“Leaky Gut”! Could You Have It?

DIGESTIVE NEWS & REVIEW:

By Columnist Ange Sinclair – Founder of Digestive Detective:

Photo credit: Madrid Spain 12 3 2007 229 via photopin (license)

Have you got skin issues, food allergies, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, mood issues or an auto-immune disease?  Then chances are you have ‘Leaky Gut’.

Leaky gut or intestinal permeability as it’s called in the medical world is where the barrier between the stomach and the bloodstream is breached.  This allows foreign substances, think large protein molecules to escape into the bloodstream.  Once they hit your bloodstream your immune system goes into overdrive trying to eradicate them. This process looks like a war scene from Star Wars. The immune system is very efficient at cleaning up the proteins in the short term but long term it can cause the body to turn on itself.

What Causes Leaky Gut?

All the usual suspects are as follows:

• Antibiotics
• Exposure to chemicals
• Medications
• Infections like candida, helicobactor pylori, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• Gluten- for some people this can cause large amounts of damage
• Dysbiosis – which is a fancy way to say imbalance of good and bad bacteria,
• Food sensitivities and intolerances
• Stress- something that no one really thinks about in our crazy stressful world. Stress changes the body’s ability to heal itself.
• Poor diet

How Can We Fix Leaky Gut?

1.  Remove what’s causing it. This may involve some work on your part.  You will need to get checked for gut infections and treat them.
2. Eliminate toxins such as antibiotics, NSAIDS, alcohol or any heavy metals.
3. Remove allergenic foods – wheat, dairy, gluten, alcohol, processed sugars, processed foods, legumes and nightshade vegetables are the usual suspects. Remove for four weeks and then add them back one at a time leaving two days between each introduction and keep a close eye on how you feel in your mind and body.
4. Replace these foods with foods that will heal – whole foods, bone broth, fermentable fibres -sweet potato, taro, greener bananas, fruit and vegetables.
5. Repair the lining of the gut with nutrients that nourish and heal- glutamine, digestive enzymes, omega 3 fish oils and quercetin.
6. Restore balance to the gut flora using probiotics, pre and probiotic foods, fermented foods as these lower inflammation, increase antioxidant levels and help regulate blood sugar.
7. Manage your stress levels – take time to nurture yourself, spend some time in nature, meditate, have some fun or simply sit with a cup of tea alone in silence for a few minutes. Find what works for you and do it often.

These few simple strategies should get you feeling better in no time.

About Our Digestive News and Review Columnist – Ange Sinclair

Ange Sinclair, founder of Digestive Detective is a Naturopath, Nutritionist and Herbalist. She has a special interest in Digestive Disorders. She helps you beat the bloat, purge your pain and find the root cause of your problem using nutrition, herbal medicine and supplements.

Visit Ange’s website to take her quiz to see if you are ready to change your health, or connect on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Disclaimer: The information published in this column are based on each of the author’s own professional and personal knowledge, and opinion. This information and opinion is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any manner. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition and consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on InShape News.