A term you might have heard of before is leaky gut. It is also sometimes referred to as Intestinal Permeability.
Before I talk about what leaky gut is and what we can do about it, I want to first look at the digestive system and talk a little bit about how this actually works.
First of all, it starts with eating. We put food in our mouth and start to chew it. This starts what is referred to as mechanical digestion, breaking down food with our teeth. A type of chemical digestion also starts in our mouth with our saliva. Our saliva contains an enzyme called amalayse. This enzyme starts breaking down carbohydrates in our food. So before our food even gets down into our stomach, it is already starting to be broken down in our mouth.
From the mouth, food then moves down the oesophagus into the stomach. There is a type of sphincter or valve that sits between the stomach and the oesophagus, that has the job of stopping food from coming back up the oesophagus. If this valve is weak, we might experience symptoms such as reflux.
Once in the stomach, food is then broken down further. Enzymes called proteases are here that, as the name suggests, break down the proteins from the food we are eating. In our stomach, there is also hydrochloric acid that helps to further break down food we are eating and also helps to moosh the food up into a really mushy consistency called chyme (said kime). At the other end of the stomach is another valve that only allows tiny amounts of the mushy food through into our small intestine. It is almost like drip feeding it through.
Our small intestine is about 20 feet, or over 6m in length. This is pretty cool when you think about how big your tummy area actually is and the amount of intestine that is actually located in it! That is only the small intestine too. The small intestine is where food is even further digested with more enzymes from our pancreas as well as bile from our gall bladder, and other means, that further break down the food. This is also where food is moved into our bloodstream for our body to use the nutrients as energy.
What is left of the food then moves through into the large intestine through another valve and this is where most of the water is absorbed. If this doesn’t happen, you would then end up with diarrhea. It’s also why dehydration is really common if you do have diarrhea because the water isn’t actually being absorbed by your body. Then the waste that is left over is eliminated through the bowel movements.
Most of the absorption from the food we eat happens in the small intestine. If any part of our digestive system isn’t working correctly, we aren’t going to be absorbing the nutrients from our food. So, even if we are eating really healthy and having the supplements we need, if we are not able to break down and absorb those nutrients, we aren’t going to get the benefits from this.
Now that I have described a bit about how the digestive system works, let’s talk about leaky gut.
If you have leaky gut, some of the signs and symptoms you might experience are constipation, diarrhea, wind, bloating, headaches, brain fog, poor memory, excessive fatigue and tiredness, nutritional deficiencies, skin issues like eczema, sugar cravings, carbohydrate cravings and joint pain.
I want you to picture your intestine. Not in a gross way, but picture it as a type of tube. This tube is lined with a single layer of epithelial cells plus something called villi. These villi are types of finger like projections that absorb the nutrients from the food we eat. The epithelial cells are joined by tight junctions. Their job is basically to stop larger molecules, partially or undigested food and toxins from entering into the bloodstream.
When we have leaky gut, the tight junctions aren’t as tight as they should be and then they allow these larger particles into the bloodstream.
So what actually causes leaky gut, and what actually happens if I have it?
Some people have a genetical predisposition to leaky gut, meaning they might be more sensitive to changes in the gut. However, one of the main drivers of this condition is our modern lifestyle. This includes stress and sleep. If you look at my other blog posts, you will find one on Adrenal Fatigue, where I talk about how to help with this. Remember though, that food and what we put into our bodies plays a really big part in this also.
We need fibre to feed and nourish the bacteria in our gut. We get fibre from eating lots of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, preferably with the skin on if it is edible, nuts, seeds and potatoes with the skin on. If we are not eating enough fibre, but we are also eating too much sugar, processed foods, packaged foods, foods with lots of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives or drinking too much alcohol, these cause inflammation in our gut.
If we cut our finger, it gets red, swollen, sore to touch and sometimes a bit hot and it won’t function the way it generally would. This is basically what goes on inside our body if we have inflammation. This causes damage to our gut lining and causes larger cracks, gaps or holes in the cells that line our gut wall. As I mention3ed, when our digestive system is functioning properly, our tight junctions form like a protective barrier, stopping larger particles such as foods and toxins through into our bloodstream. They are like a gateway between the lining of our gut wall and our bloodstream. So, the tight junction have the job of monitoring and stopping these things going into our blood that shouldn’t be there. As I mentioned, if these tight junctions are damaged or not functioning the way they should be, it allows partially digested food, toxins and bacteria that should actually be in our gut, to move through and enter into the bloodstream.
Some research indicates that people with leaky gut might have higher levels of inflammatory blood markers, indicating that there is also inflammation there. When inflammation in the body is ongoing or continuing, we refer to this as chronic. This contributes to a huge range of health issues, including coeliac disease, allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, sinusitis and many others.
When these larger particles enter through into our blood, our body is really clever. It recognises that these are not meant to be there and initiates an immune response, sending in it’s forces to attack these foreign invaders and get rid of them. They aren’t meant to be there, so it sets about removing them. This then causes more inflammation and even damage to the gut lining, causing more leaks. This is where the term leaky gut comes from. There are also certain medications that can damage our gut lining, being antibiotics, the oral contraceptive pill and NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen. Now I am not suggesting to not use these medications, rather to be aware that these can cause damage to the gut.
Over time if leaky gut is left and not healed, it can lead to food sensitivities, intolerances, foggy head, arthritis, skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis, anxiety, mood issues, behavioural issues, depression, nutrient malabsorption, deficiency in nutrients, inflammatory bowel disease, even autoimmune diseases and more.
Once I have leaky gut, can it be healed?
Yes, absolutely! There is a lot we can do to help with leaky gut.
- Reduce inflammation in the body and reduce stress on the body by removing these foreign invaders. Reduce stress from our modern lifestyle. Reduce our stress levels by finding activities that we enjoy, that bring a smile to our face. Practice slow, deep belly breathing. Reduce anxiety, relax tight muscles such as tense shoulders and jaw. Practice gratitude, meditation, prayer. Journal, and ensure you are getting enough good quality sleep.
- Eat foods to nourish your body rather that the opposite. Reduce processed, packaged foods full of artificial colours, flavours, additives and preservatives and learn to read nutrition labels to make healthier choices. Reduce your alcohol consumption. You could have your hair analysis to find out the foods to eat that are right for your body. I also have a webinar available called How to Read Nutrition Labels, and a Healthy Bellies program. These can be found on my website.
- Raw vegetables are harder for the body to digest, so it is a good idea to limit these while you are healing your gut. Rather opt for slow cooked meals, soups and stews.
- Consume broth daily as this has many gut healing benefits. Eat stewed apples regularly, as these contain a fibre called pectin, that is really healing and nourishing for the gut. Make gummies out of gelatine, and consume fermented foods that are also beneficial for gut health.
- Avoid gluten and dairy as a starting point if you are not doing the hair analysis, as these foods are often inflammatory foods.
- Work out the cause of inflammation in the body and remove this so that the body can heal from the damage that has been caused.
Certain supplements such as glutamine, digestive enzymes, slippery elm can be beneficial. Working with a Naturopath gives you access to good quality practitioner only products, and they can guide you to specific strains of probiotics or supplements that are specifically beneficial for you and the symptoms you are experiencing. Rather than fumbling your way through and guessing what you might need yourself, you can get advice that is just for you.
Remember that what we eat has a big impact on our gut health. If our gut health isn’t great, this then snowballs, causing more issues.
I recommend that you get back to basics, cook from scratch where you can, grow your own food where you can, eat foods that don’t contain nutrition labels, reduce processed foods where you can, limit the amount of numbers on nutrition labels, reduce sugar, limit takeaway, cook double batches of meals and freeze for later use.
Seek assistance from a Naturopath and get advice on the first steps you can take to make improvements.
Who doesn’t want more energy and to feel great?
Make a start. You won’t regret it.