Do you have skin issues? Chronic pain, headaches or fatigue? What about depression or anxiety? Do your allergies flare up every spring?
The root cause of these health problems may surprise you - many of these issues are linked to poor gut health.
Symptoms of Leaky Gut
Leaky gut may trigger the following symptoms:
Constipation
Bloating
Poor digestion
Fatigue
Headaches
Brain fog
Skin issues, including eczema, pimples, acne, rashes, hives and eczema
Chronic inflammation or joint pain
Understanding Leaky Gut
Incredibly, your gut’s intestinal lining covers more than 4,000 square feet - larger than a tennis court! When working properly, this huge absorptive surface forms a tight barrier that controls what gets into the bloodstream.
An unhealthy gut - from stress, chronic inflammation, infections, autoimmunity, and certain foods - may have damaged or widened “junctions” that allow partially digested food, toxins, and bacteria through the intestinal lining. This triggers more inflammation, changes in the gut microbiome, and other health concerns. Also known as heightened intestinal permeability, studies show that leaky gut is associated with autoimmune diseases such as:
Lupus
Multiple sclerosis
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Arthritis
Allergies
Asthma
Acne
Obesity
Mental illness
The Link Between Autoimmunity and Leaky Gut
Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or IBD, is when the body attacks the lining of the intestines. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the two major forms of IBD.
IBD should not be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. IBS is more common, not life threatening, and generally easier to treat. Often, patients get labeled as having “IBS” when they have poor gut health from medications, eating a diet that doesn’t fit their needs, high stress, poor gut microbiome, or an underlying infection.
IBD diseases can be debilitating, and sometimes it can even lead to life-threatening complications. With an autoimmune disorder, there are many natural ways to calm the immune system and better manage the condition. It’s important to do this - and not just suppress the symptoms through steroids - because if you have one autoimmune disorder that is uncontrolled, you are at high risk of developing another. Research indicates someone with one autoimmune disorder has a 25% chance of developing 3 or more!
Repairing Leaky Gut
Leaky gut can be repaired! It’s important to understand and eliminate (or minimize) the root triggers of your condition.
Nutrition plays a huge role, but there’s no one anti-inflammatory diet that will suit everyone. It’s important to consider food sensitivities, which are very different from food allergies. Food sensitivities are more chronic, less acute, and often more difficult to diagnose because of delayed reactions - the offending food may not cause a reaction for up to 3 day later.
The right supplement protocol is important, too, but even this must be customized accordingly to your underlying causes and other lifestyle factors.
Ready to take control of your gut health? Reach out to us to schedule a free call where we can learn more about your needs and determine if you’re a good fit for what we do!