“All disease begins in the gut” — Hippocrates

Quite the riveting statement, albeit absolute. However, it can be argued that innumerable dysfunctions in the body may happen as a result of disrupted gut health as revealed by a burgeoning body of scientific literature. Suffice it to say, disentangling cause and effect here is not easy. The term “dysbiosis” means an imbalance in the gut microbiome where beneficial microbes may decrease, pathogenic ones overgrow, and/or overall diversity plummets, thereby disrupting normal functions like digestion and immune health (70% of immune cells are houses within the gut). This occurs because of impoverished diets, circadian rhythm disruption, alcohol, smoking, stress, antibiotics, infections, environmental toxins etc., all which can cause inflammation, resulting in decreased vitality.

Maintenance of gut barrier integrity is paramount for optimal health, and when the barrier is compromised (intestinal permeability), low-grade inflammation ensues which contributes to a myriad of dis-eases— autoimmune, metabolic, skin disruptions, mental health and neurological disorders, inflammatory and pain conditions (fibromyalgia, migraines), and recurrent infections.