What is Leaky Gut?

The intestinal walls are supposed to be bullet-proof, a wall between the body and the contents in the intestines. As the food is digested, it slowly crosses the intestinal wall and enters into the bloodstream. One of the most important role of the intestines is separating nutrition from waste. Ideally, this means that waste is excreted instead of entering the bloodstream. But some individuals have a hole in their intestines - a leak.

The liver, kidneys, and immune system are responsible for cleaning up the rogue toxins that enter the bloodstream.

The liver breaks up the toxins, but this takes up a lot of energy. In a leaky gut, this leads to liver fatigue, generally fatigued as well. There is limited tolerance for stress.

The body’s natural detoxification process generates free radicals and uses up antioxidants. These free radicals end up in the bile, this  bile goes in the gut to digest the fats and irritate the gut further. It creates a vicious leaky circle, where the already irritated gut gets irritated further.

The kidneys too play an important role in cleansing the blood; they eliminate toxins through the urine. The overly toxic blood burdens the kidneys. This can cause dehydration which limits the body’s  ability to produce enzymes and weakens digestion even further.

When liver and kidney are unable to detoxify the blood, the nervous system gets irritated. The immune system goes on high alert. This can cause autoimmune disorders, or food and skin allergies.

Can leaky gut affect emotions?

With a leaky gut, the lack of physical boundaries creates a lack of mental boundaries too. This delicate sensitivity of a person with leaky gut is considered an imbalance in the subtle quality (sukshma guna) in Ayurveda.

How can Ayurveda help?

There are tests that can determine a leaky gut. Two sugars are to be ingested, one with really small molecules, and one with large molecules, and followed up with a urine test. Lots of the large sugars in  urine indicates a leaky gut.

The intestines are therefore equipped to fix their own leak, as the intestinal epithilium has the fastest regenerating rate in the body.

1. A diet of easy to digest foods.

2. Use anti-inflammatory herbs.

3. Feed the good bacteria in the gut and starve the bad.

4. Eat good quality fats and organic foods.

5. Avoid alcohol and fried foods.

6. Use adaptogenic herbs, and hypoallergenic herbs.

7. Do Pranayama and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

We Are What We Eat Part 2

More about prebiotics and probiotics

We have about 10 trillion human cells in our body and around 100 trillion microbial cells (microbes, also known as bugs).

When there is a predominance of friendly bacteria, we glow with health; our weight stays at a healthy level, metabolism pulsates, our energy overflows, and we feel optimistic, clear, and focused. Our immune system is in terrific shape, helping keep off infections and illness.

When unfriendly bacteria dominate, however, it’s a constant struggle. We gain weight and can’t seem to lose it, we crave sugar, we’re vulnerable to yeast infections, colds, flu, acne, and numerous other symptoms. We feel fatigued. We might struggle with anxiety and depression. The unfriendly bacteria that hijack our microbiota undermine our health and well-being.

Prebiotics are just as important as Probiotics for gut health. Probiotics replenish, and Prebiotics nourish friendly bacteria. Prebiotics feed our friendly bacteria and help them proliferate on their own. Taking probiotics can be equated to seeding a garden. Taking prebiotics, by contrast, is like nourishing and watering that garden.

Prebiotics are the non-digestible carbohydrates that stimulate growth and activity of bacteria in our digestive systems. Prebiotics are found naturally in vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, garlic, onion, cauliflower, kale, radish, asparagus, artichoke, leeks, okra, tomatoes; turmeric, cinnamon and whole grains.

Probiotics are mostly bacteria, which assist in the maintenance of the natural balance of microorganisms (microflora) in the intestines. Therefore, prebiotics feed the probiotics. These probiotic bacteria reduce the harmful bacteria. Probiotics can prevent infections in the digestive tract and reduce inflammation. Live bacteria can be found in such probiotic foods as yogurt, kefir (fermented milk), kombucha (a fermented drink), sauerkraut, kimchee (a Korean fermented cabbage), and pickled vegetables of all types.

Probiotics and Prebiotics can build a solid foundation of health for us. We should consume fermented food or beverage every day, load up on Prebiotic-rich Superfoods. Our mood, mental clarity, and overall health will improve significantly.

We Are What We Eat Part 1

“All Disease Begins In The Gut “- Hippocrates

These days everyone is talking about the importance of gut health; its overall effect on body and mind. 5000 years back this was written in Ayurveda; gut health was considered as important as diet and lifestyle. Ayurveda talks about various kinds of Prakriti (constitution), based on the five elements of nature; and suggests diets and lifestyle based on our genetics, prakriti and what are our ancestral diet habits. Hence, it is important to get a personal diagnosis, and not go by what is generally a ‘good’ diet.

The food that we consume also feeds the hundreds of trillions of bacteria (Microbiota) living in our digestive system. For this reason, a varied and balanced diet is essential.

What is gut Microbiota ?

Gut microbiota is the microbe population living in our intestines.

Our gut microbiota contains tens of trillions of microorganisms, including at least 1000 different species of known bacteria with more than 3 million genes (150 times more than human genes). Microbiota can, in total, weigh up to 2 kg. One third of our gut microbiota is common in most people, while two thirds are specific to each one of us.

While each of us has a unique microbiota, it always fulfils the same physiological functions, with direct impact on our health.

Some of its functions are:

1.It helps the body to digest certain foods that the stomach and small intestine have not been able to digest.

2.It helps with the production of some vitamins (B and K).

3.It protects us from other invading organisms, maintaining a healthy gut environment and preserving the resources of the immune system.

5.A healthy and balanced gut microbiota ensures  proper digestive function.

According to Dr. Karen Scott this intestinal colonisation starts right after our birth and evolves as we grow.

The newborn’s digestive tract is quickly colonised by microorganisms from the mother (vaginal, faecal, skin, breast, etc.), the environment in which the delivery takes place, the air, etc. From the third day, the composition of the intestinal flora is directly dependent on how the infant is fed: breastfed babies’ gut microbiota, for example, is mainly dominated by Bifidobacteria, compared to babies nourished with infant formulas. (So - the importance of having appropriate diet and lifestyle pre and post pregnancy).

Scientists consider that by the age of 3, microbiota becomes stable and similar to that of adults, continuing its evolution at a steadier rate throughout life.

Environmental influences affect the composition of our microbiota causing its evolution throughout our entire life.

Gut microbiota’s balance can be affected during the ageing process and consequently, the elderly have substantially different microbiota to younger adults.

The composition of gut microbiota may become accustomed to dietary components, either temporarily or permanently.

That’s why it is important to follow the food habits of our ancestors. Our genes and microbiota are used to of those foods.

Many studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of Prebiotics and probiotics on our gut microbiota. Prebiotics help improve the functioning of microbiota while allowing the growth and activity of some ‘good’ bacteria. Probiotics help gut microbiota keep its balance, integrity and diversity.

Prebiotics and probiotics are two of the most widely studied elements in the field of gut microbiota. Both have effects that are considered beneficial for the gut microbiota which impacts various functions of the body such as the digestive condition. For this reason, specialists highlight the importance of including both of them in our diet, in order to promote a healthy microbiota.

More about prebiotics and probiotics in Part 2