When you eat, your food goes from the oesophagus to the stomach, then in the duodenum where our intestinal walls absorb the nutriments necessary for normal body function.
This wall has a very specific action of letting pass the good stuff like nutriments, water, minerals and stop what could harm us like bacterias and foreign molecules.
Unfortunately this barrier can become dysfunctional and “leak”.
For a few sensitive people , gluten for example will stimulate the secretion of a protein, call zonuline, that might damage the gut walls. Other factors like infection, stress, some drugs can lead to the same issue.
A lot of us have a leaky gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability, and the condition is rising amount the population.
Why does it affect us?
The problem is that the intestinal walls let some undigested food , toxins and microbes pass into the blood stream which activates our immune system.
The massive entrance of those antigenes can be the cause of inflammatory disease : the immune system tries to catch the unwanted molecules to eliminate them creating what we call inflammation.
Inflammation can occur anywhere in the body. Joints, liver, artery, skin…
At a higher level, leaky gut can be responsable of auto immune disease. Some protein found in food can be very similar to those in our organs. By trying to attack them, the immune system attack the organs as well.
Those dysfunctions inhibates the normal absorption of micronutrients very important for the normal function of the body. ( vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium, fatty acids…it can be the cause of fatigue, anaemia, joint pain…
Many diseases can be linked to a leaky gut:
Type 2 diabetes
IBS
Coeliac disease
asthma
candida
Crohn disease
Rheumatoid arthritis
hormonal imbalance (PCOS)
Fibromyalgia
And more…
Why skin issues can be linked to a leaky gut?
Well the skin is our biggest organ of elimination. If our organism is polluted by unwanted particles it is easy to understand that our body will try to get rid of it as quick as possible. Eczema, acne, dermatitis , psoriasis can be a sign of this process.
The liver, another organ of elimination, is gonna be affected too and will have to work twice as hard.. In those condition it will rapidly get tired which is gonna impact the hormonal balance and create all sorts of hormonal issues .
What Causes leaky gut?
Diet : gluten, diary , food allergies , carences..
Infection : candida, parasites
Toxines: heavy metals, alcohol, cigarettes, food preservatives, pesticides…
Stress: emotional or physical ( excess of sport)
Medication: antibiotics, anti inflammatory, corticoids …
Chemotherapy
What can you do to heal your gut?
You can choose to get the help of a health professional . But here are the main principles you can start applying:
Stop drinking Alcohol for 1 month at least.
Stop taking over the counter medication like aspirin, ibuprofen , anti acid unless no other option.
Reduce stress
Start a non inflammatory diet:
Increase your fresh vegetable consumption , organic if possible ( Dirty dozen reference)
Avoid refined sugar, white flour
Avoid gluten
Use cold pressed olive oil and coconut oil only
Increase your omega 3 rich food like fatty fish (salmon, sardines, haring..) 3 times per week, chia seeds, flaxseeds, olive oil
Avoid diary. The casein protein in them perturbates and increase the leaky gut.
5. Incorporate fermented food in your diet. They are a fantastic natural source of probiotics : kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles ..( 1 portion a day and see how you feel)
6. Carence in Vitamine D and zinc increase the risk of leaky gut. Eat rich in zinc food ( Brazil nuts, sea food) and supplement with vitamin D3
7. Other supplements help restore the intestinal walls like Lglutamine
8. Eat Bone broth. Bone broth is an amazing source of collagen and some amino acids that helps heal the gut.
Take care of your gut!
