Are you full of Cr@#p? Step one to Healthy Living: Robust Digestion

In order to produce heart beat, breaths, energy in the form of ATP (the list goes on) our body is constantly producing waste, toxic waste*.  Good news, our bodies are also constantly eliminating this waste.  as long as Good In = Bad out all is well and we are in ‘homeostasis”.  But, in most of us, our BAD IN is on the rise.  I used to ask my patients how many bowel movements they had per day, looking for the perfect answer of 2-3 a day, 1 after each meal, and so rarely got it, that I now ask, “How many bowel movements do you have a week”.  With 5 now the norm.  Quite literally my friends, we are now a society that is full of crap.

 Why is this the case?  Poor food choices, inflammation, dysbiosis, slowing down of our metabolism, slowing down of our organ processes, inefficient elimination pathways producing generally sluggishness.  And for those of you thinking, oh, all I need is a coffee (or a glass of milk…or any substance typically on the ‘food that causes inflammation and sensitivities list) and I’m as regular as clock work – think again.  That coffee does the trick because it is irritating the mucous membranes, causing inflammation – so yes, its helping to some degree, but it is not indicative of a healthy robust digestive system. 

The first step for any wellness program is to create a healthy digestive track, with a minimum of 2 bowel movements daily, well formed, no heart burn, or gas, or bloating – even if those things are now ‘common’ doesn’t mean that that in normal.

Examples of potentially dangerous toxins / free radicals: *Ammonia, aldehydes, alcohols, hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide, oxygen singlet, hypochlorite, nitric oxide, homocysteine, cardon dioxide, bilirubin, adducts (often implicated in Fatty Liver disease).

Sick Fat - The link between gut health, inflammation and metabolic challenges

Consider for a moment – your fat.  The fat around your belly, thighs, breasts, arms – this is not inert, benign tissue, this is a function organ, influencing your endocrine and immune system.

Which fat is the most problematic?  Let’s have a look at each kind:

1.       Subcutaneous fat – upper arms, back, legs, buttocks and subcutaneous abdominal fat – more benign, little harmful immune or metabolic effects

2.       Visceral fat – apple shaped, deep, around organs, men with ‘hard’ bellies – highly inflammatory and very biologically active fat

When fat cells become enlarged, their oxygen supply becomes inadequate, the cells begin to release hormones such as leptin – making you hungry and immune cells infiltrate, causing free fatty acids to be released into the body causing inflammation.  Since we know that almost all chronic degenerate disease is in an inflammatory, acidic environment, this isn’t just a, on no, I have to loose a few pounds problem, this become as a serious health risk and its dubbed – SICK FAT.

Do you have sick fat?  Consider your waist circumference to estimate your visceral or belly fat.Ideally, a waist circumference of < 70-75 cm in women and less than 75- 80 cm.

All you skinny people, don’t think you’re automatically off the hook.  “skinny fat” was a term coined for those who are metabolically obese, but normal weight.  So assessing actual fat levels is important for optimal health.

Why is this worth talking about.  Because, it means that your body’s fat is making you sick, it’s changing the way your immune system is responding to stimuli and leaving you primed for illness.  FAT cells release hormones (yup, its not just the brain or sex organs) which lead to this cycle of hunger, immune activation and increased fat.  It even causes a reallocation of nutrients, so even though you may think you’re getting enough nutrients from your daily multi, they’re not going where you need them to, leaving you fat yet undernourished!

The good news – there is a way to stop the cycle.  The link between gut health, inflammation and metabolic challenges is clear and resolvable.