What is Leaky Gut and How do You Prevent It?
Friday November 1, 2019
If you’ve ever played a game of Jenga, then you know the challenge—pull one block out at a time and try to keep steady. But, inevitably, if you pull one block, it can cause the whole construction to collapse on itself.
Unfortunately, the human body can sometimes work in the same way. Everything is going fine, but one change, sometimes even a subtle one, can throw the systems of the body out of whack and cause major health problems.
One such condition that can do this is known as leaky gut (or leaky gut syndrome). Leaky gut is when the human digestive tract becomes so permeable that toxins and bacteria can pass through the lining and enter into the rest of the body. When this happens, it can cause inflammation in your body and trigger a response from the immune system.
Let's look at the symptoms associated with leaky gut, the best foods to eat if you have it, and the possible treatments for the condition.
Symptoms — Leaky gut syndrome has been associated with a variety of symptoms. The most obvious of these symptoms would be digestive issues including bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or gas. Because you are leaking nutrients as well as toxins, a general lack of nutrients such as vitamin deficiencies can also be a problem. However, the syndrome has also been connected to other conditions including headaches, fatigue, mental confusion, rashes, inflammation including arthritis, depression, and a weakening of the immune system (which can, in turn, lead to other health problems as well).
Leaky Gut Foods — If you have leaky gut, you will want to eat foods that can improve your ability to fight inflammation like avocados, blueberries, and broccoli. You should also eat salmon and walnuts which contain Omega-3 fatty acids which can help your joints when they become inflamed. Refined and heavily processed foods should be avoided. This includes refined sugars and artificial sweeteners and processed meats which are full of chemicals that your body wasn’t designed to digest.
Possible Treatments — Many people have found that vitamins, minerals, and natural oils can be used to treat leaky gut syndrome. These include aloe vera, fiber, fish oil, l-glutamine (an amino acid), and probiotics. You should also consider using cardamom, licorice root, peppermint, turmeric, thyme, and zinc.
Take control of your health
Leaky gut syndrome can have a seriously negative impact on your body’s overall health. The good news is that by adding certain foods and deleting others from your diet, you can help alleviate many of the symptoms. Additionally, using certain natural ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, and oils can help with the treatment of leaky gut.