A Healthy Immune System starts in the GUT
Recently many people have expressed a new, profound interest in learning how to create a healthy immune system. A good functioning gut is one of the biggest keys to staying healthy because 80% of the immune system is in the gut. Anytime you see weakened gut function, you have weakened immunity.
Secretory IgA-The secret ingredient for a healthy immune system
One of the ways the mucosal barrier in your gut protects against infections is by creating a chemical barrier called Secretory IgA (SIgA). SIgA is the first line of defense against ingested pathogens. It has the capacity to protect the intestine from toxins, viruses and pathogenic bacteria. SIgA is there to protect against things that shouldn’t come into the system in order to make sure nothing bad gets into the blood stream. A good working gut also elevates SIgA to protect the body in acute situations.
Unfortunately SIgA can be suppressed with stress, chronic infection, infestation, and inflammatory agents. This makes the gut more prone to infections and infestations. This susceptibility causes the body more stress and creates a vicious cycle of gut dysfunction and a weakened immune system. Because of this, one of the biggest keys to a healthy immune system is to know exactly what’s going on in your gut. Thankfully there’s a simple way to test for gut infections, inflammation, and SIgA levels. The GI-Map test from Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory is the gold standard for assessing gut health.
The GI-Map
The GI-MAP (Microbial Assay Plus) is unique in the field of comprehensive stool testing. According to their website,
Almost every patient can benefit from a GI-MAP gut health assessment. Some patients are looking to achieve optimal health, while other patients have been chronically ill and frustrated without a diagnosis for years. Overwhelmingly, research indicates that gut health impacts overall health.
The gut microbiome, in particular, plays a critical role in mediating the effects of diet and other factors on health, including digestive, immune, metabolic and neuroendocrine functions. Assessing GI health with the proper tools can help practitioners get to the root cause of chronic illness. The GI-MAP (Microbial Assay Plus) is unique in the field of comprehensive stool testing. It relies exclusively on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology to detect parasites, bacteria, fungi, and more, by targeting the specific DNA of the organisms tested.
The GI-Map tests for bacterial pathogens, parasitic pathogens, viral pathogens, H. pylori, additional dysbiotic/overgrowth bacteria, potential autoimmune triggers, fungi/yeast, opportunistic viruses such as Cytomegalovirus and Epstein Bar Virus, parasites such as protozoa and, worms, and intestinal health markers for digestion, immune response, inflammation, and GI health.
To learn more about the GI-Map, please contact me for a free initial consult.
Triggers that Cause Intestinal Damage
Staying away from triggers that cause intestinal damage is also extremely important. These can include stress (physical and emotional), food sensitivities, lack of HCL and digestive enzymes, NSAIDS, antibiotics, drugs, alcohol, infections, pesticides and herbicides, blood sugar issues, environmental toxins, and hormone imbalances. If you feel overwhelmed by this list, please schedule a free initial consult with me to learn how I can help create your best gut health and immune system. I also recommend checking out these simple stress relief methods.