What is Leaky Gut?
Leaky gut describes a condition in which the gastrointestinal mucosal lining has been damaged. Leaky gut syndrome can be caused by stress, medication damage, infections, and overconsumption of processed foods, sugar, and alcohol.
A healthy GI lining is a tight barrier that promotes the absorption of nutrients while preventing harmful and unwanted bacteria and toxins from entering our bloodstream. When the GI barrier is damaged, the tight spaces between cells can widen and allow these harmful substances from the gastrointestinal tract into our body. This can stimulate the immune system to jump into action to protect the body. This immune response can lead to a cascade of problems including fatigue, body and joint pain, headaches, skin disorders, and autoimmune disease.
Tips for preventing and healing a Leaky Gut:
- Limit over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen that can cause GI damage.
- Limit use of antibiotics that can promote a microbial imbalance and result in GI inflammation and damage.
- Supplement with a high-quality probiotic (link) to promote GI microbial balance. Probiotics also produce short chain fatty acids that help repair the GI barrier.
- Specific nutrients and herbs can be helpful for intestinal barrier repair. Formulas that include zinc carnosine, L-glutamine, aloe, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), and slippery elm can provide important intestinal support in a gut repair protocol. Glut-Aloe Relief (naturologie.com) and Balanced GI (naturologie.com)
