Integrative Microbiome Care for Heart Health

Submitted by AdminSite on Sat, 10/14/2023 - 22:18

Integrative Microbiome Care for Heart Health

Introduction

The gut microbiome is the most diverse ecosystem in our body, with up to 1000 unique bacterial species. Second only to the gut, the oral microbiome has up to 700 species of bacteria. Though the balance of these biomes are integral to our health, they are easily disturbed by infections and other stressors.

Our digestive system, from mouth to colon, is colonized by bacterial species that can help us pull the nutrients out of the food we eat, or if the microbiome is unbalanced, can lead to digestive issues or nutritional deficiencies. Research related to the gut microbiome’s impact on systemic health rather than just digestive health is mounting, but a new relationship is now being illuminated. The mouth microbiome and the gut microbiome may be able to transmit bacteria species between the two biomes. If this is true, a new diagnostic tool is emerging for us to fully understand bacteria species and their impact on bodily inflammation and other diseases. If they truly are connected, we can use the microbiome composition of both the mouth and the gut to inform treatment of cardiovascular disease.

We will begin with an introduction of both cardiovascular disease and periodontitis and then move into their relationships.

Cardiovascular Disease

High levels of LDL “bad cholesterol” in the blood cause accumulation in the arteries that are meant to bring blood carrying necessary oxygen to the heart. This accumulation of cholesterol, called a “plaque” narrows your arteries and restricts the blood flow to the heart. This is called atherosclerosis. When the plaque becomes large enough, it can completely block blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack. What is being investigated here is that the types of bacterial species found in that arterial plaque are also being found in the gut and mouth. Overgrowth of harmful bacteria species in the gut and mouth perfectly mirrors the bacteria found in arterial plaques and may be potential evidence for interconnection.

Periodontitis and Other Oral Infections

Periodontitis is a gum disease caused by buildup of harmful bacteria--plaque--on the teeth. Plaque that is not removed hardens and becomes tartar, which damages the surrounding tissue and leads to gum disease. It can progress to a serious infection that spreads to bones and ligaments adjacent to the mouth and cause tooth loss and other negative side effects.

The Gut Microbiome and Cardiovascular Disease

The gut microbiome has the power to affect our entire body, but specifically, it’s one of the most important players in the prevalence of blood cholesterol. About one fourth of the “bad” LDL cholesterol enters our bloodstream through the gut in normal circumstances, but overgrowth of certain bacterial species can elevate the amount of “bad” cholesterol absorbed. Alteration of digestive processes by these bacteria raise cholesterol levels in a myriad of ways including;

Alteration of bile acids that usually promote removal of LDL cholesterol in the liver
Alteration of LDL cholesterol conversion to coprostanol, a molecule our bodies automatically use to dispose of cholesterol in feces
Decrease in presence of metabolites that mediate and block the creation of LDL cholesterol in the body
Increase in presence of metabolites that make your gut more permeable to bacteria species, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease by 43%

These processes then affect other factors farther down the chain related to the internal production of LDL cholesterol, further increasing the presence of “bad” artery-occluding cholesterol and increasing the risk of heart attack.

Oral Microbiome and Cardiovascular Disease

Recent experiments have indicated that patients with cardiovascular disease, namely atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries from cholesterol buildup), have altered mouth microbiota. After taking a sample from those patients’ mouths and comparing it to a sample of the plaque collected from the buildup in the patient’s arteries, researchers found that several of the same bacterial species had experienced overgrowth. Though the exact mechanism is unknown, it shows that these bacterial species from the mouth have somehow traveled to the bloodstream and taken up residence in the arterial plaques that cause fatal blockages. One proposed way that they were able to enter the bloodstream is that the tissue damage from periodontitis allowed the bacterial species into blood and then as the bacteria-laced blood flowed past the plaques, it caused inflammation in artery walls and took up residence in that area.

Transmission of Bacteria

Previously, it was thought that the gut microbiome and oral microbiome were completely separate from each other. Though physically connected, the passage of bacterial species from saliva through the stomach and into the intestinal tract was thought to be impossible, giving rise to the ideology of a strong oral-gut barrier. The reality is that this barrier does exist, but can be damaged by low stomach acidity, old age, harmful bacteria species, and the chemicals they secrete. This is proven by the presence of oral bacteria in the gut of individuals with compromised barriers like in the case of colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease. On the flipside, the human hand is suspected to be the carrier of fecal bacteria to the oral cavity and is more often seen in developing countries with poor sanitation practices.

Treatment Strategies

Our strategies for the microbiome-mediated cardiovascular conditions are holistic and integrative, taking into account the digestive system, the immune system, the mind, and the entire body to treat the whole person. Here are some relevant strategies.

1. Encourage dietary changes to introduce and maintain conscious, mindful eating habits.

2. Eliminate harmful bacteria, virus, yeast, toxins, and other pathogens in the digestive tract and other systems using colon cleansing, fasting techniques, nutritional supplement/herbs, probiotics and other selected innovative methods.

3. Strengthen organ functions, namely, the digestive organs and heart, with holistic acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

4. Reduce damaging emotional stress and create peace of mind with Energy Soul Therapy.

5. Introduce grounding lifestyle changes like mindful meditation practices and self Reiki practice.

Conclusion

These relationships and treatment techniques underscore how important it is to comprehensively treat patients rather than treating just one symptom. The acknowledgement of the interconnection between bodily systems is an important step in creating positive and lifelong wellness outcomes to leave you feeling like the best version of yourself for many years to come. Schedule a complimentary phone consultation to see how we can help you better care for your body.

Disclaimer

This article “Integrative Microbiome Care for Heart Health” was originally created and published by LoveandCompassion.com under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Mika Ichihara, M.S., L.Ac., LL.M., B.Phar., Founder Owner and Grand Master in Eastern Medicine and Energy Soul Medicine. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution and author bio. For more information about her and her practice, please visit www.loveandcompassion.com.

References

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Integrative Microbiome Care for Heart Health

Integrative Microbiome Care for Heart Health