Basically, it’s when the gut lining becomes so chronically inflamed and damaged that it stops functioning and stops absorbing nutrients properly.

The common symptoms of Leaky Gut include:

• Weight gain
• Bloating and altered bowel habits (diarrhea and/or constipation)
• Allergies and allergic reactions
• Brain fog, trouble concentrating or not thinking clearly
• Fatigue
• Hormonal imbalances
• Mood changes
• Joint pain
• Skin issues like acne, rashes or eczema
  

All sorts of stressors can contribute to Leaky Gut such as:

• Pathogens (like bacteria, parasites and yeasts)
• Food sensitivities (come can be very ordinary, everyday foods too!)
• Some pharmaceutical drugs like anti-inflammatories and antibiotics
• Undigested food particles (as a result of eating too fast and not chewing properly)
• Auto-immune conditions
• A chronically unhealthy diet with too much alcohol, sugar and processed foods
• Long term stress and pressures
  

Making sure you are covering the basics like getting a decent amount of quality sleep, exercise and drinking plenty of clean water each day is foundational.

You can also start cleaning up your diet, reducing processed food, sugar and alcohol and eliminating foods that are inflammatory.

If you’re not sure where to start with cleaning up your diet or you have already been tackling these symptoms through improving your diet, but you’re not seeing results then don’t despair! When you come and see me, I will work with you to create a plan that works for you and your lifestyle, help you work out what foods to include and what to avoid, and this plan will very much be tailored to your personal needs.

We can also test for food allergies and intolerances - you’d be surprised at how many common foods can cause problems for different people! I usually test for gut pathogens like bacteria and parasites because if you have certain parasites for example, it won’t matter what other positive changes you make to your diet, you’ll see improvements but maybe not full recovery. We really need to know what we’re dealing with to treat the issue properly.

The bioavailability of vitamins and minerals is important when your system is not properly absorbing nutrients. This is why selecting the quality natural medicines and supplements, available in tonics, powders, tablets or sprays, is so important so that you can effectively replenish the body. Nutrients that can help in the process of healing the gut lining include:

• Glutamine
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Aloe vera
• Slippery elm
• Zinc
• Quercetin
  

Could you have Leaky Gut Syndrome?

If you think you might have a Leaky Gut or any other gut issue, come on down to the clinic and we will do a thorough investigation, look at all the factors influencing the problems, and develop a personalised treatment plan designed to help you heal and get the most out of life!