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Check nowThe idea of ‘leaky gut’ is becoming more recognised amongst healthcare practitioners. It is thought to give rise to a number of uncomfortable symptoms, both within the gut and beyond. Here I explain what some of the symptoms look like and what can be done to help heal your gut!
The lining of your digestive tract has a very unique structure. I like to think of it as a very fine mesh, with lots of cells bound tightly together with only very tiny spaces in between. Once the food you’ve eaten has been broken down into its very simplest units, these can be absorbed through this mesh-like structure and all of the important nutrients contained in the food can be put to good use. So, we really need this ‘mesh’ to be working optimally so you can get the most from your food, and help support your overall health. But, what happens if things go wrong?
Leaky gut is literally as the name suggests – a leaky gut! In more technical terms this means the permeability of the gut is increased. This ‘mesh-like’ structure of the gut wall becomes stretched, the cells become more distant rather than remaining packed tightly together and the tiny gaps in between become bigger.
This means that bigger chunks of undigested food can potentially pass through into our system, not to mention pathogens, all of which can initiate a low-grade inflammatory response. This can create digestive upset initially, but this may also translate into more widespread issues.
The exact cause of leaky gut isn’t well understood, however, a combination of a number of factors is thought to contribute:
So, you might be wondering how you know if you have leaky gut. Some of the signs to look out for are as follows:
Although evidence in the medical community is still somewhat limited and there is still research ongoing to try and understand leaky gut more thoroughly, this is something that has been recognised by naturopaths such as Alfred Vogel for some time.
Some simple steps to help get leaky gut under control include:
This generally includes pro-inflammatory foods or those that are harder to digest. By reducing your intake of these it can help give your gut some well needed time to heal:
Please note: always discuss restricting certain food groups with a nutritionist, dietician or healthcare professional first.
Include warm and cooked foods and opt for organic varieties wherever possible. These foods are based around healthy sources of protein, good quality fats and antioxidants:
Once your diet is back on track you can add in some supplements to help further support your gut:
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Join experts Eileen Durward and Ali Cullen in the beautiful A.Vogel garden as they talk all about digestion including their tips on how to improve your digestion and how bitter herbs can make a huge difference to helping your digestive problems.
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Check nowDigestisan Oral Drops: A traditional herbal medicinal product used for indigestion, sensation of fullness and flatulence associated with over-indulgence in food or drink, or both, exclusively based upon long-standing use as a traditional remedy.
Always read the leaflet.
According to naturopathic principles, when two or three meals are being eaten daily, the bowel should move at least once or twice a day.
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