Live Well Clinic

  By Dr. Sonja Fung, ND We all know how debilitating arthritis is in our life. It can be things like the inability to put on a shirt up to the inability to walk. But did you know that your digestive health can be a critical factor in the treatment of arthritis? Maintaining digestive health is key to the health of your body. Your intestines make up 70% of your immune system called GALT- Gut associated lymphatic tissue. For example, infection activates your immune system à intestinal immune cells present pieces of foreign cells to tell the rest of your body which cells to destroy à all your immune cells find and destroy the foreign cells à your body gets better and keeps you from getting sick next time. This is the normal function of your immune system. The question is, what happens when gut immunity breaks down? Intestinal inflammation causes a disruption of the integrity of your intestinal lining, thus allowing foreign cells and proteins to s...

Why is digestive health so important? According to the Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition, more than 70 million Americans suffer from digestive disorders that interfere with their work and their lives. A healthy digestive system is the core to health. Having an optimal digestion allows our body to digest and absorb nutrients from our food, which in turn, gives us energy, stabilizes our mood, and maintains our body’s health. Heart burn, gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, irritable bowel are all signs of poor digestion. Most digestive issues have one thing in common – lifestyle choices.  Your lifestyle choices can play a significant role in the quality of your digestive health and whether or not you develop a digestive disorder or disease. Eventually, poor digestion can lead to long term chronic diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, anemia, skin rashes, allergies, and migraines. What causes heart burn or indigestion? When refluxed stomach acid t...