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How do I stop Leaky gut?

Leaky Gut outcomes.jpg

What is a Leaky Gut?

 

The scientific name for Leaky gut is intestinal permeability. It is a condition which effects our intestine's ability to protect us from undigested proteins, infections and toxins. Inability of the intestine to protect us exposes us to different toxins, bacterial and fungal products leading to serious diseases.

 

Research shows that Leaky gut is the root cause of many diseases and symptoms including

 

  1. Digestive tract: Irritable bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Fatty liver, gas and bloating, Obesity and/or difficulty gaining weight.

  2. Brain and Nerves: Anxiety, Depression, ADD, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and neurological symptoms.

  3. Autoimmune Diseases: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, type 1 Diabetes, Asthma, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis

  4. Hormonal Imbalance: It effects Cortisol, Estrogen and Progesterone imbalance, Fibroids, Endometriosis, Premenstrual Syndrome and fibrocystic breasts.

  5. Skin: Acne, Rosacea, Psoriasis and Eczema

  6. Inflammation related conditions: Chronic Fatigue, Chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, recurrent infections and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

  7. Cancer

 

Do I have Leaky gut?

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If you have any of the above conditions, then it is likely that Leaky gut may be one of the root causes. There are tests available that can assess if you have leaky gut as well as the degree of severity.

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What changes are seen in Leaky Gut?

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If we look at the picture, it shows the normal intestine on the left with the cells very close to each other with no space between the cells. There are special bonds on the walls of the cells called tight junctions which make sure that there is no gap between the cells. The purpose of these junctions is to prevent any bacteria, fungus, toxins or undigested foods from entering the cells.​

Leaky gut revised.jpg

The right side of the picture shows the Leaky gut or the inflamed intestine. There are gaps between the cells because the tight junctions are broken. There are a lot of other cells such as lymphocytes and macrophages present in this picture which are not found in the normal intestine. These cells are part of our immune system and are responsible for protecting our body. These cells are trying to protect us from the bacteria, fungus, and/or toxins.

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Why do I have Leaky gut?

 

There are many causes of Leaky gut including

 

  1. Undigested proteins

  2. Malabsorption of food

  3. Infections

  4. Toxins

  5. Food allergies and sensitivities

  6. Blood sugar regulations

  7. Stress

  8. Hormonal imbalances

  9. Immune cell activation

  10. Nutritional deficiencies

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How do I stop Leaky gut?

 

There is a 5 R approach to reverse Leaky gut. The 5 R Approach consists of

 

  • Removal of the root cause of the problem.

  • Replace the missing enzymes and nutrients

  • Repopulate with the missing good bacteria

  • Repair the gut

  • Re-balance the gut

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Our Functional Gut Assessment and Healing program provides a comprehensive assessment and treatment for Leaky gut. Below is the link to the program.

https://www.theholistichealing.org/functional-gut-assessment

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References

 

  1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Jan 24;114(4):E506-E513. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1620059114. Epub 2017 Jan 10. CD34+ mesenchymal cells are a major component of the intestinal stem cells niche at homeostasis and after injury.

  2. file:///C:/Users/Nadia/Downloads/Leaky_Gut_and_Autoimmune_Diseases.pdf

  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5435852/

  4. https://academic.oup.com/biohorizons/article/doi/10.1093/biohorizons/hzx015/4670557

  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5575588/

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