A Holistic Practitioner Says Up to 80% of Immune Cells Live in the Gut
Jane Jansen calls the digestive tract the largest organ and links a healthier gut to a healthier immune system.
HEALTH TALK AMERICA · Ask the Pill, the Pancreas, and the Panel: Your Questions, AnsweredJane Jansen, a natural and holistic practitioner and co-owner of the Tree of Life Wellness Center in Massachusetts, says of the digestive tract, "up to 80% of your immune cells actually reside there."
She calls the digestive gut "basically the largest organ in your whole system."
From that, she argues, "to have a healthier digestive tract, that means you will have a healthier immune system overall."
She lists diet, exercise, lifestyle, and stress as factors that affect the digestive tract, and says she thinks stress is a huge factor.
Questions people ask
Why does Jansen connect the gut to immunity?
She points to her figure that up to 80% of immune cells reside in the digestive tract. From that, she argues that a healthier digestive tract means a healthier immune system overall. The segment does not independently verify the percentage.
What factors does she say affect the gut?
She names diet, exercise, lifestyle, and stress. She singles out stress as a huge factor. She does not in this passage prescribe a specific diet or routine.
Who is Jane Jansen?
She is a natural and holistic practitioner and co-owner of the Tree of Life Wellness Center in Massachusetts. Before that work, she spent years in radiology and ultrasound and served as chief of a non-invasive cardiology lab at Rhode Island Hospital. She now hosts a radio program on natural health.