The gut is the gateway to health. If your gut is healthy, chances are that you’re in good health. However, there’s a condition called leaky gut that can lead to a host of health problems. To quote Hippocrates “All disease begins in the gut”. Read below to identify the 10 signs you have a leaky gut.
What is a leaky gut?
The gut is naturally permeable to very small molecules in order to absorb vital nutrients. In fact, regulating intestinal permeability is one of the basic functions of the cells that line the intestinal wall. An example is in sensitive people, gluten can cause the gut cells to release a protein that can break apart tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Once these tight junctions get broken apart, you have a leaky gut. When your gut is leaky, toxins, microbes, undigested food particles etc can escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via your bloodstream. Your immune system marks these “foreign invaders” as pathogens and attacks them. The immune response to these invaders can appear in an array of diseases or conditions.
What causes a leaky gut?
The main culprits are foods, infections, and toxins. Gluten, dairy, inflammatory foods such as sugar and excessive alcohol are the usual suspects for a leaky gut. The most common infectious causes are candida overgrowth, intestinal parasites, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Toxins come in the form of medications such as over the counter painkillers, antibiotics, and acid-reducing drugs; and environmental toxins like mercury, pesticides and BPA from plastics. Stress and age may also contribute to a leaky gut.
10 signs you may have a leaky gut
If you suffer from any of the following conditions, you may have a leaky gut:
- Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhoea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Seasonal allergies or asthma
- Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS
- Autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, or coeliac disease
- Chronic fatigue, ME or fibromyalgia
- Mood and mind issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD
- Skin issues such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis or eczema
- Diagnosis of candida overgrowth
- Food allergies or food intolerances.
How do you heal a leaky gut?
In my practice, I have my patients follow a Gut Restoration and Healing Protocol which comprises of a comprehensive elimination diet, removing all toxic and inflammatory foods for a certain period of time as well as improving digestive function and healing the leaky gut. The protocol involves a ‘removal phase’, a ‘replace’ phase, a ‘reinoculate’ phase and lastly a ‘repair’ phase.
In addition, I also use quantum physics technology to assist with helping identify why you have a leaky gut in the first place and assist in the healing of your gut.
So if you are experiencing symptoms of a leaky gut, take a positive step towards your health and book an appointment with me for a tailored comprehensive gut protocol to help restore healthy gut function and achieve optimal wellness!