Gut Health and Naprapathy
Gut Health and Naprapathy
By Dr. Daniel Rocha DN LMT CPT CNS
Naprapathy is a manual therapy that manipulates connective tissue, this includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. Part of Naprapathic’s doctrine three states that if vasoconstrictors are irritated, then the organic disease will arise due to a lack of blood volume and flow. Naprapathic doctrine five states that healing depends on clear vitaways, which are blood vessels, lymph and nerve impulses, and healthy blood chemistry. A part of a naprapath’s scope of practice is nutrition, which plays a huge role in the body’s healing and recovery process. (Zayner 2016)
Dietary levels for any essential element are classified as deficient, optimal, or toxic. Essential elements that are too low, can be obtained from the environment or added to certain foods or supplements. Essential elements that are too high and certain amounts of foods or supplements must be avoided to eliminate toxic effects. (Libretext 2020)
Gut health and alkalinity are essential for a healthy body. If the alkaline blood chemistry is so low, healing will be deficient and could lead to organic disease. Nutritional sources or breakdown of the glands are responsible for blood balance. Naprapathy believes that irritation can be cleared through stretching and fascia release. But when it comes to nutritional sources, a high pH of the stomach can inhibit the absorption of certain transition metals like iron. The body requires the mobilization of metals, transport into cells, and transfer of metal where the cell needs it. With the body alkaline, transition metals like iron can be absorbed appropriately in the small intestine where it forms with transferrin for immediate use or stored as ferritin.
Should organic disease respond to Naprapathic therapy and healing ensue, it would be due to healthy blood chemistry and nutritional changes. Naprapathy rebalanced blood flow and quantity, but nutrition still needs improvement. The human body produces a constant supply of ATP through the Krebs cycle. Oxygen is introduced to cells with every breath, carbon dioxide is released as a byproduct, this is part of cellular respiration and is essential for the Krebs cycle to function efficiently. Carbohydrates are the main source of the body’s energy production. This is achieved through glycolysis, and anaerobic biological oxidation, which occurs without oxygen. However, the Krebs cycle can utilize amino acids and fatty acids for the production of energy through gluconeogenesis and lipolysis. This occurs when the body is low in carbohydrates and it will use what the body is consuming most or if the body is starving and it is utilizing its tissue to produce energy.
The Krebs cycle is important when you need sustained endurance energy, for when long periods of physical activity are being done. When the Krebs cycle is not operating efficiently, symptoms such as depression, muscle weakness, fatigue, and an impaired immune system will occur. Exercising regularly will build energy endurance.
To optimize the Krebs cycle, a balanced intake of macronutrients is required. How you eat, impacts performance. Pyruvic acid supports the Krebs cycle due to the phosphates. Energy or ATP loses phosphates to form ADP and even AMP but with creatine phosphate or pyruvic acid, these phosphates are replaced, reproducing ATP. Pyruvic acid can be found in pumpkin seeds and scallops, carnosine is found in fatty fish, and bicarbonate is found in kombucha.
A naprapathic nutritional advisement would be to keep the cycle burning carbohydrates and create energy. This will keep blood glucose stable but adding protein, fiber, and fat will slow the digestion of carbohydrates. This has been shown to help keep the body from storing or putting on too much adipose tissue while staying healthy. Adequate macronutrients will promote a healthy Krebs cycle and lead to a body that has the energy and fuel to heal and recover. This will allow the patient to maintain the benefits of a Naprapathic treatment.
Biological oxidation: The essence of the process and its forms. (n.d.). Retrieved August 09, 2020, from https://melscience.com/US-en/articles/biological-oxidation-essence-process-and-its-forms/
Libretexts. (2020, July 14). Transition Metals in Biology. Retrieved August 06, 2020, from https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Inorganic_Chemistry/Modules_and_Websites_(Inorganic_Chemistry)/Descriptive_Chemistry/Elements_Organized_by_Block/3_d-Block_Elements/1b_Properties_of_Transition_Metals/Transition_Metals_in_Biology
Understanding the Krebs Cycle in Athletic Performance. (2020, July 22). Retrieved August 06, 2020, from https://cabernetsports.net/sports-nutrition/demystifying-the-krebs-energy-cycle/
Zayner DN, T., & LeVista DN, K. (2016). Theory and Principles of Naprapathy. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v-oEMEhk4rOVmAixYKNJldFKdgxwavxv/view?usp=drivesdk