This article will look at nutritional and hormonal imbalances in the stomach, sometimes referred to as ‘Leaky Gut’. Correcting this issue has brought relief to many suffering people. Correcting the diet by adding nutritionally packed foods and removing many processed foods will have a positive result. Holistic doctors are designing for their patients a lifestyle program that works for most of them suffering from leaky gut.
A leaky gut is not an official medical diagnosis.
Possible Causes Of Leaky Gut?
- Processed foods containing fillers, stabilizers, and other chemical products
- Foods that contain GMOs (of course, this is up for debate, but corn and soybean are two of the most common)
- Excess salt and sugar
- Food sensitivities to things like dairy and gluten
- Certain medications like ibuprofen and antibiotics
- Environmental toxins
- Beauty products
- Air pollution
- Plastics and metals
- Cleaning products
In layperson’s terms, the damage will happen to the gut lining by toxins, foods, medications, and stress. The body senses these particles as foreign invaders – like a virus – and the body attack.
Factors surrounding birth and childhood can make people susceptible to leaky gut. Some predisposing factors are having been born by C-section and being formula fed as a baby, as both of these can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria.
What Happens When You Do Not Treat Your Leaky Gut
An untreated leaky gut can lead to many diseases, including IBS, Crohn’s, cancer, and autism, as well as, autoimmune and metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes. Have you had issues with bloating, indigestion, cramping, or gas? Food allergies and intolerances that are causing you to bloat or have abdominal discomfort can be a sign of a leaky gut.
For example, a majority of people with leaky gut do not experience digestive distress. But, to a significant degree, the issue manifests itself in other seemingly unrelated ways. There are many, but they include skin problems, brain fog, anxiety, autoimmune disease, and joint pain. Absolutely, a leaky gut, even though not an official medical diagnosis, is something to avoid at all costs.
A Holistic Approach For Treating Leaky Gut
B Vitamins
B vitamins support is an important element for regulating metabolism. The deficiency of B vitamins is very common. We are going to focus on these eight B vitamins:
- B1 (thiamin)
- B2 (riboflavin)
- B3 (niacin)
- B5 (pantothenic acid)
- B6 (pyridoxine)
- B7 (biotin)
- B9 (folate [folic acid])
- B12 (cobalamin)
B12
Neurotransmitters, including the serotonin and norepinephrine amino acids, are water-soluble. They require B vitamins for their absorption. They can become easily depleted. Vitamin B6 (synthesizes dopamine and epinephrine) and vitamin B12 (synthesizes + promotes concentration) are important for brain function. When the body lacks B12, it has been shown to lead to hyperactive behavior. If severe enough, magnesium decreases central nervous activity.
Research shows that a B12 deficiency can cause children to act reactively and lead to anxiety. If severe enough, it can lead to pernicious anemia with neurological issues. You can find Vitamin B12 most commonly in animal products. Supplementation is key when a B12 deficiency shows up in blood tests. Common in people with food sensitivities or digestive issues, as its digestion and absorption are complicated.
So, identifying food sensitivities and removing them is a crucial part of treatment for leaky gut.
Magnesium
It is an estimation that up to 95 percent of kids with ADHD might be deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is the “calming mineral” and can be used for centuries in martial arts training. Studies show that supplementing with magnesium can reduce hyperactivity in kids. The fourth most abundant mineral in the body, magnesium plays a key role in building strong bones, facilitating nerve functions, regulating blood pressure, maintaining body temperature, and allowing muscles (including the heart) to reach a state of relaxation. Magnesium also helps calcium get into the pones by synthesizing vitamin D. In addition to ADHD/ hyperactivity, low magnesium levels have an association with constipation, restless leg syndrome, sleep issues, migraines, foot or eye twitches, and muscle cramps/pain.
A Diet Of Nuts To Heal Your Leaky Gut
Nuts and seeds are best when bought raw (preferably organic) in packages, not in bulk bins where they might not be fresh. Here are more buying tips: • Avoid commercially packaged nut mixes with salt, flavorings, and processed vegetable oils. Buy fresh raw nuts, preferably in packages, and make your own mixes. Steer clear of roasted and salted nuts sold in grocery stores.
Refined Salt
Refined salt could easily be considered a common food addiction. Found in most processed products. Table salt, which is refined white salt that is very fine, is in nearly 100 percent sodium chloride and contains additives such as iodine. Unfortunately, what is not well known is that refined table salt also contains sugar and aluminum. The sugar has use to stabilize the iodine and as an anticaking agent. Avoid table salt, as it has little nutritional value.
Refined Oils Are Harmful Oils To Gut Health
Avoid nuts with partially hydrogenated oils. They turn healthy food into unhealthy food in the gut. They are an unnecessary source of harmful trans fat and have no nutritional value. The four main culprits are listed below:
- canola,
- sunflower,
- soybean
- safflower oils
Nuts and seeds are some of the healthiest foods on the planet. They grow from plants and trees full of vitamins and minerals. They are a good source of healthy vitamins to help build healthy immune and nervous system. Although high in calories, the nutrients in nuts provide the body with an excellent source of protein and energy. Especially for leaky gut, raw Brazil nuts and raw hazelnuts have shown great results over other nuts.
Unrefined Salt
Unrefined salt, such as Celtic sea salt, is the only kind that retains its nutritional content and preserves the vital balance of ocean minerals. Unquestionably, it contains more than eighty minerals that the body needs to function at its best.
Omega-3 fatty acids
The composition of the brain is more than 60 percent fat. Therefore, diets must have sufficient amounts of healthy fats for our brains to function well. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are known as essential fats since we cannot manufacture them, and we must get them in our diet, or we will die. Importantly, both fats are essential for brain function.
A 1996 Purdue University study revealed that kids with learning and behavior problems had lower levels of omega-3 in their blood. Omega-3s are found in fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines, as well as nuts, seeds like chia, and fish oils. Omega-6 fats are in many foods, including free-range animal products and healthy oils.
Elimination
Eliminating any offending foods is needed to make nutritional changes. Parents can look for a practitioner to help them navigate this approach to treating attention issues. The Netherlands study shows that a significant number of kids might benefit from nutritional treatments. They realized a food-elimination diet is not as easy as popping a pill daily. Still, it treats the underlying cause of the illness, and even those who take medications might also benefit from trying a nutritional approach to treating disorders.
The most common things to watch out for when it comes to ADHD are foods and substance issues that could be causing focus and attention problems. Specifically, high-fructose corn syrup/sugar, grains, soy, eggs, and corn.
Gut Reactions to Food Allergies
As you now know, when you have a leaky gut, the intestinal barrier becomes compromised, allowing toxins and other pathogens to get absorbed through openings in the lining. Equally important, in a healthy gut, this barrier selectively lets digested nutrients enter the small intestine when it is ready to accept them. Unfortunately, with a leaky gut, the absorption of nutrients happens before they reach full digestion. When this happens, the body’s immune response through specific antigen-antibody markers will identify some of these foods as foreign irritants.
After a particular food touches the lining of cells covering the exterior surfaces of the body, an inflammatory immune response is initiates. In addition, it further damages the intestinal lining. Therefore, what might have started as a candida irritation (yeast overgrowth), for example, can become active inflammation every time you eat a particular food. Specifically, some of the most common food allergies include dairy, eggs, gluten grains (wheat, oats, rye), corn, beans (especially soy), sugar, and nuts. When going on a diet of raw nuts, you likely already know if you have a sensitivity to a specific nut and to avoid it.
In Conclusion
This is not an advertisement for going paleo. Nevertheless, the diet is popular worldwide for a reason. The diet is based on the Paleolithic food groups eaten by our hunter/gatherer ancestors. The Paleo diet consists of lean proteins that support strong muscles, healthy bones, and optimal immune function. It balances blood sugar, helps relax the body for sleep, improves brain function, prevents muscle cramps, prevents varicose veins, prevents osteoporosis, raises pH in the body, regulates blood pressure (if hydrated), and thins mucous.
It requires what I just went over in this article. Eating fruits and vegetables. Choosing healthy fats from nuts and seeds. Eating more avocados, olive oil, fish oil, and grass-fed meats. Importantly, it also involves drinking lots of water. Eliminating refined food, dairy, and starches. In my estimation, it is the best treatment for a leaky gut. Lastly, reminding you that I am a Writer and not a Doctor.
