Detox & Fatigue Part 4: Internal Toxic Warfare

Many nutritionists and holistic practitioners believe there’s a link between CFS symptoms and leaky gut syndrome. I recently spoke with Dr Marilyn Glenville’s office when writing a piece for Lifescape Magazine on auto-immune illness.

here’s what she had to say:

“As a nutritionist I am going to be looking at underlying causes for the auto-immunity, and one of the tests I would perform is Intestinal Permeability (leaky gut).  Leaky gut syndrome is a condition whereby the lining of the digestive tract becomes damaged and the contents of the gut can be too easily absorbed. A compromised intestinal barrier prevents the gut functioning as a digestive/absorptive organ as well as a barrier to toxic/antigenic compounds and partially digested macromolecules. These larger particles, if absorbed, trigger immune reactions including food allergies and intolerances. Enhanced uptake of toxic compounds can overwhelm the livers detoxification systems as well as lead to an overly sensitive immune system. It is thought that increased gut permeability may trigger the start of autoimmune problems.

One of the consequences of a ‘leaky gut’ is the formation of antibodies, which can end up attacking our own tissue. People will have weaknesses in different parts of their bodies and so the problem may be centered on the thyroid, skin, joints etc. With nutritional help it is possible to heal the gut permeability and lessen the symptoms.” 

Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD, is the UK’s leading nutritionist for women’s health and believes that testing for leaky gut is a good place to start in helping identify and cleanse the body of an internal toxic overload.

Aggravating causes of leaky gut syndrome include: alcohol, chemical preservatives, anti-biotics, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – such as ibuprofen). What happens in leaky gut syndrome is that tiny food particles that are normally contained and on their way to being safely eliminated from the body, leak through the wall of the intestines and are attacked by the body’s immune system.

People worry about many sorts of environmental toxins: vaccinations, dental amalgams, pesticides, herbicides, food additives, chlorine, etc. It is true that all of these are stressors on the body, and contribute to an overall decline in health. The worst threat, however, is an ongoing toxic intrusion from the cesspool that exists in our intestines. The body has a marvelous mechanism, a selective intestinal permeability, that allows digested nutrients in while keeping toxins meant for excretion out. Throughout history, in general, this barrier has maintained its integrity. During the last fifty years, due to the intrusive irritation of antibiotics and NSAIDs, the average person’s health has been significantly challenged and weakened.

JAKE PAUL FRATKIN, OMD, author of Chinese Herbal Patent Formulas read his leaky gut syndrome article here

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