Hippocrates is perhaps most well-known for the observation that “[a]ll disease begins in the gut.” The gut is what gets emphasized. His focus on the gut gained renewed attention after the discovery of the role of the gut microbiome in health. For the purposes of his quote and this website, however, the verb begins is also of great relevance, for quickly following on the heels of the discovery of the gut microbiome came discoveries of the gut-brain axis, gut-skin axis, gut-liver axis, gut-bone axis, and others. This website focuses on the gut-brain axis and the direct and indirect connection between what happens on either side of a person’s intestinal lining and blood-brain barrier, often resulting in neuroinflammation, brain fog, neurodegeneration, the brain neurodegenerative conditions of Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, neuroautoimmune conditions, among other serious cascading conditions.
Sadly and predictably, the pharmacological-industrial business model, focusing as it does on symptom management, rather than on root causes or rebuilding biological system reserves, continues to profit handsomely off the cash cows of modern chronic conditions, from digestive issues to the most devastating neurological conditions. However, perhaps because of its monopolistic relationship with the Insurance Industry, it does have the best invasive diagnostic equipment. It should not take much sensitivity to language to realize that the issues addressed in this blog are personal to me. I have lost loved ones to such conditions, though more directly to very dissatisfying standards of care. Thus, I knew a thing or two about these issues before I too was given a front row seat to the party.
In this blog, I will share some of my current research and thoughts on such issues, to the best that I understand them at the time they are written. Keep in mind, I am not a doctor, nor even trained in the sciences, though I do have an educational background in the philosophy of science. My grounding is in having read thousands of medical studies and being a follower of a cross section of key researchers and practitioners that strike me as being on the leading edge of such issues.
Among them, this blog focuses on gut-brain axis dysfunction and its common cascading conditions in the context of autoimmune disease. Specifically, its focus is on gut dysbiosis, the immune system’s response to opportunistic bacterial and fungal pathogens, and the connection of immune system dysfunction to intestinal permeability, blood-brain barrier degradation, and compromised lung epithelial and endothelial barriers, referred to as “leaky gut,” “leaky brain,” and “leaky lungs.” What follows is not intended as an exhaustive resource for every etiology of such conditions. Chemical, viral, or mold exposures, for example, can also inflame one’s immune system and result in similar patterns of metabolic dysregulation. Time permitting, I hope to address those at a later point. The more immediate goal is to trace pathways of disease at least from the roots to certain of its branches.
Our present-day non-stop consumption of processed foods, seed oils, artificial sweeteners, simple carbohydrates, preservatives, emulsifiers, and additives, abuses associated with antibiotics and pharmaceuticals, pesticides from commercial farming, imbalanced, stressful and sedentary lifestyles, sleep and natural light deprivation, and daily exposure to a growing list of biological and environmental immune system triggers (mold, toxins, bacteria, viruses, metals, xenoestrogens, and xenobiotics) have more than amply affirmed the connection of the gut to many chronic conditions. Few, other than those with a hardcore “Commercial Food Industry,” “quackwatch,” or “BigPharma” agenda, would quibble with this anymore.
This resource is a work in progress. Thank you for your patience.
Despite the absolute abundance of medical studies on such critically important issues, they appear to be inadequately appreciated by the conventional medicine business model with its primary focus on pharmaceutically driven symptom management in lieu of the time-consuming pursuit of determining and treating root causes and the very disappointing 17-year delay on average between research findings and clinical practice as identified by the Royal Society of Medicine.
The research exhibited on this website was originally performed for the intended benefit of a family member in the wishful hope that her mind could be opened. That proved to be too large a request given the hold the business model has over the minds and pocketbooks of the vulnerable. It is posted here, in the event it might prompt others to look more deeply into their own health conditions where others most decidedly do not.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. This website and its contents are not medical advice and should not be construed as such. Nothing contained in this website is intended for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions. Its purpose is strictly educational. The research and comments contained herein are not a substitute for your own research and consultations with your own healthcare professional. Medical studies are not always correct, nor am I, and research in these areas evolves, even if this website is no longer updated. Information contained in this blog, therefore, might be contradicted or outdated. Thus, you are advised to consult with a licensed functional medicine, integrative, or other appropriate physician or healthcare advisor. Do not continue to browse this blog if you do not agree to its terms and conditions. The copyright to various medical studies and illustrations excerpted, referenced, or linked to herein belong to their various owners. Please contact me if you are a copyright holder and want something to be removed.
Gut Biome
- Dysbiosis
- Bacteroidetes Phylum
- Firmictities Phylum
- Bacillus Phylum
- Archea
- Secretory IgA
- Short Chain Fatty Acids
- Butyrate
- Propinate
- Calprotectin
- Glucondarise
- Opportunistic Pathogens
- Bacteria
- Gram Positive
- Gram Negative
- Lipopolysacharides
- Fungi
- Candida Albicans
- Parasites
- Bacteria
- Intestinal Barrier
- Tight Junctions
- Weight Gain
- Firmicaties/ Ratio
- Malabsorption
- SNPs
- FUT2
- MUC2e
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Gut Immune System
- Innate Immune System
- Dendritic Cells
- B Cells
- T Cells
- Macrophages
- Adaptive Immune System
- T Helper Cells
- Cytokines
- Interleukins
- Th1/IL-1
- Th2/IL-2
- Th17/IL-17
- Macrophages
- Adaptive Immune System
- T Helper Cells
- Cytokines
- Cytokines & Interleukins
- Th1/IL-1
- Th2/IL-2
- Th6/IL-6
- Th10/IL-10
- Th17/IL-17
- Th22/IL-22
- Th23/IL-23
- NF-Kb
- TNF
- IgA
- InflammationIntestinal PermeabilityDysbiosis
- Bacteroidetes Phylum
- Firmictities Phylum
- Secretory IgA
- Short Chain Fatty Acids
- Butyrate
- Propinate
- Calprotectin
- Glucondarise
- Opportunistic Pathogens
- Bacteria
- Gram Positive
- Gram Negative
- Lipopolysaccherides
- Fungi
- Candida Albicans
- Parasites
- Bacteria
- Intestinal Barrier
- Tight Junctions
- Weight Gain
- Bacteroidetes/Firmicaties Ration
- Malabsorption
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Food Sensitivies
- Intestinal Permeability
- SNPs
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Autoimmune Disease
- Intestinal Permeability
- Bystander
- Other Eitologies
- Organ-Specific
- Hashimoto’s
- Autoimmune Gastritis
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- SIBO
- Systemic
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Lupus (SLE)
- Parkinson’s
- Demyelinating Conditions
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Thyroid, Mitochondria, Bioenergetics
- Bacteroidetes/Firmicaties Ratio
- Leaky gut
- Inflammation
- Adipose Tissue
- Endotoxemia
- Thyroid
- Hypoxia
- NAD+/NADH Ratio
- PARPS
- Senolytics
- Autophagy
- Malabsorption
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
ROS, RNS, Antioxidants, and Scavengers
- Reactive Oxigen Species
- Superoxide
- Nitric Oxide
- Peroxynitrite
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Superoxide Dismutase
- Glutathion
- Catalyse
- Polyphenols
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Fatigue
- Mitochondria
- Chronic Fatique Syndrome
- Dysbiosis
- Bacteroidetes Phylum
- Firmictities Phylum
- Secretory IgA
- Short Chain Fatty Acids
- Butyrate
- Propinate
- Calprotectin
- Glucondarise
- Opportunistic Pathogens
- Bacteria
- Gram Positive
- Gram Negative
- Lipopolysaccherides
- Fungi
- Candida Albicans
- Parasites
- Bacteria
- Intestinal Barrier
- Tight Junctions
- Weight Gain
- Bacteroidetes/Firmicaties Ration
- Malabsorption
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Lung Epithelial and Endothelial Barriers
Eye Barriers
Biopterin Pathway
- MTHFR
- DFHR
- BH4-BH2 Cycle
- Neurotransmitters
- Depression
- Uncoupled Nitric Oxide
- Neopterin
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Kynurinine Pathway
- Tryptophan Steal
- Neopterin as Inflammatory Marker
- Quinolinic Acid
- Depression
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Blood-Brain Barrier, Brain Cells, and Brain Immune System
- BBB
- Vascular Dementia
- Homocysteine
- Glycocalx
- COVID Spike Proteins
- Astrocytes
- Microglia
- Neuroinflammation
- Neurodegeneration
- Hippocampus
- APOE4 and other SNPs
- Phospholipids – Plasmalogens
- Wtn Signaling
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Neurodegenerative Conditions
- Alzheimer’s
- APOE4
- Parkinson’s Disease
- ALS
- Huntington’s Disease
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments
Chronic Disease, Viscious Cycles, and the Impact of Brain Degeneration on the Digestive System
- Vagal Nerve
- Esophagus
- Delayed Gastric Emptying
- SNPs
- Testing
- Natural Treatments