Leaky Gut

Have you ever heard of the term leaky gut? Perhaps you have as, it seems it is being discussed now more than ever. It is even estimated that about 80% of Americans suffer from a leaky gut. Even so you may be wondering what in the world is a leaky gut and is my gut actually leaking!? So the answer is actually maybe so!

Leaky gut syndrome refers to increased intestinal permeability. This occurs in your small intestines when the tight junctions responsible for filtering bacteria, toxins, and undigested food ,become not so tight! Basically your tight junctions serves as filter for your small intestine sort of like a net allowing the good stuff to pass and keeping the bad stuff out of your bloodstream. However in leaky gut syndrome, these junctions or pieces of the net become loose/permeated allowing undigested food, toxins, and bacteria to pass into your bloodstream. The result is your immune system feels its under attack and thus reacts producing a slew of inflammatory symptoms experienced by those suffering from leaky gut. Some of these symptoms include:

• chronic diarrhea, constipation, or bloating
• nutritional deficiencies
• fatigue
• headaches
• confusion
• difficulty concentrating
• skin problems, such as acne, rashes, or eczema
• joint pain
• widespread inflammation
• food sensitivities

While not all doctors recognize leaky gut syndrome most functional and holistic medicine argues that it most certainly exists. While common doctors argue that a “leaky gut” may be a symptom of other conditions such as IBS or other gastrointestinal diseases others argue that these autoimmune diseases are actually a result of your leaky gut. Meaning that if you heal the gut you could remedy all your other disorders as well. Leaky gut can actually contribute to a series of health problems and disorders therefore a healthy gut is crucial to your overall health. Tune into this friday’s blog for gut healthy recipes to help heal your gut.

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