Leaky gut, Systemic Candida, Allergies and Intolerances and Auto Immune Conditions
You’ve probably heard a lot about gut health, leaky gut and the gut-brain connection lately. It’s a hot topic at the moment and one to really take note of. As with our modern diets and food production, our gut is taking a pounding. It is thought that it could be the precursor to certain auto-immune conditions and lead one down a terrible, sometimes irreversible path of ill health.
I have been suffering from food intolerances and allergies since my 20’s. I’ve managed to trace back to when it all started and once armed with this information, I was able to find a cleansing program that suits my body and condition. This led me to wonder, how many people have these issues, but can’t trace it back to a certain period of time in their lives, because they just aren’t aware? And, if they have become aware, how would they know which information is safe to follow and what actually works?
After speaking with a friend of mine who suffered from terrible gut issues, which in turn caused depression, anxiety, debilitating migraines and a reliance on a ridiculous amount of medication, I decided to document his story and share it on my blog. This also led me to look at how this could be affecting not only mine and my family’s health, but so many friends and acquaintances who were having similar issues. I’m not saying that everyone’s problem is candida or leaky gut, but that certainly is where it could be starting!
I decided to do a lot of research, as well as use the knowledge I have gained over the years of figuring out how to help my son with asthma and allergies, my kids’ eczema, anxiety and depression in our family and my own intolerances and allergies. Much of which I learnt through some very interesting people in Australia and Hong Kong. Unfortunately, a lot of it is trial and error and working through each person’s issues individually. What I found generally, is the following, in our modern civilisation/diet:
Gluten
Not everyone is intolerant to gluten, but in my experience, almost everyone reacts to modern day wheat and the way it is grown. Not only does it contain a herbicide that contains glyphosate (a known carcinogen), but the way it is stored encourages the growth of mould, which contains dangerous levels of aflatoxins (toxic to the liver). If you aren’t consuming organic wheat flour or grains, chances are your body is being poisoned. This is why people tolerate Organic Sourdough and have less reaction to it.
Dairy
Once dairy is pasteurised, it doesn’t have much goodness left. You are basically ‘cooking’ the milk and killing off all the enzymes that help your gut digest it. This isn’t the only concern though. Whatever the cows are being fed will transfer into the milk. Yes, this might be in small amounts, but if you consume pasteurised and homogenised milk, the toxins can build up in your system.
Sugar
If you’re consuming white sugar, there is no goodness left in it once all the minerals and enzymes have been stripped from it. Raw sugar is better, but the amount we are consuming today is a big problem. What I realised from cutting it out, was that there is nothing you can eat outside your home, that doesn’t have sugar, whether it be fruit sugar, white sugar, honey, molasses or maple syrup. This is a real problem for our children who are mostly addicted to sugar and consume it on a daily basis. It is very acidic, which means it leaches the calcium out of your bones, and probably why so many children are getting fractures. It is also highly addictive and can cause a major dysbiosis in your gut. I have never seen so many teenagers with acne as I have in recent years.
Caffeine
Anyone with gut issues should consider giving up coffee or caffeinated drinks for a while before re-introducing them. This will give your gut a chance to heal, as coffee can be very irritating to the gut, especially if you drink it on an empty stomach. Caffeine can also raise your cortisol levels (produced from your adrenal glands above your kidneys) and this can cause anxiety and aggression in certain people.
Water
Once you’ve tasted filtered water and consumed it for a while, you will never be able to drink tap water again. There is so much chlorine and fluoride added to our tap water, which can strip your gut of good bacteria. Just think about a swimming pool and why you add chlorine to it – to get rid of bacteria and algae that make it go green, right? The same thing happens in your gut. Everyone should have a filter on their tap at home – of course not all filters are equal. Some are better than others, but please don’t choose water in plastic bottles or huge plastic containers, as the BPA is toxic and it’s not good for our environment.
Travel
Never before have we had the opportunity to travel the world as we do now. As wonderful as that is, it opens up a whole new can of worms – or in this case, parasitic worms! If you have contracted diarrhoea while travelling, it is quite possible that it was caused by a bacterial infection, waterborne virus, or parasite, which can play havoc with your gut. To be prepared, it’s worth having a look at this guide on how to stay healthy when travelling.
Antibiotics
Although antibiotics can save your life, too many courses of antibiotics can strip your gut of all good and bad bacteria. If you are not taking a good probiotic or taking measures to restore your gut health, you are lining yourself up for a leaky gut.
The above points are just a general collection of information I have gathered from my research over the years. In no way is the above information medical advice or a diagnosis of any conditions. Please consult your medical practitioner regarding advice regarding your health.
