If you’re suffering from low energy, digestive discomfort, frequent headaches, feeling bloated and/or anxious, the real problem may be a leaky gut.
What exactly is a leaky gut?
Leaky gut, or intestinal hyper-permeability, occurs when the tight junctions of the intestinal wall become loose, allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream.
Certain foods can cause tears in our gut lining and when these harmful substances enter the body, this may lead to digestive discomfort, food cravings, fatigue, weight gain, and other health issues.
So what causes leaky gut?
• Stress: stress weakens your immune system and allows for infections and inflammation in the gut
• Toxic overload: we come into contact with over 80,000 chemicals and toxins every year. The worst offenders are antibiotics, sugar, the pill, pesticides and pain killers.
• Dysbiosis: with frequent travel it is easy to disrupt the balance between good and bad bacteria
• Poor diet: the most common foods that cause damage to your intestinal lining are un-sprouted grains, gluten, sugar, alcohol and dairy.
What can you do to heal your gut health?
With leaky gut our focus is on restoring your gut health and repopulating beneficial bacteria. Diet is key as you heal your digestive system. The most common foods that damage your intestinal lining are the proteins found in un-sprouted grains, sugar and dairy as well as any foods you may be sensitive too.
Grains contain nutrient blockers called phytates and lectins which damage the gut lining and prohibit absorption of nutrients. Over time this can lead to food sensitivities and inflammation. And in order to heal your gut, it’s best to avoid foods you are sensitive to.
“I don’t fully believe in “you are what you eat” – you are what you eat, absorb and digest.”
Pooja Vig, TNC Head Nutritionist
Many of us have food sensitivities that we are unaware of. There are tests you can do to find out but if you’re unsure of how to go about it, schedule a call with us here.
Here are some of our top tips for starting to heal your gut:
Limit/ avoid grains/ alcohol/ sugar and dairy
Eat cooked rather than raw vegetables
Add super foods- bone broth, collagen, aloe vera, fermented foods
Avoid junk and processed foods and anything you may be sensitive too.
Considering that 70% of the immune system lies in the gut and how intimately linked the brain and the gut are, healing the gut will be the starting point in healing your overall health.