All Disease Begins in the Gut
“The gut” refers to the entire gastrointestinal tract. It starts at the mouth, travels through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine/colon, and ends at the anal canal/rectum.
“The role of the gut is extensive,”
“It is involved in many housekeeping-type functions but its main responsibility is digesting food. Digestion is both a mechanical and chemical process.”
The mechanics of digestion occur largely in the mouth and the stomach by physically breaking down food into smaller particles. The chemicals used during digestion — including a variety of enzymes, acid, and bile — aid in the mechanical breakdown of food, and, more importantly, they allow the body to absorb nutrients and expel waste.
The nutrients absorbed during digestion fuel every organ in the body and their respective functions.
Further, approximately 70 percent of the immune system is ruled by the gut. “Hippocrates himself said that ‘all disease begins in the gut,’ ” Desai said. “The intestinal tract forms a defensive barrier from what we ingest and it prevents harmful substances from reaching the bloodstream. If this barrier is compromised and those harmful substances are able to get past, inflammation can occur.”
Inflammation can negatively affect the body in many ways and is associated with the development of chronic conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, kidney disease, and colitis, among others.
RESOURCES:
https://www.nature.com/nrneurol/
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