— Health from a biblical perspective —

Dear Health-minded Reader,

The body places an extremely high priority on the digestive process and many of us need to elevate its importance in order to gain, regain or maintain robust good health.  It’s easy to take our gastro-intestinal (GI) tract for granted but we do so at our own peril.  Dr. Russell Jaffe, M.D. says it well, “The gut is a major, potential portal of entry into the body for foreign antigens.  Only its intact mucosal barrier protects the body from foreign antigen entry and systemic exposure.”

If you’ve used or still ingest antibiotics, steroids or pain killers, you’d be well advised to consider their downside.  They’re also very destructive, often creating problems more serious than the original. Through wise lifestyle changes many people can become free of them, and healthier.

Dangerous Dysbiosis

Is it robbing you of life?

Around 1900, Dr. Eli Metchnikoff coined “dysbiosis”, the opposite of symbiosis, to describe an unhealthy intestinal climate where there’s an imbalance of bad over good bacteria.  He was also the first scientist to discover beneficial qualities of probiotics (acidophilus/bifidus) and was awarded a Nobel-prize in 1908 for  his pioneering research concerning friendly bacteria and immunity.

Dysbiosis then, refers to an intestinal, or “gut” condition where there’s a lack of bacterial harmony, rather then to a specific disease — though it causes a wide variety of secondary health issues.  It could be compared to faulty fuel and exhaust systems of an older car.  The gas tank might be contaminated, fuel pump pressure too low, carburetor set too lean, plus having a leaky muffler.  Problems arising from these faults range from hard starting and poor gas mileage to bucking, stalling, engine overheating, reduced power and the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning — not to mention it “dying” enroute.  It  might be rundown to a point the owner questions the merit of repairing it and he’s always concerned about its limitations and ability to get him to his destination.

Likewise with dysbiosis; resultant health issues can overshadow living.  According to published studies1, left untreated, it produces serious, even life-threatening secondary health problems as malnutrition, arthritis, auto-toxemia, “leaky gut” syndrome, autoimmune illness, B12 deficiency, chronic fatigue, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, food allergy/sensitivity, cystic fibrosis, acne, colon and breast cancer, etc.  In fact Metchnikoff suggests that most all disease begins in the digestive tract.

Causes of Dysbiosis

Keep in mind, the issue here is bacterial balance in the digestive tract.  Of the perhaps, hundreds of types that naturally inhabit us, it is imperative that beneficial ones dominate in the colon for good health — namely acidophilus and bifidus.  It’s also been established that imbalances are often self-induced by poor food choices, emotional stress, chemicals, medicines, oral contraceptives, etc.  The most common cause is frequent or prolonged use of meds; especially antibiotics, pain killers and steroids.

Antibiotics: These wonders of modern medicine kill bacterial microbes, not discriminating between good guys and bad ones; friendly or pathogenic.  Like most meds, they injure health in the process of doing good.  Not only do antibiotics upset “flora” balance in our colon, they likewise do the same to our mouth, vagina and skin, leaving those areas open to bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungus — resistant to that antibiotic.  “In a healthy gut, parasites may be present in small numbers and not cause symptoms, but if allowed to flourish they can cause diarrhea, illness and weight loss.  Most people can recover fairly easily from a single round of antibiotics, but even those with strong constitutions have trouble regaining balance from repeated use of antibiotic drugs.”¹

These unfriendly bacteria (pathogens) produce toxins poisonous to the body’s cells and damage the intestinal lining (microvilli) directly.  If persistent, they can cause leaky gut syndrome which underlies an enormous range of symptoms and illnesses.  Formally termed increased intestinal permeability, it condition allows larger particulates than should, to migrate from the intestines into the liver and bloodstream.  This can cause many other problems throughout the body.

Pain Killers: Inflammation, pain and swelling are the body’s natural ways of alerting us to a particular problem;  many of which it is entirely able to correct.  God designed our bodies to be essentially self-healing.  White blood cells rush to an affected area, kill bacteria and carry off the corpses for disposal via the lymph system.  In order for it to do its job we must supply the body with all 45 essential nutrients, plus cut back energy use to free up as much as possible for healing; namely, to eat and bed-rest.  Here’s where nutrient-dense, fresh vegetable juices and pre-digested foods can be powerful medicine.  But what do we typically do?  We reach for an anti-inflammatory or pain killer.  Studies have shown that used repeatedly, these same medicines become a factor in the continuation or severity of the initial problem. Stephen Barrie, N.D., calls it a Machiavellian theme: drugs cause damage to the intestinal lining, causing more inflammation, irritation and pain.  So we take more medication, causing even more damage!

The most commonly used and abused pain medicines are NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories).  This includes aspirin, ibuprofen and indomethacan.  These all work by blocking prostaglandins; small protein messengers circulating throughout the body.  Some of them cause pain and inflammation while others are responsible for healing and tissue repair.  Again, you see the downside of a poison-the-symptom-away approach; it also blocks those prostaglandins needed to make the repairs.  The pain is gone but so is the needful healing process!  Intestinal lining, normally replaced every 3-5 days, is prevented from doing so by prolonged use of NSAIDS.  “The GI side effects are well known: the lining becomes weak, inflamed and ‘leaky,’ causing increased permeability”¹ — ulcers and bleeding also.

Steroids: According to E. Lipski1 and company, steroids such as cortisone and prednisone, are two of the most effective emergency drugs for lupus, allergies, arthritis, asthma, eczema, poison ivy, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and the like.  But, because they have such powerful anti-inflammatory effects they are often used long-term to treat those with chronic illness.  However (here we go again!) persistent use of these steroids depress the immune system, causing side effects such as lowered resistance to infection and parasites, stomach and duodenal ulcers, thinning of the bones and dozens of other problems.

Moreover, these steroids literally “feed” the fungal infection, candida. Though not prescribed for anyone with candidiasis, untold numbers harboring it go undiagnosed.  It damages intestinal lining, causing bloating, chronic fatigue, constipation, depression, diarrhea, hypoglycemia and PMS.  Corticosteroids are so strong, they suppress the body’s own ability to work through an illness on it own.  They are therefore best suited for emergency rather than regular use.

What can we do?

We espouse seven foundational rules to gain, regain or maintain robust  good health; they apply to us all:

• Thou shalt not poison thyself
• Live bodies require live foods
• Drink only pure water.
• Exercise at least 4 times/week
• Get plenty of sunlight and rest
• Reduce the stress in your life
• Make peace with God

Though all 7 are important, the first 3 are particularly useful in restoring the digestive tract to a symbiotic, rather than dysbiotic state.  This requires us to identify and reduce or eliminate toxic substances now being ingested.  Likewise, to replace as many “dead” foods in our diet with live ones and drink only RO or distilled water — and plenty of it.  It’s also imperative to realize that all medicines are poisonous to the body and many so-called “foods” equally so.  Dysbiosis can be reversed fairly quickly by gaining understanding of the above and diligently applying it mouthful by mouthful.

Much of Metchnikoff’s pioneering work linking symbiosis and immunity was swept aside by advances in antibiotic and immunization therapies.  No doubt, many lives have been saved by these protocols but not without a substantial long-term cost to the nation’s health; dysbiosis being one.  If there’s a lesson to be learned; there’s a price to pay for any human interference with the body’s own healing agenda.

1 Digestive Wellness,  E. Lipski 76,77       ISBN 0-87983-984-8
2 Acidophilus & Colon Health,  Webster     ISBN 1-57566-613-8

— Letters from readers —

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(Most people have gallstones but don’t know it ‘til they become problematical. If you want to know how to rid yourself of them, just drop a note and we’ll share the same info with you.    — ed.)

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Want to know how to slash your risk of Alzheimer’s’ overnight?  It’s really easy.  Starting tomorrow drink no (unfiltered) tap water.  Not because of industrial pollutants, but because of chemicals that ‘health authorities’ are adding to to your water.  For example: people who warned against fluoridation used to be ridiculed, but guess what?  In Scandinavia, in fact, all of Europe and in nearly every other medically advanced nation, they have now banned its use. — Murphy, NC

Disclaimer: The Hallelujah Health NEWS newsletter emphasizes nutrition-related health issues, to educate, encourage and provide lifestyle information.  There is no intent to diagnose, treat, prescribe for, cure or prevent disease.  The author or publisher assumes no responsibility for the use or effects of said information.  Hallelujah Health NEWS is a free public educational service, solely to promote a healthier lifestyle.

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