I just recently completed a certificate in Functional Medicine which has been a great, enlightening, and informative experience. But let me tell you my greatest takeaway from the coursework I completed: it all comes back to the gut. I mean, there are of course exceptions to this rule, but if you are experiencing a systemic issue, chances are you can trace it back to some kind gut dysfunction.
You may have heard the term, gut microbiome or microbiota. This term refers to the bacteria and metabolites from the gut that work hand in hand to keep us healthy. Because yes- we need bacteria to keep us healthy! But I needs to be the right bacteria and in the right amount. There are a number of things that can mess with our gut microbiome: antibiotic use, certain medications such as acid reflux medications, diet, and lifestyle are all examples of things that can have an effect on our microbiome and lead to inflammatory issues in the gut. Did you know it takes about 6-9 months for your gut to recover and regenerate good bacteria after one round of antibiotics?
In addition to our microbiome, our stomach mucosa and epithelium are set up in a fun wavy pattern to allow for maximum surface area. There is some data out there that the human gut mucosa can measure up to the size of a tennis court if it were to be straightened and flattened out. The tight wavy patterns of the gut mucosa and tiny finger like projections off of it referred to as the microvilli, aid in digestion of foods and particles that are ingested. It is all held together by “tight junctions”. However, when our body is hit with certain medications, poor diet, alcohol, emotion stress, etc, our body is in an inflamed state, which affects our gut microbiome. When we have chronic inflammation of the gut, over time, these tight junctions and this beautiful surface area start to flatten out. Loss of these tight junctions and intact stomach mucosa has been lovingly coined “leaky gut”. This is because as we lose those tight junctions and stomach mucosa, the barrier between the gut and our bloodstream is now compromised. All of the bacterial metabolites that should be staying within our gut are now free to move into our bloodstream. This can have a variety of implications including: autoimmune issues, neurological issues such as “brain fog”, hormonal imbalances. We now know that these bacterial metabolites can cross the blood brain barrier, which carries with it a whole other host of issues (think depression, mood disorders, etc).
So how do we combat “leaky gut”, now that we know what it is? Well, any time someone is complaining of more systemic issues, I will now start to think: is it their gut? And improving gut health is of the utmost importance. This starts with diet. Not going on a diet, per se. But really considering everything we are putting into our bodies. Cutting sugar and gluten if you can, are great places to start. Getting a full blood analysis of your sensitivities are very helpful that way you know which foods to avoid. Trying to eat organic and as clean as possible is helpful as well. Minimizing processed/pre-packaged foods, or produce that may have been sprayed with glyphosate or other detrimental herbicides.
Gut support with a reliable probiotic can be helpful. Minimizing antibiotic use or acid reflux medications where able. And keeping our toxic load to a minimum, which includes emotion stress, are all incredibly important factors to supporting your overall gut health and reducing “leaky gut”. If you have a systemic condition, and other providers have been unable to get to the root cause, it may be an issue with your gut health and you may be experiencing “leaky gut”.
Schedule a consult with one of our providers today to learn about what diagnostics we can perform and what we can do to support you and get you feeling better!
