Nourishing the Gastrointestinal Tract :: Health and Disease

Nourishing the Gastrointestinal Tract
by author Paul A. Goldberg, MPH, DC

Modern day agricultural practices include the use of germicides, radiation and fungicides meant to kill harmful bacteria and other micro-organisms. They also kill beneficial bacteria, leaving our foodstuffs virtually sterile.

An unhealthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract plays a critical role in a wide variety of illnesses–some with seemingly unrelated symptoms such as back pain, fatigue, headaches and depression.

Years of overeating poor quality foods, too little sleep, ingestion of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, drugs and other toxic substances all upset the delicate balance of the GI tract’s intrinsic nervous system and alter the body’s chemistry. Ultimately, this can result in a severely compromised gastrointestinal tract.

Everybody is different in regards to the strengths and weaknesses of their systems and the abuses to which they have been subjected. A thorough case history, physical examination and appropriate laboratory tests should be performed on each patient to identify these individual traits and address them thoroughly at their roots.

Allow for Rest

Continual overeating, use of stimulants (such as coffee) and the ingestion of toxic drugs (prescription and non-prescription) deplete the vital energies of the body. Drugs cannot restore energy to the GI tract; rather, they deplete it. All drugs have toxic effects and the body must expend energy in trying to neutralize and eliminate them. Coffee, alcohol, tobacco and junk food are included in this category. The body will ultimately break down unless given the opportunity to recover its energies.

To utilize the nutrients in our food, digestion, absorption, assimilation, cellular excretion and elimination of wastes are all called into play. This requires the expenditure of significant amounts of energy. To continually eat when the GI tract is not functioning properly is equivalent to exercising with a torn muscle or walking on a broken leg.

It becomes evident that a reduction in food is called for. One may begin with an appropriate liquid diet or a fast, depending on the nature and extent of the illness. I generally prefer starting patients on a short fast or liquid diet with careful supervision and also require that they conserve energy in every manner.

Establish Healthy Bacteria

The gastrointestinal tract is a delicate environment in which billions of micro-organisms and ingested materials interact with lifestyle factors, working for or against the establishment of a healthy internal environment.

Health-promoting intestinal bacteria (known collectively as probiotics) assist in digestion and absorption. They synthesize nutrients (including B vitamins and vitamin K), influence the production of immune factors, protect against disease-producing organisms and are involved with gastric pH. They further promote the health of the intestinal membrane, increase our resistance to food poisoning and provide a host of other functions.

Pathogenic (disease-producing) bacteria interfere with digestion and utilization of nutrients. They produce toxic waste materials and may cause or contribute to a myriad of disease conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, ankylosing spondylitis, cancer, dermatological disorders, constipation and diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and allergies.

Approximately 400 different types of bacteria live in the small and large intestines, although the majority is comprised of about 20 species, all of which are in a constant battle for dominance. This serves to keep the disease-producing bacteria from gaining the upper hand, but only if the environment is conducive to the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Some specific factors that disturb and limit healthy bacterial growth (thus promoting the growth of pathogens) include the use of antibiotics, antacids, laxatives, steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), excessive sugar and carbohydrate intake, and long-term stress.

Imbalanced Bacteria

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Dr. Paul Goldberg is a graduate of Bowling Green State University (BA), Life University (BSc) The University of Texas Medical Center, Graduate School of Public Health (MPH), and Life College (DC). For the past 23 years, he has been a full time faculty member of Life University serving as a professor of gastroenterology, public health and clinical nutrition. Since 1983, he has practised clinical nutrition, biological medicine, natural hygiene and chiropractic as director of the Goldberg Clinic. Web site: goldbergclinic.com.

Source: alive #247, May 2003

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