Leaky Gut Syndromeis It A Real Thing
If youve experienced digestive issues like bloating, gas, cramps, food sensitivities or aches and pains, you might have leaky gut syndrome. Or you might not have leaky gut syndrome. Thats because leaky gut syndrome is still a bit of a mystery to doctors. But heres what we do know about it.
Mysterious causes
Leaky gut syndrome is not a diagnosis that is taught in medical school. In the medical world, it basically means that theres a problem with your gut and that a specific diagnosis still must be made. Theres also no consensus on a cause or a cure. Nevertheless, doctors are certain that it does exist and are working to learn more about it.
One suggested cause of leaky gut syndrome is increased intestinal permeability or hyperpermeability. This happens when some of the tighter junctions in the gut dont work properly. Since these junctions control what gets to pass through the lining of the small intestine, this could result in substances leaking into the bloodstream. Its known that people with Chrons disease and celiac disease experience this phenomenon, but the specific cause of it in these cases is not fully understood.
Some cases of leaky gut syndrome can be linked to specific types of food allergies, radiation therapy or drugs. But outside of this handful of cases, not much is known about other causes.
Symptom of another problem
Treatment for leaky gut syndrome
If you are looking for more health tips on leaky gut syndrome, contact A Gift of Health today.
Can You Treat Leaky Gut
You can, but the approach is similar to diagnosing a broken car, says Dr. Fasano. You dont know the exact problem until the mechanic lifts the hood, looks around, and tries different things there is not a simple, direct approach to fixing the problem, he says. Its the same with leaky gut. We have to try different strategies to see what helps.
Your first step is to share your symptoms with your doctor. If leaky gut is a possibility, he or she can try several strategies to help relieve symptoms and reduce inflammation. The most common is to review your diet and eliminate known dietary causes of inflammation, such as excessive consumption of alcohol and processed foods, and to explore whether you have any food sensitivities for instance, to gluten or dairy. In theory, reducing inflammation from your diet like this also may rebuild the gut lining and stop further leakage, says Dr. Fasano.
The best way to protect yourself from leaky gut is to invest more in your overall digestive health, he adds. This means being more attentive about following a gut-healthy diet that limits processed foods and high-fat and high-sugar foods, and includes enough fiber. Sticking to a regular exercise program also can strengthen your digestive system. For example, studies have suggested that taking a 15-to 20-minute walk after a meal can aid in digestion. Your gastrointestinal system is complex, but caring for it doesnt have to be, says Dr. Fasano.
I Dont Want To Sound Like Some Kind Of Crazy New Age Hippy But Heres My Sincere Advice
Unlike a lot of the other ideas in this article, I genuinely believe this should be a permanent lifestyle change.
For example, whilst alcohol is something your gut can most likely take in moderation when youre back to good health, I really dont think gluten is for most of us.
Of course, everyone is different and you will find out pretty soon if you reintroduce it into your diet after 30-90 days.
I will note that currently I do consume some gluten. But it is usually as trace/small amounts. For example, occasionally I might eat some oats for breakfast that are not certified gluten free.
P.S. if you find it hard to ditch these types of foods completely, fear not. As there are some fantastic recipes to make a lot of these foods gut-friendly.
For example, checkout my gut-friendly, gluten-free pancakes recipe. Foodgasm incoming!
IDEA #2
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What About Old Fashioned Food Intolerance Tests
My big problem with them is that they often come back positive for just about everything Ive already listed under the banned foods list above, as well as countless other good foods, and are often temporary intolerances resulting from the fact that your gut is hyperpermeable .
So instead of getting old fashioned food intolerance tests, I personally believe youre better off doing an elimination diet per the above ideas, healing your gut and then gradually and one by one reintroducing foods to see how your now-healed gut deals with them.
i.e. doing an elimination & reintroduction diet .
No doubt you will find it far more tolerant!
If you really do want to get tested for intolerances/allergies, then my best advice is to speak with a functional doctor.
They can work 1-1 with you to piece together your overall health history and current state of affairs, and from there decide what is the best leaky gut syndrome treatment plan.
But that said, always keep an eye on the economics of testing, because getting a battery of tests done, followed by a $1000+ bill is sure to cause stressand ironically more leaky gut.
Now Theres Leaky Brain
The same leaky gut ideas are now being applied to the brain, blaming all kinds of symptoms on substances leaking through a faulty blood-brain barrier .
Sometimes I think I have a leaky brain. Memories and facts have leaked out and been lost. And after my recent fall and head injury, a brain CT scan clearly showed that blood had leaked out into the subarachnoid spaces and other areas where it did not belong. But thats not what functional medicine doctors mean by leaky brain. They are not talking about anything leaking out but rather things leaking into the brain because a defective blood-brain barrier is not doing its job to keep those unwanted things out.
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Signs You Have Leaky Gut Syndrome & How To Heal It
7 Signs You Have Leaky Gut Syndrome & amp How to Heal It Contributing writer 7 Signs You Have Leaky Gut Syndrome & amp How to Heal It
Leaky gut syndrome, also known as intestinal permeability, is a digestive condition that can drive inflammation and autoimmunity. While it is not yet a widely recognized medical condition, integrative and functional medicine doctors are at the forefront of diagnosis and treatment, while more research is starting to emerge to explain what it is and how to heal it.
Heres A Chart Of The Most Popular Foods That Contain Wheat:
Youll hopefully join me in a moment of sadness as we see some of the all time tastiest foods included above, like bread, cereal, pasta, pizza, cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, beer etc.
If you are Celiac or otherwise significantly gluten intolerant , you should also try to avoid wheat-derivative products like couscous, durum, semolina etc and products containing trace amounts of gluten especially hidden as fillers, eg sauces, soups etc.
Dr Perlmutter has an extensive list of foods that contain gluten, including in small amounts.
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So Increased Intestinal Permeability Does Exist
But so do people who hijack and exploit the term for their own gain.
Unfortunately, restoring the intestinal barrier doesnt cure diseases like autism and diabetes, so dont believe anyone who tries to sell you on that idea. Most diseases are far more complex than a simple increase in intestinal permeability.
Random supplements and cures, scare tactics and diets, are not going to heal your impaired intestinal permeability or your chronic conditions. Dont buy in to any of that. You dont need to spend $14 on a cup of bone broth to heal your leaky junctions.
It appears as though increased intestinal permeability may be due to different causes, some of which may be fixed with alterations to diet and lifestyle.
Heres How I Incorporate Coconut Products Into My Daily Life
- I use 1 tablespoon of non-hydrogenated organic coconut oil in my daily shake/juice. Tastes insanely good and as weird as this sounds, gives a lovely mouth feel to the shake. Just make sure you get quality coconut oil that is not rancid and not filled with all kinds of crazy chemicals.
- Now and then I will have half a can of coconut milk in my shake instead of the oil . Probably 2 times a week. This is the taste of island holidays in food form!
- Since my gut is now in good health and able to handle oats these days, I will cook up some gluten-free oats with coconut milk on gym days. Of course, theres a lot of energy in this sort of concoction, so best to pair with commensurate training.
- Coconut oil is my go to cooking oil for many dishes, eg a mild Thai-style chicken & broccoli stir fry.
- You might even enjoy coconut kefir91 fermented coconut milk/yogurt.
IDEA #23
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How To Heal Leaky Gut
Leaky gut proponents claim that restoring the intestinal barrier will cure the underlying disease.
However, this is just an untested theory, and current research suggests its not the case.
Human and rodent studies show that intestinal barrier loss is insufficient to initiate disease on its own. Additionally, anti-TNF agents that help restore barrier function have not been effective for treating conditions, such as celiac disease .
Therefore, primary forms of treatment targeting a specific autoimmune disease should be followed first. This includes medications prescribed by your doctor and a dietitian-approved meal plan.
Summary:Unfortunately, studies suggest that healing intestinal permeability does not cure the actual condition or disease.
Supplements For Leaky Gut
Glutamine is very often recommended to heal leaky gut. While its most likely safe, studies on how it alleviates or protects from gut permeability are mixed.
Probiotics may help heal the gut, but we arent exactly sure which strains are most effective for this. S. Boulardii is sometimes prescribed as a probiotic for intestinal permeability, but
Zinc may enhance the intestinal barrier, according to some studies.
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So This Weekend Heres What I Recommend You Do
I typically only fast for 48 hours. It is more than enough time to get all the benefits of the fast itself and the servings of broth.
Let me just wrap up by saying, please speak to your doctor before undertaking any fast or any other leaky gut syndrome treatment in general.
How Leaky Guts Happen
Its not 100 percent clear what causes those bonds to loosen and result in tiny perforations in the gut barrier. In fact, were just starting to understand how the gut barrier functions and there is a lot of ongoing research.
Part of leaky gut may be due to the genes you inherit from your parents. It can also be from medications or gut infections. Leaky gut is also linked to eating a diet that is low in gut-friendly fiber . It can also be from consuming too much added sugar and saturated fat. Leaky gut may even result from stress or an imbalance in the diversity and numbers of your friendly gut microbes.
Also, as you age your cells can get damaged more easily and heal slowly, including the cells that line your gut. This can leave you more susceptible to loosening of the gut barrier.
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What Is Yeast Overgrowth And How Is It Related To Leaky Gut
Hippocrates said years and years ago that all disease begins in the gut and were finding more and more just how right he was. Your gut houses 70 percent of your immune system and of course the intestinal cells that break down food. Its where nutrients are absorbed and toxins are removed. Your gut is composed of about a tennis court worth of lining all scrunched together to soak up as many nutrients as possible.
Very simply, a yeast overgrowth happens when your bodys bad bacteria outnumbers its good. Candida, the most common fungus present in your mouth and gut, can be productive in small amounts, but when it is overgrown, it breaks through your intestinal wall and leaks into the bloodstream. When this happens, toxins that are supposed to be eliminated by the gut circle back into your system. This spillage of toxins into the blood is called leaky gut, and it is the root of many of our health problems.
Finally All My Best Ideas For Healing Leaky Gut Syndrome In One Place
The #1 thing I hear people with leaky gut ask for, is an all-in-one list of simple ways they can heal their gut fast.
And I get it.
After all, when I suffered from leaky gut I found myself drowning in a sea of 100s of different research papers, reports and books. Jumping from one report to the next was time consuming and trying to tie it all together took months.
Well, thats why I created this list of the best ideas for healing leaky gut.
The ideas on this page have the potential to get you feeling so much better in just days , and they can save you 100s of hours of research.
But admittedly, there are a LOT of ideas listed below. And I know life is busy. So I dont expect you to read through the full list right now or start implementing all the ideas today.
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Leaky Gut: General Recommendations
So, while leaky guy can be a concerning condition to experience, know that one way to treat it is by eating right. A balanced diet, with emphasis on helpful enzymes, probiotics and less sugar, can help you get through each day better and better. Taking care of your body, starting with the proper leaky gut diet plan, goes a long way.
So thats it. No doctor bills. No scary drugs or unpronounceable medications. Just real, whole foods and some supplements. Just 7 natural sources helped my body in its amazing ability to fight for health on its own. You want to help your body kill yeast and avoid gluten. Reduce the amount of sugar you eat, and increase your intake of helpful natural substances like collagen and strong antimicrobial foods like coconut! Any foods that are gut-healthy are also great to implement into your diet, especially foods that are high in fiber.
I hope these tips help you if youre battling leaky gut. Cheers to a happy gut and an even happier you!
overgrowth-and-treated-my-leaky-gut/ Look forward to connecting with you there.
For more gut-friendly recipes and tips by Mollie, check out her blog www.molliemason.space and follow along on instagram
What Causes Leaky Gut
The broad cause of intestinal damage is thought to be :
- Genetics: Genetically susceptible individuals have an exaggerated immune response to foreign particles. This response is thought to activate several pathways involved in intestinal permeability.
- Lifestyle Triggers: Stress and diet over the long-term are key factors, too. In particular, food intolerance, excessive alcohol consumption, certain toxic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , certain antibiotics and radiation.
We can see that the Western lifestyle is a major contributor to intestinal issues, which means its largely preventable.
Summary: The main triggers of intestinal permeability appear to be genetics and lifestyle. This includes stress and diet.
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Specialize In Cooking Just 7 Simple Paleo
Everyone out there is probably telling you to eat all kinds of crazy things to repair your gut.
From broccoli shakes to liver & choy sum stir frys, it can seem quite unappetizing and perhaps a little daunting.
Worse yet, the cookbooks out there focused on clean eating usually contain some of the most complicated recipes youll ever find.
From all my own trial and error, Ive found that picking and then sticking to a meal roster of just 7 meals is perfect, especially if you make sure they are easy and quick to cook, and only require a couple of ingredients.
You can find my 7 cornerstone meals in the free guide, but here is a brief overview of how they breakdown.
Eat Prebiotic Foods To Fuel The Good Bacteria In Your Gut
Prebiotics are types of fiber that are indigestible , but digestible by the bacteria in our colon/large intestine. They just love to break it down and ferment it. In other words, prebiotics are the fuel they need to grow strong98.
And when our good bacteria is strong they can help us digest food better, support mood, improve immune system function, fend off bad bacteria, and of course, help with bowel movements and intestinal wall strength.
Since prebiotics feed the probiotics/good bacteria in our digestive system, we can think of them as actually being equal to probiotics in terms of importance. In fact, theyre a team!
But before you go crazy eating all types of prebiotic-rich foods, it is important to know that during the very early stages of fixing your gut health, you should be careful to avoid prebiotics that are high in FODMAPs, which I explain in my FODMAPs & leaky gut article.
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What Is The Leaky Gut Syndrome
The leaky gut syndrome is a rapidly growing condition that people from the world over are experiencing of late. Although problems begin with your digestive system if you have the leaky gut syndrome, it affects other aspects of your health as well.
Your gut is lined by a wall, which is similar to a net with small holes in them. These small holes act as filters and enable the passage of certain substances only. It acts as a shield to keep out the bigger, harmful substances from entering your body.
When someone has a leaky gut, it means that the gut lining is damaged and cannot optimally function as a barrier any longer. The smaller holes become larger and allow harmful substances like gluten, bad bacteria, and undigested food particles to enter your system and cause considerable damage to health.