Leaky Gut: What is it? and How you can heal from it quickly

​As I discussed last week, gut health is essential for your overall well-being. People with chronic illness, autoimmune disorders, and allergies often have dysbiosis and a leaky gut, or “intestinal permeability,” a condition in which the lining of the intestine becomes unhealthy and may have cracks or holes, causing undigested food particles, toxic waste products, and 

bacteria ​to “leak” through the intestines and go into the bloodstream. ​

This causes an autoimmune response in the body, including inflammatory and allergic reactions. Moreover, the intestines will not produce the necessary enzymes for proper digestion. As a result, the body cannot absorb essential nutrients, which can lead to chronic illnesses, adrenal fatigue, cancer, hormone imbalances, and a weakened immune system.

Americans eat an average of 3,393 calories per day; it is almost double the number of the recommended daily calories. Unfortunately, even though Americans overeat, they are undernourished because of what they eat. The Standard American Diet, also known as the SAD diet, is mostly comprised of fattening foods that are devoid of nutrition. It lacks in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants while being high in refined sugar, refined grains, table (refined) salt, a toxic protein, cholesterol, saturated fat, preservatives, and artificial flavors and coloring. These elements create chronic inflammation and consequently illness.

What’s inflammation? When our white blood cells come in contact with viruses and other foreign organisms, inflammation is the body’s natural defense mechanism. However, when we partake in habits or maintain diets that are filled with foods with little to no nutritional value, our gut becomes extra inflamed and porous, allowing toxins and other antigens to absorb into the bloodstream. This inflammation sends a signal to the rest of our body telling our immune system to go into overdrive to work off the infection, which drains us of energy and makes us more susceptible to illnesses, viruses, and allergies around us.

Several factors have proved to negatively affect the gut’s integrity. The most prominent include:

• The Standard American Diet (nonorganic foods, processed foods, sugar, alcohol, etc.)
• Exposure to Chemicals (pesticides, artificial coloring, and flavoring, etc.)
• Chronic Infections
• Nonorganic, refined and processed Gluten
• Food Allergies
• Excessive Medications
• Poorly Managed Stress

Unfortunately, leaky gut has become an increasingly more common health problem seen today and the underlying cause of many of today's common chronic illnesses.

Fortunately, we now have a better understanding of the causes, obstacles, and treatment methods for leaky gut, so there IS a stop to the cycle!

The first steps of healing are ruling out the fundamental causes of leaky gut. It’s important to recognize that it is very rarely ONLY one cause, but a combination of several causing the damage.

You must first rule out, or begin to recognize, the following:

• Vitamin deficiencies
• Infectious pathogens by blood and GI tract tests
• Heavy metal toxicity by urine or hair testing
• Gluten sensitivity through HLA-DQ genetic testing (or by elimination)
• Environmental allergies via skin or blood tests (or by elimination)

If any of these come back positive, you have your first step of instructions: address the deficiencies, implement dietary changes, limit exposure to allergens, and consider detoxification methods such as herbs that cleanse and purify. 

Once you have a better understanding of your body’s unique needs, you can begin the formal natural medicine protocol that I often use with my clients in clinic: The 4 R’s.

The 4 R program is administered to help you heal from digestive distress, reverse gut complications, and rebalance your gastrointestinal microbiome. It is an incredible tool to acknowledge and treat health issues, dysfunctions, imbalances, and personal health needs.

It is done in the following order:

REMOVE:
Eliminate problem foods, toxins, low-grade infections, and oxidative stress.

REPAIR:
Begin reintroducing a clean and highly nutritious diet.

RESTORE:
Repopulate your gut with healthy bacteria to restore the proper balance of gut flora. Take herbs to restore the lining of the intestines
​
REPLACE:
Replace digestive enzymes, antioxidants, and immune-boosting vitamins to promote sustainable and healthy digestion.

​I hope you have found this information useful. Please remember that we are always here to support you!!! Until next week,
Toni