Leaky Gut- such a horrible and embarrassing sounding problem, and still largely unheard of by many people. It is always a fun conversation when someone invites us to a BBQ or out to dinner and I have to tell them, "I'm sorry. We have this thing. Leaky Gut. Have you heard about this before?" To which blank faces always ensue. Really, I am tired of explaining myself. I would just like to freely enjoy my time without eating other people's food, and without having to tell them why. I have never before been so acutely aware of just how much our social life revolves around food as I have been this past year. Nevertheless, this is an important subject for people to know about. It is a primary or contributing cause of an overwhelming number of our nation's health issues.
Leaky Gut, in definition, is just as it sounds. The walls of the small intestine become chronically inflamed and begin wearing thin. This inhibits our body's ability to properly digest food and absorb nutrients, leading to nutrient deficiencies, IBS, GERD, or other digestive disorders. If the inflammation continues, it will become so thin and worn that small holes appear. At this point, everything we eat begins "leaking" out into our bloodstream, and with it, a continuous supply of bacteria, parasites and/or fungus that may inhabit our food or digestive tract and attach themselves to other organs within our bodies. This can lead to a number of health problems, including many psychiatric problems such as autism, depression, learning disabilities, schizophrenia, and anxiety.
Once the food enters our bloodstream, our immune system senses something foreign and begins to attack. The result is a chronically overloaded and over-active immune system, which can leave us susceptible to illness, asthma, allergies and other immunity issues. The more often we eat a certain food, the more often that food enters our bloodstream, and the more aggressively our immune system is likely to attack.
The reaction from these immune attacks is what is referred to as "food sensitivities," not to be confused with food allergies, which are much more serious. These sensitivities may result in pain and bloating, which is easy to distinguish, but they may also result in a number of immune symptoms, such as sinus congestion, asthma, eczema, psoriasis, hives, or chronic fatigue.
So, what causes Leaky Gut? There is no one answer to this. It may be a diet rich in chemical additives, pesticides, and preservatives that steadily inflame our digestive tract. It may be medications. It may be alcohol or drugs. It may be gluten. It may be the opportunistic yeast, Candida Albicans. Or it may be in response to slow and impaired digestion due to an abnormal gut flora- brought about by antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills, stress, or diets full of sugar and refined carbohydrates. This is known as Gut Dysbiosis, and is a term you should familiarize yourself with, as it is not uncommon in our time. For many people with leaky gut, it is a mixture of some or all of these put together, slowly deteriorating our digestive tracts over time. Each person's journey is unique, making diagnosis difficult.
The good news is, it is curable. The bad news is, it takes a lot of willpower and perseverance. The average time frame to heal a leaky gut is 1-2 years, with some people taking as long as 3 or 4. However, it can be done at home, with a little research, intuition, and determination. Or it can be done through a naturopathic or holistic doctor, for a fairly hefty fee. I chose the home route, which I will continue to share with you for many blogs to come!
Next up: Our treatment methods for healing leaky gut syndrome.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Yesterday, my son and I began the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet for healing and sealing the gut. For my readers who do not yet know, we have been on a journey to heal our digestive tracts for nearly a full year now. Not unlike a large portion of the population, we both suffer from food sensitivities and allergies which have become increasingly more troublesome in the past few years.
Until a year ago, I did not know that it was possible to regenerate from these auto-immune diseases, and used avoidance as the only possible solution. Sure, there are many medical doctors out there poised and ready to fill my purse with a load of prescriptions, and during our most hopeless moments, I admit, we tried several. However, they always brought with them a host of side-effects and the probability of long-term damage. It was trading present-day relief for future problems; treating the symptom while aggravating the underlying issue. I knew that sooner or later, those defensive walls would come crashing down, and we would be weakened and unable to fight back.
We found out our son was anaphylactic to peanuts during one horrifying near-death experience seven years ago. Chronic asthma soon followed, and we were quickly given steroid inhalers to manage the problem. "Asthma and allergies seem to come together," the doctors told me. But where was this coming from? Why the sudden over-abundance of kids with Epi-pens and inhalers? Sure we had some seasonal allergies and mild asthma in the family. I have had digestive problems since I was a kid. Yet the outlook was always on the changing food industry, cross-contamination, and early introduction, so I didn't spend much time putting my issues together with his- after-all, I didn't have food allergies, just a poor digestive system. And after a couple of years, his asthma subsided and we assumed he had "grown out" of his problem.
We had been primarily vegetarian for many years prior- following my college nutrition classes and our government recommended food-guide pyramid. I lived for complex carbs- beans, split-peas, lentils, bulgar, brown rice, barley, oats. We rarely ate refined or processed foods, and we ate an abundant supply of vegetables, many of which we grew ourselves. We rarely ate out, and I nearly always cooked from scratch. We ate non-fat dairy and butter-substitutes. We kept our saturated fat and salt to a minimum. We snacked regularly on nutrient rich fruit. As far as I had learned, we were doing everything right.
When we began following Paleo, everything changed. Medications were discarded, weight began shedding, and the majority of gut problems disappeared... until a cheat day. We had found a method to manage the issues without inflicting further damage, but we really hadn't cured anything. I decided that our bodies just couldn't process those foods, and that was that.
Then two years ago, my son's asthma came back. Not only did it come back, but it came back everyday, and was frequented by hives. His school, panicked over his anaphylactic allergy, would send him home at the first sign of an itchy patch, and before long, I was being called to pick him up early once or twice per week. At the same time, my face began getting dry and rashy. I have always had sensitive skin that rejects chemical ingredients, but I was only using natural oils. What was going on?
Now, I admit that I am a research-o-holic, particularly when it comes to health, so this was an intriguing new challenge for me to undertake. One of my biggest breakthroughs came when I stopped frequenting the government and medical sites (the supposed authorities), and started listening to people's stories. I read the natural health sites, chat-rooms, blogs, and comments. I opened my mind to take in the methods that were working for others. The great part of that was, that when it comes to natural health care, there is little risk in experimenting.
When I heard about "Leaky Gut" and its role in our nation's health problems, particularly auto-immune disease, I instantly knew I had found our underlying problem. A quick search on the internet resulted in a plethora of treatment methods and tips. The biggest focus was on removing any food that caused any reaction what-so-ever to eliminate the chronic inflammation of the intestines, and adding in a regular supply of probiotics, to restore proper digestive and immune functions.
Removing foods is easier said than done. A reaction can take anywhere from hours after ingestion, up to five days post, and the reactions can come in the way of asthma, hives, sinus congestion, headache, fatigue, eczema, stomach pain, bloating, acid-reflux, or a number of other complaints. It took me months to realize that not only did I need to continue Paleo, but I also had to take out all nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tomatillos and eggplant), onion, sweet potatoes, olive oil, ginger, coconut, cocoa, and acidy fruit. Immediately, my face cleared up and my acid-reflux died down.
For my son, the task was impossible. We opted instead to make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor who ran a food-sensitivity and allergy test and gave us a list of foods to avoid in addition to Paleo- coconut, fish, shellfish, garlic, Rosemary, Oregano, and Fennel. Not surprisingly, his asthma and hives subsided. Fortunately I love creative cooking. This was certainly a challenge, but I was up for it. After all, how long could it take? 3 months? 4?
Next month it will our 1 year anniversary. We have learned a lot through research, tips from friends, and trial and error, and have made tremendous progress. I am anxious to share the knowledge with others, as I know MANY people who are in dire need of the same. Stay tuned!
To be continued.....
Until a year ago, I did not know that it was possible to regenerate from these auto-immune diseases, and used avoidance as the only possible solution. Sure, there are many medical doctors out there poised and ready to fill my purse with a load of prescriptions, and during our most hopeless moments, I admit, we tried several. However, they always brought with them a host of side-effects and the probability of long-term damage. It was trading present-day relief for future problems; treating the symptom while aggravating the underlying issue. I knew that sooner or later, those defensive walls would come crashing down, and we would be weakened and unable to fight back.
We found out our son was anaphylactic to peanuts during one horrifying near-death experience seven years ago. Chronic asthma soon followed, and we were quickly given steroid inhalers to manage the problem. "Asthma and allergies seem to come together," the doctors told me. But where was this coming from? Why the sudden over-abundance of kids with Epi-pens and inhalers? Sure we had some seasonal allergies and mild asthma in the family. I have had digestive problems since I was a kid. Yet the outlook was always on the changing food industry, cross-contamination, and early introduction, so I didn't spend much time putting my issues together with his- after-all, I didn't have food allergies, just a poor digestive system. And after a couple of years, his asthma subsided and we assumed he had "grown out" of his problem.
We had been primarily vegetarian for many years prior- following my college nutrition classes and our government recommended food-guide pyramid. I lived for complex carbs- beans, split-peas, lentils, bulgar, brown rice, barley, oats. We rarely ate refined or processed foods, and we ate an abundant supply of vegetables, many of which we grew ourselves. We rarely ate out, and I nearly always cooked from scratch. We ate non-fat dairy and butter-substitutes. We kept our saturated fat and salt to a minimum. We snacked regularly on nutrient rich fruit. As far as I had learned, we were doing everything right.
When we began following Paleo, everything changed. Medications were discarded, weight began shedding, and the majority of gut problems disappeared... until a cheat day. We had found a method to manage the issues without inflicting further damage, but we really hadn't cured anything. I decided that our bodies just couldn't process those foods, and that was that.
Then two years ago, my son's asthma came back. Not only did it come back, but it came back everyday, and was frequented by hives. His school, panicked over his anaphylactic allergy, would send him home at the first sign of an itchy patch, and before long, I was being called to pick him up early once or twice per week. At the same time, my face began getting dry and rashy. I have always had sensitive skin that rejects chemical ingredients, but I was only using natural oils. What was going on?
Now, I admit that I am a research-o-holic, particularly when it comes to health, so this was an intriguing new challenge for me to undertake. One of my biggest breakthroughs came when I stopped frequenting the government and medical sites (the supposed authorities), and started listening to people's stories. I read the natural health sites, chat-rooms, blogs, and comments. I opened my mind to take in the methods that were working for others. The great part of that was, that when it comes to natural health care, there is little risk in experimenting.
When I heard about "Leaky Gut" and its role in our nation's health problems, particularly auto-immune disease, I instantly knew I had found our underlying problem. A quick search on the internet resulted in a plethora of treatment methods and tips. The biggest focus was on removing any food that caused any reaction what-so-ever to eliminate the chronic inflammation of the intestines, and adding in a regular supply of probiotics, to restore proper digestive and immune functions.
Removing foods is easier said than done. A reaction can take anywhere from hours after ingestion, up to five days post, and the reactions can come in the way of asthma, hives, sinus congestion, headache, fatigue, eczema, stomach pain, bloating, acid-reflux, or a number of other complaints. It took me months to realize that not only did I need to continue Paleo, but I also had to take out all nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tomatillos and eggplant), onion, sweet potatoes, olive oil, ginger, coconut, cocoa, and acidy fruit. Immediately, my face cleared up and my acid-reflux died down.
For my son, the task was impossible. We opted instead to make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor who ran a food-sensitivity and allergy test and gave us a list of foods to avoid in addition to Paleo- coconut, fish, shellfish, garlic, Rosemary, Oregano, and Fennel. Not surprisingly, his asthma and hives subsided. Fortunately I love creative cooking. This was certainly a challenge, but I was up for it. After all, how long could it take? 3 months? 4?
Next month it will our 1 year anniversary. We have learned a lot through research, tips from friends, and trial and error, and have made tremendous progress. I am anxious to share the knowledge with others, as I know MANY people who are in dire need of the same. Stay tuned!
To be continued.....
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Listen to the inner light; it will guide you. Listen to inner peace; it will feed you. Listen to inner love; it will transform you, it will divinise you, it will immortalise you. -Sri Chinmoy
About six months ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to a 21 day guided meditation through Oprah Winfrey. As someone who loathes media culture, I was quick to dismiss the validity of the experience, and gave up after only two days.
I spend a good deal of time trying to listen to my "inner voice." I can spend hours in a meditative trance in my garden, steadily decoding life. I can get lost in skills and gymnastics, enveloped in the emotion of classical music, and drown out the world outside. I can be comfortable alone, in my own head, for limitless time, analyzing, reflecting, connecting. In many ways, meditation is deeply embedded in my personality. However, what I cannot find is silence. Discovering the means to quiet the constant chatter and stimuli that beats through my brain is among my greatest challenges.
So, once again, this wonderful friend of mine has sent me a link to another 21 day meditation. This time, I am attempting to open up my mind to accept this as a positive experience, and one which I can gain from, if I am willing to put in true effort. The goal is 15 minutes per day, for 21 days, of SILENCE. I am posting the link for any readers out there who may want to challenge themselves as well. Please join me!
http://www.oprah.com/own/First-Look-Deepak-Chopras-21-Day-Meditation-Challenge-Video
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Today's Workout
WARM-UP
800m run
20 pushups/pullups/squats/dips
50 situps
With a bar/ 50#
10 Deadlifts
10 Hang Cleans
10 Front Squats
10 Push Press
WORKOUT
With a partner, complete the following in order (taking turns)
100 Thrusters (50#)
25 Man-makers (2- 15# dumbbells)
1 mile sandbag run (35#)- passing the sandbag back and forth throughout the run
WARM-UP
800m run
20 pushups/pullups/squats/dips
50 situps
With a bar/ 50#
10 Deadlifts
10 Hang Cleans
10 Front Squats
10 Push Press
WORKOUT
With a partner, complete the following in order (taking turns)
100 Thrusters (50#)
25 Man-makers (2- 15# dumbbells)
1 mile sandbag run (35#)- passing the sandbag back and forth throughout the run
Once the lettuces reach about six inches tall, I take my kitchen scissors and clip off the top half for salad, leaving the plant to continue growing for regular clippings. A typical growing season will produce at least two months of salads before the plants finally decide to flower, but if the weather gets too warm, the season can be cut short. In warmer areas, a plot with afternoon shade should keep them producing longer.
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