The gut and its wall is like the skin — a barrier between our internal and the external environment. Often, all is well and the barrier is structurally sound and functions as it should. However, sometimes things can go wrong and these aberrations can become chronic. It’s not an impermeable barrier; many things have to cross it to ensure our optimal health. For instance, evaporative fluid loss and core temperature regulation through vasodilation and constriction. Gross changes (when we have a serious wound involving the epidermis, the dermis and other layers that can lead to uncontrolled blood loss) can enable entry of uninvited bacteria, leading to subsequent infection. Diseases and disorders of the skin, such as psoriasis acne, eczema, shingles, rosacea, hives and cold sores, lead to chronic long-term changes to the skin and affect the body’s ability to defend its self.
