The Truth About Leaky Gut Syndrome

Up to 50% of Aussies experience gut health issues at some point in their life. Diet, chronic stress and antibiotic use are all factors that can disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome – and when the gut microbiome is out of balance, it impacts physical health, mental, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Research has shown we house trillions of gut microbes that work tirelessly for us, if we feed them the right fuel. Think of them as little Pac-men munching on the foods we eat. Leaky Gut has been a hot topic for a few years. I want to bust some myths, and show you how to actually heal. Clients come to me thinking they will need to manage symptoms for the rest of their life, when actually you need to learn how to detox by design, and heal from and prevent burnout. In as little as 3 months, they change the trajectory of their life from illness to wellness.

A syndrome is a condition characterised by a set of associated symptoms. Leaky Gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability is characterised by digestive issues like bloating, gas, diarrhoea, constipation, and food sensitivities, but may also extend to fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, skin rashes (eczema, acne), headaches, anxiety, and impaired immunity. The vast array of symptoms can be attributed to the role of the gut and the many axis we now know about. The gut-brain axis is the most commonly referenced axis, and it is now said that 80% of the signaling travels from the gut to the brain. This highlights the importance of gut health for optimal wellness. There are many other such axis, to all of our body's organs!

Microbes sit on top of the mucus layer that coats the wall of the gut. They are at a safe distance from the gut wall, and as gut lining gets thinner microbes get closer to cell wall. This sets of an inflammatory response because cells shouldn’t be there. Furthermore, the enteric nervous system becomes more exposed to the happenings of the gut, causing more sensitivity. Inflammation is how the immune system responds against real and perceived threats. Excessive inflammation caused by chronic stress can damage the cells of the gut lining, increase gut permeability and induce microbial dysbiosis. Excessive inflammation occurs not only due to poor lifestyle choices, it occurs when we have no understanding of our emotions and the happenings in our life. Intestinal permeability occurs as a consequence of inflammation, not as a cause of inflammation.

To protect our gut lining, build resilience. Butyrate plays an important role in supporting the immune system by reducing inflammation and maintaining a healthy gut barrier. Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid, a byproduct that the gut microbes produce when processing fibres. Think of Butyrate as a building block or brick to a healthy gut lining. To have your gut microbiome produce more of these building blocks, turn your attention to the 7 Pillars To Wellness: Nutrition, Movement, Sleep, Stress, Light Therapy, Mindset, Spirituality.

Let me be clear: Your gut is permeable. Tight junctions do not let harmful toxins pass. This is how large bacteria and indigestible fibre stay within the walls, yet nutrients are absorbed through the barrier into the bloodstream. In leaky gut syndrome, the actual heavy content in the gut is not escaping to the gut. The sensitivity of the gut is because of the nervous system being exposed. Hyperpermeability is more severe that leaky gut.

Intestine cells are constantly regenerating. This regenerative nature of the boarder is what enables us to heal leaky gut syndrome. As long as I choose to make healthy choices, my gut lining will remain strong. It's all in the habit shifts. Each person has an individual threshold of inflammation before increased gut permeability (leaky gut) occurs. Genetic predisposition increases susceptibility. Kinda like the Window Of Tolerance. The threshold can become overwhelmed and the barrier becomes overwhelmed. You expand your Window Of Tolerance by being healthy.

There is no evidence that particular whole foods have any impact on the permeability of the gut. Cutting out whole foods unnecessarily may actually cause more harm because variety is key to a healthy diet as it delivers a wide range of essential nutrients. The challenge nowadays is that we have strayed so far form whole foods. Whole foods are what I call 'real food': anything that grows on a tree, on a shrub, in the ground, or was once swimming or running around. Single ingredient foods, not packaged. Farmers' market style.

In some inflammatory conditions, hyperpermeability occurs (eg. coeliac, crohns) the junctions move apart, also caused by the inflammation. Address the root problem, what is driving the inflammation? Intercept the pattern, and create a new pattern in the nervous system, the intestine cells regenerate and junctions tighten. Your body is not the same as it was a year ago, a month ago or even a week ago. There is actual science to back me here - Dr Deepak Chopra, Dr Joe Dispenza, Dr John Demartini just to name a few.

Research has shown hypnotherapy can be as successful as a low FODMAPs diet intervention. The results of 60min weekly sessions for 12 weeks (32 people with severe IBS ages 8-18yo) showed: 88% experienced clinically significant improvement in gut symptoms, 28% decrease in anxiety, 45% reduction in depression, 34% improvement in quality of life. I want to highlight, hypnotherapy will be as effective as an individual is open to healing. Hypnotherapy may not be appropriate for people who do not understand the mechanisms of the subconscious mind. They will not fully surrender to the process, there will be resistance. They might need more research and data to help them understand 95% of your behaviours are driven by the subconscious mind, Hypnotherapy is a way of tapping into that. As is conscious connected breathwork - a modality I am so passionate about. Although there is no research yet on how effective it is as a healing modality for leaky gut, I bet you'd get even better results. As long as the client is committed to the process.

What we produce in our gut matters.

SPMs, Specialized pro-resolving mediators, endogenously synthesized by immune and epithelial cells help reduce inflammation, promote resolution and repair leading to restoration of mucosal homeostasis, a strong gut lining. When we can’t make enough SPMs to help our gut regenerate, the gut lining weakens. We can supplement with SPMs to support strengthening the gut lining.

A low fibre and high fat diet in mice showed a reduced number of microbes in the gut and changed the composition. Intestines got shorter, the mucus layer got thinner. The bacterial microbe species that were depleted by removing fibre are actually protective of the mucus layer. Those surviving and proliferating, feeding on fat, were degrading the mucus layer (the mucolytic bacteria). Adding inulin back into the diet (a soluble fibre) was associated with the mucus layer remaining normal, thick and healthy. Fibre is the key to maintaining mucus layer and microbe population.

I want to highlight, it’s the microbes – not just the fibre. When fibre eating bacteria were introduced into water of mice, their mucus layer was strong. Supplementation with the right probiotics may aid in strengthening the gut lining.

Download the 3 Key Steps To Superior Gut Health E-Book below

3 Key Steps to Superior Gut Health.pdf

Download PDF • 129.20MB

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KEYWORDS: Diet, Leaky Gut, IBS, Intestines, Permeability, Microbes, Gut Health, Healing, Strong, Lining, Gut, Probiotics, Prebiotics, Fibre, Postbiotics, Post-biotics.