70% of the Immune System Lies in the Gut: Can the cure for viral illness lie in the Gut?

With coronavirus hysteria mounting and billions of taxpayer dollars being spent on supposed medical cures, a simple fact is being overlooked: 70% of the Immune System lies in the gut, along the gut wall where the lymph nodes are present. This means that the entire body's defense system relies upon the digestive system. A healthy digestive system is vital for immune strength & support.

In the highly informative book The Kosher Gut Plan by Leah Masel (available at Joseph's Organic Bakery), the author explains how the immune system & our gut bacteria work together.

In fact, a recent study at the University of Science and Technology of China and published on the preprint medRxiv* in August 2020 reports on the evidence that the gut microbiome may play a part in severe COVID-19 infection. Covid-19 patients had increased abundance of "bad" gut pathogens — such as Clostridium hathewayi and Bacteroides nordii — in comparison to all controls. In addition, beneficial gut microbes — such as Fecalibacterium prausnitzii, Lachnospiraceae bacterium, and Dorea formicigenerans — were depleted in Covid-19 patients vs controls. Interestingly, the gut microbiota has been shown to affect pulmonary (lung) health through a relationship between the gut microbiota and the lungs which is referred to as the “gut-lung axis”(Keely et al., 2012).

We have good (beneficial) bacteria, called probiotics, in our digestive system. Beneficial bacteria and the immune system have a very close connection. "THE IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS LIKE A MUSCLE. It needs to be trained and controlled. It needs to be told when and what to attack. The immune cells aren't "intelligent" cells and they cannot differentiate on their own between good or bad bacteria. " (a quote from the book) The job of our good bacteria is to help the immune system identify pathogenic (bad) invaders while at the same time identifying good bacteria and viruses (and yes there are viruses that are beneficial for the body).

"When the bad bacteria & yeast proliferate and imbalance is created in the gut. The immune system which relies on the good bacteria (probiotics) for orders becomes confused. The immune system starts producing antibodies, attacking its own tissues. This is the definition of an autoimmune disease. For this reason, even the CDC warns that people with chronic disease such as diabetes and heart disease have a much higher risk of Covid complications. They have widespread inflammation and a poorly functioning immune system, the cause of which is bad gut health.

The typical American diet is by definition a bad diet. It mostly consists of:

1 Refined and processed carbohydrates (breads, pasta, cereals, most commercial flours)

2 sugars (including beet sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup and rice syrup)

3 Transfats (margarine, canola and vegetable oils)

4 merucry laden fish & processed meats

5 non organic dairy and cheeses and

little to no fresh vegetables or fruits. Most of the foods that the average person consumes encourage weight gain, inflammation, and disease.

HOW TO REBUILD YOUR GUT

Remove Refined and processed Carbohydrates Anything that has been bleached and stripped of fiber and nutrients is a refined product. Refined and processed carbs can be found in cereals, cakes, pasta, breads and most flours. The reason refined and processed carbohydrates are so damaging ot the gut is because they are digested and turned into sugar very quickly, which spikes blood sugar]. The body then has a hard time expelling them (due to their lack of nutrients such as fiber). In the end, they ferment in the intestines and become food for the bad yeast and bacteria in the gut. Overgrowth of bad bacteria starts the process of leaky gut and allergies. This is how digestive health spirals down hill.

LEAKY GUT Overgrowth of bad bacteria as well as the consumption of certain foods such as binders like cellulose guar gum, xanthan gum eats away the gut lining. This leads to a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome. Leaky Gut Syndrome is the root cause of most digestive disorders and allergies because undigested food particles leak from the gut wall and spill into the blood. The immune system recognizes these particles as foreign and stimulates an immune response. This leads to the development of autoimmune diseases, such as Arthritis, Celiac, IBD, Lupus, Psoriasis, Type 1 Diabetes, MS, Crohn's, which are different symtpoms of an immune system gone haywire.

HOW TO REBUILD THE GUT

DIET CHANGE - The Only Way The only way to truly be disease free is through a healthy diet and lifestyle. People are curing themselves daily (or at least going into remission) from Crohn's, UC and IBS by simply changing their diet. The first step is to remove all irritants from the diet. Replace all unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives like stone ground bread made from ancient grains, homemade chicken stock soups, vegetables (cooked and raw), fresh vegetable juices, and certain fruits. Opt for organic. Another great way to improve digestive health is through specific herbs and supplements. Herbs can offer much needed vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that the body desperately needs. Below are a few basic foods and HERBS that have shown great promise for people with digestive disorders .

STONE GROUND KAMUT BREAD

Stone Ground Bread has been a staple food for thousands of years. In fact, the Bible mentions bread about 70 times. There was a special bread offering in the Temple every day. This bread was called Lechem Hapanim. The Talmud explains that there are 83 diseases that start in the digestive system and spread to the rest of the body. These 83 ailments all have the same root cause and are cured by eating bread in the morning (around 10am). Morning bread is called Pat Shacharit in Hebrew. The Talmud specifies that bread should be the first thing we eat. It should be sprinkled with high quality salt. Water (or Wine according to Rashi) should accompany this healing breakfast. At Joseph's Organic Bakery our Stone Ground Kamut Sourdough Breads maintain and can even reduce Blood Sugar Levels because they are high in natural fiber and fresh nutrients. Additionally, the large particle size of the flour prevents blood sugar surges. Our unique preparation process is actually rooted in traditional bread making techniques which have been forgotten for the last hundred years. Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is critical for digestive health. As we know, bad bacteria and yeast thrive in a sugary acidic environment. Pathogenic bacteria feed off of sugar. Why Kamut? Ancient grains like kamut are the only healthy grains to eat as modern wheat is has been tampered with so much that it has become quite toxic. Kamut is an anti-inflammatory grain that blood sugar stabilizing properties.

Kamut grain has been shown in a research study from the University of Florence to lower blood sugar levels and ensure proper digestive health. Bread was a staple food for thousands of years for a reason. It has the potential to meet up to 75% of our daily nutrient intake. It is especially high in B-vitamins.

BUY KAMUT BREAD FROM JOSEPH'S ORGANIC BAKERY HERE SAUERKRAUT (Probiotics)-

Just 2 ounces of sauerkraut contains more probiotics than a full jar of probiotic capsules!

Probiotics are vital for digestive health. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria present throughout the body and mostly in the gut. Probiotics keep harmful yeast, fungi and bad bacteria in check. They also work with the immune system. Probiotics help identify pathogens and microbes, alert the immune system of their presence, and order an attack. The best way to introduce probiotics into your gut, is through fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and organic goat kefir. However, store bought sauerkraut is shelf stable, which means its been pasteurized (heated) so that most of the the active & live enzymes and probiotics have been destroyed.  Even many "raw" sauerkrauts are made using whey starters to save time.  At Joseph's Organic Bakery , we never heat or pasteurize the final product.  We use the ancient traditional method of making sauerkraut, just sea salt &  cabbage fermented for weeks to ensure a product that is rich in beneficial enzymes, probiotics, and vitamin C. We make our sauerkraut by hand in small batches. Our sauerkraut must be refrigerated. Call to order (954-541-4062)

Digestive Enzymes - Digestive enzymes are extremely important for gut health. They help breakdown foods and absorb nutrients. In addition, they help regulate the PH levels of the stomach. They are usually taken before meals. HERBAL TEA- Digestive supporting herbs and bitters have been used for centuries to help with digestion. Our digestive teas are imported from overseas. We sourced these teas carefully, they are made by experienced herbalists. Call to order our digestive tea (954-541-4062)

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR- A easy way to increase stomach acid production and ameliorate digestion is Apple cider Vinegar (only organic) with the mother. A teaspoon or 2 of apple cider vinegar mixed with a little water 20 minutes before a meal or alternately mix 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and sip throughout the day (keep it covered). ( If you have ulcers or H.pylori apple cider vinegar may be too acidic and can cause discomfort). If you find you're sensitive to apple cider vinegar taken in water, just add a little to your salad dressings to get the same benefits. MASTIC GUM- Mastic has been used for millennia for treating gastrointestinal ailments and is now known to kill Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter Pylora is the bacterium responsible for most cases of nonerosive gastritis (a chronic inflammation of the stomach) and most gastric and duodenal ulcers(collectively known as peptic ulcers). H. pylori is also implicated in stomach cancer. Mastic gum has been shown to relieve bloating and reduce stomach pains.

If I have stomach discomfort or nausea from car rides, I chew on mastic gum and it calms me down right away. (Call to order 954-541-4062)

Digestive Waters- Water can have healing capabilities. The Europeans knew this and have flocked to hot water springs for centuries for their healing benefits.. What isn't as well known is that the water in many underground springs also had healing benfits and people with various ailments used to drink these waters. At our bakery we have sourced the best of these waters from ancient Russia springs for the ultimate in digestive support . Call us to order (954-541-4062)

SOUPS

Homemade vegetable soups are an important source of vitamins and nutrients helpful for gut health. We have a NEW GREEN DETOX SOUP soup loaded with greens and herbs. (CALL FOR INFO).

Chicken or meat stock soups can be helpful for IBS & Crohns, as long as they are homemade. The bone marrow inside the bones is full of gut restoring nutrients. (crack the bones before putting them in the water then cook as usual). For everyone else it is wise to avoid eating meat, fish, or chicken as they promote stagnation and inflammation in the intestines & its hard for body to break down the proteins. However, if you must eat meat then cook it in water, as the boiling water breaks down some of the proteins and makes it more digestible.

INVEST IN YOUR HEALTH Food has the power to harm but also to heal. Supplying the body with much needed nutrients and restful sleep can go a long way towards restoring gut health and healing the immune system. However, even the best food or herbs cannot heal without G-d's help. *The information in this article is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration (FDA). The products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.