A few days ago, we learned from Dr. Jillian Teta about the important role of the gut in our overall health. In the second of this two part series, Dr. Jillian talks about changes in our gut as we age, supplements and elimination diets.
What changes occur in the gut as we age?
A few different changes occur in the gut as we age. During the aging process, cellular energy slows down. In turn, this means that important digestive factors, like enzymes, acid and bile, may not be made as briskly in older age as in our youth. If we are not making as many of these digestive factors, our digestive “fire” can be reduced. I call our digestive fire the ability to biochemically break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats into their teensy-weensy building blocks of amino acids, starches and fatty acids so they can be absorbed. Large, unbroken molecules create gas and bloating and can promote bacterial overgrowth or imbalance. This can lead to excessive inflammation and even compromise to the gut wall and malabsorption.
Many of us do not sleep as well when we are older, or sleep enough. As a result, there can be changes in the nervous system and the “second brain” that in turn translate into problems with gut motility – things may go too fast, or too slow, or oscillate between the two.
It’s also very common that we do not drink enough water as we age. The gastrointestinal tract absorbs through it an enormous volume of fluids daily – about 2 gallons – that we make and also derive from what we take in. Chronic dehydration, very common in an aging population, also will wreak havoc on gut motility.
What are the top supplement(s) that you recommend to optimize gut health? Are there specific strengths/doses to look for?
It depends on what is going on, but bare basics tend to be enzymes, probiotics and gut-building nutrients like glutamine and zinc carnosine.
With enzymes, look for a formula that contains protease, amylase, trypsin and lipase at a bare minimum. Most products off the shelf are going to be fine.
Probiotics are a different story, where quality varies widely. Typically good rules to follow are to look for a product that contains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacter strains, is grown in a hypoallergenic medium (ie – dairy and soy free) and are free from prebiotics, vitamins, greens, etc.
Doses with all things can vary widely, so it is important to tailor your gut restoration protocol for you.
What is an elimination diet and why would someone consider it?
An elimination-challenge diet is a tool that can be used to evaluate whether or not you have sensitivities to particular foods.
For a period of time, usually 4-6 weeks, one or a group of foods is eliminated from your diet. You can choose foods you suspect you may have an issue with, foods that are inherently problematic and inflammatory (think gluten, casein, etc) or foods that may not work for your condition.
When I am working with someone on their gut health and we are doing an elimination diet, I also have them take gut-restorative measures during this time. This typically looks like digestive enzymes with meals, probiotics, stress reduction techniques and gut-repair nutrients.
After the elimination period is over, foods are systematically challenged one at a time back into the diet, 4 days apart. For example, you would have a couple servings of bread for one day, then cut it out for another 3 days and watch your body for symptoms and reactions. this waiting period is important because these types of sensitivities can take 72 hours to manifest. Then, you move on to the next food. Your body will very clearly let you know what it can handle and what it cannot.
What are 3 things that people are surprised to learn about related to the gut.
The microbiome – the collection of healthy, helpful bacteria – weighs four pounds and contains a hundred trillion cells, outnumbering your own cells 10 to 1. Indeed, we are more bacterial than human.
The lion’s share of the immune system resides in the gastrointestinal tract, about 2/3 of it. This is because the vast majority of pathogens we are exposed to come in through what we swallow.
A normal digestive system is one that will give you almost ZERO reason to even think about it – aside from when you have to “go”. A normal digestive system is not painful, gassy, bloated or uncomfortable, period. To say this another way, it’s not normal to feel discomfort in the digestive tract, and symptoms here should be examined carefully – there is something afoot.
Dr Jillian Sarno Teta is a medically trained naturopathic doctor (ND) and the author of “Natural Solutions for Digestive Health”, released May 2014 by Sterling Publishing. She is the creator of the Fix Your Digestion gut restoration program- an online, do-it-yourself comprehensive system that can be used by anyone with digestive distress or digestive disorders to feel better.
Ever-loving of social media, she can be found on Facebook www.facebook.com/fixyourdigestion, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest @jillianteta