{"id":122,"date":"2017-12-12T07:59:56","date_gmt":"2017-12-12T07:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.4ahealthygut.com\/?p=122"},"modified":"2018-03-02T08:54:38","modified_gmt":"2018-03-02T08:54:38","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-to-heal-leaky-gut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.4ahealthygut.com\/how-long-does-it-take-to-heal-leaky-gut\/","title":{"rendered":"how long does it take to heal leaky gut"},"content":{"rendered":"
Leaky gut is an incredibly common health condition. However, it remains well hidden from mainstream media.<\/p>\n
In fact, many people who suffer from this condition have never even heard of it. What is leaky gut syndrome and how is it diagnosed?<\/p>\n
What are the available treatment options for healing a leaky gut? How long does it take to heal leaky gut?<\/p>\n
These are all likely questions that you have if you are hearing the term leaky gut for the first time and would like to learn more about this condition.<\/p>\n
We will address these important questions in more detail below.<\/strong><\/p>\n The small intestine is not an organ that is generally given a great deal of thought. However, it is an extremely important organ because it is where the majority of the vitamins and minerals are absorbed from the food that we consume.<\/p>\n These nutrients are required for energy production, maintenance of the immune system, and all the other vital functions of the body.<\/p>\n As the fingerlike projections that line the small intestine move food along the digestive tract, the vitamins and minerals are absorbed through small openings in the lining of the intestine.<\/p>\n These nutrients are then transferred to the bloodstream where they can be sent all over the body as needed.<\/p>\n Whenever an individual suffers from leaky gut, this normal functioning of the small intestine is disrupted.<\/p>\n The small openings lining the small intestine are only supposed to allow certain things to pass through.<\/p>\n In cases where an individual develops a leaky gut, these openings become too large.<\/p>\n Once they become larger in size, they allow various proteins, food particles, and toxins to pass through them and gain entry into the bloodstream.<\/p>\n Over time this can lead to an immune response in the body that is capable of creating many distressing symptoms.<\/p>\n Since the small intestine is responsible for at least 70% of the overall functioning of our immune system, the consequences of a poorly functioning intestinal tract can be devastating.<\/p>\n Different individuals experience leaky gut in different ways. According to the \u00a0Mayo Clinic<\/strong><\/a>, some of the main physical symptoms of leaky gut are as follows.<\/p>\n It is important to keep in mind that not all symptoms need to be present for the problem of a leaky gut to exist.<\/p>\n In addition, symptoms can sometimes come and go. While all of these symptoms can certainly be attributed to other conditions, it is important to at least consider the possibility of a leaky gut diagnosis.<\/p>\n According to\u00a0Web MD<\/a><\/strong>, leaky gut is not even an official diagnosis that is taught in medical school at this time.<\/p>\n This is partly due to the fact that we have such a limited amount of information on this disease. For the most part, leaky gut remains a diagnosis of exclusion at this point.<\/p>\n This means that if your doctor is unable to find another specific reason for your symptoms, it is highly likely that you will be diagnosed with leaky gut due to other diseases and conditions being ruled out.<\/p>\n The most important thing to do if you are bothered by troublesome symptoms is to see your doctor promptly.<\/p>\n He or she can perform a variety of tests to discern if there any other underlying conditions that are causing your symptoms.<\/p>\n If none can be found, a diagnosis of leaky gut is likely. At that point, you can begin working on healing your gut from the inside out.<\/p>\n The diet that most of us consume today is far removed from that which our ancestors ate decades ago.<\/p>\n Today’s diet is full of heavily processed foods designed to remain shelf-stable for months or longer.<\/p>\n Added chemicals, sugars, artificial sweeteners, and other products can do a lot of damage to the lining of the gut.<\/p>\n An elimination diet is a great place to start on the journey toward healing. Begin by removing some of the most common food allergens that affect millions of people today.<\/p>\n These include foods containing soy, dairy, gluten, processed sugar, and various chemical additives.<\/p>\n An elimination diet can help you discern exactly which foods are causing you problems.<\/p>\n In order to perform an elimination diet effectively, you will discontinue consumption of a specific food for a two week period and then reintroduce it to your diet. Upon reintroduction of the food, be careful to note any side effects that occur.<\/p>\n Food journaling is a part of an elimination diet, but it can also be an ongoing tool to determine how specific foods affect your body.<\/p>\n Food journaling is exactly what it sounds like. You simply write down each food you consume and how it makes you feel.<\/p>\n Foods that do not contribute to an overall sense of well-being can then be avoided.<\/p>\n By focusing on a whole foods diet, many foods that create issues for a large number of people will automatically be avoided.<\/p>\n Processed foods containing excessive amounts of sugar, chemicals, dyes, and other problematic ingredients are already eliminated by simply following a whole foods diet.<\/p>\n From there, further restrictions can be made as necessary to determine other foods that your body may be sensitive to.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alcohol and many forms of over-the-counter medications can be aggravating to the gut lining and taxing to the liver.<\/p>\n Even something as simple as NSAID pain-relieving medications can cause extensive damage to the lining of the gut that does not disappear as soon as you stop using the medication.<\/p>\n Limiting the use of these substances as much as possible encourages the development of a healthy gut lining.<\/p>\n Intestinal infections and parasites are more common than a lot of people realize.<\/p>\n These conditions need to be ruled out before moving on to other causes of your intestinal distress.<\/p>\n The good news is that both infections and parasites are relatively easy to get rid of with the help of your physician.<\/p>\n Getting to the root cause of your intestinal issues and healing the gut takes a considerable amount of time in most cases.<\/p>\n Your gut did not become damaged in one or two short months. It was likely a process that took years to get to the point of creating bothersome symptoms.<\/p>\n Therefore, it stands to reason that healing your gut will take time, strategic intervention, and diligence.<\/p>\n The reward will be well worth the planning and effort that you put into the healing process.<\/p>\n We have discussed several ways to get started in making alterations to your daily diet. These include following an elimination diet to pinpoint problem foods.<\/p>\n In addition, food journaling can be an ongoing task until you are aware of all the foods that trigger a response in your body.<\/p>\n Aside from these dietary interventions, you may be left wondering how to heal your gut through diet.<\/p>\n A clean gut diet can be an effective way to continue on your path toward gut health, but it can be confusing to know which one to follow.<\/p>\n Here are several clean gut diet choices and the benefits each one has to offer.<\/strong><\/p>\n When considering how to heal your gut, a whole food diet is at the top of the list. Many people may opt to completely cut all animal foods from their diet to focus on whole foods that contain a lot of fiber, nutrients, and minerals.<\/p>\n A plant-based diet of this nature typically contains little to no animal products at all.<\/p>\n This includes all forms of dairy, all types of meat, eggs, and foods that contain remnants of these products.<\/p>\n What ends up happening is the individual consumes large amounts of whole grains, legumes, leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits. All of these foods are high in fiber and promote healing of the gut lining.<\/p>\n The GAPS diet is often recommended for a leaky gut treatment as well. According to Dr. Axe<\/a><\/strong>, the GAPS diet is based closely on a diet that originated back in the 1920’s that has been known to have healing effects on the intestinal tract.<\/p>\n The GAPS diet helps repair the wall of the intestines, eliminate bad bacteria from the gut, and bring balance to the probiotics present in the intestinal tract.<\/p>\n When considering how to improve gut health naturally, the GAPS diet remains high on the list of good choices.<\/p>\n The premise of the GAPS diet is to focus on foods in the form as close to that present in nature as possible.<\/p>\n This means that foods such as conventional meat and dairy, chemical additives, grains, processed sugars, and starchy carbohydrates are all avoided.<\/p>\n The allowed foods on the GAPS diet include bone broth, non-starchy vegetables, wild meats and fish, free-range egg yolks, and fruits.<\/p>\n Fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, and homemade yogurt are also highly recommended due to the beneficial bacteria these foods contain.<\/p>\n When considering how to improve gut health naturally, the Paleo diet also remains a common choice for many people.<\/p>\nWhat is Leaky Gut Syndrome?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Leaky Gut?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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How is Leaky Gut Diagnosed?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What is the Best Way to Heal Leaky Gut?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Begin an Elimination Diet<\/h3>\n
Start Food Journaling<\/h3>\n
Consume a Diet Rich in Whole Foods<\/span><\/h3>\n
Limit use of alcohol and aggravating medications<\/span><\/h3>\n
Evaluate for the presence of parasites or gut infections<\/h3>\n
How Long Does it Take to Heal Leaky Gut?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What are the Best Dietary Interventions for Healing Leaky Gut?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Whole Food Plant-Based Diet<\/h3>\n
GAPS Diet<\/h3>\n
Paleo Diet<\/h3>\n