A great article by Rachel Holmes, founder of KSFL
I’ve been consumed with researching Gut Health and Autoimmune diseases so I always like to write what I’m feeling passionate about it… so today it’s Gut health and how it affects so many people with
heath problems and the "non-responders" who are not able to lose weight.
When I first started Kick Start in 2007 the programme was geared to losing weight and reducing inflammation but as I conduct extensive research and work with the worlds best Functional Medicine Practitioners and Dr's, we are evolving, and I am able to pass on to you the very latest health information.
The link between the gut and the brain has been researched extensively and all health
conditions and diseases start in the gut.
So what is this “Gut Health” that I keep talking and blogging about and how does it affect you?
The gut is the gateway to health. If your gut is healthy, chances are that you're in good health. However, there's a condition called leaky gut that can lead to a host of health problems.
What is a leaky gut?
The
gut is naturally permeable to very small molecules in order to absorb these vital nutrients. In fact, regulating intestinal permeability is one of the basic functions of the cells that line the intestinal wall.
In sensitive people, gluten can cause the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Other factors — such as infections, toxins, stress and age — can also cause these tight junctions to break
apart.
Once these tight junctions get broken apart, you have a leaky gut. When your gut is leaky, things like toxins, microbes, undigested food particles, can escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via your bloodstream. Your immune system marks these "foreign invaders" as pathogens and attacks them. The immune response to these invaders can appear in the form of any of the nine signs you have a leaky gut, which are listed below.
What
causes leaky gut?
The main culprits are foods, infections, and toxins. GLUTEN is the number one cause of leaky gut.
Other inflammatory foods like dairy or toxic foods, such sugar and excessive alcohol, are suspected as well. The most common infectious causes are candida overgrowth, intestinal parasites, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Toxins come in the form of medications, like Motrin, Advil, steroids, antibiotics, and acid-reducing drugs, and
environmental toxins like mercury, pesticides and BPA from plastics. Stress and age also contribute to a leaky gut.
If you suffer from any of the following conditions, it’s likely that you have a leaky gut:
9 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut
1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrehea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
2. Seasonal allergies or asthma.
3. Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS.
4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune
disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, or celiac disease.
5. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia.
6. Mood and mind issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD.
7. Skin issues such as acne, rosacea, or eczema.
8. Diagnosis of candida overgrowth.
9. Food allergies or food intolerances.
How do you heal a leaky gut?
Remove the pro-inflammatory foods this stops putting petrol on the
fire.
The goal is to get rid of things that negatively affect the environment of the GI tract, such as inflammatory and toxic foods, and intestinal infections.
It’s a huge subject but more research is going on all of the time and it is another jigsaw puzzle piece in the quest for health, vitality and wellness.
