Understanding Intestinal Permeability

by Dr. Lawrence S. Conlan 

In the oldest traditions of healing, it is understood that most disease starts in the digestive tract, and conversely, core health is a function of our ability to assimilate nutrients and eliminate waste. Leaky gut is a key topic that is little understood by the general populace or traditional medical practitioners. But leaky gut is becoming well known as a widespread undetected disorder, and documented in alternative medicine research and practices. The new information bears out the ancient understanding of this condition. 

So, what is important to know about leaky gut? First, how does it begin, what are the negative effects on the body, and last, how can it be reversed? 

Leaky gut begins as we age. Our connective tissue tends to become less toned and resilient. This can be observed on the skin as the pores become larger and the skin sags. The same thing is happening to the "skin" that lines our digestive tract. It weakens and becomes compromised with microscopic tears that allow larger than normally absorbed food molecules from the intestines to leak into the blood stream. This alarms the immune system to attack the food molecules to protect the liver, brain, and other organs. (All the above is greatly accelerated by poor lifestyle habits and stress.) 

The immune system begins to react every time we eat something that has that type of molecule introduced in a meal. It first becomes more reactive to the things we have eaten the most during our lives. This would often be wheat, dairy, and eggs. The allergy response may go undetected for several years. 

Meanwhile, the lining of the digestive tract becomes chronically inflamed on a low-grade level, further causing problems of breakdown of the digestive tract. The inflamed state thickens the mucous lining of the tract and causes lack of ability to absorb nutrients, which causes the person to crave fast calories more easily absorbed higher up in the stomach (such as sugar and starchy food). These foods convert easily to fat and deplete the body of vitamins and minerals causing weakening of the functional tissues of our body including muscle and organs. The increased mucous on the lining of the gut now becomes a breeding ground for pathogens that lead to many other problems.

The immune system has to work much harder now that it is on hyper-vigilance every time we eat and it eventually weakens, and we become susceptible to other diseases. While in this exhausted state it attacks indiscriminately more and more types of food, and even healthy tissues of our body. 

In addition, waste material filtered and concentrated by the liver and then dumped into the gut for elimination gets reabsorbed in a more toxic form. This creates inflammation in different areas of the body, including the skin, muscles, and joints, and even the lining of our arteries.

 Now, for the good part...how can this complex series of reactions be reversed and healed?

 First, with the use of Aloe Vera (on an empty stomach, four or five ounces spread out over the day), we can cleanse the gastrointestinal system, repair the intestinal wall, reduce inflammation, increase anti-viral and anti-allergy activity, improve the immune system, as well as replenish healthy intestinal flora. Also, we can help our body in its detoxification process by drinking 8-10 glasses of pure water every day.

 Second, it would be helpful to reduce or eliminate the substances that compromise the integrity of the intestinal wall: wheat, refined flours (bread, pasta and other "sticky" foods), sugar (use Stevia, a natural herb sweetener instead), coffee, and alcohol. A few months without our pastries and coffee are well worth the long-term profound health rewards we will reap. Last, support the body’s anabolic repair mode of metabolism through mild regular exercise, sufficient protein intake, and Oasis Metagreens formula.

 Once the gastrointestinal system is whole and able to do its job of assimilating nutrients and eliminating waste, we can move on to helping detoxify and strengthen the liver (with the Longevity Signal Formula which also promotes anabolic repair). As the liver begins to detoxify, the gastrointestinal system is now much more capable of eliminating the toxins without their being reabsorbed into the body, thus avoiding some of the typical detoxification symptoms such as headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue.

 The last thing to remember in this natural process is that our bodies have the capability to heal themselves. We need to give our bodies the support (good diet, mild exercise, and healing nutrients) and patience (it takes time to rebuild the body from the inside out). The good news is that we have the essential ingredients and new awareness to help us succeed!

Dr. Conlan graduated with honors from Cleveland Chiroparctic College in 1983 and has been a student of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for 25 years.  An international teacher of chiropractors for the past 15 years, and a former member of the National Academy of Research Biochemists, he holds advanced certification as a Network Chiropractor , Chinese Acupuncturist ,and Applied Kinesiologist.