Understanding the Impact of Holiday Meals
Chris D. Meletis, ND (with permission from cpmedical.net, access pin: 587556)
When thinking about enhancing immune health, the gut usually isn’t the first part of the body that comes to mind. However, the largest mass of lymphoid tissue in the human body is in the intestine. This gut-based immune system is referred to as gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and is comprised of several types of lymphoid tissue that contain immune cells, such as T and B lymphocytes.1
The healthy intestinal lining is a selective barrier that normally only allows properly digested fats, proteins and starches to enter the bloodstream. The colonic lining that comes in contact with food, bacteria, toxins and other pathogens is called the mucosa and is a single layer of cells (epithelial) that regenerates every 3-8 days. For proper maintenance of this nutrient-dependent barrier, sufficient substrates for healing, repair and regeneration must be present.
