Autoimmune-Leaky Gut Connection
Leaky gut – also known as increased intestinal permeability – is a digestive condition in which bacteria and toxins are able to “leak” through the intestinal wall. Unfortunately, many people suffer from leaky gut and attribute their symptoms to aging, having a “sensitive stomach,” or random stress.
Autoimmune-Leaky Gut Connection
Leaky gut – also known as increased intestinal permeability – is a digestive condition in which bacteria and toxins are able to “leak” through the intestinal wall. Unfortunately, many people suffer from leaky gut and attribute their symptoms to aging, having a “sensitive stomach,” or random stress.
Leaky gut can be caused by a wide range of issues from undiagnosed food sensitivities such at gluten intolerances, eating too much sugar or over consumption of alcohol, overgrowth of yeast, parasites, or even from taking too many medications, especially antibiotics.
How Leaky Gut Can Lead to Autoimmunity
Once your gut becomes leaky, this has a serious impact on your immune system because it automatically intensifies your inflammation levels. Once the delicate barrier of your intestines is compromised, bits of food, toxins, and bacteria can enter your bloodstream, resulting in a condition known as endotoxemia in which your blood becomes toxic and continually triggers your immune response.
This creates a persistent low level of inflammation , which triggers your immune system uses white blood cells to attack, creating massive inflammation. This also creates confusion for your immune system and “less accuracy” to deal with the invaders or toxins in your blood. Eventually, this leads to autoimmunity because your healthy tissues get attacked as well.
The Naturopathic Medicine Approach to Treating Leaky Gut
The naturopathic medicine approach to healing leaky gut first focuses on correcting digestion and assessing which foods you are unable to metabolize well.
Since your gut health impacts your health in other ways, checking for autoimmune illness is one of the first places we examine. Leaky gut along with other gut issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), or its cousin small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO) can all have a huge impact on your immune system.
Reestablishing a healthy gut microbiome is one of the best ways we can bolster your immune system and help you to free yourself of some of the symptoms typically linked to autoimmune illness. These symptoms include include fatigue, joint pain, headaches or food intolerances to dairy or eggs.
At Revitalize Wellness Center, we see an incredible decrease in symptoms and remission for people with autoimmune disease once they healed their leaky gut and other gut issues.
Dr. Manipon has expertise in identifying and treating leaky gut and dealing with autoimmune illness, including how to manage flare-ups.
If you have been experiencing chronic symptoms that may be connected with digestive problems and are looking for answers, schedule a complimentary discovery call at Revitalize Wellness Center today!