Smoking and The Gut

After consulting with a client today who is a regular cigarette smoker, it dawned upon me that I have not yet covered the area of smoking and how it can affect gut health.

As smoking is known and scientifically proven to influence every known disease to man, it should come as no surprise that smoking tobacco also increases the risk of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), as well as Crohn’s disease and peptic ulcers. Nicotine has been found to affect gut flora composition and smoking cigarettes increases mucosa permeability. This can also promote inflammation and impair the immune system. Unfortunately for those looking for alternatives, chewing and vaping tobacco is no less problematic for SIBO and other gut health disorders. Vaping, for example, has been found to often contain chemicals that disrupt the gut lining and cause leaky gut and inflammation. Making major dietary and lifestyle changes is always challenging, and quitting tobacco is just as tough if not tougher. But for lasting gut health, going tobacco-free is one of the best things patients can do, both for their microbiome and their overall health.

If you are a smoker who is thinking about quitting, or have gut health issues you would like to have addressed, contact me for a chat about a holistic treatment plan. It’s not only your lung health you need to consider, but your gut health and overall wellbeing as well.

Some areas smokers need to consider when choosing holistic treatment:

- Gut Microbiome and Permeability test (leaky gut)

- DNA Health (Genetic predispositions to certain diseases)

- Hypnotherapy

Contact me if you would like help with any of the above and I can support you through the holistic process to a healthier, happier gut and you!

In health and love

Deena x