Chronic disease - WKTV Journal

Keep your gut’s mix of bacteria healthy, and chronic illnesses might be kept at bay. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Christine Khamis, PA-C, Spectrum Health Beat

Gut health has become a prominent focus in 21st-century health care.

The human body has more bacteria cells than human cells, and recent clinical research links an imbalance of bacteria in the gut microbiome (“good” vs “bad” bacteria) to almost every chronic disease—including obesity, diabetes, autoimmunity, depression, cancer, heart disease, fibromyalgia and asthma.

Research also reveals that people with lower amounts of “good” intestinal bacteria had increased fat tissue, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and general inflammation when compared with individuals who have a healthy gut microbiome.

In addition to the ecosystem inside the gut, the intestinal wall itself houses nearly 70 percent of the body’s immune system.

The lining of our intestinal wall is only one cell layer thick, and therefore very susceptible to damage. If that barrier breaks down, due to infection, medication, food allergens or toxins, the body’s immune system is compromised, which can also lead to chronic disease.

The gut also contains more neurotransmitters than the brain, and the two organs are highly connected.

If messages are altered for any reason in any direction—from the brain to the gut or the gut to the brain—you’ll experience health concerns.

At STR!VE, we talk with members about the link between gut health and chronic disease, and use evidence-based lifestyle management strategies as the first and primary method for prevention and treatment.

Lifestyle factors that can damage your gut microbiome

Processed foods and a nutrient-poor diet
Chronic stress
Overuse of medications such as steroids, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and acid blockers

Actions you can take to improve your gut microbiome

Replace processed foods, sugars and refined carbohydrates with fiber-rich whole foods
Aim for 75 percent of your plate to be plant-based foods and vegetables
Eat fermented foods that contain good amounts of probiotics such as miso, kimchi, sauerkraut and tempeh
Consider a 30-day elimination diet to pinpoint trigger foods

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Gretchen Stelter, Michigan State University Extension

One of the best ways to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis or Parkinson’s disease is to make a weekly action plan. This will guide you to achieve your health goals. Michigan State University Extension suggests you make sure your action plan has these key ideas:

Make your action plan something you want to do

This is your plan, not someone else’s plan for you. Action plans can help you feel better by successfully accomplishing tasks.
Your plan is something you think you should do and want to do or achieve yourself. An example is if you hate pool water, you shouldn’t make a goal to swim three times a week.

Pick something you can do easily

Ask yourself if your plan is realistic and achievable for you right now. You wouldn’t want to begin walking three miles a day if you have not walked after your knee surgery!
If you feel you will fail at this action, then change it so you can succeed. If you do fail at an action plan, usually you will not try again.

Be action specific

What is it that you are going to do?
How much are you going to do? This can be broken down in minutes or days.
When are you going to do it? Be specific.

Plan ahead for possible barriers

Ask yourself what might get in the way of achieving this goal. If the weather is bad you may not want to walk.
Figure out ahead of time how you will handle barriers, such as plan on walking in an open gym in the evening when the weather is bad.
Know who you can call if you need help. You may like to have a partner when you walk.

Celebrate and evaluate:

Congratulate yourself on what you’ve achieved.
If things went well, the next week you may be able to stretch your goal. Instead of walking a quarter of a mile three days a week, you may walk a half mile four days a week.
If things got in your way, find solutions to help get past the barrier. Perhaps walking through a box store three days a week is better than walking in inclement weather. Keep track of your progress. If things get in your way, think of solutions that can help you achieve your goal.

An example of a weekly action plan to get more exercise

What am I going to do?	I will start taking a water aerobics class.
How often will I do it?	I will do one hour a week.
When will I do it?	I will go to the 9 a.m. class every Friday.
What might get into my way?	The weather, which may make it challenging to get out of the house in the morning.
What might make doing this easier for me?	I will ask a friend to join me; one that has mentioned water aerobics before.

Action plans outline steps you can take to attain a larger health goal. Research shows that such plans are instrumental in bringing about behavior changes in patients. American College of Physicians Foundation gives ideas for some opportunities to use an action plan:

Making diet changes
Quit smoking
Increase physical activity
Reducing stress
Improving sleep habits

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).