I believe that all disease begins in the gut. Most of your immune system is in the gut.

When a person is born the gut is sterile. No bacteria should be able to enter the womb. The gut is like a freshly plowed field ready to be planted. During a normal birth, the baby gets the first dose of seed bacteria. The quality of that first dose is truly important. Over the next few weeks the gut will be colonized with the bacteria from the birthing process and what is received in the food. You are blessed or cursed by this bacteria (sometimes called gut flora) the rest of your life. You can change your gut bacteria and your health future but it is difficult. People who want to change it must go on a rigorous diet with lots of probiotic supplementation.

A basic understanding of gut flora is essential before considering diet. Much of our digestion is done directly or supported by out gut flora. Bad gut flora inhibits good digestion in many ways.

Natasha Campbell McBride is a doctor that has been helping people heal their gut and change their gut flora for decades. She has a YouTube Video of a presentation at the Weston Price Foundation in London that is a great overall explanation of how gut health relates to overall health. The Weston Price foundation is a great group that carries on the work of Weston Price. He traveled the world searching for cultures with good health. The basic conclusion was that healthy people don’t eat processed foods, they use traditional food preparation and preservation techniques, and all eat some animal products with some of it raw (usually milk products).  Odd parts like organs, hearts, and liver being important, especially for couples planning children.  There are other observations but these are the ones that stand out to me.

If you or your children have any mental or behavioral issues like autism, ADHD, depression, you must explore the GAPS treatment.