Leaky Gut and Leaky Brain Connection:
Intestinal permeability or leaky gut involves controlling the passage of nutrients and foreign invaders from the GI tract, through the cells that line the GI tract, and into the rest of the body
The gut must be porous enough to allow our bodies to digest food and nutrients while solid enough to carefully regulate this flow and keep out unwanted materials, this also applies to the blood brain barrier, which is responsible for keeping unwanted material out of the brain
Both leaky gut and leaky brain are caused by inflammation and inflammation is caused by the same factors in both the gut and the brain:
📍Bacteria
📍Dysbiosis
📍Allergens
📍Food antigens
These toxins can then lead to damage of the blood brain barrier the same way they lead to damage in the gut
Another point to remember is the communication from the gut to the brain (gut-brain axis) occurs through the VAGUS NERVE
If the brain is unable to communicate to the vagus nerve because of the chronic inflammatory process going on in the leaky brain this can lead to many negative effects.
Consequences of leaky brain include:
-Brain Fog
-Stress
-Anxiety
-Alzheimer’s Disease
-Insomnia
-Headaches and Migraines
-Depression
-ADHD
-Cognitive Impairment
SO... What can you do to heal your brain and your gut?!
1️⃣ Eliminate pro-inflammatory foods like gluten, sugar, dairy, foods you’re allergic to, processed foods, additives, food dyes, alcohol
2️⃣ Stop ignoring stress and find ways to mitigate it
3️⃣ Reduce exposure to environmental toxins in air, water and food
4️⃣ Eat a diverse spectrum of colors of food
5️⃣ Prioritize sleep
6️⃣ Consume supplements to reduce inflammation and support your mucosal barriers: omega-3 fatty acids, glutamine, vitamin D, Vitamin A, probiotics