Page 17 - Scene Magazine 42-09 September 2017

For Your Health
Leaky Gut and How It Affects Your Health
BY CARRIE PALMER, P.A.
Chances are, if you have been suf- fering from chronic abdominal discom- fort for some time, you have heard of a term called “leaky gut.” You may have found the term
through internet research or by talking with others who have similar problems. But what is leaky gut, and how is it con- tributing to health problems such as cardio- vascular disease, arthritis or diabetes?
In general terms, leaky gut refers to a breakdown in the body’s ability to defend itself against the outside world. Another way of describing this is “increased intes- tinal permeability.” As food (and anything else that makes its way into your GI tract) travels through the gastrointestinal sys- tem, it is still technically considered to be outside of the body – or more specifically away from your body’s extensive immune system. Your inner intestinal lining creates a wall-like barrier of millions of cells with tight junctions between them. It is through these junctions as well as through micro- scopic transporters in the cell walls that only very small particles travel through. These particles are molecules such as ami- no acids (very small proteins or building blocks for your body), vitamins, fat mole- cules, carbohydrates, etc. that are essential to your health and function.
When certain foods, processed oils and chemicals, drugs, heavy metals, or even certain bacteria or viruses, are frequent- ly exposed to the intestinal lining, it can create increased inflammation and damage to the barrier. (In addition to substances flowing through the GI tract, chronic stress can also lead to intestinal wall damage through the long-term exposure to cortisol on the intestinal lining.) Eventually this leads to a break-down of the tight junctions or the mortar of the brick wall in our intestine. Instead this causes more of a picket fence – lots of larger openings where larger particles such as bacteria and their toxins, incompletely digested food, and other chemicals not normally absorbed, can get through.
Once these particles get into the blood- stream in large quantities, the immune system begins to respond with an inflam- matory response. These larger particles are recognized as foreign to the body and
therefore bad regardless of what they are. The small piece of banana, for instance, that got through the picket fence of your gut lining is now recognized as no bet- ter than a virus and therefore is attacked to protect your body. As this continues to happen, the inflammation only increases or worsens as these “foreign” particles are unable to be contained and begin to travel all over the body.
Just like a forest fire begins with a small spark, small amounts of inflamma- tion when left to burn (and are constantly “fed” by continued exposure) can lead to potentially massive amounts of inflamma- tion spreading all over the body. This in- flammation harms the entire gut, potential- ly leading to symptoms such as diarrhea, gas, bloating, IBS, and sometimes candida overgrowth or SIBO (small intestinal bac- terial overgrowth). However, it can also lead to increased knee, back or shoulder pain due to inflammatory arthritis or fibro- myalgia, mood disorders or brain fog due to inflammation in the brain, psoriasis or acne due to severe skin irritation, thyroid problems and other autoimmune diseases, and hormone imbalances and fatigue, to name only a few related health problems.
There are many culprits we can point to when looking for a cause for leaky gut. Among the dietary causes, gluten is one component that can cause significant damage. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley or any product made from these grains. In those who are sensitive, gluten can lead to the release of a chemical called zonulin, which then creates increased inflammation and damage to the tight junctions. However, gluten is not the only problem. Dairy and other inflammatory foods such as sugar and excessive alcohol can also contribute to worsening leaky gut.
In addition, infections such as candida overgrowth, SIBO, or intestinal parasites
can lead to intestinal permeability. Gut-harming toxins can be in the form of medications such as Ibuprofen, steroids, antibiotics, and acid-blockers. Yes, those medications can be very helpful for certain symptoms. However, long-term use of Ibu- profen or Prilosec can increase our chances of developing leaky gut in the future. Heavy metals such as mercury or lead in addition to chemicals like BPA from plastics or even pesticides also play a big role!
So, what can you do about leaky gut? Are you cursed to live with this for the rest of your life once the picket fence has implanted itself in your small intestine? The answer is no. Thankfully this process can be reversed. It requires some work, but the rewards can be incredible. Often testing is needed to look for the causes of intestinal inflammation and breakdown such as food sensitivities, toxicities, and/or infections. It is also important to ensure that the food that is eaten is digested properly and supple- ments are given to help improve digestion when necessary.
There are certain nutrients including omega 3 fats and probiotics as well as others that are necessary to help heal the damage caused to the small intestinal lining. But with some dedication and by attending to all of these aspects of gut health, we can reverse the damage, significantly decrease inflammation in the area and therefore decrease inflammation throughout the body. Without the significant inflammation, and with the gut able to digest and absorb properly, you can be well on your way to getting your health back!
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