Chronic Illness Living in a Sanitary World??

 

dirtyhands

Good Tuesday morning!!  As my summer winds down…life has not 🙂  I have become increasingly busy with my personal business, alongside a full-time job..so keeping up with the demands of life has become more of a juggling act.  My posts have narrowed to one day a week and as hard as I try, I cannot always post on the same day.  Just know that every week you will receive some insightful information on your health, a great recipe or a challenging workout!!

Thank you for your dedication to my blog and I look forward to continuing this journey with you!

PART 2: Digestive system and chronic illness prevention AS PROMISED…

Last week I discussed increasing energy levels through metabolism and digestion.  Today I want to continue down that digestion path, to discuss the role our digestive systems serve in prevention of chronic illness as well as immunity.

First off, I can’t tell you how fascinating our bodies are…a multi-level, orchestration of functions that work tirelessly around the clock to keep our bodies balanced and in good health. The more I learn, the more excited I get about sharing this information that so many of us have yet to discover.

Think about this…did you know that “our intestines contain more immune cells then the entire rest of our body”? (1)  When you take your thoughts of the composition of the immune system, you automatically think of white blood cells, lymph nodes and lymphatic systems.  The reality is, our immune systems extend beyond the lymphatic system, reaching deep into the digestive system, where a network of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) have dispersed themselves throughout the lining of our intestines. How amazing is that!!??  In abundance these cells create a tissue that is known as GALT; Gut-associated lymphoid tissue, which guards the body against harmful microorganisms, across a span of 2,150 to 4,300 square feet of intestinal tract.   GALT maintains a friendly and accepting relationship with the healthy bacteria’s that naturally inhibit the large intestine and together prevent and fight pathogens that can cause chronic and acute illnesses.

So why are we getting sick?

With the overuse of antibiotics alongside the aseptic environments we stress on having in the developed world, our systems become weakened.  Our bodies are not properly challenged by pathogenic organisms and the friendly bacterias that live within our gut, consisting of 300-1000 different species cannot all survive.  With this imbalance of bacterial flora, chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crones and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, as well as other diseases such as Celiac, become more prevalent in our modern world.

What can we do?

Increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables will not only increase your fibre intake but can also help to keep intestinal immunity in good working order.  Incorporating healthy bacteria in your diet from sources such as fermented foods like sauerkraut, beets, probiotic foods or a supplement with active cultures (found at the health food store), can also help to restore the balance of good bacteria in the intestine, helping to reduce symptoms of such inflammatory diseases.

Our bodies have been created to heal, restore balance and work in homeostasis.  With the proper intake of fruits and vegetables as well as a moderate exposure to the bacteria that surround us, we can create a strong foundation within us that will guard and protect us against harmful invaders.

 

Delve Deeper…

1)  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130916122214.htm

2) http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/features/what-are-probiotics

3) http://www.livestrong.com/article/562103-intestinal-lymphocytes/

4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1773987/