Chiropractors and naturopaths have been yammering about ‘leaky gut’ to conventional physicians for years, receiving blank stares or charges of ‘quackery.’ I was once told by the Medical Director of a very large insurance company that if I ever used ‘intestinal dysbiosis’ as a diagnosis, WholeHealth Chicago would be subjected to a chart review, and we would have to return any payment we’d received anytime we used this diagnosis. This, by the way, is termed a “clawback,” and keeps hospital administrators and directors of large medical groups from sleeping at night. Moreover, he was unimpressed when I quoted Hippocrates from 2,000 years ago that “All disease begins in the gut.”
So I was quite pleased to see an article in Medscape, the online medical journal for healthcare professionals, written by a pair of orthopedists specializing in spine surgery, explaining the link between an unhealthy gut and the slow development of chronic spine disease.
Of course, you Health Tip readers know a lot about leaky gut already, but just in case you want to discuss your microbiome with your orthopedist before he exits, you might want to hand him the Medscape piece.
So—leaky gut, the end result of an unhealthy diet, an overuse of alcohol, NSAIDs, or antibiotics, and you start killing off the good bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacter). The subsequent chronic low level of inflammation from the leftover bacteria can thin the lining of your intestine, setting the stage for permeability of the spaces between the cells, also known as “leaky gut.’ The molecules of what will be leaking through are immediately picked up in your blood and carried throughout your body. Think of them as “molecules of inflammation” and when they land in cartilage, the normally smooth surfaces at the ends of your bones, or your discs between the bones of your spine, this inflammation dries out the surfaces and prevents repair.
Scientists have also been quite busy with something termed the ‘gut-brain axis,’ namely how the 100 trillion bacteria in our intestines affect our thoughts and how we respond to pain. One truly fascinating study found that a disproportionate number of patients with chronic back pain had the same twenty strains of dysbiotic bacteria in their intestines.
So, let’s summarize:
- Your dysbiosis and your brain-gut connection sensitizes the spinal pain pathways. You ‘feel’ more back pain.
- Your ‘molecules of inflammation’ accelerate disc degeneration and negatively affect your body’s attempt at healthy bone remodeling.
- If you do have back surgery, your recovery will take longer and be more painful.
HOW DO YOU CHECK YOUR MICROBIOME AND LEAKY GUT STATUS?
If you have neither chronic back pain nor chronic digestive symptoms, then don’t spend the money on microbiome testing. Keep up the good work and follow these guidelines for a healthy gut:
- Have plenty of dietary fiber (vegetables, legumes, whole foods) to promote microbial diversity.
- Make sure you’re getting enough protein to preserve muscle mass and spinal support.
- Try to reduce, as much as possible, ultra processed foods and sugars which promote inflammation.
- Eat more fermented foods (yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi).
- Keep yourself well hydrated.
- Adequate sleep, regular physical activity and stress reduction all factor into the level of inflammation in your body.
Now— to check your microbiome and leaky gut status: Ask your WholeHealth Chicago Practitioner to order GI Map with Zonulin. You can see what this test looks like here, and Zonulin is a chemical which when elevated indicates the presence of an intestinal ‘leak.’
If you’ve got dysbiosis, or leaky gut, work with your practitioner or our new nutritionist, Kristal Richardson, to supervise “repair.”
Be well,
David Edelberg, MD