{"id":33752,"date":"2019-05-15T14:53:14","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T21:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/womensvoice.com\/en-ca\/?p=33752"},"modified":"2019-05-22T10:38:29","modified_gmt":"2019-05-22T17:38:29","slug":"leaky-gut-a-hidden-cause-of-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/womensvoice.com\/en-ca\/articles\/expert-advice\/leaky-gut-a-hidden-cause-of-illness\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaky Gut – A Hidden Cause of Illness"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE GUT IS THE FOUNDATION OF HEALTH! Hippocrates knew the importance of gut health thousands of years ago, and now we are just starting to recognize how right he was. Many modern health issues other than gastrointestinal disorders are associated with\u00a0 compromised gut bacteria. Some of these conditions include autoimmune diseases, depression, anxiety, weight problems, cognitive disorders, and heart disease.<\/h3>\n

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In recent years, the gut microbiota has become a significant topic of research, and what scientists have learned has been astounding. The gut bacteria, often viewed as lowly little creatures, are quite sophisticated in their interactions, and can have a profound effect on every area of our health.<\/p>\n

The gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria, some friendly, others not. The key is balance. Imbalance in gut bacteria that leads to inflammation can be caused by other factors including stress, overuse of antibiotics, high sugar and refined carbohydrate diet, lack of pre- and probiotics, environmental toxins, and certain medications. Gut inflammation causes the protective barrier in the gut to become permeable which is referred to as \u201cleaky gut\u201d or \u201cdysbiosis\u201d. When this occurs, toxic particles can enter the bloodstream, and these foreign invaders will put more stress on the immune system, thus leading to both local and systemic inflammation. This can also affect the brain, lungs, heart, and other areas of the body.<\/p>\n

And that is not all\u2026 the gut and the brain have a two-way communication system. The gut forms a link between the emotional and\u00a0 cognitive centres of our brain along a two-way communication network linking the brain and the gut through various mechanisms. Alterations in the gut microbiota can have a significant effect on mental health. Research has shown that leaky gut and resulting systemic inflammation can cause depression, anxiety, memory problems including Alzheimer\u2019s disease and learning disabilities.<\/p>\n

And if I haven\u2019t got your attention yet as to why you should care about the health of your gut, the gut microbiome can add years to your life. A recent study has shown that microbiota composition is related to healthy aging, and concluded that if you are ridiculously healthy and 90 years old, your gut microbiota is not that different from a healthy 30-year-old! Is the key to healthy aging and longevity in the
\ngut? I believe it is.<\/p>\n

COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A LEAKY GUT<\/span><\/h2>\n