How Your Gut Controls Your Immune System

Here at GUTFIT we thought it was important to focus on your immune system and the role gut health plays in maintaining good health and wellbeing.

Previously there has been some blogs on the microbiome, the role of probiotics and prebiotics , so we suggest you have a read of these as well as part of educating yourself all about your gut.

Let’s start with the basics by revising what is the immune system.

This amazing system consists of organs such as the lymph nodes, the spleen, liver, skin, thymus, bone marrow, tonsils, appendix, and specific tissues in the body’s mucous membranes layers in the intestine. The immune system produces white blood cells ( leukocytes) and their role is to defend your body against infectious disease and what the body regards as foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. These cells are active and ready for action when required and the lymphatic system circulates them to where they are needed to defend. The body then has a capacity to form antigens and antibodies in response which can lead to you becoming more resistant to these invaders.

We know in winter time there is many common colds, flu viruses around and this year has seen us in challenging health times due to COVID-19.

Through medical research we know that our gut microbiome plays a vital role in our bodies immune system. It makes sense to strengthen our body we need to address and support our individual gut health.
You may have seen our STARTER pack we have put together for you to use at home. This is a great way to keep yourself healthy and come in for a series of colonics when the clinic is able to reopen. We want to achieve a health status of homeostasis, this is where your gut microbiome and immune system are in balance, therefore the body can be working optimally.

Healthy Gut Microbiota Results in Healthy Gut

Inside your digestive tract the gut microbiome that is made up of bacteria’s, fungi and many other type of microorganisms not only breaks down food to nutrients for the body but importantly it actually acts as a guard by sending a direct message to the immune system that it needs to be on alert as invaders are present. There is so much science behind this gut immune system action, we know at least 70 % of the immune system cells are located in the gastro intestinal tract. Specific bacterias teach our immune system how to respond, behave towards invaders. Microorganisms called Sentinel actually live in your digestive tract and when they detect a possible invader such as a disruptive bacteria they excrete particular chemical substances that result in your body’s immune system receiving a warning and direction to send white blood cells to destroy the invader, amazing!!!

When we are babies growing in the uterus ( womb) this prenatal environment has specific bacteria in the placenta, and when born our mothers antibodies are naturally transferred to us until we can develop our own. This is called passive immunity. These bacteria start educating our immune system from the moment of birth. A diverse gut flora in the mother and the child is so important to teach the immune system what it needs to respond to and what it can tolerate, that not all invaders are bad and need a reaction and it teaches the immune system to be adaptive in maintaining immune homeostasis.

When we have an unbalanced gut flora and very reactive immune response (inflammatory response) conditions like leaky gut can occur. Gut bacteria plays a important well documented role in diseases related to the gut.

A diverse gut flora is the healthiest so look at the other blogs on our page that detail these.
Importantly the gut microbiota regulates both the local intestinal ( large ) immune system and the systemic (the whole body’s )immune system.

Stress The Gut Brain Axis

We are all facing different levels of physical and or mental stress at this time.

Stress will change the microbiota. The gut is able to influence brain chemistry (neurotransmitters) through a messenger system between the brain and the immune system. Simply put when we have increased levels of stress hormones for example cortisol, adrenaline, the immune system responds differently to when we are in a state of homeostasis.

In the STARTER pack we have added MAGNESIUM, this directly works on the nervous system, so ideal to support your body at this time and beyond.

PROBIOTICS are also included to support your gut and immune system which is likely to be sub optimal. The APPLE CIDER VINEGAR gets your digestive juices going that will help you digest your food better and support your immune system. COLOZONE will support your large intestine keeping clean and promote good elimination.

Supporting your immune system through practices of deep breathing, laughter, meditation, yoga ,regular exercise, good food choices, good sleep patterns , colonic therapy, infrared saunas are all positive steps.