GI Health

TLC Programs: FirstLine Therapy®: Chronic Illness: GI Health

GI Health: A Hard-to-Digest Challenge

Every day, millions of people experience minor digestive concerns such as:

Gas and bloating
Occasional diarrhea
Occasional constipation
Occasional heartburn
Stomach upset

Most patients fight these symptoms with over-the-counter medications—spending nearly $2 billion each year on treatments for diarrhea, heartburn, and constipation alone.¹ But these “minor” symptoms may signal more serious health problems.

The Body’s First Line of Defense

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a major source of two valuable weapons in the body’s arsenal against disease: lymphocytes, which play a large role in defending the body against disease, and mast cells, which release histamines and other chemicals as part of an allergic response. Additionally, the GI tract is coated with billions of microorganisms and cells that work in concert to provide the body with important filter-like protection. Through this filter essential nutrients and water are absorbed, while unhealthy bacteria, toxins, chemicals, and wastes are filtered out and eliminated.

When the GI tract isn’t functioning properly, important nutrients can’t be absorbed and unhealthy factors can’t be eliminated, affecting every system in the body. Energy levels, weight, skin, joints, respiratory function, mental acuity, and moods may be impacted. And people may become prone to more serious conditions. A weakened or compromised GI lining has been shown to play a role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastritis, and various forms of hepatitis.²

The Key to GI Health

Environmental, dietary, and medicinal factors all have a direct impact on GI health. Fortunately, by avoiding “offending” substances and incorporating beneficial ones, you can help your patients get their GI tract back to optimal working condition.

Avoid refined, sugar-rich, fiber-poor foods. A diet high in fat and refined simple sugars and deficient in nutritious, whole, unprocessed foods and fiber may promote the overgrowth of unhealthy organisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. It is also associated with less frequent bowel movements and a number of forms of chronic intestinal dysfunction.
Avoid alcohol, antacids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These can lead to a deterioration of the physical integrity of the intestinal wall or even cause intestinal bleeding. Antacids only mask the problem and interfere with natural digestion.
Limit broad-spectrum antibiotic use. Broad-spectrum antibiotics destroy both harmful and friendly bacteria (required for health GI function), and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Eat a healthier diet. Research suggests that a diet rich in whole, unprocessed, nutritious foods is not only a good source of essential nutrients and fiber, but it also has a beneficial effect on intestinal motility. Include plenty of water.
Start a daily exercise regimen. Exercise also aids in intestinal motility.
Take quality supplements—including “friendly” bacteria or probiotics. Supplementing a healthier diet with certain nutrients—at doses that are difficult to obtain from diet alone—may be beneficial in supporting overall health. Probiotics such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria support a healthful and balanced population of intestinal bacteria. Probiotics are provided in supplement form, as well as in yogurt, fermented and unfermented milk, miso, tempeh, and soy beverages.
Learn to manage stress. Constant stress puts the body in “fight or flight” mode versus “rest and digest” mode and can lead to GI distress and weaken the immune system (also linked to the GI system). For these and other reasons, stress management techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation, massage, and yoga are invaluable for good health.

Probiotics: Frontline Fighters

Probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit to the host.”³ Two of the most researched strains of probiotic organisms are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These are gram-positive, facultative bacteria that normally inhabit the human colon and constitute a predominant part of the anaerobic flora in the intestinal tract of healthy people. Probiotic organisms are associated with health because they may act as an important biodefense in preventing the colonization and proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract.³

Probiotics have been scientifically and/or clinically proven to improve immune function through their abilities to help: ^4,5

Reduce diarrhea
Alleviate occasional lactose intolerance symptoms
Reduce symptoms of food allergies
Improve occasional constipation
Alleviate chronic dermatitis symptoms in children and stimulate the immune system

This ability to stimulate the immune system results from the interaction of specific probiotics with the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), which is a major component of the gastrointestinal-associated immune system. The GALT represents nearly 70% of the body’s immune cells (more than 106 lymphocytes/g of tissue) and represents the largest mass of immuno-competent cells in the human body.⁶

Published clinical research indicates that specific strains of probiotics may help:

Lower blood pressure in people with hypertension^7,8
Reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome^9,10
Reduce infant diarrhea due to intestinal infection with rotovirus¹¹
Reduce elevated blood cholesterol levels¹²
Reduce the symptoms of hormonal imbalances associated with the onset of menopause⁸

FirstLine Therapy®—Better Health Now and for a Lifetime

FirstLine Therapy (FLT) is a therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) program developed to help your patients address the underlying causes of disease and lead a healthier, more vibrant life. The basic principles of FLT—a low-glycemic-load eating plan, regular exercise, nutritional supplementation, and stress management—are the foundation upon which you can build a program tailored to your patients’ specific needs; and build up your practice at the same time. As part of a targeted FLT program, a range of probiotics products are available to help support good GI health for all your patients. Click here for details.

Better GI Health is in the Pipeline

Good digestive health doesn’t have to be a pipe dream. You can help your patients start to improve their GI health today! Learn more about FirstLine Therapy and the FirstLine Therapy Certification Program click here.

REFERENCES

Nielsen AC, as cited by Consumer Products Healthcare Association, http://www.chpa-info.org/ChpaPortal/PressRoom/Statistics/OTCSalesbyCategory.htm. Accessed March 8, 2007.
Galperin C, Gershwin ME. Immunopathogenesis of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases. JAMA. 1997 Dec 10;278(22):1946-1955.
Reid G, Jassa J, Sebulsky MT, and McCormick JK. Potential uses of probiotics in clinical practice. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2003;4:658-672.
Liong MT. Probiotics: A critical review of their potential role as antihypertensives, immune modulators, hypocholesterolemics and perimenopausal treatments. Nutrition Rev. 2007; 65:316-328.
Tejada-Simon MV, Lee JH, Pestka JJ. Ingestion of yogurt containing Lactobaccilus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium to potentiate immunoglobulin A responses to cholera toxin in mice. J Dairy Sci 1999;82:649-660.
Ecology Health Center: Healing the Environment Within. http://www.crohns.net/Miva/education/articles/Hanaway_Mucosal_Immune_System_5of7.shtml. Accessed February 18, 2008.
Minervini F, Algaron F, Rizzello CG, Gobbetti M. Angiotensin-1 converting enzyme inhibitory and antibacterial peptides from Lactobacillus hydrolyzed caseins of milk from six species. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003;69:5297-5305.
Liong M. Probiotics: a critical review of their potential role as antihypertensives, immune modulators, hypocholesterolemics, and perimenopausal treatments. Nutr Reviews. 2007; 65(7):316-328.
Wong C. Natural Remedies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). http://atlmedicine.about.com/cs/digestiveproblems/a/IBS.htm. Accessed February 19, 2008.
Whorwell P, Altringer L, Morel J, et al. Efficacy of encapsulated probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 in women with irritable bowel syndrome. A J Gastroenterol. 2006;101:1581-1590.
Szymanski H, Pejcz J, Heczko PB. Treatment of infectious diarrhea in infants and children with a mixture of Lactobacillus strains-a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Aliment Pharacol Ther. 2006;15:247-253.
Honma N. New Medicines and Clinics.1986;35(12):2687.