“Leaky gut” has become a buzz word lately that I am not a fan of. The medical term for leaky gut is intestinal hyperpermeability. This happens with the tight junctions that hold the cells of the gastrointestinal tract together don’t function properly. The result is a variety of symptoms, nutrient malabsorption, inflammation and immune dysregulation. When these tight junctions don’t function properly, food is not absorbed properly. Your immune system then responds to this food as foreign, just as it would respond to a virus or bacteria. Immunoglobulins, tiny proteins made by your immune system, tag food, and create an immune-protein complex that then deposits itself in various tissues around the body.
There are a few theories as to why food sensitivities are on the rise:
· New parents are introducing solid foods to their infant much sooner than is recommended. An infant’s immune system and digestive tract are not fully developed until at least 5 years of age. It is incredibly important to wait and introduce foods that are common triggers later in the development of the immune system and digestive tract to prevent the development of intolerances. One of the most common first foods to introduce to children is cheerios or cooked pasta noodles, both are full of gluten which is a common food sensitivity.
· Another theory is the amount of genetically modified foods found in our diet. Unfortunately, genetic modification is not a precise procedure. When the DNA of plants is tampered with, the plant begins to produce completely new proteins and compounds unknown to our digestive system. The introduction of genetically modified foods is quite recent, too recent for our digestive systems to have evolved effective processes to digest and absorb these new compounds. And too recent for our immune systems to have evolved successful coping mechanisms.
· The typical North American diet does not contain a variety of foods. We consume the same foods in high quantities which over exposes or sensitizes our body to the same food compounds day in and day out. When we consume a wide variety of foods, the risk of becoming sensitive to foods is reduced.
· Yet another theory is the high amount of inflammation we have in our bodies as a result of our diets, medications, intense athletic training, among other things. Here, we have ourselves a ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg’ situation. Food sensitivities cause inflammation within the body, but inflammation within the body can also initiate the development of food sensitivities.
It is most likely a combination of all four theories contributing to food sensitivities.
How do you know if you have a food sensitivity? The quickest and easiest way to determine if you have a food sensitivity is getting a blood test done. The one I perform is done by Rocky Mountain Analytical (http://rmalab.com/medical-laboratory-tests/allergy/igg-sensitivity). Another way to determine food sensitivities is by doing an Elimination Diet.
Once you discover which foods are triggering your symptoms, remove them from your diet. With the triggers gone from your diet it is now important to heal the lining of your digestive tract, and get your immune system back on track so that one day you may be able to introduce the offending foods back into your diet. To do this, there are various supplements or herbal teas you can use. Don’t forget to consume sufficient quantities of fibre! These are just a few options that can be used to heal the gastrointestinal tract from aggravating foods and inflammation.
Dr. Brenda Tapp, ND
Note: The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only, it is not to be used to diagnose or treat your health. It is important to see a Naturopathic Doctor before you start taking supplements to ensure they don’t interact with any medications you are on or medical conditions you currently have. While supplements are natural, they can be dangerous if taken incorrectly. Some supplements also contain additives as preservatives or binders that may aggravate your symptoms.