Questions About Leaky Gut

[mslee]

Is this something most Dr.s look over look like...celiac, thyroid, lyme, malnutrition, fibro...etc

Or is it something they can obviously see during endoscope or test with a lab?

Just asking because when I asked my Doc if Leaky Gut was an issue he just said "I don't think so"

.....ok he's seen me inside and out if I had it he should know right?...I would hope.

What would be other reasons my body would react to almost every food I try to put in it?

I'm especially having alot of trouble with nuts & oils...olive, walnut, sunflower, etc

Are allergies the only other explanation?...or just plain intolerance???

Also I have heard both as a Celiac heals the allergies & intolerances can go away...but also that once a body recognizes an antigen it commits that antigen to memory and never forgets.

Confused!

[Mother of Jibril]

I've been doing a little reading about leaky gut... there seems to be a fair amount of crazy, speculative information out there , but here are a few things I've learned that seem to make sense:

- There is a scientific test that can diagnose a leaky gut. It involves drinking a solution with two different kinds of sugar. One of them is NOT supposed to leave your intestines. So... if it shows up in a urine sample, you have a leaky gut. I think naturopathic doctors are generally willing to perform this.

- If every dark-colored food you eat comes out in your urine (beets=pink, kale=green... for my daughter, too many Cheetohs=orange) that's another sign of a leaky gut. The color is supposed to stay in your intestines.

- A leaky gut CAN make you sensitive to a lot of different foods. For one thing, it's allowing undigested particles to leak out into your bloodstream and (like you said) your body starts producing antigens. Also, if you have a leaky gut you might feel better if your intestines don't have to work so hard to process your food... that's the idea behind the SCD diet. I think that's why I can't eat corn right now. It's a really starchy food.

[AliB]

At the end of the day we are dealing with microscopic damage. A biopsy can only pick up major (and I mean MAJOR) and very obvious damage to the gut wall. They can take a biopsy of tissues and put them under the microscope but if they have picked undamaged areas to take them from they will miss it.

Because the leaky gut is right down under all the villi it is pretty impossible to see during an endoscopy. The tests mentioned above may be an indicator, but the very fact that you are getting allergic or intolerance reactions are pretty much the best indicator that something is not right down there.

If the gut is working properly no-one should ever get any reaction to any normal food because the gut and an uncompromised immune system would normally deal with it. If you are reacting it is because something is where it shouldn't be and the immune system is under duress.

Maybe the immune system stores certain 'allergens', but if the gut is allowed to heal then eventually those things will no longer be problematic.

Many of us who have been on the SCD for some time are finding that we are no longer reacting to most of our problematic triggers. It is a very good 'healing' diet and is well worth the effort to achieve restoration of health. Whilst some issues can take some time to heal, others issues can disappear pretty quickly.

If you haven't come across it yet and want to know more there is a thread on this section and it is useful to check out the 'breaking the vicious cycle' and 'Pecanbread' websites.

[mslee]

I've been doing a little reading about leaky gut... there seems to be a fair amount of crazy, speculative information out there , but here are a few things I've learned that seem to make sense:

- There is a scientific test that can diagnose a leaky gut. It involves drinking a solution with two different kinds of sugar. One of them is NOT supposed to leave your intestines. So... if it shows up in a urine sample, you have a leaky gut. I think naturopathic doctors are generally willing to perform this.

- If every dark-colored food you eat comes out in your urine (beets=pink, kale=green... for my daughter, too many Cheetohs=orange) that's another sign of a leaky gut. The color is supposed to stay in your intestines.

- A leaky gut CAN make you sensitive to a lot of different foods. For one thing, it's allowing undigested particles to leak out into your bloodstream and (like you said) your body starts producing antigens. Also, if you have a leaky gut you might feel better if your intestines don't have to work so hard to process your food... that's the idea behind the SCD diet. I think that's why I can't eat corn right now. It's a really starchy food.

Well I have actually been eating, beets & lots of dark leafy greens..no change in urine color. Guess that is a good sign.

But to both Mother & Ali

I have been kinda basing my diet on the SCD/GAPS diets, I have this great list I think Nora posted

Open Original Shared Link

that has helped me feel like there is lots of good food I can eat, with so many limitations that's a good feeling!

I see a dietitian in a couple weeks until then I'm just using that list and trying to get enough calories in me every day. The allergy testing did help & I am trying be conscious of quantities and rotating foods.

at the time of my endo, my villi were basically gone so I guess there is a lot of damage to heal. I will be reading up on SCD & am on the waiting list at the library for the book.

Thank You for the info!!!

[AliB]

If you are on the library waiting list for the book it shows just how popular it is!!!

[Rachel--24]

I just wanted to mention that I have had leaky gut for quite awhile now....I'm pretty much reactive to *everything* that goes in...but I have never had colored urine in all this time. Various shades of yellow...yes....but greens, pinks, or any other color I have never experienced.

I have had colored stool though.....for example if I ate alot of chocolate the stool pretty much looks like the chocolate I had just eaten. I never had that prior to getting sick.

[confused]

I have never had colored urine either and i have severe leaky gut. i also get colored bm's depeniding on what i eat.

paula

[Mother of Jibril]

Oh yeah... I forgot about #2

Once I ate a LOT of beets and it turned my poo dark red. Ugh! For a minute I was freaking out thinking it was blood... and then I realized it was the beets.

[mslee]

oh I see Rachel leaking gut is why you have food intolerances.

LOL so I went out and bought some beet t o do a test!

but now I see that test may not necessarily work. but beets are good anyways!

yes just trying to stick to a scd/gaps diet ...I can tell a difference when I cheat and drink juice or eat potatoes

thanks again! You guys have a great day!!!