The stories are starting to trickle out – dotted through the news and blogs here and there – and I am not at all surprised by them. What am I talking about? The fact that many COVID-19 patients, including some with the most intense symptoms, are also reporting GI symptoms with the virus. Additionally, viral cells have been found in stool even in patients after they have recovered from respiratory symptoms. Why am I not surprised? Because as we mentioned last week, 2/3 of our body’s immune system lies in the gut – and for something to be this infectious and debilitating, it is not surprising that the inflammation process is starting or being mediated by immune cells found in the gut.
We need all of our soldiers at the front – our cells lining our gut wall and the “good tummy bugs” as my 4 year old calls them to be happy and healthy. How do we do this? The approach is different for everyone. I’m going to actually outline the tested method that I use with my private clients here as a gift to you all. It comes from the Institute of Functional Medicine and is called the “5R Protocol”. Take a read, and see how you can apply it and what you can take away for yourself. If you aren’t sure where to start, or think you may be having some adverse food reactions you can’t pin down, or GI symptoms that you can’t figure out, don’t hesitate to reach out and we can talk about ways to troubleshoot together.
Be Well!
-Katie
