Have you heard of “leaky gut syndrome” or intestinal permeability? I’ll forgive you if you haven’t because many mainstream doctors don’t know about it or believe it’s a thing.
But trust me, it’s a thing!
In the functional health space and the research space, it’s totally a thing and if you’re experiencing bloating, disrupted bowel habits, skin issues, even anxiety and depression then your body knows it’s a thing too.
The anatomy
If for a moment you consider our anatomy: our digestive tract is literally a tube that passes through our body from one end (mouth) to the other end (anus). This tube is what is exposed to the outside world! Everything we put into our mouth; food, drink, supplements and drugs passes through this tube and yes these things get broken down and absorbed into our bloodstream.
In a perfect world this tube has a lovely mucous layer which acts as a barrier to foreign particles that aren’t meant to pass through into the bloodstream. But unfortunately a lot of what we consume isn’t really perfect for our bodies; excess sugar, alcohol, pesticides and toxins, drugs (over the counter, prescription or otherwise), food additives and more…and these things can disrupt that mucous layer, create inflammation in the gut and then the “tight junctions” (if you imagine the teeth of a zipper that fit together nice and snug = tight junctions) between the cells start to get a little loose and “leaky”. This is when the larger particles start to sneak through into the bloodstream where they are not suppose to be and the body reacts to this to cause many different symptoms.
Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?
- Fatigue
- Skin issues: acne, rosacea, psoriasis
- Hives
- Histamine intolerance
- Brain fog
- Food intolerances
- Nutrient malabsorption
- Anxiety or depression
- Systemic inflammation
- Achy joints
The fact is that our bodies are bombarded with challenges on the daily, so it’s important to look after our body’s from the inside out. There is some evidence that supports the theory that leaky gut is involved in the development of disease; in particular celiac disease, type 1 diabetes and IBS.
How do I know if I’ve got Leaky Gut?
Well if you have any of the above symptoms its likely that your gut isn’t too happy and could use some TLC.
By working with a practitioner you’ll learn how to nourish your gut so that you have sustainable results. I always start with a SIBO test because if you don’t clear that you’ll have no chance of healing your leaky gut. You can check out what SIBO is from this blog I wrote.
You can also test for Zonulin which is a marker in the gut that can indicate leaky gut. Testing this marker is an add-on when doing a comprehensive stool analysis.
How do I fix my leaky gut syndrome?
The first step I always encourage my clients to take is to check and monitor what is going down that tube. Cleaning up your diet, washing your vegetables and fruit and cutting off any other toxins at the source is imperative. Have you checked out my 14 Day Body Reset Cleanse yet?
Then working with a practitioner (like me) to prescribe supplements personalised to you and your gut. Plus being able to give you specific dietary recommendations as well.
Feeding your microbiome is key; things like plenty of fibre, fermented foods and bone broths.
So are you ready to find out if your random symptoms are related to your gut? Are you ready to do something about it?
Yes?
Awesome, let’s chat! Book your free discovery call today.
