I often hear people say they get bloating or lots of wind. But does that really matter? It often goes over night and what harm is there in having it? It might be a bit uncomfortable but I can live with it.
Well bloating is often a sign of something called ‘Leaky Gut’, also called ‘Gut Permeability’.
Leaky Gut
Imagine the gut lining is like a muslin cloth. When food is digested, it is broken down into tiny pieces. It is so small that it can sail straight through the gut lining [muslin] into the blood stream to be used as energy.
Sometimes, certain foods or chemicals are ingested which are inflammatory or harmful that cause a small tear in the gut lining. Imagine getting a small needle and pushing it through the muslin cloth. You now have a very small perforation in your lining.
When food that is not yet fully digested passes by this small hole, occasionally it may let that food through. The immune system recognises something made it through the gut wall that shouldn't have. It immediately sends an immune response = inflammation of the gut. Once the gut is inflamed it induces the organs to become inflamed and can result in bloating, food allergies or intolerances, joint pain and fatigue. From that moment on, your body now thinks that that food should not be there. So when you eat that food in the future, even if it is digested fully, your body still sends an immune response of inflammation and bloating.
The first signs of a leaky gut might be bloating or excessive of farting (around 18 farts per day is considered normal). But other symptoms can be:
- Food sensitivities
- Thyroid conditions
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Headaches
- Skin issues (rosacea or acne)
- Digestive problems
- Weight gain
But some people don’t even notice their symptoms.
Should you care that you have leaky gut?
Yes, you should!
The gut becomes inflamed when food gets through the gut lining and there is an immune response. Inflammation in the gut can spread to other parts of the body, especially if it happens regularly. It is thought that this is how inflammatory diseases begin, such as inflammatory bowel disease, type I and II diabetes, fatty liver disease, cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s amongst others. So the ideal is to try to avoid inflammation across the body as much as possible to prevent disease.
To fix a gut:
Step 1: Find out which foods are causing the issues. My 21 Day Reset is designed to allow people to find out what they cannot eat. We eliminate all the most common foods that can cause issues so we can start to identify from there by process of elimination. I have a 21 day Reset starting this week and it isn't too late to join.
Step 2: Try to repair the gut lining. Cells change every 3-5 days in the small intestine. So by changing the foods eaten and taking supplements such as quercetin, l-glutamine and adding in probiotics a difference can be seen quite quickly. However, it can be more complicated than this, but this is a good place to start.
If you'd like to join my 21 Day Reset, you have until January 9th to get started on this one. Join me and try and find whether your bloating, farting or other issues are caused by the foods that you eat. 🙂
