Mitochondrion: The birth of mitochondria, our energy creators, is based on a symbiotic merger of a bacteria and a cell. But when did it happen and where’d all the other cell membranes come from? Curious about your cells? This is AP Bio but it’s super fascinating. (Big Think)
Thursday Night In | Thai-Inspired Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup
Indulge in a quick, comforting Thai-inspired soup, packed with flavors of green curry, ginger, and coconut milk. This easy recipe uses healthy, fragrant Thai staples and organic rotisserie chicken for instant satisfaction. Perfect for uplift and comfort, it's a soup that's as nourishing as it is delicious.
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.