The Gut & Immune System Connection

I recently held a seminar with Dr. George Nicoloff, who is board certified in Integrative Holistic Medicine.  We were so excited to have over 60 people attend!  We agreed to speak on the connection between the gut & immune system, as we know how deeply interwoven they are.  We shared a lot of information in just a short time.  So although this is not comprehensive, here is a portion of our presentation:

In Chinese Medicine, the relationship between the Lung (immune) and Large Intestine (gut) meridians:

Ways to care for the Large Intestine:

1.  Maintain regular bowel movements through diet and exercise (and if needed, acupuncture & herbs)
2.  Eat foods that are warm and easy to digest (temperature is important to gut)  Steam vegetables as opposed to eating them raw (only eat raw in spring and summer)
3.  Be careful with food combinations:  Protein, fat, complex carb at every meal.  Protein the size of your palm, carbs the size of your fist, fats the size of your thumb.  See “Game On Diet” by Krista Vernoff
4.  Eat slowly & intentionally.  Chew thoroughly.

Lung Meridian =

1. Practice deep breathing
2. Avoid toxic substances that are inhaled (toxic candles (lead and paraffin which is a petroleum biproduct), fumes, toxic household products)
3. Cardio exercise (strengthen lung and increase capacity)
4. Break a sweat (releases toxins)
5. Keep neck covered in wind/cold/rain
6. Good foods:  Rice, carrot, sweet potatoe, ginger, garlic, seaweeds, fibrous foods such as apples & oats
7. Not so good foods:  Heavy dairy, excessive citrus

From Dr. Nicoloff’s slides:

Healing Leaky Gut

I feel so fortunate to have found such a great doctor who takes time with each of his patients and has a background in holistic medicine.  And between acupuncture visits and supplements/herbs, the immune & digestive system can be truly repaired.

Those who think
they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for
illness.”

-Edward Stanley
(1826-1893) from The Conduct of Life