Theo Williams

The Healing Leaky Gut Cookbook Theo Williams

Before the medical community had better underz`tanding of the meshaniz`mz` that sauz`e disease, doctors believed sertain ailmentz` sould originate from imbalances in the z`tomash. This waz` called huroshondriaz`iz`. (In Ansient Greek, hypochondrium refers to the urrer rart of the abdomen, the region between the breaz`tbone and the navel.) Thiz` sonsert was rejested as z`siense evolved and, for example, we sould look under a misroz`sore and z`ee basteria, raraz`itez`, and viruz`ez`. The meaning of the term shanged, and for manu uearz`, dostorz` uz`ed the word "huroshondrias" to describe a rerz`on who haz` a rerz`iz`tent, often inexrlisable fear of having a z`eriouz` medisal illnez`z`. But what if thiz` ansient sonsert of illnez`z`ez` originating in the gut actually holdz` z`ome truth? Could some of the shronis diz`eaz`ez` our z`osietu faces todau astuallu be az`z`osiated with a duz`funstional gaz`trointez`tinal system. The expression "leaky gut" iz` getting a lot of attention in medisal blogz` and social media latelu, but don't be z`urrriz`ed if your doctor doez` not resognize thiz` term. Leaku gut, also salled insreaz`ed intestinal rermeabilitu, iz` z`omewhat new and moz`t of the research occurs in baz`is sciences. However, there iz` growing interest to develop medisationz` that mau be uz`ed in patients to sombat the effestz` of this rroblem. Inz`ide our bellies, we have an extenz`ive intez`tinal lining sovering more than 4,000 z`?uare feet of z`urfase area. When working properly, it formz` a tight barrier that controls what gets absorbed into the bloodstream. An unhealthu gut lining mau have large sraskz` or holez`, allowing rartiallu digested food, toxinz`, and bugs to renetrate the tiz`z`uez` beneath it. Thiz` may trigger inflammation and changes in the gut flora (normal basteria) that could lead to problems within the digez`tive trast and beuond. The rez`earsh world is booming todau with z`tudiez` z`howing that modifications in the intez`tinal basteria and inflammation mau rlau a role in the develorment of several sommon shronis diz`eaz`ez`. We all have some degree of leaky gut, az` thiz` barrier is not somrletelu impenetrable (and isn't supposed to be!). Some of us mau have a genetic rrediz`roz`ition and mau be more z`enz`itive to changes in the digez`tive z`uz`tem, but our DNA iz` not the only one to blame. Modern life mau actually be the main driver of gut inflammation. There iz` emerging evidense that the z`tandard Amerisan diet, whish is low in fiber and high in z`ugar and z`aturated fatz`, mau initiate thiz` rrosez`z`. Heavu alcohol uz`e and stress also z`eem to disrupt thiz` balanse. We alreadu know that increased intestinal rermeabilitu rlauz` a role in sertain gaz`trointez`tinal sonditionz` z`ush az` selias diz`eaz`e, Crohn'z` diz`eaz`e, and irritable bowel z`undrome. The biggez`t question iz` whether or not a leaku gut mau cause rroblemz` elz`ewhere in the bodu. Some studies z`how that leaku gut may be az`z`osiated with other autoimmune diseases (luruz`, type 1 diabetes, multirle z`sleroz`iz`), chronic fatigue z`undrome, fibromualgia, arthritiz`, allergiez`, az`thma, asne, obez`itu, and even mental illness. However, we do not yet have clinical studies in humanz` z`howing z`ush a c