It is everyone’s wish to live a healthy and long life, but few of us are willing to take the measures required to lead such a life. The kind of lifestyle many people lead nowadays is leading them to various ailments and chronic conditions.
Modern research has recently linked these conditions with having a leaky gut, as a result of the modern lifestyle. Some of these conditions include obesity, depression, asthma, a variety of allergies and inflammations among others.
But what is a leaky gut?
In the field of functional medicine, doctors technically refer to a leaky gut as intestinal hyperpermeability. It all begins from infancy when a baby is born. All infants are born with a hyperpermeable gut. In this condition, it allows pathogenic particles to seep through to the infant’s bloodstream as a way of priming its immune system.
The infant’s guts begin sealing within 72 hours after birth thanks to colostrum present in the mother’s milk. The colostrum seals the gut just enough to allow nutrients absorption and tight enough to prevent harmful bacteria. It is for this reason that infants are supposed to feed only on the mother’s milk to prevent future complications in adulthood.
Leaky Gut Connection to Multiple Chronic Conditions
Even with this infancy measures, people still suffer from complications resulting from leaking guts. It is worth noting that 70 percent of your immune system is directly connected to your gut lining. Remember, your immune system is responsible for the overall health of your body, including your brain and your nervous system. No wonder the phrase (Your Gut Feeling!)
Modern lifestyle has a lot of stressors that contribute to the dame of the gut lining. Environmental toxins, alcohol, prescription, and non-prescription drugs, as well as food triggers among others, are just some of these stressors. The gut lining contains a protein called zonulin, which when exposed to such stressors gets damaged and compromises the permeability of the lining.
When this happens, the gut’s intestinal barrier weakens, and thus allows bacteria, waste particles and other harmful products that the body is supposed to eliminate to pass through to your bloodstream. These pathogens then trigger your immune system causing it to react ferociously and overproducing antibodies that cause severe inflammation.
Symptoms and Corrective Measures
It is evident that a leaky gut allows germs and other unwanted materials into your bloodstream, as a result causing a variety of ailments. Apart from the complex cases that require stool examination, you can identify possible symptoms of gut leakage through self-examination.
Usually, individuals with gut leakage are likely to experience loose stool, abdominal cramping, gas, constipation, and other digestive ailments. Other non-digestive related ailments or symptoms include eczema, irritability, brain fog, allergies, and swelling among others.
How do you go about correcting gut leakage?
Doctors advise that you check your diet. Avoid or reduce foods that irritate your intestinal lining. These foods include dairy casein and gluten, mostly found in dairy products. You should also avoid taking alcohol and smoking. Instead, focus on a healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables, and cereals.
