29. The Gut
The main function of the gastrointestinal tract — the gut — is
digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Most people are well
aware of these activities, but the gut is also home to most of the adult
immune system. It also assists the liver by eliminating toxins, pro-
duces vitamins and hormones, has an extensive nervous system of its
own and is in constant communication with the brain. When the gut
is under stress, all these areas can be significantly disturbed. For
example, even if you eat the right foods, if they’re not digested, and if
the small intestine does not absorb nutrients, malabsorption can
cause nutritional imbalances. This could create a problem identical to
those associated with not eating the right foods.
Although a variety of supplements can help remedy intestinal
dysfunction and are described in this chapter, it’s important to avoid
the temptation to use the many products on the market — from
dietary supplements to drugs — that claim to fix your gut. That’s
because getting your whole body healthy with the topics discussed
throughout this book can improve intestinal function — often dra-
matically.
Symptoms of gut dysfunction are another epidemic in today’s
high-stress, bad food society. Among the biggest sellers of drugs, both
over-the-counter and prescriptions, are those that cover the symp-
toms of an improperly functioning gut. And it should not be a sur-
prise to learn that many of these drugs, prescriptions too, are given to
children (despite not being approved for them). But the majority of
gut problems can be significantly improved or eliminated by making
some relatively easy changes in your food intake and controlling
stress. These problems include issues in the mouth, such as cavities
and other tooth problems, indigestion, ulcers, reflux and other chron-
ic diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Among the common