How Healthy Bowels Function Vs. LeakyGut Syndrome
"leaky bowels"
One of the culprits
causing Americans to have problems with their bowels is the average
diet of unhealthy processed foods. Some bacteria are good for us and
help us to digest food properly. Due to today’s modern food
processing, microorganisms that we actually need to consume for good
digestive health – and that are needed for healthy bowel function
-- are wiped out.
The digestive process
starts with the food that we eat. Food that is eaten moves through
the stomach, through the small intestine, and into the large
intestine. The small intestine is where the nutrients we need are
absorbed, and the large intestine is where excess water is absorbed.
The bacteria living in your gut are a combination of both good and
bad bacteria. A balance between the good bacteria and bad bacteria
is needed to maintain healthy bowel function. The good bacteria help
us to digest food, maintain a healthy gut, provide us with nutrients
and vitamins, and fight off the bad bacteria. Bad bacteria only
become a problem when their numbers grow too large compared to the
good bacteria. This can create a wide variety of different health
problems.
Healthy
bowels have a combination of good and bad bacteria. But this balance
can easily be disturbed. Many things can kill off good bacteria,
including ingesting too much sugary food, processed food, alcohol,
drugs, and even being under stress. Plus, toxins such as food
preservatives, additives, and colorings can make it difficult for the
good bacteria to thrive.
One
of the most common ways that the balance of good and bad bacteria is
affected is through the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics do not
discriminate when killing bacteria and therefore the good bacteria is
often targeted just as much as the bad. When the balance of bacteria
tilts toward the bad, the results can be irritation and inflammation,
which can cause or further agitate leaky gut syndrome.
Leaky gut syndrome occurs
when the lining of the intestines becomes inflamed and irritated to
the point that it becomes compromised and can no longer do its job
properly. The intestinal lining starts to “leak.” This leaking
allows bacteria, fungi, parasites and other toxins, undigested
protein, fat, and waste to escape into your bloodstream. Symptoms of
leaky gut can include constipation, gas, diarrhea, indigestion,
cramping, pain, or heartburn. The presence of harmful toxins in the
bloodstream triggers the body to react. Once bacteria leaks into the
bloodstream, it can lodge itself in any organ within the body.
In order to restore the
balance between good and bad bacteria, you can take a probiotic
supplement. You can also restore the good bacteria by changing your
diet. Bad bacteria like Candida are fine in small amounts and only
become a problem when their numbers increase uncontrollably. Healthy
bowel function depends on the good bacteria holding the bad bacteria
in balance. Once the balance is tipped in the wrong way, the bad
bacteria, yeasts, and fungi will grow and multiply, causing all sorts
of health problems.
Benefits:
- Supports the intestinal system.
- Supports intestinal regularity.
- May improve energy and well-being.
