The gut is a very complex, important system in the body. Not only does it act as one's second "brain," but it also serves as the absolute best portrayal of an individuals overall health. That being said, when the GI tract becomes compromised, whether due to dietary or lifestyle factors, one's entire body is going to take a large tole, of which can lead some pretty disastrous health conditions, including autoimmune disease(s). Ultimately this happens when intestinal permeability increases, thus causing gut bacteria imbalances, while also the lining of the gut being damaged and subsequently becoming leaky. Though it might seem that only those that are suffering from a chronic illness have a gut susceptible to becoming leaky, it may come as a surprise to you to know that a damaged GI tract almost always begins first, not second to a given health condition. Therefore, today I will lightly discuss how one's gut can become leaky, and overall how to repair any damage that has already taken place.
Defenders of the Gut
There are various ways that one can develop a leaky gut through both diet and lifestyle factors. More specifically, it is damage to the enterocyte cells present in the gut, and tight junctions that hold these cells together. Enterocytes are the transport cells, of which reside in the mucosa of the intestine, that bring digested nutrients from the food we eat, into the outside of the gut lining, where they can then be carried to wherever in the body they are needed through blood and lymph vessels. Overall, it is these enterocyte cells that keep the good in our GI tract, and the bad out. Yet, in the case of a leaky gut, contents of the intestines (both good and bad) can leak into ones bloodstream, lymphatic and immune system, therefore causing the body to adversely react, attack itself, and cause many of the symptoms that make up a given illness or disease. This is due to the fact that, on the other side of the enterocyte cells of the gut, there are immune cells. These cells act as soldiers, ready to protect the body from any foreign invaders that may get through the protective gut lining, which, as previously mentioned, occurs when enterocytes become damaged and leave holes in the gut lining. Another way that toxins, pathogens, bacteria, and waste products can seep through the gut barrier, is when the protein structures that hold together the various cells of the gut, are damaged. These are called tight junctions, and overall are responsible for keeping the intestinal lining functioning optimally, while also allowing nutrients the body needs to be absorbed. However, when these junctions become unraveled, or become dysfunctional and stuck wide open, they serve as yet another way contents from the GI tract can trigger immune responses that cause the body to go into attack mode. This can create minor, to severe health complications including food and environmental allergies, autoimmune disease, FODMAP intolerance, nutrient, fat, and vitamin malabsorption, and various other inflammatory health conditions stemming from seemingly insignificant skin disorders such as eczema, to debilitating illnesses such as MS or rheumatoid arthritis.
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| General outline - See The Paleo Approach for details. |
Enemies of the Gut
The effects that occur after a leaky gut is formed can be extremely hard to fix, and certainly something everyone should do their very best to avoid. To do so, it is even more important for individuals to understand and realize what commonly causes a leaky gut in the first place. Enterocytes, which are the cells that make up part of the GI tract’s lining, can meet their death in a few different ways, including pathogens present in the body, toxins, and foods that the body is unable to properly digest, of which include grains (not just gluten), nightshade vegetables (pepper, tomato, eggplant, potato), legumes (beans, lentils, etc…), pseudo-grains, and dairy. Together, these food groups contain high amounts of lectins (such as prolamins, agglutinins), anti-nutrients (also known as digestive enzyme inhibitors), phytates (also present in smaller amounts in nuts and seeds) and saponins, all of which can damage, or even cause death to the vital cells that comprise the GI tract’s lining as a whole. Not only do these compounds inhibit critical digestive enzymes, but they also are hard on the gut lining itself due to the inability for the body to digest them, which in turn feeds gut dysbiosis (i.e. gut bacteria imbalance), another complication that arises a long side a leaky gut (ex: SIBO).
Though a normal individual with no present health complications is able to continually repair these re-occurring insults to their gut lining, this does not happen in a compromised system, of which could stem from an unknown infection, microbial imbalance, genes susceptible to a given health problem, or simply too much of the same, harmful dietary and lifestyle factors mentioned above. When this happens, contents present in the gut, whether beneficial or harmful, leak into the immune system through the holes where enterocyte cells would otherwise be. It is important to note that while harmful food choices make up a large portion of the diet aspects that undermine our gut, medications, NSAIDS (ibuprofen, aleve, etc..), and antibiotics can contribute to the formation of a leaky gut as well. Aside from enterocyte cell death, the gut can become leaky when the tight junctions that hold it together, become dysfunction and left open. This can happen when zonulin (the modulator of the opening and closing of cells in the GI barrier), becomes over-active, leaving the junctions wide open, when normally, they should be closed tightly, only allowing certain nutrients to be absorbed into the body. Zonulin can become dysfunctional for a few reasons, the primary contributor being the indigestible proteins found in wheat products. Alcohol consumption is also a key factor in damaging tight junctions, as it literally unravels what would otherwise be a "tight junction" between enterocyte cells. When this happens, the result is similar to that of when zonulin becomes over-active, leaving the doors wide open for foreign particles to distribute into the immune system. Whether through cell death, tight junction dysfunction, or the harmful diet and lifestyle that come a long with these factors, having a leaky gut has been shown to be not only present in all individuals with health conditions, but also the precursor to developing one. Because of this, it is important for those not only with a chronic illness, but healthy individuals as well, to protect their GI tract from many of the harmful diet and lifestyle factors that have become so common in today's modern world.
Though a normal individual with no present health complications is able to continually repair these re-occurring insults to their gut lining, this does not happen in a compromised system, of which could stem from an unknown infection, microbial imbalance, genes susceptible to a given health problem, or simply too much of the same, harmful dietary and lifestyle factors mentioned above. When this happens, contents present in the gut, whether beneficial or harmful, leak into the immune system through the holes where enterocyte cells would otherwise be. It is important to note that while harmful food choices make up a large portion of the diet aspects that undermine our gut, medications, NSAIDS (ibuprofen, aleve, etc..), and antibiotics can contribute to the formation of a leaky gut as well. Aside from enterocyte cell death, the gut can become leaky when the tight junctions that hold it together, become dysfunction and left open. This can happen when zonulin (the modulator of the opening and closing of cells in the GI barrier), becomes over-active, leaving the junctions wide open, when normally, they should be closed tightly, only allowing certain nutrients to be absorbed into the body. Zonulin can become dysfunctional for a few reasons, the primary contributor being the indigestible proteins found in wheat products. Alcohol consumption is also a key factor in damaging tight junctions, as it literally unravels what would otherwise be a "tight junction" between enterocyte cells. When this happens, the result is similar to that of when zonulin becomes over-active, leaving the doors wide open for foreign particles to distribute into the immune system. Whether through cell death, tight junction dysfunction, or the harmful diet and lifestyle that come a long with these factors, having a leaky gut has been shown to be not only present in all individuals with health conditions, but also the precursor to developing one. Because of this, it is important for those not only with a chronic illness, but healthy individuals as well, to protect their GI tract from many of the harmful diet and lifestyle factors that have become so common in today's modern world.
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| General outline - See The Paleo Approach for details. |
How to Find Healing
Despite it seeming as though the odds of healing are stacked against one who has developed a leaky gut, and a subsequent autoimmune disease, there is hope. As Dr. Sarah Ballantyne discusses in The Paleo Approach, removing all pro-inflammatory foods from ones diet, while simultaneously maximizing nutrient density, can aid significantly in healing one's gut and thus entire body. It just so happens that some of the most beneficial foods that are emphasized on the autoimmune-protocol, are also high in glycine, an amino acid that is critical in sealing off leaky patches in the GI tract. Offal (i.e. organ meat) such as liver, kidney, and heart, meat that is cooked on a bone, bones themselves, and therefore, bone broth, are all great ways to get large amounts of glycine into one's diet. Probiotics are also crucial in healing the gut, whether in the form of food such as sauerkraut, kombucha, and kvass, or specially formulated supplements such as Prescript Assist and Gut Pro. Utilizing Great-Lakes, grass-fed gelatin, or Vital Proteins collagen, in cooking, or taken as a supplement, can also provide support for your gut by getting an extra boost of extra "glue," and subsequent nutrients that the body needs to heal. Having enough of the amino acid glutamine, is also crucial in order to heal, therefore making the supplement L-Glutamine beneficial for maximizing GI health. For those that have developed a leaky gut, it is very likely that they will become intolerant to FODMAPs, which is why avoiding these foods while trying to heal, can be very helpful to reduce extra symptoms and inflammation. That being said, while changes in one's diet are fully necessary to heal leaky gut, there are also some lifestyle factors that must be taken into account. Minimizing stress, getting 9+ hours of sleep, and chewing your food thoroughly (30+ times per bite), are all equally important.
Just as the formation of microscopic holes in one's GI tract, healing from a leaky gut certainly does not happen over night. It can take many months of persistent changes in one's diet and lifestyle, to fully fix the damage that has been done. However, just as hippocrates said, all disease begins in the gut, and as Dr. Sarah Ballantyne mentions in her book, it is pretty much impossible to have an autoimmune disease without already having a leaky gut, therefore proving the only way to find true health is to begin with the GI tract. For those with an autoimmune condition, or any other inflammatory health condition, following the autoimmune-approach outlined in The Paleo Approach, can have you well on your way to restoring the integrity of the gut, no matter how minor or severe your condition may be.
As for myself, leaky gut has certainly been something that I have struggle even before I hit my brick wall with Chronic Lyme Disease. It was in the months before my body completely collapsed that I began having mysterious GI issues, therefore leading me to take gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and sugar out of my diet in hopes to relieve symptoms. Though this helped, it didn't get rid of all of my symptoms, which is due to the fact that there was still an underlying cause for my weakened body (i.e untreated Lyme). That being said, when my immune system finally gave up fighting Lyme, and the effects that it caused/was causing in 2011, my gut only got worse from there. Ever since then, I have been persistently trying to do everything that I can to heal what we now know to be "leaky gut," and though it can seem completely hopeless at times, I do believe someday, somehow, my gut will be restored. Last year, I found myself following Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's protocol, of which has helped tremendously in minimizing inflammatory symptoms, and overall trying to fix my leak gut. I also take many of the supplements mentioned earlier in today's post, however, my body tends to have an aversion to gelatin and bone broth, no matter what way that I take it. Not only has the development of a leaky gut caused severe, re-occurring infections, allergies, and additional, inflammatory symptoms in my journey with Chronic Lyme Disease, it has simultaneously become one of the biggest road blocks in my healing to this date. Therefore, I cannot stress how important gut health truly is, not just for those who are already sick, but for those who are healthy and looking to maintain their present state of well being. In the end, the information presented in today's post is just the beginning of all that goes into getting, and then healing a leaky gut, and if you are interested in further information, make sure to check out The Paleo Approach, and The Paleo Approach Cookbook by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne.
Just as the formation of microscopic holes in one's GI tract, healing from a leaky gut certainly does not happen over night. It can take many months of persistent changes in one's diet and lifestyle, to fully fix the damage that has been done. However, just as hippocrates said, all disease begins in the gut, and as Dr. Sarah Ballantyne mentions in her book, it is pretty much impossible to have an autoimmune disease without already having a leaky gut, therefore proving the only way to find true health is to begin with the GI tract. For those with an autoimmune condition, or any other inflammatory health condition, following the autoimmune-approach outlined in The Paleo Approach, can have you well on your way to restoring the integrity of the gut, no matter how minor or severe your condition may be.
As for myself, leaky gut has certainly been something that I have struggle even before I hit my brick wall with Chronic Lyme Disease. It was in the months before my body completely collapsed that I began having mysterious GI issues, therefore leading me to take gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and sugar out of my diet in hopes to relieve symptoms. Though this helped, it didn't get rid of all of my symptoms, which is due to the fact that there was still an underlying cause for my weakened body (i.e untreated Lyme). That being said, when my immune system finally gave up fighting Lyme, and the effects that it caused/was causing in 2011, my gut only got worse from there. Ever since then, I have been persistently trying to do everything that I can to heal what we now know to be "leaky gut," and though it can seem completely hopeless at times, I do believe someday, somehow, my gut will be restored. Last year, I found myself following Dr. Sarah Ballantyne's protocol, of which has helped tremendously in minimizing inflammatory symptoms, and overall trying to fix my leak gut. I also take many of the supplements mentioned earlier in today's post, however, my body tends to have an aversion to gelatin and bone broth, no matter what way that I take it. Not only has the development of a leaky gut caused severe, re-occurring infections, allergies, and additional, inflammatory symptoms in my journey with Chronic Lyme Disease, it has simultaneously become one of the biggest road blocks in my healing to this date. Therefore, I cannot stress how important gut health truly is, not just for those who are already sick, but for those who are healthy and looking to maintain their present state of well being. In the end, the information presented in today's post is just the beginning of all that goes into getting, and then healing a leaky gut, and if you are interested in further information, make sure to check out The Paleo Approach, and The Paleo Approach Cookbook by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne.
Job 23:10-11 "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside."
Ballantyne, Sarah. The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. N.p.: n.p., 2014. Print.
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