Leaky Gut – foods that hinder and foods that heal
Leaky Gut is a term we use to talk about hyperpermeable intestinal lining. Naturopaths have always believed that disease originates in the gut and have worked on the idea that gut lining can become damaged allowing for the passage of undigested food particles, bacteria, and other fragments through gut cells where it can interact with the immune system.
This triggers the immune system to believe there is a problem and triggers a cascade of inflammation. We believe this inflammation can act locally and cause gut symptoms to develop like heartburn, bloating, pain, and gas. And that this inflammation can also travel through the body and cause symptoms globally, like headaches, joint pain, and brain fog.
Some scientific research has shown that leaky gut may be associated with gut diseases including Coeliac Disease and Crohn’s Disease and also other conditions like Lupus, arthritis, allergies, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
When I work with patients, part of their treatment will always involve healing the intestinal gut lining. In patients who are experiencing a lot of gut symptoms, including bloating, pain, excess gas, reflux, diarrhoea, constipation, or even a mix of both, and/or reactions to foods or supplements they have tried, I will always work on leaky gut FIRST.
When you have a higher degree of “leakiness”, you will often react to foods, but find it very difficult to pinpoint which and you might have tried supplements available from your pharmacy or health food shop and felt like your symptoms worsened. This to me is a sign you definitely need to heal up the gut lining with care.
Possible symptoms of Leaky Gut
Body wide symptoms
Inflammation
Dizziness
Headache
Fatigue
Joint pain
Rashes
Brain fog
Mood disorders
Gut based symptoms
Bloating
Gas
Pain
Reflux
Diarrhoea
Constipation
Large amounts of mucous- must see GP
Blood- must see GP
Foods that hinder good gut health
Preservatives
Synthetic dietary emulsifiers polysorbate 80 (P80) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) increase intestinal inflammation and alter microbiota (Mayo, chocolate, bread, spreads, creamy sauces)
Alcohol
Gluten
Artificial sweeteners
Non-organic animal foods
Diet high in processed and refined foods
Foods that heal
Plant foods- as tolerated- provide fuel for the microbiome
Water- clean and plenty
Herbs and spices- cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, oregano
Bone broth
Natural medicine also offers many nutrients and herbs that reduce inflammation of the tissue, and help to restore & repair the health of the lining. These include glutamine, Vitamin A & D, Zinc, collagen peptides, and pre & probiotics. But you do need to select formulas carefully, as some may actually worsen your symptoms, especially if you have a very sensitive gut.
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A bit about me!
I am Danielle Elliott a qualified Naturopath and the owner of Tummy Rescue.
I have been helping kids & adults improve their health for over 16 years, with the last 11 years concentrating on helping patients with any kind of gut disorder. I began focussing on everything gut related after my husband was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. And lucky I did……as my husband and both our kids have Coeliac Disease and my daughter has a dairy allergy.
So…. I am well and truly where I am meant to be!
I love being able to help people to soothe and calm their symptoms, investigate the causes and support and improve their gut function.
I also get to write educational pieces to train practitioners and am often interviewed for podcasts and summits, which is another really rewarding part of my work. I love educating people (this is something I do in every consult), because I do believe knowledge is power. It gives you the tools to make the changes you need to!
So, when you opt-in to my E-book, you are beginning on a journey of learning and discovery, of how you can reduce your symptoms of bloating, gas & pain and improve your gut health.
I would be honoured to help you along the way.
Danielle xoxo