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RISING WOMEN EXPERT
ADVICE...
What is Leaky Gut
Syndrome?
Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS) describes a condition of altered or damaged bowel
lining, caused by antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, parasites or infection.
This can lead to increased permeability of the gut wall to toxins, microbes,
undigested food, waste or yeast. When these harmful substances are absorbed
by the bloodstream, they travel throughout body.
This hyper-permeability initiates a vicious cycle in which allergic
sensitization, immune activation, hepatic dysfunction, pancreatic
insufficiency and malnutrition occur; each of these increases the leakiness
of the small bowel. Your entire digestive tract, from end to end, is lined
with a single cell layer of mucous that accounts for 80 percent of your
immune system. Because your gut is constantly leaking, your immune system
never gets a chance to properly recover and eventually becomes so
overwhelmed that it begins to attack your own healthy tissue and organs.
This marks the beginning of autoimmune disease.
Some of the many symptoms include inflammation of the joints and muscles,
bloating, gas, constipation, flu-like illness and chronic inflammatory skin
conditions like acne, psoriasis and dermatitis. Other symptoms include
irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, chronic fatigue, headaches and
migraines, hyperactivity, anxiety and depression, as well as many food
allergies or specific food intolerances. When you develop LGS you can become
allergic to any food that you eat, including foods that really are normally
healthy. And the more you eat these foods, the worse your condition becomes.
Effective treatment of LGS requires several components such as avoidance of
allergic foods, special diet (gluten-free, antifungal and low-sugar for
minimum of 6 weeks) as well as elimination of infection or bacterial
overgrowth with probiotics and antimicrobials. Some natural treatment
recommendations include establishing normal permeability of the gut with
Vitamin C with bioflavonoid (an ascorbic acid flush once a week), Omega 3
fatty acids, L-Glutamine to normalize the gut barrier, daily ginger tea to
help with inflammation, Zinc and bromelain for enzyme therapy.
Changes to your current lifestyle can help drastically cut down on the time
it takes to heal your gut. Reduce stress perhaps through laughter, sound
therapy and exercise, and get adequate rest. These are all important for the
healing process. Intestinal health is responsible for up to 90 percent of
chronic health symptoms and conditions - disease and health begins in the
colon!
Kimberly Mast, owner of Essential Energetics, welcomes your health
questions. She may be reached at 403.818.3978 or through her website at
www.essentialenergetics.ca |
