How Important Is Gut Health?

The common link amongst our younger population plagued with eczema, asthma, allergies, obesity, dyspraxia, dyslexia, behavioral problems, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, and autism, all with varying degrees of intensity, ranging from mild to debilitating symptoms, is POOR GUT FUNCTION.

This also makes our immune systems take a nose dive into dismal health, eventually manifesting as more pernicious autoimmune diseases, cancer, and neurogenerative diseases.

The beneficial flora should make up 85% of the intestinal bacteria–primarily lactic acid producing bacteria.

This acid environment is a strong deterrent to the growth of pathogenic bacteria and yeast which prefer a more alkaline environment. 

The beneficial flora take an active part in digestion and absorption by helping breaking down proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber. 

Bacteria by-products are important in absorbing minerals and vitamins, in addition to producing some of them such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, and Vit K.

When pathogenic flora compete with beneficial flora for nutrients, it promotes heavy metal toxicity that turn a regular storm into a category 5.

For example, free iron, available from food and iron supplements, without beneficial bacteria, will be a food source for the pathogenic bacteria that makes them stronger and more virulent.

Meanwhile the iron binding protein, transferrin, will bind and carry the toxic metal aluminum to the brain.

Aluminum toxicity results in inhibition of magnesium dependent enzymes–as it can readily replace magnesium in a biological system because of its affinity for the substrate involved. 

Aluminum molecules are very similar in size to iron and magnesium.

Even the smallest amount of aluminum can compete with much larger quantities of magnesium resulting in a reduction in enzyme functions. 

Nearly all enzymes require an energy source in the form of Mg-ATP complex, and as a result of aluminum, the body will have less energy/ATP to fight infections.

Aluminum is what shows up high in most children, and many adults, on their Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.

Also, the absorptive mechanisms that increase iron uptake are involved in the uptake of lead, cadmium, and aluminum.

HCL in which stomach acid is our first line of defense for these invading organisms.

Low HCL leads to poor absorption of many nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, B vitamins, and amino acids.

Low stomach acid/HCL will lead to a reduction in digestive enzyme production creating an overly alkaline environment which favors pathogenic bacteria and yeast.

Toxic metals such as mercury, cadmium, and toxic copper interfere with the production of HCL by blocking zinc which decreases HCL.

Not only does HCL require zinc for its activation, but its production is also dependent on adequate sodium and potassium chloride–which in the stomach enable this to be converted into hydrochloric acid. 

Copper toxicity (unbound copper) becomes the main causative factor in low sodium and potassium by raising tissue calcium, slowing the oxidation rate, and decreasing the acidity in the stomach which helps pathogenic bacteria and yeast to grow.

80% of the adult population has high Ca and Mg, low Na and K, coupled with a low phosphorous– which is always indicative of a yeast infection and other pathogenic organisms.

Low phosphorus is a catabolic state which compromises the ability for protein synthesis, which impairs healing. 

When paired with low Na and K, the body will not be able to mount an adequate immune response which allows yeast and organisms to proliferate.

The bio-unavailable copper becomes a worse problem because not only will toxic oxidized copper deposit in the glands of organs and tissues, but the body becomes copper deficient.

Copper deficiency predisposes any human organism to bacterial and yeast forming organisms.

When copper is bound to its protein carrier, it becomes one of the main nutrients to fight bacterial and yeast infections.

This is why they put copper sulfate in swimming pools and hot tubs because it is the perfect agent to prevent the spread of athletes feet and other fungal infections.

Some antibiotics even work by mobilizing copper to fight bacterial infections.

Copper toxicity also impairs the function of the thyroid which makes the body more vulnerable to yeast.

The thyroid ratio on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is high calcium and low potassium.

Copper is essential for the control of all types of fungi and some of the pathogenic bacteria.

When the body is overloaded with sugar and alcohol, it rapidly causes a loss of zinc and a rise in toxic copper.

Yeast and pathogenic bacteria thrive on all sugar, so when the gut is disturbed by carbohydrate foods, it will promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria and yeast.

The excessive yeast and pathogenic bacteria (especially the clostridium species) by-products broken down produce excessive dopamine by inhibiting the dopamine beta hydroxylase enzyme.

Excess dopamine is a very reactive molecule-producing oxidative species in the cystol, which is the fluid in the intracellular compartment.

This forms HVA and DOPAC, which can be measured in the urine on an organic acid test.

Neuropsychiatric disorders and autism always have much higher levels of these by products of dopamine metabolism.

This means that high levels of dopamine can be toxic to the brain and inhibit the conversion of dopamine to epinephrine affecting major neurotransmitters of the sympathetic system which regulate the eyes, sweat glands, blood vessels, heart, lungs, intestines, and stomach.

This inadequate supply of epinephrine (or a substitution of dopamine for epinephrine) results in a profound alteration on physiology and psychology.

This beta dopamine hydroxylase enzyme is a copper and vitamin C-dependent enzyme, so now this enzyme does not work because it is blocked by pathogenic organisms and by these two vital nutrients.

We focus on getting patients the minerals they need based on Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis results, detoxing the bad minerals out, and addressing the gut functionality as the foundation for good health moving forward. 

Find out what a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis can reveal about your health and sign up for a free consultation with me.