Leaky Gut
Why Our Gut is Important and Why You Want to Fix "Leaky Gut"
Why is Gut Health Important?
Our gut is commonly referred to as our body’s second brain. More and more research studies are showing that there is a significant gut-brain connection.
Maintaining your gut health is important because our gut helps ensure that our immune system (at least 70% of our immune cells are in the gut) is working properly, that we are properly digesting our food, helps to avoid majority of health conditions including vitamin and mineral deficiencies, helps promote brain health, heal from dis-ease, help prevent dis-ease, and many other health benefits come from repairing and healing the gut.
Our gut is a host to trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses. In the right environment it is easy for our gut to become overrun by bacteria, candida, inflammation or become permeable (“leaky gut”).
By healing the gut, we can be sure to put our bodies in a state where it is ready to begin healing even further. Symptoms of dis-ease will begin to be reduced as our bodies become more balanced. But what do we mean by “heal/repair the gut”?
When we begin to repair and heal the gut, we are not simply putting more “good” bacteria in and removing the “bad”. What it means is that we are creating an environment for our gut to thrive. We are removing inflammatory foods and beverages, adding in the necessary amino-acids, digestive enzymes, soothing herbs, etc., and creating a balance between your parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system.
When you start to make healthier choices for YOUR body, your microbiome becomes happy very quickly and as a result, you start filling your body with necessary and beneficial antioxidants. During this process your immune system becomes stronger, and you are able to modify your gene expression (think turning off those genes that are causing dis-ease in your body).
What is “leaky gut” and why would you want to fix it?
Leaky gut occurs when the lining of the small intestine becomes more permeable than normal. When this occurs, more pathogens, food particles, immune cells, nutrients, etc., pass through the lining, leaking these substances into the bloodstream. The picture below is a great example!
When the toxins are leaked into the bloodstream, an immune response may occur, and it weakens your digestion. There are number of issues thought to be associated with “leaky gut.” Among them are bloating, indigestion, ulcers, liver issues, arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, asthma, IBS, celiac, Crohn’s, and kidney dysfunction.
Millions of people live with these often-debilitating issues daily. Issues that can be improved and sent into remission with the proper help and support.
What Can Cause “Leaky Gut”?
Now that we know why out gut health is important, what “leaky gut” is and why you would want to fix it, it is important to understand what can cause it.
Our lives are more hectic than ever before, and with that can come a lot of stress. Unfortunately, this is one of the factors that can play into gut permeability. Stress causes the body, specifically the gut, to produce less mucous which serves as a protective barrier to the intestinal wall. Stress can also alter gut bacteria balance. These two factors lead to an increase in gut permeability (leaky gut), resulting in undigested food to enter the bloodstream, thus resulting in inflammation and mood changes.
In a day and age where cancer rates on the rise exponentially, and treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation are often used, we often overlook the risks associated with it. Both of these therapies can cause intestinal mucosa degradation. Not to mention, we are constantly being bombarded by radiation in our everyday lives (think EMFs).
Other common causes of “leaky gut” include regular use of NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Advil, Tylenol, Motrin, antacids), and food sensitives. Food sensitivities are different from food allergies. With food allergies you often see an almost immediate reaction occur (hives, itching, swelling, etc.). Food sensitives are often missed because symptoms, if any noticeable ones, usually begin to display 24-72 hours later.
If you are looking for ways to test to see if you are suffering from leaky gut or are looking for some recommendations on ways to improve your health, you can visit my Resource page on my website, or reach out to me about setting up a 20-minute free consult! Find more information at: Balanced Vitality.
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Additional Resources for More Information Regarding Leaky Gut: