How leaky gut can contribute to common problems and what to do.
Feeling poorly?
It may be due to impaired gut health, even if you do not have stomach problems.
Why? ⅔ of our immune system is in the gut, and 90% of our brain chemicals are in the gut.
Poor gut health can cause many symptoms, such as brain fog, joint pain, fatigue, skin issues (eczema, rashes, itchy skin), mood swings, anxiety, depression, muscle aches, arthritis, asthma, and allergies. If you have any autoimmune disorder, such as RA, MS, lupus, Hashimoto’s, celiac or IBD, or type 1 DM, you most likely have a leaky gut.
What is a leaky gut?
Our small intestinal barrier is one cell deep and usually has tight junctions that prevent food and toxins from getting into the bloodstream. Think of it like a very fine mesh strainer that only allows nutrients to pass through. When we have a leaky gut, the tight junctions become loose, like a bigger hole mesh strainer, and now they allow proteins and toxins to pass through.
Since these substances are generally not in the bloodstream, our immune system becomes activated and attacks them. This creates an overactive immune system as it is bombarded with a constant flow of foreign things in our bloodstream. This can often lead to food intolerances because our immune system is overstimulated, and, on the attack, it can feel that protein in the food we eat (and often the food we eat all the time) is a foreign invader. This constant state of our immune system on high alert can lead to attacks on other tissues like our joints or our thyroid. When our immune system is overstimulated, it creates inflammation in our gut and our whole body.
What causes a leaky gut?
Eating processed foods that contain inflammatory oils, sugar, and gluten is a big contributor to a leaky gut. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and many foods like bread, pasta, and beer. Many people don’t realize that it is also found in cosmetics, condiments, and sauces because it can act like a binder. Multiple studies have shown that it can directly affect our gut barrier.
Other causes of leaky gut include taking over-the-counter pain medications like Aleve or ibuprofen, oral estrogen or birth control pills, and antibiotics.
Low Vitamin D, low zinc, stress, alcohol use, underactive thyroid, smoking, elevated blood sugar, or high histamine levels can also contribute. Lastly, having an overgrowth of certain bacteria in our gut may lead to a leaky gut.
What can you do?
✅Cut out processed foods and inflammatory oils like corn, canola, and sunflower.
✅Eliminate gluten. I know this is a hard one, but it is highly important—at least 30 days to allow gut healing. Obviously, if you have celiac, this is lifelong. See how you feel off gluten. If you reintroduce gluten and symptoms return, then think about long-term elimination for at least 3-6 months, maybe longer.
✅Get your vitamin D (25-OH) level checked. You want it in the 40-60 ng/ml range.
✅Limit toxin exposure as much as possible in your environment. Toss plastics, get rid of Teflon cooking pans, and choose clean personal care products. The Environmental Working Group is a great resource for looking up products and seeing how toxic they are.
✅Eat organic foods as much as possible. EWG has a list of the worst vegetables to buy, nonorganic and those that are okay.
✅Reduce stress. We can’t stress (no pun) this enough. Stress shuts down our digestive system, leaving room for dysbiosis, poor nutrient absorption, and more wear and tear on the gut lining.
✅Quit smoking
✅Avoid over-the-counter pain medications (can use curcumin in the meriva form instead).
✅ Taking probiotics, specifically lactobacillus plantarum and quercetin (always check with your health care provider before starting any supplement), has been shown to improve gut barrier function.
✅Add in foods like:
An array of rainbow-colored vegetables to add nutrients and prebiotic fiber.
Gut-healing foods like bone broth and fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut (don't knock it till you try it, it is excellent on salads) and kefir.
Eat grass-fed beef, lamb, wild-caught salmon, and high-quality fats like avocado, olive oil, egg yolk, and coconut oil.
If you are still suffering, consider working with a functional medicine consultant to address any bacterial overgrowth.
