Our intestinal tract is the largest organ of our body and, according to some, is the most important. This digestive organ or ‘lawn’ contains roughly 10,000 square feet of surface area similar to a football field in size. Seventy percent of our immune system emanates from the bowel and Peyer’s patches. These are lymphoid bodies that surround the lumen of the small and large intestines and makes 90% of our T lymphocytes. If the numbers of T cells are too low, they may become hyper-reactive and attack human tissue, promoting autoimmunity, allergy and arthritis.
Thus it is vital that we tend to our ‘lawn’ by avoiding repeated antibiotic use, junk food, fast foods, sweets, and cold drinks. In addition, minimizing stress and eating on schedule goes a long way in maintaining a healthy digestive tract.
Terry Pfau DO, HMD