Immunity and Gut Health

Immunity and Gut Health- Today we are talking about Immunity and Gut Health. As we head into the holidays, we want to make sure we stay clear of Covid, the flu, and RSV. Almost always, patients are asking how to improve their immunity. You can’t have good immunity with poor gut health. The digestive system contains more than 70 percent of the body’s immune system, which means a large majority of the immune system resides in the gut. Much of the body’s immune response depends upon the gastrointestinal microbiome, and understanding its complexities and potential therapeutic targets is essential, particularly in times of stress and/or when risk of infection increases. Changes in the gut composition induced by diet, alcohol, or antibiotic intake, or due to pre-existing genetic factors, can lead to dysbiosis. If your digestive system becomes damaged, you are risk for low immunity which means more sickness. Dysbiosis may lead to increased gut permeability, also known as leaky gut. The protective barrier inside your digestive system is supposed to control what is allowed into your bloodstream. When this barrier isn’t as tight as it should be, it can let unwanted substances through causing gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune disorders, inflammation, Type 2 Diabetes, lupus and irritable bowel syndrome. What damages our gut health? A variety of factors lead to poor gut health: -Overuse of antibiotics -Overuse of NSAIDS -Too much alcohol -Exposure to heavy metals and pesticides -Diet- if your diet isn’t as healthy as it should be, then your immune system won’t function as well. -Smoking -Lack of Exercise -Stress -Poor sleeping habits I’m sure you are wondering how to improve gut health? Your diet is going to be key and staying away from inflammatory foods such as processed sugar and refined grains which can wreck your digestive health. Your diet should contain a variety of colorful vegetables and protein-rich foods. If you have poor gut health, many times the foods you eat will be a trigger and this is when an elimination diet should be implemented. I would recommend keeping a food journal to see which foods are causing you issues. Foods you may consider eliminating pork, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, gluten, sugar, peanuts, alcohol, and caffeine. Once the gut is healed, you can slowly add these back into your lifestyle. Also, your supplement regimen should contain physician-grade probiotics and digestive enzymes. It’s important to learn what you are deficient in by doing a functional blood chemistry analysis to ensure optimal gut health. Taking small steps to improve your diet can create big changes in your digestive health and immune system. If you have any questions or if you are ready to get started contact my office at 251-949-2220 or email me at cindy@drcindyross.com #immunity #immunesystem #guthealth #health #functionalmedicine #functionalmedicinedoctor #diseasprevention #drcindyross

Healthy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie for the Fall

Entering the fall season, we’re reminded of warm spices and hearty root vegetables that work overtime on providing vitamin A and K to our diets. There are so many delicious recipes in my cookbook that use these but I wanted to share a recipe here that’s fun and healthy. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

½ cup canned pumpkin 

1 scoop of vanilla pea protein 

½ tsp of cinnamon 

1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup 

2 Medjool dates, pitted 

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 

Zest of ½ orange 

Ice 

Directions: 

1.      Place all ingredients (except ice) into a blender and blend until smooth. Add four to five ice cubes and blend. Continue to add ice cubes to desired thickness.  

Why is this smoothie so good for you? 

·  Get pumped with pumpkin puree: Half a cup of pumpkin puree is low in calories (42), high in fiber (3.5 grams), and a great source of vitamin A and beta carotene. It is also rich in iron (1.5 milligrams), which is important to make hemoglobin and transport oxygen throughout the body, increasing your energy level.  

· Spice it up: Cinnamon helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, and its naturally sweet taste is a great addition to any recipe if you want to reduce the amount of sugar that’s called for.  

· Almond alternative: Almond milk is low in calories and rich in the minerals manganese, copper, and vitamin B2 (riboflavin), all of which are important in energy production.