Why heal the gut?

by | Aug 17, 2022 | ama, anxiety, ayurvedic, ayurvedic approach, Ayurvedic Healing, Ayurvedicdiet, blog, gastro-intestinal tract, GI tract, gut, Gut Health, heal your relationship to food

Troubles for gut health

1. Poor diet and nutrition

a. Processed and refined foods

b. Overuse and misuse of foods and drinks

c. Not eating based on seasons, time of day, and according to one’s constitution

d. Attraction to fad diets

e. Eating in a hurry

2. Overuse of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and toxic household cleaning products

Synthetic chemicals which has many side effects on the microbiome  if taken over time

3. Sedentary Lifestyle

4. Living in consistent stress and anxiety 

5. Not following circadian rhythm or the bio-rhtytm of nature

Importance of gut health in Ayurveda and Allopathy

  • 60–80% of our immune cells are located in our gut
  • A complex, independent nervous system called the enteric nervous system (ENS) lines the gastrointestinal tract. ENS contains many of the major neurotransmitters that are found in the brain, including serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine, and nitric oxide
  • More than 80% of our body’s neurotransmitters are made in the gut
  • Intimate 2-way communication between gut and brain, mediated by many pathways including the vagus nerve
  • Human microbiome provides the crucial functions such as
    • Regulate metabolism
    • Protect against infections
    • Promote normal GI function/digestion
    • Synthesize certain essential nutrients
    • Regulate immune system
  • The physiology of depression and anxiety begins in the gut
  • Our gut produces more than 50% of dopamine and more than 90% of serotonin
  • We rely on diverse bacterial populations on the surface of our our intestinal endocrine cells for the neurochemistry production to occur.

Ayurvedic concepts of Ama (metabolic waste), Agni (metabolic fire) and Ayurvedic pathogenesis

• All disease begins in the gut

• Ama is the root cause of all disease

• Problems with Agni, such as weakening, vitiation or imbalance, predispose to creation of Ama

• Ama is formed in the gastrointestinal tract and then enters the general circulation

• From here, it can affect Agni in the liver, impairing liver function

• Systemic Ama can then enter and penetrate into the Dhatus (tissues), depending on the weak areas in the tissues which are likely to be first affected)

When in doubt, heal the gut 

• Digestive health is the foundation for overall health

• When in doubt, start treatment with the gut

• Cleanse Ama, determine status and work to rebalance Agni

• Combining Ayurvedic and Allopathic understanding can provide tools to optimize gut healing

• Always customize to Prakruti (constitution) and Vikruti (current state of imbalance)

If you have questions about our six months gut healing protocol, feel free to write or call us. We will be happy to answer any questions you my have.

8/17/22

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