Symptoms Of A Leaky Gut

Leaky Gut Causes Health Issues

There are probably many individuals who have read about symptoms

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky Gut Syndrome

of a leaky gut, but may not actually know the real cause of how a leaky gut is triggered or how you are diagnosed with this medical condition. A leaky gut can cause some other health conditions and if left untreated, you can experience some of these. In most cases, doctors will prescribe some drug for the symptom and not treat the actual cause of your disease or condition.

Some patients experience no change in their condition and in most instances, will not feel any better even after taking the medication. It’s very important to know that most of these medical conditions can be treated by just eating the proper diet and eliminating taking the medication for the treatment.

In a lot of cases, gluten is the major cause of a leaky gut. The problem is that most individuals who are diagnosed with a leaky gut may not associate their leaky gut with eating gluten.

A short video of a leaky gut by Dr. Amy Meyers MD.

The following symptoms of a leaky gut topics will be covered in this article. Just select the topic of interest and you will be taken directly to that section. Or, just scroll down to view them all.

What Is A Leaky Gut?

The gut is naturally permeable to very small molecules in order to absorb these vital nutrients. Regulating the 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 be a cause of these tight junctions to break apart.

Once these tight junctions get broken apart, you have a leaky gut. Here is what happens when your gut is leaky: things like toxins, microbes, undigested food particles, and more can escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via the bloodstream. Your immune system marks these “foreign invaders” as pathogens and attacks them. The immune response to these invaders can appear in any of nine ways.

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Nine Conditions You May Have A Leaky Gut

What Is A Leaky Gut

What Is A Leaky Gut

If you should suffer from any of these nine conditions, it is likely that you have a leaky gut:

  1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, 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 intolerance’s.

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What Causes A Leaky Gut?

The main causes of a leaky gut are foods, infections, and toxins. The number one cause of a leaky gut is gluten. Some other foods that can cause inflammatory intestinal problems are:

  • Dairy
  • Toxic Foods: Sugar and excessive alcohol

The most common infectious causes are:

  • Candida overgrowth
  • Intestinal Parasites
  • Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).

The most common toxins are:

  • Medications: Motrin, Advil, Steroids, Antibiotics, Acid-Reducing Drugs.
  • Environmental Toxins: Mercury, Pesticides, and BPA from plastics.

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Associated Symptoms and Conditions

Below are some of the associated symptoms with a leaky gut:

  • Autoimmune diseases: Hashimoto’s, Graves’, Lupus, Alopecia, & Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Fatigue

    Do You Have A Leaky Gut

    Do You Have A Leaky Gut

  • Brain Fog
  • Weight Gain
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Digestive Problems: IBS, Chron’s, UC
  • Food Allergies
  • Migraines
  • Arthritis/Joint Pain
  • Adrenal Gland Imbalances/Fatigue
  • Asthma/Allergies

The above are some of the major symptoms of a leaky gut. If you should suspect that you are experiencing any of the above, you need to check with your medical doctor to determine if you have a leaky gut as they can perform specific tests to be sure you do have this condition. Once you have been diagnosed with it, you can begin to heal your gut through eating of a proper diet before taking any medications.

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Foods To Avoid If you Have A Leaky Gut

If you have been diagnosed or think you may be experiencing a leaky gut, the foods below contribute to the inflammation in the intestine and are the major offenders:

  • Gluten: Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, Spelt
  • Dairy: Milk, Yogurt, Whey
  • Corn
  • Eggs
  • Soy

These foods must be totally avoided entirely until your gut has healed. This can take anywhere from a few weeks to a year or more, depending upon the condition of your gut at the time of diagnosis. The leaky gut condition will vary from patient to patient because of heredity and how long you have not been diagnosed with a leaky gut before you started to take corrective treatment.

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Ways to Improve Digestive Function

  • Chew your food slowly until liquefied.
  • Eat in a calm, quiet and relaxing space-don’t eat “on the run.”
  • Don’t read, text, watch TV etc. while eating.
  • Drink Ginger Tea with Lemon.
  • Bitters such as Swedish Bitters can help.
  • Betaine HCL capsules can help if you have gas, bloating, burping after meals.
  • Digestive enzymes.

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Identify Leaky Gut Infections

Infections in the intestine can contribute to leaky gut may be creating inflammation and weakening the immune system. These infections can be identified using a stool analysis. The infections are:

  • Parasites
  • Bacteria
  • Fungus
  • Candida
  • Mold

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Manage Stress

Stress causes elevated Cortisol which eats away at the intestinal barrier. You must learn how to corral this important emotional effect on your body. Here are some suggestions on how to control stress:

  • Adrenal adaptogens can help your body handle stress like Ashwagandha, Rhodiola and Eleuthero.
  • Don’t multi-task.
  • Take time off from work.
  • Eat protein at every meal.
  • Meditation can help.
  • Exercise helps the body deal with stress.

The above are just a few examples of what you can do to help control the effects of stress on the body. Your doctor may also have some additional suggestions to recommend.

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Conclusion

As you can see, having a leaky gut is serious and you need to take corrective action as soon as you can. The sooner you begin to eat properly through the diet, your gut will begin to heal over time and you should start feeling better. In some cases, eliminate most of the medications you were taking before being diagnosed with a leaky gut.

You also found out that the biggest culprit to a leaky gut is gluten. By starting a gluten-free diet, you will begin to heal the gut and the other health conditions related to the eating of gluten. Be sure to follow your doctor’s advice on the diet.

Remember, for some patients, you will probably have to stay on a gluten-free diet for the rest of your life. This is probably a good thing as most of today’s wheat is genetically modified and their affects are not totally known on how they affect the body. As more research is done, the medical profession will be made aware and be able to provide their patients with solutions besides prescribing medications or drugs for the symptom and does not deal with the actual cause.

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Shop Leaky Gut Resources

Below are some resources that you can purchase and read for additional information about leaky gut syndrome and using a diet to heal the leaky gut instead of medications.


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