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| Hello, all -
Just wanted to share something I found at the National Library of
Medicine; there's a new study on gut transit time and the complete
remission of rosacea. The study documents how the decreasing of time
that "waste matter" was in the body correlates directly with the
disappearance of the symptoms of something that might, to some, seem
unrelated from surface observation:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...5&dopt=Abstract
I read this, coupled with mention in the medical community's bible,
the Merck Manual, and my own observations concerning the relationship
of the gut and migraine. Someday I'd like to see an official study
done on a potential link. Perhaps it is more prevalent than is
thought.
While migraine and other headaches can be linked to various triggers
-- emotional, physical, hormonal -- I personally believe that a good
portion of the pathogenesis of migraine disorder might be accounted
for in gut/bowel transit time, or the time it takes for food to travel
through the body/intestines. Migraine is often accompanied by nausea,
which seems like evidence to me of digestive system involvement. The
introduction of magnesium into the diet has been associated with
decreased incidence of migraine in certain individuals, and perhaps
this again has a connection to the digestive system (as magnesium is
not unfrequently suggested as beneficial in this area). Yet another
piece of evidence is in the decreased incidence of migraine in people
who exercise regularly, as this has been shown to decrease the
bowel/gut transit time (see study
http://gut.bmjjournals.com/cgi/cont...stract/32/8/941)
I am aware that exercise can precipitate headaches, but perhaps this
is of a different cause. In any case, I surmise that digestion may
play a role on some level in "primary" migraine. I do not believe
having more than one bowel movement per day negates the potential
relevance of this.
I believe there are three ingredients often ingested on a daily basis,
particularly in Western culture, that are associated with slow gut
transit time: meat, dairy, and bread (particularly refined) products.
It is not uncommon in America to see a diet that is almost exclusively
dairy, meat, and bread. The GI tract of primarily carnivorous eaters
is relatively short, and hence more easily able to process these
foods. Plus, carnivores are generally MUCH more active than the
average modern-life human, who is sedentary for a good portion of the
day. I would say significantly decreasing the ingestion of these foods
to one meal every day or every other day (or eliminating them entirely
where possible), an increase in water, and daily physical activity
might improve things for many people.
Jordan
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