The gastrointestinal tract is the site of many important activities that keep the body healthy. Among the important gut functions are digestion and protection. Food is broken down to usable parts by the gastrointestinal tract in the process of digestion. Healthy mucosal integrity protects the body from allowing large undigested particles from leaking into the blood stream. Most of the body’s immune system is in the gastrointestinal tract. The first line of defense is secretory IGA (an immunoglobulin) in the gut. Since the GI tract has the surface area of a tennis court, protection is needed for that vast area exposed to the outside world via the mouth.
Many diseases have their origin in the GI tract. Especially in children no symptoms may be manifested in the gut, but diseases can show up elsewhere in the body. ADD, ADHD, autism, or simply a rash may be the most dominant symptoms of a diseased gastrointestinal tract.
A “4R Program” is used to optimize gut function. The fourth R in the “4R Sequence” stands for repair. A leaky gut needs to be healed. Sufficient nutritional factors need to be present for that healing to occur. For example the right amino acids (especially glutamine), minerals (especially zinc), vitamins (especially vitamin C), and essential fatty acids need to be present.
Often the gut has been damaged due to infection from pathological bacteria, yeast or parasites. Due to competition, these opportunistic disease causing organisms crowd out good bacteria. Re-inoculate is the third R in the “4R Sequence.” Re-inoculate simply means to put the good bacteria back into the gut and feed it with the right kind of soluble fiber.
A diseased gastrointestinal tract does not make enough of the right things to be healthy, and sometimes is simply exhausted. Digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid, or immunoglobulins may be in short supply and need to be replaced. Replace is the second R in the “4R Sequence”.
Finally the opportunistic organisms (bad bacteria, pathologic fungi, parasites) and all chemicals (food dyes, pesticides, food additives), and reactive foods (gluten and/or casein) need to be removed. Remove is the first R in the “4R Sequence”.
The Four R’s: remove, replace, re-inoculate and restore need to be done in sequence to optimize gut function, however, some of the steps can be done together. In many adult cases and especially in children, this is the only way to restore health, optimize function, and prevent future disease.