What are Leaky Gut Symptoms?
Leaky gut symptoms include:
• Constipation – You may have been experiencing constipation for years without knowing it. Sometimes you don’t even notice the problem until something triggers it. Other times you just feel like there’s no energy at all and your body feels tired all the time. If you’re not eating enough fiber, then this could be one of the causes of leaky gut syndrome.
• Fatigue – Your muscles ache and you feel fatigued all the time. You might get up from bed only to fall asleep again. You might wake up feeling groggy when you need to focus or perform other tasks. All these symptoms are common with leaky gut syndrome.
• Depression – Your mood swings and depression are very common with leaky gut syndrome, especially if you’re not getting proper nutrition and hydration.
• Memory Problems – You might forget things easily or have trouble concentrating. You might lose things you’ve worked hard to save. These are some of the symptoms associated with leaky gut syndrome.
How do I treat Leaky Gut Syndrome?
There are several ways to treat leaky gut syndrome, but they all involve improving your overall health and well being. Here’s how:
1) Eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water.
Make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods. Drink a lot of water so that your digestive system works properly.
2) Take supplements for leaky gut.
There are a lot of supplements out there that can help your stomach. Take these every day for a few weeks to see a difference.
3) Probiotics are useful when it comes to digestive health.
These supplements contain helpful bacteria that strengthen the lining in your stomach and intestines.
4) Relax!
This is a common one that most people don’t do. When you’re stressed, your body can produce more cortisol and other harmful substances that can make your condition worse. Take time out of your day to relax and meditate if you have to.
The leaky gut syndrome is no laughing matter. It can lead to even more serious diseases if not treated quickly and properly. Follow the advice above and start feeling better soon.
Interesting facts about Leaky Gut Syndrome
Our digestive system is one of the most important parts of the body. It is essential in breaking down all the food we eat into energy and nutrients that can be used by our body. The human body can live with only breathing and heart functions for at least a month, but without proper digestion and nutrition it will die in a matter of days.
It’s quite interesting to know that the digestive system acts like a complex factory for breaking food down into useful matter. The entire process involves several steps, each having a specific function in dealing with the food.
The entire process of digestion begins the moment you place food in your mouth and chew it. When you chew your food, your saliva mixes with it and starts the chemical process of digestion. The stomach then sends out special acids and enzymes to break down the complex food molecules.
This mixture is sent to the small intestine from where nutrients are absorbed into the body and waste is passed on to the large intestine. The large intestine then collects all the waste and after a few days, excretes it out of the body.
But it is very important that every part of the digestive system functions at its maximum capability. Anything less can lead to several complications and digestive disorders. One of the most common problems faced due to below par digestive functions is Leaky gut syndrome.
What is Leaky gut syndrome?
Leaky gut syndrome is a condition when the lining of the small intestine develops tiny holes that allow food particles, bacteria, and toxins to get into the blood stream. The lining of the small intestine is very selective about what enters the blood stream and what doesn’t. Thus, if the lining develops holes, it could allow toxic substances into the blood.
Leaky gut syndrome can also be referred to as increased intestinal permeability and it is extremely common. Studies show that about 70% of the US population suffer from this condition to some extent and are completely unaware of it.
The condition usually develops over a period of time due to several factors such as stress, poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, certain medications etc. If you have leaky gut syndrome, you are more prone to getting infected by various diseases and conditions such as allergies, arthritis, IBS etc.
Diet & supplements for healing Leaky Gut
1. Foods that heal Leaky Gut
Probiotics: These are healthy bacteria that help in balancing the good and bad bacteria in your gut. Probiotics can be found in yogurt, kefir and other fermented foods.
Fibre: Beans, vegetables and whole grains are rich in fibre and help in making your digestive system work better.
2. Foods that harm Leaky Gut
Processed foods: Sugars, refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta, and food additives can damage the lining of the small intestine.
Genetically modified organisms: GMO’s have been linked to causing damage to the lining of the small intestine.
Alcohol: This is a toxin that can lead to increased intestinal permeability. It also causes dehydration, which can make the situation worse.
How to heal your gut naturally
Ensure you take a probiotic supplement every day. This is very important because you can’t rely on getting these nutrients only through food. Most of the foods that have these nutrients have been processed and are laden with sugar and other additives that can be harmful to your system.
Eat more whole foods such as organic vegetables and fruits. Vegetables are especially good for healing your gut.
Be sure to eat more foods that are high in fibre. Beans are especially great for a healthy gut, but you can also try other vegetables such as carrots and spinach.
You can also add some coconut oil to your diet. It is one of the best sources of fat that is harmless to the digestive system.
Limit the amount of alcohol you consume and avoid sugary drinks. These are harmful to your body in many ways.
Get plenty of probiotic rich foods and supplements into your system every day. You can also try fermented vegetables such as kimchi, which are very nutritious and packed with healthy bacteria.
Everyone has a different gastrointestinal system, so you may need to try various things before you find out exactly what is ideal for your system.
If you suffer from leaky gut syndrome or any gastrointestinal disorder, it is essential that you take the right steps in order to heal your system so that you feel better and have more energy. The tips above will put you on the right path to a healthier you!
Have You Tried These 15 Simple But Effective Home Remedies For Healing Leaky Gut?
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has been praised for its healing properties for years.
It has antimicrobial and antifungal properties, and it also helps your body kill off harmful pathogens such as candida albicans.
Research has shown that coconut oil can help heal the lining of your small intestines, so using this natural remedy can be incredibly helpful for healing leaky gut.
The best way to use coconut oil for repairing a leaky gut is to take one tablespoon of organic virgin coconut oil twice a day.
You can also put it into your morning coffee or add it to a smoothie.
2. Bone Broth
Bone broth is an old-fashioned remedy that has recently come back into style, and for good reason.
Bone broth is rich in minerals, and it also helps heal your gut because the amino acids and collagen that form the connective tissue in the bones soothe the lining of your intestines.
You can prepare bone broth simply by cooking bones, skin, and other parts of animals such as chicken feet, ligaments, and joints.
Add in some vegetables and herbs for different flavor.
3. L-Glutamine
L-glutamine is an amino acid that has been proven to heal the lining of your small intestines.
It is essential for the maintenance of your gut lining, and it can help prevent your small intestines from leaking too many toxic byproducts into your body.
Ingesting L-glutamine can also help speed up the healing process of your gut if you have recently had a round of antibiotics, which destroy the good bacteria in your body as well as the bad.
Take 1 gram of L-glutamine every day.
4. Olives
Olives are a great source of oleic acid, which has been proven to reduce gut permeability.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help your leaky gut.
Include fresh olives in your salads or olive oil in your meals to reap the benefits. Olive tapenade is also a delicious spread that can add some zest to your breads and crackers.
5. Turmeric
Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant herb.
It has been used for years in Indian cooking, and it gives many traditional Indian dishes their distinctive yellow color.
In addition to adding some lovely color to your meals, turmeric can also soothe an irritated digestive tract and ease any pain you may be experiencing as a result of leaky gut.
Add a little ground turmeric to your dishes for best results.
6. Egg Yolks
Egg yolks contain a nutrient called zeaxanthin, which has been proven to repair the lining of your digestive tract.
It also contains lutein, which protects your eyes from damage and plays a role in eye development.
Take two or three fresh egg yolks per day to relieve leaky gut. Beat them up and add some seasoning to make an egg salad or eat them as is.
7. Bone Marrow
Most of the nutrients in bone marrow are found in the bones, but this delicious treat is a real gut healer.
Bone marrow is high in proteins, vitamins, and minerals that can all soothe and heal the lining of your digestive tract.
Braise or roast some bones, then enjoy the delicious snack that is bone marrow.
8. Papaya
Papayas contain large amounts of the enzyme papain, which is a digestive enzyme that breaks down proteins.
These enzymes can also break down hard to digest proteins in your diet such as the gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley.
If you have issues digesting gluten, eating papaya can help your gut to process it better and reduce the toxic load entering your bloodstream.
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Sources & references used in this article:
Normalization of the increased translocation of endotoxin from gram negative enterobacteria (leaky gut) is accompanied by a remission of chronic fatigue … by M Maes, F Coucke, JC Leunis – Neuroendocrinology Letters, 2007 – nel.edu
Leaky gut: mechanisms, measurement and clinical implications in humans by M Camilleri – Gut, 2019 – gut.bmj.com
Normalization of leaky gut in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is accompanied by a clinical improvement: effects of age, duration of illness and the translocation … by J Axe – 2016 – Pan Macmillan
Exercise, intestinal barrier dysfunction and probiotic supplementation by M Maes, JC Leunis – Neuroendocrinology Letters, 2008 – nel.edu
MegaSpore: Everything You Need to Know About the World’s Best Probiotic You are here by W Sears, M Sears – 2008 – Little, Brown Spark
Alterations in intestinal permeability: the role of the “leaky gut” in health and disease by M Lamprecht, A Frauwallner – Acute topics in sport nutrition, 2012 – karger.com
The inside tract: What RDs need to know about the gut microbiome by M Roesslein – rebelhealthtribe.com
