Excerpt from "The Ultimate Detox" Sandra Caboot MD and Margaret Jasinska ND. Leaky Gut Syndrome is an extremely common condition which may be at the root of your health problems.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

The lining of our small intestine is designed to allow nutrients we have digested to be absorbed into our bloodstream. Many kinds of beneficial bacteria and yeasts live here, helping us to digest and absorb substances. A leaky gut occurs when the mucous lining of the gut has become irritated and inflamed, making it more porous than it should be. This allows undigested food molecules, bacteria, fungi, metals and toxic substances to gain entry into our bloodstream. These toxins flood our liver, and then spill into the bloodstream. If allowed to flourish, Candida will grow in the mucous membrane lining like a large tree where the roots cause cracks in the surrounding concrete. The roots of the Candida can worsen the leaks in the gut. If Candida is allowed to enter the bloodstream it can travel to various parts of the body and promote fungal infections; examples include tinea, thrush and jock itch.

The immune system becomes overwhelmed by all of these toxins and reacts by producing antibodies and inflammatory chemicals. Leaky Gut Syndrome is strongly associated with several autoimmune diseases.

What causes leaky gut syndrome?

The following are all possible causes:

• Overuse of medications such as antibiotics, steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.
• Poor diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods (eg. Soft drinks, white bread, sweets).
• Stress.
• Food allergies and intolerances.
• High consumption of alcohol.
• Food poisoning and gastrointestinal infections.
• Candida overgrowth.
• Nutritional deficiencies.

What are the symptoms?

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome or indigestion
• Abdominal bloating and/or flatulence.
• Candida infections & other fungal infections such as thrush, tinea, jock itch.
• Allergies to foods, airborne substances or chemicals.
• Chronic fatigue and weakened immunity.
• Deficiencies of minerals, fat soluble vitamins and Essential Fatty Acids.
• Joint pain.
• Foggy head or clouded thinking.
• Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroid disease.

How to Overcome Leaky Gut Syndrome ·

• Remove excess Candida and other harmful yeast, fungi and bacteria. There are certain powerful herbs that act as natural anti-parasitics, including Berberis, wormwood and thyme.
• Don't feed what you are trying to kill. Sugar feeds yeast in your gut, so your diet must be free of sugar and foods made of white flour. Reducing your general intake of grains can help, because they are all digested into sugar in your intestines.
• Follow a low reactive diet. This means avoid the foods that most commonly promote or aggravate a leaky gut. These include dairy products, gluten and possibly others.
• Strengthen your immune system. Killing off Candida and parasites is important, but if your immune system is weak they will be allowed to overgrow again.
• Avoid alcohol, and if possible minimize the use of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and antibiotics.
• Include chilies, raw garlic and onion in your diet, as they have antibacterial properties.
• You may require a digestive enzyme supplement to help you digest your food more thoroughly, and make you more comfortable after meals. A good one would contain stomach enzymes, hydrochloric acid, and pancreatic enzymes.
• Take a probiotic supplement containing beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium bifidum. Good bacteria in the gut can crowd out harmful organisms.
• Prebiotics are natural plant fibres that promote the growth of good bacteria in our gut; they are food for the good bacteria. An example of a prebiotic is FOS (fructooligosaccharides); this can be obtained in supplement form, but is also found in the vegetable Jerusalem artichoke.