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Healing a Leaky Gut: Why You Need More than Just a ‘Band-Aid’

In what really isn’t news in the health field, Huffington Post reports that leaky gut syndrome (LGS) has become a global health crisis. Leaky gut is associated with numerous chronic health conditions, which many people try to treat with over-the-counter “Band-Aid” drugs that work only short-term, at best.

Leaky gut results when there's a disruption in the interconnections between the cells in your intestines. Little holes or tears can develop, allowing food particles to enter your blood stream, which can cause an autoimmune response. It's a serious problem, and I've known a number of people who nearly died from it.

There are a number of causes for leaky gut, but it’s now well-established that nourishing your gut bacteria is critical for your overall health and mental well-being — and that doesn’t mean grabbing a drug to treat your tummy, whether you buy it at the local big-box store or have a prescription for it.

If you want to hit leaky gut at its roots, look no further than your local produce supplier, as one of the best and least expensive ways to optimize your gut microbiome is to eat traditionally fermented vegetables and fiber-rich foods. This contributes to a healthy diet, which helps create an optimal environment for beneficial bacteria in your gut, while decreasing pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria, fungi, and yeast.

Another powerful remedy is to consume homemade organic bone. Certain probiotic supplements can also be helpful. In short, "healthy eating" basically amounts to eating real food, which means avoiding processed foods and staying away from sugars, because few things fertilize and accelerate the growth of pathogenic microbes better than sugar.