You know all those symptoms of IBS you’re having? Well, you might just have a different problem – Leaky Gut Syndrome. Leaky Gut can cause a whole host of symptoms, including those uncomfortable symptoms in the gut and digestive tract which is why many people confuse it with IBS. But it can also cause symptoms from other parts of the body that you may not realise are linked.
If you have combinations of any of these 10 signs, it’s likely that you have Leaky Gut Syndrome.
- Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhoea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Seasonal allergies or asthma.
- Hormonal imbalances such as Pre-menstrual syndrome or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
- Joint pain and arthritis.
- Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, or celiac disease.
- Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia or general feeling of fatigue.
- Mood and mind issues such as depression, anxiety, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Skin breakouts or rashes, including issues such as acne, rosacea, or eczema.
- Diagnosis of candida overgrowth.
- Food allergies or food intolerances.
So what is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Get ready for the science. The gut is naturally permeable to very small molecules in order to absorb vital nutrients from food. 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 your bloodstream. Your immune system marks these “foreign invaders” as pathogens and attacks them. Sounds horrible right?!
What causes a leaky gut?
Leaky gut syndrome’s main culprits are foods, infections, and toxins.
Gluten is the number one cause of leaky gut. In sensitive people, gluten in particular can cause the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart the intestinal lining. Other factors such as infections, toxins, oxidative stress and age can also cause these tight junctions to break apart. Once these tight junctions get broken apart, you have a leaky gut.
Other inflammatory foods like dairy or toxic foods like sugar or excessive alcohol are suspected as well (hmmm, revels and prosecco anyone?!).
The most common infectious causes are candida overgrowth, intestinal parasites, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). A stool sample can help rule these out as causes.
Toxins can be medications, including NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen), steroids, antibiotics, and acid-reducing drugs that harm the gut lining. So think twice when you’re popping a Neurofen with your hangover!
How do you heal Leaky Gut Syndrome?
This illustration shows the 4R Program that I ask all my clients to undertake when I suspect that Leaky Gut is to blame for their symptoms to get them on the road to recovery.
At Complete Health Clinic, I see a lot of IBS and Leaky Gut Syndrome clients and both can be debilitating problems. I take a holistic route looking at all your symptoms and working out the best ways to help you, through all the ways I have discussed above. Colonic Hydrotherapy can play a big part in relieving these symptoms and helping you to feel better too – take a look at some of my testimonials to see how I have helped others in the same situation.
And of course, I am always a phone call or an email away and happy to help with any poo or gut related problems you may be having. Nothing is too embarrassing for me, so don’t be embarrassed to get in touch.
