Health Update: The Steep Costs of Leaky Gut
Hello again everyone:
I was really pleased to read the interview in the link I posted below. This is a great condensed discussion of how the S.A.D. (the Standard American Diet) can disrupt the gut barrier and microbiome and contribute to the development of inflammation and thus become a major driver of illness. I would strongly recommend that you take the 8 to 10 minutes it takes to read this interview (it is only 3 pages long with large font print). Here are the highlights from the article link below:
· When the gut barrier is disrupted, it becomes ‘leaky’ or hyperpermeable.
· ‘Leaky gut’ leads to inflammatory immune system activation as 70% of our immune system resides in the intestinal tract.
· This situation can be very symptomatic but is often asymptomatic.
· Many things cause or make it worse, including: acrolein (food toxin), aging, alcohol, antacid drugs, antibiotics, burn injury, chemotherapy, circadian rhythm disruption, corticosteroids, emulsifiers (food additives), strenuous exercise (≥ 2 hours) at 60% Vo2 max, starvation, fructose, fructans, gliadin (wheat protein), high-fat diet, high-salt diet, high-sugar diet, hyperglycemia, low-fiber diet, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pesticide, proinflammatory cytokines, psychological stress, radiation, sleep deprivation, smoking, and sweeteners.
· S.A.D food plans, also known as the Standard American Diet, are very low in fiber which is essential for gut health.
· Many interventions have been shown to improve intestinal permeability. They include berberine, butyrate, caloric restriction and fasting, curcumin, dietary fiber (prebiotics), moderate exercise, fermented food, fish oil, glutamine, quercetin, probiotics, vagus nerve stimulation, vitamin D, and zinc.
· It is important to emphasize a high-fiber diet with naturally fermented food, incorporating time-restricted eating, such as eating an early dinner and nothing else before bedtime, a moderate exercise routine, and gut-brain modulation with techniques such as acupuncture that can incorporate vagus nerve stimulation.
· Limited safe precision supplementation can be discussed on an individual basis based on the patient's interest, additional testing, and other existing health conditions.
Bottom Line:
As you know, inflammation will cause, perpetuate, and or aggravate all known human illness or conditions. Paying attention to healing a hyperpermeable gut is foundational to optimizing your health and lowering a major driver of inflammation. This step is very often critical in the recovery of almost any chronic health condition. One thing that was not mentioned but that I have seen as critically important is that chewing adequately is an absolute necessity when it comes to restoring or improving leaky gut. Along with some of the above ideas, my new motto is Chew 22 as the first step in gut restoration and lowering your inflammatory burden. Another tip is to eat your food in a specific order to allow for better digestion: salad and non-starchy veggies first, then proteins and fats, and lastly starchy veggies and grains/carbs. Try just Chew 22 and eating your meals with this specific order and let me know if it assists your digestion and/or overall health.
