A leak you don’t want to have

When something is leaking it’s never a good thing—usually damage and destruction are the end result.

This is especially true of a leaky gut wall!

That’s because your gut is SO much more than just the path your food follows in digestion!

It houses about 70 percent of your immune system.

It has its own nervous system and innate intelligence.  If the nerves between your gut and brain were ever severed, your gut could continue to function on its own.

And your health from head to toe (as well as your life) depends on its ability to efficiently eliminate wastes, absorb nutrients and protect you from external dangers.

Cheesecloth or spaghetti strainer?

When it's healthy, your gut wall is like a piece of cheesecloth. 

It has tiny spaces between the cells in its lining that are just big enough to let properly digested food molecules through, so they can get into your bloodstream to nourish you.

But it's also woven tightly enough to securely contain foods that are NOT properly broken down, as well as toxins, dangerous bacteria and viruses. 

These "invaders" are "jailed" in your cheesecloth gut until they can be eliminated with your bowel movements. 
This is a perfect system designed by Nature to keep you nourished and at the same time protect you from sickness and danger.

Unless your gut wall starts to resemble a spaghetti strainer, that is.

The land of the leaky

When the spaces between your intestinal cells instead start to resemble a spaghetti strainer, toxins and bacteria have a green light to enter your bloodstream, as well as food particles that are too big to be used for nourishment.

When this happens, the immune cells in your bloodstream launch an attack and stir up inflammation because these too-large food particles are seen as a harmful invader.

At the same time your immune system produces antibodies against this new "enemy" so it can recognize it in the future.

So, for example, if some poorly broken down egg molecules get into your bloodstream, you may eventually find yourself getting sick from eggs—this is how a food sensitivity is created. 

This is also one way that autoimmune diseases can be triggered, because your immune system gets mixed up and becomes hypersensitive…and eventually begins attacking your healthy cells too! 

The many faces of a leaky gut

Here is complete listing of health issues that are commonly associated with leaky gut:

• Acne
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Autism
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Celiac disease
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Cirrhosis
• Crohn's disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Eczema
• Graves’ disease (overactive thyroid)
• Hashimoto’s disease (underactive thyroid)
• Hives
• Intestinal infections
• IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)
• Malnutrition
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Schizophrenia
• Scleroderma
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Ulcerative colitis

The master of disguise

Leaky gut is a master of disguise and causes a variety of symptoms—so it’s frequently missed by healthcare professionals and instead symptomatic treatment is given. 

Here are symptoms that are seen with leaky gut but are commonly blamed on something else:

• Abdominal pain
• Anxiety; nervousness
• Asthma
• Bloating; gas
• Chronic joint or muscle pain
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Low immune function
• Mood swings
• Recurrent infections

If you have any of the above symptoms and they can't otherwise be explained or you consistently need medication to alleviate them, you may be leaking.

How do I spring a leak?

Some of the common causes of a leaky gut wall include:

• Chronic stress
• Unfiltered tap water
• Excessive alcohol intake
• Harmful bacteria, parasites and yeast
• Use of NSAIDs, steroids, birth control pills, acid reducers or antibiotics

But the biggest cause of leaky gut is DIET.

The role of diet in the development of leaky gut is threefold: 

#1- Destruction of protective gut flora
The refined carbs and soda that are so prevalent in our diets today cause an influx of sugar which nourishes the harmful bacteria in your gut, and eventually they "eat away" at your intestinal lining.

#2- Poor digestion
Inadequate digestion leads to poorly broken down food molecules that can bump up against the intestinal wall, eventually bullying their way through.

#3- Low fiber
The standard low-fiber American diet causes constipation and a lengthy bowel transit time.  With wastes remaining in your intestines longer that they should, harmful bacteria in your feces can irritate the gut wall. 

A leaky gut healing protocol

A smart healing protocol for leaky gut is to avoid refined carbs and concentrate on whole foods, promote better digestion, help curb inflammation and support the gut wall.

The Great Taste No Pain health system can show you how to create healthy, whole-foods meals that are less taxing on your system and easier to digest.  Plus you’ll get a collection of yummy recipes to boot!

Digestizol Max enzyme formula can also help promote better digestion by supporting your body’s own digestive enzymes and easing the burden on your GI tract.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids like VitalMega-3 fish oil formula can help curb inflammation throughout the body.
And Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is a must!  The friendly bacteria in your system help to keep your gut wall non-porous, as well as assisting with digestion and keeping harmful bacteria under control…so it’s crucial to support your body’s army of friendly microbes with a quality probiotic.