All disease begins in the gut.

– Hippocrates

Is Leaky Gut the cause of your health problems?

The name may sound strange, but leaky gut, medically known as increased intestinal permeability can indeed be connected to a myriad of health issues. Have you ever thought about the fact that the contents of the gut are technically outside the body? The intestinal barrier, with a surface area of 300-400 m2, is the largest interface between the body and external environment. In healthy people, the barrier is tightly regulated, only allowing important nutrients to pass through the gut, and protecting the body from harmful substances such as toxins, undigested foods and pathogens. When the digestive tract mucosa is inflamed, the tight junctions of the intestinal mucosa are compromised or become loose, which eventually leads to ‘leaky gut’ syndrome. When this happens undigested food particles, bacteria, and other pathogens leak into the bloodstream. Your body must then deal with these foreign invaders or undigested foods and does so by creating antibodies against them. You can now see how leaky gut can lead to food allergies and intolerances. Unfortunately it does not stop here. The integrity of the gut barrier has further impact on your immune system and in a leaky gut state can leave you vulnerable to environmental allergies (pollen, dust and moulds) and inflammation of your whole body creating further symptoms of ill health. If not corrected quickly the immune system becomes more stressed, it is then less able to attack pathogens and invaders with precision. Eventually, the body’s own tissues end up on the receiving end of the attack, which can then lead to an autoimmune disease.

Interestingly babies are born with a ‘leaky gut’ but if breastfed with antibody rich breast milk this 'leaky gut’ is actually advantageous and important for their intestinal and immune development. However if mum doesn't have plenty of microflora (good bacteria) in her digestive system, or perhaps breastfeeding may not be possible or effective for baby to get enough nutrition, she won't be able to pass on healthy bacteria to her baby. In these cases using probiotics are essential in supporting the establishment of a healthy gut microbiome. Microbiome is a term that describes the collection of microorganisms in the gut that aid digestion, metabolism and immune system function and which also have a crucial role in creating neurotransmitters that affect behaviour and brain function!

What are the signs and symptoms of ‘leaky gut’?

Leaky gut may result in digestive symptoms like bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhoea, but often presents itself as more complex symptoms, these include;

Food Allergies and Sensitivities – Because the tight junctions are more permeable in people with leaky gut, undigested food slips through the gaps and their immune systems are in overdrive-producing various antibodies, which makes their bodies more susceptible to certain foods (especially gluten and dairy).

Inflammatory Skin Conditions – First described over 70 years ago, the gut-skin connection theory has described how leaky gut can cause many skin conditions; including eczema, acne, rosacea and psoriasis.

Mood Issues and Autism – Studies have shown that leaky gut can trigger the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other chemicals which can cross into the brain and contribute to depression and autism.

Thyroid Problems – One of the autoimmune diseases that leaky gut may directly affect is Hashimoto’s or Grave’s disease.

What causes ‘leaky gut’?

There is no one thing that causes leaky gut, but rather a number of factors that contribute to increasing intestinal permeability. I like to use the analogy of a ‘tank’. The more stressors that are placed on the body, the more the ‘tank’ fills up, when it is overflowing there will be tell tail signs and symptoms.

Things that fill the 'tank’ include:

Stress- a major factor. Stress prevents healthy digestion. It decreases our production of stomach acid, which leads to inadequate enzyme production, bile release and slows movement of food through the digestive tract.

Maternal health- what was the mother’s health like when she was pregnant? Was she under a lot of stress? Did she have antibiotics during pregnancy or during labour? Did she suffer with recurrent thrush/candida? (there is so much l could say here about the importance of preconception care but l’ll save that for another article). All of these factors have an impact on the tight junctions of the intestinal lining.

Medications- such as antibiotics, some common pain medications (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) or medication for reflux (proton pump inhibitors) have been shown to increase the permeability of the gut.

A diet high in gluten, dairy and sugar. These foods create inflammation in the body. Inflammation is bad for the body over long periods of time as it damages a lot of cells and tissues. Studies have shown that gluten can cause gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Dairy containing A1 casein has also been shown to damage the gut. Formula feeding-studies show that babies who are formula fed have a higher risk of developing autoimmune diseases later in life due to increased intestinal permeability. Eating foods that have been genetically modified also contributes to leaky gut.

Heavy metals like mercury from amalgam fillings or aluminium from vaccines also irritate the lining of the intestines causing inflammation. Chemicals, pesticides, herbicides BPA, roundup-organophosphates break down the tight junctions of the intestinal lining as does alcohol and coffee.

Can you heal ‘leaky gut’?

Yes! It is definitely possible to repair the lining of the gut. Ideally this can happen reasonably quickly when the correct steps to healing are committed to, occasionally the healing process will take a bit longer and patience is needed to allow the body the time that is needed to get back to its best functional state.

Things you can do include

Eliminate gluten containing grains from your diet these are wheat, oats, rye, barley, spelt, kamut. However this is where I add that eliminating foods without the advice of a health professional is not really a great idea. Please check with me first!

Eliminate sugar and dairy from your diet

Take probiotics daily-this can be through diet via fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso or supplement with probiotics.

Stress management techniques-meditation, exercise and yoga.

Incorporate turmeric into your daily diet. Turmeric, is an anti-inflammatory herb that helps heal the intestinal lining by decreasing inflammation. Add to stir fries, drink ‘golden milk”, smoothies, scrambled eggs, curries and soups.

Increase your intake of collagen and/or gelatin (cooked collagen). It’s important to note that l am not talking about commercially available jelly from the supermarket which has refined sugar and colours and preservatives. I’m talking about gelatine that comes from pasture raised cattle. Gelatin contains amino acids such as glycine which strengthens the gut lining and therefore lowers inflammation. It also enhances gastric acid secretion and a healthy mucosal lining in the stomach. When you can effectively break down and absorb the food you are eating, you reduce the amount of inflammation in the gut.

Incorporate bone broth into your diet daily. Broth contains collagen, which nourishes the intestinal lining and reduces inflammation. Plus, it’s easy for a damaged gut to digest. It’s important to use organic pasture fed bones. There is a recipe for broth on my website.

Supplements such as L-glutamine and slippery elm also assists in repairing the tight junctions of the GUT. Digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid (the main acid found in the stomach), pepsin, probiotics and zinc also play important roles in repairing leaky gut.

Gummies Recipe

These are a great way of getting the gut healing benefits of gelatine into kids at the same time they think they are getting a treat.

1 cup of berries-raspberries, blueberries, blackberries (I use frozen organic Oob berries)

1 cup of filtered water

Place in a blender until pureed

Pour through a sieve into a saucepan

Add 2.5 tablespoons of grass fed gelatine (I use great lakes)

1-2 tablespoon of pure maple syrup or honey. (Depending on how sweet you like them)

Whisk until honey and gelatine have dissolved.

Pour into silicone moulds.

Place in the freezer for 20 minutes or until set.

I use the silicone moulds from Kmart as they come in cute shapes that the kids love.

This recipe fills approximately 3 trays

They can stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days (if they last that long).

What Is Pyroluria?

Pyroluria, also known as kryptopyrole or pyrole disorder is a genetic condition that causes an abnormality in bio chemistry, resulting in the over production of a urinary pyrole called HPL (hydroxyhemoppyrrolin-2-one).

Pyrole is a by-product of haemoglobin (oxygen carrying molecule in the body) synthesis and for the majority of the population; the body excretes it via the urine with no issues. However, for approximately 10% of the population who have Pyroluria they produce excessive amounts of HPL, which binds to or inhibits Vitamin B6, Biotin, Omega 6 essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and Zinc from reaching their targets within the body.

Deficiencies of Zinc and B6 are linked to a wide range of emotional and psychiatric problems. Generally speaking zinc and B6 play important roles involved with learning, digestion, mood and behaviour control, eliminating toxins, immunity, dealing with stress and energy production. Nervousness, anxiety, depression, extreme irritability, short -term memory problems and excessive anger have all been linked to pyroluria. Zinc deficiency is also associated with poor immune function, poor growth, delayed sexual development and hormonal imbalances.

Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil) often aggravate symptoms such as impulsiveness, aggressiveness, irritability, poor stress tolerance and anxiety in those with Pyroluria.

Signs and Symptoms of Pyroluria

Signs and symptoms vary from person to person and also depend on the age of the person.

Babies

Issues with sleepUnsettled, irritable and startle easily Colic and refluxCradle capTendency toward nappy rash. Skin that tends to be dry and scaly and may develop into eczemaReacts to food in their mum’s diet.

Toddlers

Extreme temper tantrumsExtremely volatile, happy one moment and angry the next.Likely to have food intolerances and/or sensitivities and generally only have an interest in strong flavoured foods such as processed meats, salt. Take a long time to fall asleep and are hard to settle.

Children

Volatile, angry, and tend to cry easily. Often calm one moment and angry the next for no apparent reason. A great deal of inner tension, and often manifest their symptoms with impulsive unfiltered behaviours. Motion sicknessHyperactivityNausea in the mornings-aversion to eating or delaying breakfast

Older children

May have sensory, learning and processing problems as well as inability to interpret social situations appropriately. Often can't stand the tag on clothes and certain fabrics against their skin. Symptoms are often worse during growth spurts. Needs a lot of down time to calm down after anger outburst.Have a lot of inner tension and impulsive unfiltered behaviours are commonly seen.Anxiety is a major feature. Picky eatingNausea in the mornings-aversion to eating or delaying breakfastSkin problems and sometimes-joint pains, especially in the knees. Frequent stich when running is also another sign.Over crowded teeth and poor tooth enamel.Hyperactivity

Teenagers

Depression and/or anxietySevere mood swingsSocial withdrawalExtremely abnormal sleep cyclesStretch marksNausea in the mornings-aversion to eating or delaying breakfastWhite spots on the nailsKeratosis pilaris (pimply type bumps on upper arms and knees)

Adults

Emotional outburstsStretch marksGeneral unhappiness and negativityJoint painTirednessDepression and anxiety is also common, especially in women as are problems with their menstrual cycleNausea in the mornings-aversion to eating or delaying breakfastSevere morning sickness when pregnantInsomniaPoor dream recallCold hands and feet, even in summer

In severe cases criminal behaviour, addictions, bipolar, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, Autism and schizophrenia are seen.

What causes Pyroluria?

Evidence suggests that it is epigenetic. This means there is a genetic susceptibility with the addition of biological mechanisms that switch genes on and off. The food we eat, our heavy metal burden, the health of our digestive system and the environment we live in all play a major role in developing pyroluria. Stress plays a major role in Pyroluria and will also cause an increase in production of HPL (due to higher haemoglobin metabolism), thereby worsening deficiency symptoms. Poor dietary choices and poor digestive health can also cause an increase in pyrole levels.

How do you test for Pyroluria?

The test used to diagnose Pyroluria is via a urine test for Kryptopyrroles.

It is light sensitive; therefore, proper collection, transport and testing precautions are required to ensure proper testing. Other tests including serum copper, plasma zinc and caeruloplasmin are important to determine dosages of nutrients needed for treatment.

Treatment

The core treatment of Pyroluria is supplementation with Zinc, Magnesium, Biotin, Omega 6 (evening primrose or borage oil) and B6 in its active form-pyridoxyl 5-phosphate. These help to reduce pyrole levels as well as severity of the conditions, signs and symptoms that the person is experiencing. You may be prescribed vitamin C, vitamin E and niacinamide as they are powerful antioxidants and assist in the treatment of pyroluria. Ensuring that a person with pyroluria has a healthy digestive system is very important, so treatment generally targets this area also.

Stress, illness, and injury all exacerbate zinc deficiency and pyroluria; therefore, counselling, lifestyle changes and exercise are all necessary additions to nutrient therapy. In times of severe stress or illness, additional doses of core nutrients may be helpful in lessening development of clinical symptoms.

We are continuously exposed to infectious pathogens. So why is it that some children come down with every ‘bug’ and others don’t? The most important barrier between your child and nasty winter bugs is their very own immune system.

Babies are born with naturally leaky guts, meaning that there are little gaps in the gut lining. This is important because it allows the antibodies from breast milk to flow freely into the bloodstream, providing baby with natural immunities to bacteria and viruses. So leaky gut is good for babies, but only in the beginning. The gaps ideally seal before introducing solids, but for many it takes longer, or never completely seals which leads to not only food allergies but also immunity problems.

So why is gut health so important? It is the first line of internal defence (your skin is your first line of external defence) when a bug (virus/bacteria/parasite) enters the body. This can be through rubbing eyes, putting hands in mouth or up the nose. These bugs are ingested and if the natural gut bacteria are not able to destroy them at the lining of the gastrointestinal tract then they pass through and get into their bodies. A balanced diet, where you keep sugar at a low and increase the foods that promote good gut bacteria, is vital. Sugar reduces your immune system and creates an inflammatory response within the body. It is hidden in lots of childrens’ products so be aware and choose these wisely.

Here are some tips to support your child’s immune system and keep them well this winter.

1) Focus on the GUT

The digestive system is friends with the immune system. Over 70% of our immune system lives in and around the gastrointestinal tract; therefore having high levels of good bacteria in the digestive system is imperative for building a strong immune system in growing children. The beneficial balance of ‘good bugs’ in the gut is easily upset by many factors, including antibiotics, high sugar diets and stress. This can lead to an increased risk of colds for your children. Do your kids get tummy aches often? Are they constipated? Do they eat a balanced diet?

Two great ways to support the health of your child’s digestive system include: a) Bone broth. This not only heals and repairs the digestive system, but also provides protein, minerals and carbohydrates to tiny bodies, which helps the immune system function optimally. Drink on its own or use it as a base for soups, adding plenty of garlic, ginger, turmeric and cumin, cinnamon, sage, oregano and thyme. These herbs and spices have excellent anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties and are most potent when used fresh.

b) Probiotics. These support the growth of gut flora and can be found in foods such fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchi), miso, kombucha, kefir (water or dairy) and yoghurt. Good quality probiotic supplements are important, especially after antibiotics, which can adversely impact gut health and, in turn, immunity. Most people benefit from probiotic supplementation, kids included. Different strains of probiotics are required to achieve various results.

2) Protein with every meal. Your child’s body uses protein to build new cells (for growth), including immune cells. Protein can not be stored in the body so in order for your child’s immune system to function at its best, protein needs to be eaten regularly. Sources of protein include meats, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

3) Decrease sugar Sugar has a huge impact on immune function as it weakens immune responses and increases infection time. Sugar inhibits phagocytosis, the process by which viruses and bacteria are engulfed and then literally chewed up by white blood cells. Sugar also negatively affects the good bacteria in our gut.

4) Eat seasonally, preferably local foods Food that is in season and locally grown is at its freshest and most nutritious. Zinc and iron are minerals that are needed for healthy immune function and red blood cells. Foods high in these include meat, seafood, beans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, brown rice, lentils, figs, dark green leafy vegies and beetroots.

5) Warm foods are best In the cooler months, it is best to swap cold foods like icy poles and smoothies, for warm, immune restorative food and drink. Swap salads and raw vegetables for soups, stews and swap icy poles and iced drinks for herbal teas (yes, even kids can enjoy a variety of yummy herbal teas such as rose hips, spearmint, elderberry and lemon balm which can benefit their immune system).

6) Exercise outside Regular, moderate exercise and Vitamin D (via sunlight) are imperative for a healthy immune system. It is tempting on cooler days to stay indoors, but where possible, get your kids outside to move and play.

7) Personal Hygiene Talk to your kids about personal hygiene. Washing their hands before handling food is one of the very best ways to prevent infection. Teaching them to wash after going to the toilet (with soap!) before they eat and straight after school. Good hand hygiene is the best way to prevent germs getting into their little bodies.

8) Rest Adequate rest is so important for preventing and curing illness. At the first signs of your kids being run down, make sure they get more sleep. This can sometimes be tricky, but certainly pays off in the end.

Chicken broth is a nutritious food that can be enjoyed as is or used as a base for other soups and casseroles, pilaf, sauces and curries-the list seems endless.

This recipe is great because it’s easy and quite quick to make. Because it is only cooked for 2-4 hours, it has lower levels of histamine and and glutamates (which can cause some people to feel a little on edge) than bone broth which is cooked for up to 24 hours. If you’re generally prone to anxiety, restlessness or insomnia, discard the chicken skin before making the broth as this will decrease the amount of histamine and glutamates you’re consuming as well as shortening the cooking time to 2 hours.

Ingredients

6L cold, filtered water or enough to cover the chicken1 whole chicken + 10 chicken wings OR (if you don’t have a whole chicken) a combination or chicken drumsticks and wings – you’ll need quite a bit for a good broth (1kg of chicken in total). For increased nutrition also add some chicken carcasses (these are available from your local organic butcher or alternatively, use the leftover, frozen carcasses from roast chicken dinners)2 onions, quartered (if salicylate intolerant, use leeks and spring onions)1-2 carrot, quartered (if salicylate intolerant, use swede)3 sticks of celerySeveral sprigs of fresh thyme (omit if salicylate intolerant)1 bunch of parsleyA generous pinch of celtic, Himalayan or sea salt2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (omit if salicylate intolerant)

Method

Place the meat, water and vinegar in a large saucepan, cover with a lid and let stand for 30 minutes. This will give time to the vinegar to start drawing minerals from the bones into the water.Bring to the boil.Over the next half hour, a foam-like scum will rise to the surface. Skim it several times.When no more foam is surfacing, add the vegetables, thyme and salt and reduce heat to simmer.Cook for 2-4 hours.Ten minutes before the end add the parsley as this increases the mineral content of the broth.Strain the contents of the pot through a sieve/strainer.The broth can then be stored in containers (glass is best) in the fridge. Chill well before freezing.

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