Immune System and Gut Health

What does your immune system have to do with your gut health?

The two are inextricably linked. Over 70% of our immune system resides in our gut: (aka colon and/or large intestine). The gut is often the first entry point for exposure to pathogens (bad bacteria and virus’ that can cause disease); therefore your gut immune system needs to be thriving and healthy in order to avoid illness.

Your immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that help protect your body from infection and illness. The gut, is the part of your digestive system where food is digested into nutrients that can be absorbed into the blood stream. It's also the place where many important chemical reactions take place, including those involved in immunity.

So how do these two systems work together?

In order for the body to fight off infections and diseases effectively, it needs to be able to recognize and destroy harmful invaders while still protecting itself from its own defenses. For example, if you're fighting off an infection like colds or flu (and who isn't right now?) your immune system will trigger inflammation throughout your body in order to fight off the virus or bacteria that's causing you harm. The gut is a part of the immune system that helps fight off bacteria by breaking down food into nutrients that can be absorbed by our bodies. The gut also produces its own antibodies to help us fight infections.

The colon plays a major role in the immune system.

The colon is responsible for absorbing water and nutrients from food. It also stores waste until it is eliminated from the body through moving your bowels. The colon's primary function is to promote healthy digestion and eliminate toxins from the body.

As you can imagine, this process can be quite taxing on the body's immune system, especially considering that the colon is home to millions of bacteria. Bacteria are essential to our health, but they can also cause problems if they get out of hand. This can happen when we don't eat enough fiber or drink enough water—or when we eat too much sugar or processed food, which feed harmful bacteria and make them grow more quickly than good bacteria can keep up with them.

That's where colonics come in!

Colonics help eliminate harmful substances from your body by flushing out toxins through your digestive tract, which allows good bacteria to thrive in their place. Colonics also improve peristalsis (the movement of food through your system) so that waste moves through your body faster and more efficiently than before--even after just one session!

The gut is where most of our immune system is housed, making it very important for our overall health. A healthy gut can improve digestion, nutrient absorption, energy levels, mood and so much more. A healthy diet with lots of fiber will help keep your digestive system healthy and boost your immune system as well.

"A well functioning gut with healthy gut flora holds the roots of our health. Just as a tree with sick roots is not going to thrive, the rest of the body cannot thrive without a well-functioning digestive system," Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD.

To book your next colonic with our colon hydrotherapists Greta or Marilyn, please click HERE.