Testing For leaky gut syndrome will uncover what is triggering food sensitivities and Immune Function!
A gut that acts up every time you eat something can pose a challenge to your lifestyle. Saying no to food options, warily watching consumption of fluids and regulating what goes into your stomach does seem to be tiresome.
The good news: you can now test for leaky gut or Intestinal Permeability and be well on the path to knowing what exactly triggers the gut to react in the way it does and how this can be managed.
But before we get to the test, what is the gut?
Everything you need to know about the gut
The gut is the tube-like path that extends between the mouth and the anus, facilitates the passage of food through it. This tube comprises the digestive tract, the organs involved in the digestion of food, the entry and exit pathways.
What is a leaky gut?
Now that you are familiar with the gut and its appearance, add to that visual. The gut lining is porous.
The holes present on the lining facilitate the absorption of certain substances, keep out the larger toxins and are the gateway that regulates the passage of molecules between the gut and the outside of the gut cavity.
The porous lining when hampered by certain factors gets affected. The gut lining when damaged does not serve as an optimum barrier any longer as the holes which previously acted as filters that kept toxins out, now do not have the ability anymore.
What does this mean?
With the barrier no longer present, toxins, larger molecules find their way into the gut cavity and diseases presents itself.
What causes leaky gut syndrome?
While it is still undetermined what causes the leaky gut, there is a pathway that is being studied.
- A protein zonulin is the regulator of intestinal permeability
- The protein when activated causes a leaky gut. In people where the protein is not in the activated state, the gut lining is impermeable to toxins
- When bacteria and gluten, which are examples of trigger factors in certain people, can cause the release of zonulin
- Once zonulin is activated, the gut permeability is affected
- This causes the leaky gut syndrome
Apart from this pathway, there are certain other causes of a leaky gut. These are as follows:
Excess sugar intake: A diet that has high amounts of sugars can be a precursor to a leaky gut.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies: People who suffer from deficiencies such as Vitamin A, D and zinc, tend to have a leaky gut syndrome.
NSAIDs: When drugs such as Ibuprofen which come under Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are taken in excessive amounts, the intestine permeability is affected and this may cause a leaky gut.
The abundance of yeast growth: In the intestine, an abundance of yeast can cause leaky gut
Stress: As in every intestinal disorder, stress is a major contributing factor that can hamper gut health and cause the lining to get damaged. Stress causes the release of certain substances that further impact the gut lining, especially SIgA.
Inflammation in the gut: When the food you consume is too spicy or hot, or a certain disease causes inflammation of the gut, leaky gut syndrome may be caused.
Dysbiosis: Bacteria are naturally present in the gut. These are good bacteria that aid with the digestion of food. However, certain drugs and foods can cause an alteration of the bacterial populations in the gut. When the numbers of good bacteria go down and those of harmful bacteria rise, the gut lining is at risk.
Toxins: In the course of our every day, we unknowingly come across bacteria and toxins. While our immunity fights a major chunk of these off, some of these end up damaging the gut lining.
What should be done in case you are suffering from leaky gut syndrome?
A condition that is caused by a disturbance in lifestyle or because of ill health, requires you to pay attention to the causal factors and attempt to change.
Naturopathy aims at addressing the root cause that is behind the leaky gut, and not just the symptoms that come along with it. My Vital Health Solutions is a naturopathy clinic in Melbourne that focuses on natural ways to get health back into shape and get you on the right path once again.
Naturopath Domenic Pisanelli is here to help you with taking your health back into your own hands and improving it by changing a certain few things in your lifestyle.
You can test for leaky gut at My Vital Health Solutions by doing an Intestinal permeability test, done in the comfort of your own home.
Probiotics
Where there are bad bacteria, there are good too. Often the levels of the good bacteria in the intestine go down and probiotics help the numbers get back on track.
Fermented foods
Often you have been told about how good fermented foods such as sauerkraut can be for your gut health. This is true. Fermented foods are rich in probiotic bacteria and thus consuming them can contribute to the enzymes necessary for digestion.
Limited medicines
Do not casually take pain reliever drugs or NSAIDs as these if taken in copious amounts can end up damaging the gut lining.
Naturopathy can help. Here’s how
Guiding you with adjusting your lifestyle, diet, exercise, consuming foods that have the potential to soothe the gut lining and help with digestion, is part of the therapy plan.
At My Vital Health Solutions, health is not a collection of symptoms but rather a holistic approach that addresses body and mind.
There is no magic cure or overnight solution that can help in the case of a leaky gut syndrome. It is you who can change to a healthier life and over a course of time, with the right help from us, have wholesome well-being.
For a consultation, reach out to us.
A healthy gut is a vital aspect of a healthy life. IN GUT WE TRUST.
Domenic Pisanelli
Domenic Pisanelli is a qualified Naturopath and has helped hundreds of people regain their health back as an experienced naturopath with over 18 years of clinical experience.