5 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut

It’s believed that more than 90% of disease begins in the gut. To understand just how central your gut health is, know that your gut is directly linked to your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. 

Your gut does so much more than digest your food (although that alone makes it essential!)… 

It’s where your immunity lies, hormones are made, moods are regulated, and cognitive processes are affected. 

In a perfect world without gut issues, eating food would never leave you bloated and sluggish. You’d absorb all the nutrients from your food so your body would always feel happy and nourished. Mental and physical illnesses would be nonexistent.

Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world. 

Between questionable food manufacturing processes, the convenience and accessibility of fast food, and the inclusion of unsafe chemicals and additives in packaged food, it’s evident that eating processed food inflames your gut and changes the landscape of your gut microbiome. [1]

One of the most common gut issues is called “Leaky Gut Syndrome.” 

A leaky gut is just what it sounds like. It’s when our intestinal wall loses its integrity from poor eating habits and becomes highly permeable, making it possible for inflammatory pathogens to get through. 

Here’s another way to think about it…

Our intestinal walls are only one cell thick [2], and this single-celled gut barrier is all that separates us from absorbing the toxins our bodies are exposed to.

A healthy gut is able to let smaller “good” nutrients through, while keeping larger “bad” toxins out. 

A leaky gut is when the larger bad guys can “leak” through, exposing our body to all kinds of inflammatory toxins that can contribute to problems such as inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), rheumatoid arthritis and overall chronic inflammation.

Unfortunately, leaky gut issues can go by undiagnosed for far too long, and many individuals assume that struggles like indigestion, frequent headaches and fatigue are just a bodily default from everyday life. 

This is not true!

If you’re like the millions of people who experience leaky gut syndrome, you’d be remiss to ignore…

The 5 Signs Of A Leaky Gut

1. Chronic Digestive Issues
Digestive issues such as serious bloating after you eat, chronically having diarrhea or frequently experiencing gas (often painful) is a sign that something is wrong with your gut that’s more than an upset tummy from a bad meal. 

2. Nutritional Deficiencies
Nutritional deficiencies aren’t reserved for the underfed. Anyone can be deficient in nutrients, and for many, it is due to a leaky gut. Even if nutrient dense food is eaten, a leaky gut can hamper nutrient absorption. Signs such as hair falling out, brittle nails, dull skin and chronic fatigue are all signs of nutritional deficiencies from a leaky gut. 

3. Brain Fog And Frequent Headaches
Our gut and brain are so closely linked that the food you eat won’t just affect your gut, but your mental clarity too. You can attribute chronic cognitive issues, such as brain fog and headaches, to inflammation in your gut. This is most commonly linked to constantly exposing your gut to food you may be sensitive to, food additives like artificial colors and flavors, and/or carcinogens such as pesticides.

4. Mild To Severe Mood Disorders Such As Depression And Anxiety
As mentioned earlier, a leaky gut affects more than your physical health. The inflammation linked to a leaky gut affects your brain, and in turn affects your mental wellbeing. Mental issues such as depression and anxiety are often at least partly caused by chronic inflammation and gut imbalances. 

5. Development Of Autoimmune Diseases
Diseases such as Hashimoto’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Lupus are just some of the illnesses linked to those who’ve had leaky guts for a prolonged period of time. While these diseases require professional medical help, working on improving your gut health is a great step towards a healthier life while managing these conditions. 

The good news is, having a leaky gut can be managed and even reversed through addressing the following:

• Diet
• Identifying and eliminating food sensitivities
• Reducing consumption of certain GMO foods
• Identifying and eliminating allergens
• Increasing dietary fiber
• Minimizing exposure to toxins
• Improving daily habits

Having a leaky gut doesn’t stop at your digestive tract.

The body-wide inflammation that results from this condition also rips through the barrier in your brain, causing depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.

Fortunately, recent studies have uncovered several herbs that can repair both the gut and brain barriers…

Want to find out what exactly these
gut & brain healing herbs are?