Gastrointestinal Balance: Do you have the guts for health

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Gastrointestinal BalanceDo you have the guts
for health?
Mark Pettus MD www.savvypatient.com June 18, 2008
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Learning Objectives

• Examine the role that our guts play in the
  broader context of health and dis-ease.
• Explore the brain-gut connection
• What creates imbalances and leaky-ness in the
  gut?
• The 4R-Model for gastrointestinal health

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Mind-Brain-Body
Weight Insulin Resistance
GI Health
Immune/Inflammation
Endocrine Imbalance
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Is your gut trying to tell you something?

• 100 million people with various gut problems e.g.
  IBS, bloating, gas, reflux, constipation,
  diarrhea, and crampy pain.
• Some of the most popular prescription drugs
• Over 200 million OTC digestive remedies sold in
  2006
• Common reason to seek medical care

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A healthy gut requires identifying and
eliminating the triggers that create imbalance
and identifying and restoring the things it needs
to heal, repair, and maintain itself.
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Problems with gut health can promote/worsen..

• Allergy
• Autoimmunity
• Arthritis
• Skin problems
• Mood disorders
• Dementia
• Cancer
• Inflammation

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The gut as a filter

• Keeps out the bad stuff
• toxins, allergens, bacteria and their endotoxins
• Lets in the good stuff
• nutrients, vitamins, minerals, water
• Your health is directly connected to optimal
  digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food

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The gut ecosystem

• 500 species of bugs
• 3 lbs of bacteria
• Gut flora when in balance facilitate
• -digestion
• -detoxification
• -production of vitamins
• -produce healing metabolites
• -regulate hormones

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When the barrier breaks down, disease risk
increases

• Small intestine surface area could cover a
  doubles tennis court
• It is only 1 cell layer thick
• Damage can lead to increased permeability of
  toxins, referred to as leaky gut

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Common causes of a leaky gut

• A high-sugar, low-fiber, processed diet
• Overuse of medications such as NSAIDs,
  antibiotics, acid blockers, steroids e.g.
  prednisone
• Food sensitivities
• Low-grade bug imbalances (dysbiosis) involving
  yeast, bacterial overgrowth, and parasites
• Stress or the brain-gut connection

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How do you keep your gut healthy?

• Eat whole, unprocessed foods with lots of fiber
• Try an elimination diet e.g. no gluten, dairy,
  yeast, eggs, soy, or corn
• Stress reduction techniques
• Treat infection or overgrowth of bacteria
• Take digestive enzymes
• Prebiotics and Probiotics
• Omega-3 fats
• Consider gut-healing nutrients such as zinc and
  glutamine

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The 4R Model

• Removed abnormal pathogens, foods and additives,
  toxic thought patterns
• Replace digestive enzymes
• Reinoculation pre and probiotics
• Repair healthier diet, gut-trophic nutrients
  e.g. glutamine, aloe, zinc, MSM, omega-3s, fiber

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Relaxation
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GI Revive Designs for Health

• Glutamine
• N-Acetyle Glucosamine
• Citrus pectin
• Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL)
• Aloe vera
• Slippery Elm
• Mucin
• Quercitin
• Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
• Okra and Chamomile

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Thank you.
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Coherence

• Ordered patterning within one system
• Synchronization between multiple systems
• Clarity of thought
• Many health benefits of biologic coherence eg.
  Reduced blood pressure, increased calmness,
  emotional balance, cognitive performance, immune
  function, etc.

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Welcome.
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Brain-Gut-Immune/Inflammation
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4-step coherence meditation

• Heart focus-shift attention to area of your heart
• Heart breathing-breathe slowly and deeply into
  your heart
• Heart feeling-activate and sustain a genuine
  feeling of appreciation, care, and love for
  someone or something in your life
• Heart perspective-send these feelings of care
  toward yourself and others

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