The Gut-Immunity Connection
Did you know that 70% of the immune system is in the gut? Before I discovered Functional Medicine, I thought the gut and the immune system were totally separate, but it turns out that the phrase “You are what you eat” couldn’t be more true. Think about that before you pull up to the drive-thru and order a #1 with fries and a Coke! I know it is hard to make changes. We want the cheeseburgers. They taste good and food is comfort. The funny thing about that is, you don’t really want it. It’s true! Your body craves what you continually give it to compensate for what you are not giving it- good healthy food. Good immunity is directly tied to a good diet.
The Immune System
Now, let me tell you about how the immune system works. First, it acts like a detective looking for potential invaders. Think of it as the security guard at the door, allowing the good guys in and identifying the bad guys. That leads us the the second role, regulator. Now, we have to deal with the bad guys. The immune system launches a response to the threat. It runs a tight ship, so it’s ready for invaders, which leads us to the third role, restoration. The damage is done and now it’s time to repair. The cool thing about the immune system is, it’s able to recognize what it needs to get rid of and what it needs to tolerate. Otherwise, it would be attacking us all the time. It’s nice to know, security has your back! The bad news is, if your immune system becomes impaired, it becomes weak, the enemy takes advantage of that, inflammation occurs, which then leads to symptoms and disease.
Time for a Change
Naturally, none of us wants to be sick or symptomatic, so let’s talk about how to prevent that. The short answer is, one step at a time. If I asked you to throw away all your candy, cookies, chips and soda, eat only lettuce and drink only water, you probably wouldn’t. In an ideal world, that would be great, but c’mon, we have to be realistic. Every person has their own individual vices and needs. Soda may be your weakness, while sweets might be mine. We all need to work on our own stuff. In summary, something is better than nothing. Make one change every week. Add a vegetable, decrease soda intake, plan meals and/or make a list prior to grocery shopping to stay on track.
Goals
In the end, we want to create lasting change. You don’t have to do that alone. I can help you determine what to focus on and how to succeed. To do that, I listen to your unique story to fully understand the root cause. This allows me to treat the whole person, not just the symptom. As a result, you will feel better and have more energy. If you’re ready to live your best life, contact me to start your journey. Together, we can make the necessary changes based on your individual needs and create new habits.
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