More articles by Allan Bortnick

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• Are you protein deficient?

• What's your gut reaction?

• Feeling Distracted? Overwhelmed? Disorganized?

• It may not just be food causing tummy troubles

• Phytonutrients help plants and people be healthy

• Women’s health focus: probiotics

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“What’s your gut reaction?” says Allan Bortnick, Cranial-Sacral Therapist, Master Herbalist

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Allan Bortnick asks several important questions about your digestive system:

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Could there be a leak in your digestive system? An overactive intestinal immune system and inflammation can damage the mucosal lining of the intestines, causing leaks to occur. These leaks, or enlarged spaces, between the cells of the gut wall allow substances that trigger food sensitivities to be absorbed into the body before they are completely broken down. The immune system then starts making antibodies because it interprets these possibly harmless substances as foreign invaders and treats them as if they have to be destroyed. The antibodies may then enter various tissues and trigger an inflammatory reaction whenever the offending substance (e.g., wheat) is encountered and inflammation becomes chronic.

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Damaging the defense mechanism. Your digestive tract is home to about 70% of your immune system, composed of various cells and proteins that safeguard the body from infection. The inflammation that causes a leaky gut also damages the protective coating of a healthy digestive tract, creating not only food allergies but also an entry in the bloodstream for bacteria, fungi, and parasites that normally would not penetrate this protective barrier. And, in larger amounts, these harmful substances can overwhelm the liver’s ability to eliminate toxins (detoxify).

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Inflammation: a chain reaction. Practically any organ or body tissue can become affected by food allergies and inflammation created by a leaky gut. This intestinal inflammation can send out signals to other systems in the body, causing inflammation in other areas that can lead to chronic conditions. A compromised intestinal tract or leaky gut (intestinal permeability) has been observed in inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and inflammatory bowel disease.

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Make an appointment to learn about specialized programs for leaky gut syndrome, including a clinically designed dietary plan and medical food formulated to support a healthy microbial balance and gastrointestinal mucosal integrity.

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Call Allan Bortnick’s office today to schedule an appointment if any of the above feels familiar so we can discuss nutritional strategies for digestive health, including supplementing with digestive enzymes and simple dietary and lifestyle changes.

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