Originally published October 22 2012
Four natural remedies for a quick and easy gut detox
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) Pathogenic bacteria already exist in even a healthy gut. But the healthy gut maintains a balance between beneficial and pathogenic bacteria of usually 80 to 85 percent beneficial to 20 or 15 percent pathogenic.
This ratio is normal for a human body that houses an estimated 100,000 billion (one trillion by American numerical standards) bacterial microbes. It's only when that ratio begins going the other way that diseases strike with impunity.
That's because in addition to digesting foods well, which alone is essential to good health, those friendly bacteria work in harmony with our overall immune system throughout the body. It's estimated that 60 to 80 percent of our immune system depends on friendly or probiotic bacteria.
Unfortunately, the standard American diet (SAD) and our pharmaceutical oriented mainstream medical system are the guiltiest of tilting the balance of probiotic and pathogenic bacteria. The imbalance creates small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Fungal yeast infections may come to mind for most. But SIBO manifests a myriad of diseases ranging from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to Type 2 diabetes and other maladies, usually treated with pharmaceuticals that perpetuate the problem.
Mal-absorption is a more subtle, overlooked expression of SIBO. The more you eat, the less your small intestines absorb the nutrients from food and into your blood stream. Low energy, fatigue, and obesity are the obvious symptoms, and the impulsive energy solutions of consuming more processed carbs and caffeine worsens the condition. Eventually, life threatening diseases may develop.
Antibiotics destroy all types of bacteria, including the good guys. Vaccinations are destructive also. GMO transfer genes wreak havoc with gut bacteria's genetic DNA and RNA. Sugar, HFCS, processed carbohydrates, and trans-fatty processed oils comprise the bulk of non-GMO, dietary SIBO causation.
Reversing the bacterial imbalance to balanced
The first step is reversing the diet from SAD to mostly fresh, high fiber, whole organic foods. Minimize processed foods, even those sold at health food stores. Avoid GMOs and trans-fatty hydrogenated oils. Stop drinking sodas. Eat more organic raw fruits, nuts, and vegetables, especially greens.
This promotes a slightly alkaline (pH 7.2 to 7.4) inner terrain that discourages pathogenic bacteria from thriving. SAD promotes an acidic inner terrain that invites pathogens. Get to know the difference between which foods and beverages are alkaline forming and acid forming. (http://www.naturalnews.com)
Simultaneously, probiotic supplements, foods, and beverages should be consumed on a regular basis to provide the gut with more probiotic bacteria. Probiotic supplements are pricey, but convenient for immediate SIBO imbalance reversals. Fermented foods and beverages, such as sauerkraut and kefir provide probiotics naturally. You can also make your own. (http://www.naturalnews.com)
Other lifestyle aspects of promoting healthy gut bacteria are getting sufficient quality sleep and stressing less.
Four herbs that help detox the gut
The flip side of retaining the 80/20 balance of beneficial bacteria to pathogens is using natural herbs and that can distinguish the difference and remove or destroy only the pathogenic bacteria. This helps the remaining or added beneficial bacteria thrive and do what they do to help our immunity and digestion.
Garlic is an excellent choice. After chewing a clove and ingesting it, a series of metabolic events results in the release of allicin in the small intestine. Allicin leaves the beneficial bacteria alone while eliminating pathogens. In other words, garlic has to be crushed and consumed to realize its benefits.
A spoonful of raw honey makes this process more palatable. Honey is often used as a delivery system for medicinal herbs by Ayurvedic doctors. Tests have found raw garlic more powerful than even penicillin and tetracycline without destroying the digestive intestinal flora and while enhancing the immune system. (http://www.naturalnews.com/029701_garlic_superfood.html)
Peppermint oil contained in enteric capsules has been used successfully to eliminate pathogenic bacteria without collateral damage to probiotic intestinal flora. Enteric coatings allow capsules to pass through the stomach intact and release their contents into the small intestines.
Mainstream medicine has traditionally touted peppermint oil for promoting gastric motility to relieve IBS, while ignoring its ability to destroy only harmful pathogens. Nevertheless, peppermint oil has been tested and found to curb or kill several strains of pathogenic bacteria, including E. coli.
Pau d' Arco is one of nature's most powerful remedies for all sorts of diseases and ailments, even cancer. One must make sure to purchase Pau d' Arco extracted from the inner barks of South American rain forest trees.
It's a powerful anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral natural medicine that won't interfere with the friendly bacteria of someone's intestinal flora.
Oregano oil is also a powerful anti-bacterial and anti-viral that leaves the beneficial bacteria alone. Make sure your choice of oregano oil is organic or wild. Seek the highest level of carvacrol, oregano's active ingredient, to make sure you get the most potent oregano oil.
Here's a bonus GI detox you can add to these four herbs - activated charcoal. Read more here: (http://www.naturalnews.com/028461_activated_charcoal_medicine.html)
Sources for this article include
http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/7/5/410.pdf
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/oregano-oil/
http://www.yogawiz.com
http://altmedicine.about.com
http://www.jeffreywarber.com/hc%20pages/irritablebowel.html#anchor3
http://dralexrinehart.com
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