Eat This Not That – Leaky Gut Diets
The best diet for leaky gut is full of nutrient-dense whole foods, with a diverse range of fruits and vegetables. Evidence tells us that one of the causes of leaky gut is modern, processed food, especially sugar, refined carbohydrates and industrial fats. So it makes sense that the best diet for leaky gut would exclude these. Eating a healthy diet should be simple, but in reality, knowing what’s good for you and what isn’t is a minefield. Official advice from health authorities seems to change every week, food trends come and go and what you ate as a teenager may no longer serve you well today. What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Your gut has a barrier that plays a critical role in keeping you
How to Test For Leaky Gut
Increased intestinal permeability, also known as leaky gut, occurs when the barrier between the gut and the bloodstream (mucosal membrane) fails to prevent potentially harmful molecules from entering the bloodstream. These molecules include large fat particles, toxins, and bacteria, which may cause bowel dysfunction and a generalized inflammation in the body, which in turn contributes to chronic health problems such as heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Leaky gut is a syndrome or group of symptoms, not a disease. The Leaky Gut Test Testing for leaky gut is relatively new. The “lactulose mannitol ratio” test or challenge is also known as the Intestinal Permeability Assessment and is used to uncover disorders characterized by changes in gut permeability. During the test, you will be asked
Thyroid Issues Or Adrenal Fatigue?
Your body is talking to you, but you're not sure how to interpret the message: You're inexplicably tired all the time, you can't concentrate, and you're crankier than usual. Your skin is also dry, your hair seems to be thinning, and you're gaining weight. What's going on? A quick search with Google will point you toward a number of possible diagnoses, with hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue likely topping the list. The only way to get to the root of your problem is to see a real live MD, who ought to take a thorough history, do a physical, and perhaps run a few tests. In the meantime, here's some insight into whether a thyroid or adrenal issue might be to blame. Think
How Do You Test for Autoimmune Disease?
An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. This umbrella term encompasses a diverse group of diseases and disorders, which may affect any number of the body’s organs, tissues, and systems. Some of the most common autoimmune diseases include: Rheumatoid Arthritis (Ra) Type 1 Diabetes Lupus Multiple Sclerosis (Ms) Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Celiac Disease The symptoms associated with these diseases can vary greatly, but often include fatigue, achiness, joint pain, swelling, skin rashes, low-grade fever, numbness, and dizziness. Why Are Autoimmune Diseases So Difficult To Diagnose? Because symptoms tend to be quite nonspecific and can be linked to any number of conditions, diagnosing autoimmune diseases is notoriously difficult. Additionally, symptoms often flare and remit, meaning they
What Causes of Leaky Gut?
Leaky gut occurs when your gut lining becomes too permeable, allowing everything from toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles to escape your intestines and enter your bloodstream. These particles were never meant to get through, and when they do it leads to a huge increase in inflammation because your body goes into defense mode to attack the unwanted invaders. This can cause a whole host of problems, including digestive issues, food sensitivities, headaches, mood imbalances, skin issues, and even autoimmune disease. In fact, there are 5 characteristics that have been identified as the most common causes of leaky gut. Inflammatory Foods Let’s start with the biggest offender – gluten! Whenever you eat a food containing gluten it’s not only highly inflammatory, it
What Are Autoimmune Disorders?
Your immune system is made up of organs and cells meant to protect your body from bacteria, parasites, viruses and cancer cells. An autoimmune disease is the result of the immune system accidentally attacking your body instead of protecting it. It's unclear why your immune system does this. There are over 100 known autoimmune diseases. Common ones include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Autoimmune diseases can affect many types of tissues and nearly any organ in your body. They may cause a variety of symptoms including pain, tiredness (fatigue), rashes, nausea, headaches, dizziness and more. Specific symptoms depend on the exact disease. How Do Autoimmune Diseases Work? Experts don’t know why your immune system turns on you. It’s like it can