Part IV of Oxidative Stress & Recovery: Feeding From the Passing Stream

This series of articles is based on the premise that the lack of progress in recovering lost health is due to a sustained level of oxidative stress that our body is unable to manage. Unmanaged oxidative stress keeps our bodies in turmoil. In this condition, our bodies defenses are in retreat and we are fighting with a rear guard action. If we are unable to hold our ground, we are not able to maintain or achieve hemodynamics/homeostasis. Even a weak body that has reached hemodynamics, can begin getting well and taking back the ground it lost. I previous issues, I listed seven areas of oxidative stress that are primary offenders. One of those offenders is an incompetent digestive system.

Your Digestive System , if spread out, has the square foot area of a tennis court. Every cell in this court is replaced each day, every day of your life. Contrast that with the fact that all of your brain cells are with you for life with no replacement. The digestive tract is home to more bacteria (10 times) than you have cells in your body; that is about 2 1/2 pounds of hopefully beneficial bacteria. One half of your bodyís immune cells are in your intestinal tract. If these cells become unusually excited, then a wide range of problems from colitis to autoimmune disease can result. The Digestive System is a complex, multifaceted organ whose primary responsibility is to keep the crap out while getting the nourishment in! If this function fails, even slightly, then you begin to get toxic waste products into your body and that significantly increases oxidative stress.

These cells, like all cells, are connected to each other to form a layer or barrier. Tight junctions are placed where the cells have a loose contact. If the intestinal and colonic cells are weak, diseased, undernourished, or effected by allergens, the ìtight junctionî open wider and allow large undigested protein fragments, toxins and bacteria directed into the portal blood stream. This condition is referred to as a ìleaky gutî. It is not a disease but rather of statement of the condition the digestive system. The goal of treatment should be to find out what has caused this condition and take steps to get the digestive system back into good health so it can perform its function, i.e. allow our bodies to get nourishment from the passing stream of food without allowing toxins into our system. This can be a daunting and complicated task. What is needed is a logical and simplified approach to this objective.

Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D. has developed an approach that is called the 4R program. Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, Repair . This is a logical and sequential method of rejuvenating the digestive system. A useful test designed to evaluate and measure the extent of the dysfunction or need of treatment is the lactulose/mannitol gastrointestinal permeability test. It provides a relative measure of gut permeability. This would provide a clinical basis for the treatment and a baseline for measuring progress. Additional helpful tests include a stool analysis for digestive competence and parasites, an organic acids analysis for bacterial toxins and testing for food allergens.

The first step in the 4R program is to Remove the endo and/or exotoxins that are damaging the digestive tract. Areas that should be investigated are medications (prescription and over-the-counter drugs), harmful bacteria overgrowths, parasites and food allergens, heavy metals like mercury and xenobiotics from industrial sources. Antifungal medications and antibiotics may be necessary to remove harmful bacteria and yeast. Specific treatments for parasites may be included based on symptoms and the results of the pretreatment status tests. It also stands for removal of foods from the diet to which an individual is allergic, sensitive or intolerant. Each person may have a somewhat different set of foods which must be avoided. An elimination diet can be helpful in assessing sensitive to specific foods. Antibiotics, antacids and anti­inflammatory drugs are a two edged sword. They are an immediate relief for the symptoms that they are designed to treat; but, they all have side effects that are damaging to the digestive system, its integrity and health. It is like calling in artillery on the enemyís position but being so close yourself that you are hit by friendly fire. The treatment of symptoms can make the problems worse. With that said, do not stop taking medications without consulting with your physician.

The next step is the Replace -ment of the digestive aids that are normally present in the digestive system. Normal aging processes reduce the amount of acid and enzymes your body produces. In addition, many medications reduce the level of these digestive aids. The diagnostic tests mentioned above would be useful in detailing what is in need of supplementation. These could be hydrochloric acid for achlorhydria and pancreatic digestive enzymes. The goal is to provide more complete digestion of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Dr. Sidney Baker describes this as eating eggs without becoming eggy. Digestion of protein should be so complete that no protein fragments that could be tagged as coming from a certain food would permeate the intestinal membrane. Adequate digestion of foods remove their antigenic identity so the bodyís immune system will ignore them.

This is followed by Reinoculation of the GI mucous with friendly bacteria, probiotics, and prebiotic substances like FOS (fructooligosaccharides) which stimulate growth and proliferation of friendly bacteria. These are readily obtained at any health food store. Beneficial bacteria are necessary for digestion and the feeding of the mucosal and colonic cells.

The last step in the 4R program is Repair of the GI mucosa using specific nutrients like panothenic acid (B-5), vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, L-glutamine, gamma oryzanol, essential fatty acids, and short chain fatty acids like acetate, propionate and butyrate which come from fermentation by friendly colonic bacterial. Soluble and insoluble fiber should be present in adequate amounts as a food source for bacteria and to aid in proper transit time.

Remember the goal is to repair the leaky gut so that oxidative stress is minimized from endo and exotoxins and eliminate inappropriate immune responses. Doing everything right doesnít mean that all your problems are over. The beneficial results can be startling quick but then again they could be awhile in coming. Be patient in doing the 4R program. Your body has been compensating for the loss of GI integrity and it takes time to decompensate and repair. Habits have to be changed. Eat appropriate foods for your bioindividuality. Avoid specific allergens. Keep a positive and hopeful outlook. Appropriate test should be repeated to demonstrate progress and to fine tune treatment.

Here are two things for your action plan. Call Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory, Client Services, 1.800.522.4762 and ask them for the name(s) of complimentary physicians in your area and secondly call Keats Publishing, Inc. at 1.800.858.7014 and ask for a copy of ìDigestive Wellnessî by Elizabeth Lipsik, MS, CCN, 1996, $14.95. Use these two sources to begin a methodical process of regaining digestive integrity.

Hot Breaking News:

Selenium has been hot breaking news lately. Several national and international studies have shown the efficacy of therapeutic doses of selenium. It is a strong virus inhibitor and has been described as something like a ìbirth control pill for virusesî. It has anticarcinogenic effects for prostate and colonic cancers. It competitively inhibits mercury absorption and it is necessary for good thyroid function as well as production of one of the most important detoxification substances in the body, glutathione. Low selenium levels in AIDS patients appear to be a strong predictor of the outcome in mortality of the disease. The dose range is 150 to 200 micrograms per day. Selenium can be toxic in high doses so it is important to monitor how much you take.

Several studies done since 1991 have shown that the persistence and/or severity of periodontal disease is the strongest predictor of the presence and extent of arterial disease of any risk factor yet identified. In deed, the presence of gum disease before age 50 is the strongest predicator of mortality, no matter what the cause. The National Institute of Dental Research is funding a 2.2 million dollar study at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, to determine precisely how gum disease and heart disease are related.

You can send your questions to me at NutriDent, Ltd. 4707 Everhart Rd., Suite 101, Corpus Christi, TX 78411 or FAX them to 512.853.8561. My E-Mail address is dlowrance@mail.interconnect.net. and internet homepage address, http://www.interconnect.net/dlowrance. Previous articles in this series are available from DAMS. I look forward to hearing from you. May God bless you in your search for health.

Nest Issue: Liver Detoxification