Gut and Lymphatic Health

Gut Microbiome and Lymphatic System are key to well-being

The lymphatic system as well as our digestive system both contirbute to well-being and overall health.

Gut Health – Gut Microbiome

What is a gut microbiome?

The gut microbiome is a microbial cells living in the gut. There are 10 times more of these cells than there are human cells in the body- therefore we are only 10% human!

These millions of cells in the gut are made up of some good and some not so good cells. The balance between these good and bad cells is really important to health. If the gut has too many bad guys, the gut is polluted and creates toxins which can lead to poor health. The body needs lots of good guys for health to thrive.

To get the balance up of the good guys it is important to make good food choices, take nutrients to feed the good guys to populate the gut with more good guys than bad.

If the gut is over populated with bad guys more toxins will be produced which will lead to health problems and immune problems. More than half of the bodys immune system is in the gut. Therefore having a healthy gut microbiome is one of the vital keys to staying healthy.

Main causes of toxic overload

Poor food choices – this is controllable
Medication – keep to a minimum if you can (not always controllable)
Alcohol – this is controllable
Not enough fermented foods consumed – this is controllable
Stress – Life has its stresses – learn techniques and ways to manage stress
We cannot control all of these factors but we can make healthy choices each day to minimise their effects.
Toxins inflame the gut and may cause leaky gut.
Leaky gut is where food, toxins or pathogens enter the bloodstream, which then can activate the immune system causing inflammation and food sensativities.
Inflammation can lead to health problems, pain, metabolic dysfunction and the toxins can impact the body organs and systems leading to diseases.
Repopulating the gut with good guys can prevent this from happening.

How to repair the gut and populate it with good guys

Eat probiotic foods

Yoghurt – Goats is really beneficial to the gut
Kefir -Goats milk and Kefir grains fermented or water Kefir
Sauerkraut
Pickles

Why should you take Prebiotics and Probiotics?

Often probiotics can get destroyed by the stomach acid before they reach the small intestine and are therefore often wasted.

Prebiotcs are a non-digestible carbohydrate, a soluble fibre which when combined with water forms a gel which can withstand the stomach acid. This enables prebiotics to enter the small intestine in tact, ready to feed the good guys in the gut for them to increase and rduce the number of bad guys.

Taking a prebiotic with the probiotic will ensure the gel produced by the prebiotic will also protect the probiotics, which will ensure more good guys get past the stomach acid and enter the gut where they are needed.

Beneficial Prebiotics and Probiotics

Inulin- feeds the good guys and helps the immune system
Bacillus Coagulans- Spore forming probiotics which can stand up to the stomach acid
Fructo Oligosaccharides – Prebiotic to support and feed the good guys
Psyllium Husks – Soluble fibre/ laxative. Slows down digestion and helps cholesterol
Flaxseeds – Reduces inflammation, increases the good guys
Borage Oil – Anti- inflammatory. Shortens the life of toxic cells and helps to prolong the life of healthy cells

How to heal the Gut

REMOVE: REPLACE: REPAIR: REPLACE

Remove

Foods which are causing damage to the gut:

Wheat
Cows Milk
Limit animal protein
Limit alcohol
Limit medication
Reduce stress

Replace

Eat healing foods

Water
Almond/Coconut Milk
Vegatable proteins e.g. peas, lentils, spinach, sweet potato, eggs
Omega 3 e.g. olive oil, coconut oil
Flaxseeds
Vegetables
Fermented foods

Repair

Repair the damged gut with supplements

L Glutamine
Magnesium
Zinc
Borage Oil

Replace

Repopulate the gut with prebiotics and probiotics together

Prebiotics e.g. Inulin, Fructo Oligosaccharides, Psyllium Husks
Probiotics e.g. Bacillus Coagulans

Healing the gut will reduce the risk of disease, reduce inflammation which causes aches and pains as well as increasing energy. It will aslo result in weight loss, as the amount of fat held is directly related to the amount of toxins held in the body.

Lymphatic System

What is it?

The lymphatic system is a cirulatory system working alongside the cariovascular system which looks after our well-being.

3 main functions of the Lymphatic System

Removes excess fluid and waste products from the spaces between cells and organs of the body.
Supports the immune system removing toxins , dead blood cells, pathogens and other waste from the body.
Promotes digestion helping the body to absorb nutrients from the gut and delivering them to our cells to use as fuel.

If the Lymphatic System becomes inefficient it can cause

Water retention
Poor skin tone
Excess weight
Cellulite
Headaches
Joint pain
Fatigue
Higher risk of illness

Factors which block the Lymphatic System

Stress
Poor diet choices
Polution
Sedatory lifstyle

Many of these factors are addressed by healing the gut.

The Lymphatic System is a one way street with no pump, unlike the heart it relys on movement, gravity and breathing to keep the lymph flowing around the body.

An efficient Lymphatic System for improved immune function

How the lymphatic system works to help our immune system

Lymph is a fluid which carries immune cells into our lymph glands and the lymph glands fight off infections by producing lymphocytes which reproduce in large numbers, these are tansported around the body via lymphatic fluid to continue their immne response to remove unwanted invaders.

How are the lymphatic system and digestive system linked?

Absorption of nutrients happens in the small intestine which is lined with millions of ‘villi’ each villi has its own capillary blood supply and a specialised lymphatic vessell called a ‘lacteal’.

Water soluble nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals pass into the bloodstream through the capillary where they are transported directly to the liver and then on to the organs and tissues in the body where they are needed.

The remaining fats and fatty acids in the small intestine take a differnet route these are absorbed through the lacteals. The resulting mixture of lymphatic fluid and fats known as ‘chyle’ is carried through the lymphatic network into the largest of the lymphatic vessels, the thoracic duct and then directly into the heart. It is only at this point that the fats we have eaten enters the bloodstream where they are either used for energy or stored.

The importance of keeping the gut healthy and making sure the lymphatic system is clear of blockages and flowing freely, enables the villi to quickly and easily absorb nutrients.

The quality of fat eaten is also key as both good and bad fats will pass into the heart before they go through the detoxifying process in the liver.

Processed foods are full of trans and saturated fats which are not helpful to the body. The body needs healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats like oily fish, nuts, avocado, unprocessed meats and extra virgin olive oil.

Lymphatic fluid is more than 90% water therefore keeping fully hydrated is vital for a healthy lymphatic system.

The most effective way to guarantee a healthy lymphatic system is to eat healthy ensuring your gut contans more good guys than bad guys and have regular lymphatic drainage massage.

Lymphatic massage improves lymph flow. The lymphatic system depends on movement and breathing to move the lymph. Our lives are now becoming more and more sedatory causing lymph flow to get blocked and sluggish, lymphatic massage gives the system a boost that is often needed. If the lymph is blocked or sluggish it can lead to lower immunity, fluid retention, autoimmune issues and other health problems.