Autointoxication

The symptoms associated with altered bowel function have far-reaching effects throughout the body in tissues and organs other than the bowel itself. Frequently, dysfunctions here are involved in many chronic degenerative disorders.

Infrequent bowel movements indicate slow movement of fecal material through the intestine, allowing more time for the bacterial decomposition and absorption of water from the bowel. As a result, the fecal material becomes very dry and hard. This slow movement allows for autointoxication as the waste products of bacterial and fungi/yeast must be absorbed into the blood, detoxified in the liver, and sent to the kidney for elimination.

While this process may sound efficient, it is actually a burdensome compensation by the body in an attempt to maintain health. The waste products formed in the bowel by bacterial or fungal action on inadequately digested food (i.e., food that could not be absorbed into the body and used for nourishment) cause an inflammatory reaction in the mucosal lining of the bowel. This triggers an immune response that is associated with the so-called "leaky gut syndrome" and fibromyalgia. These conditions have deservedly received a great deal of attention in the past few years, but not enough has been paid to their association with poor digestion.

If you suffer from any inflammatory disorder, it is likely that your immune problems are associated with autointoxication and inadequate digestion. It is becoming increasingly apparent that chronic degenerative diseases (chronic inflammatory states) are evidence of food enzyme deficiency. The 1988 Surgeon General’s Report on Health and Nutrition stated unequivocally that chronic degenerative diseases are dietary related.

by Howard F. Loomis Jr., D.C.