Health and Fitness
Here’s How I Healed My Leaky Gut
I feel awesome after recovering from digestive discomfort, allergies, inflammation, and autoimmune disorders.
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” ― Haruki Murakami
Upfront, this story is not health advice or a scientific paper. It is a personal story. It is not a recommendation of my lifestyle, diet, experiments, or practices. We are all unique individuals. I share my life-transforming story for information and awareness purposes.
If you decide to read, you may hear a powerful life story that can inspire you to research digestive issues that may help you find insights from the body of knowledge.
For me, many valuable resources were unfortunately buried under the dust; thus, I failed to see them earlier and suffered from my firm beliefs created by false assumptions.
So, my key point is to conduct our own research and find what works for us. I did mine, took personal responsibility for my health, and reaped the benefits. I hope you can too.
Here is my painful story that led me to a transformed lifestyle later.
I suffered from digestive discomfort and pain for many years. Since my teenage years, I have felt something wrong with my stomach.
Many physicians reviewed my case using medical procedures such as endoscopy and colonoscopy but did not find anything noticeable.
Almost every food, including tea and coffee, was exacerbating the discomfort. Doctors prescribed medication to settle my stomach discomfort.
In addition, I got addicted to over-the-counter antacid tablets as they gave me some comfort. But I did not know they were causing harm to my body.
I started talking with professionals and searching medical and health literature. During the process, I came across the term “functional medicine,” which attracted my attention.
Functional medicine practice was emerging in my country. A naturopath highly recommended seeing one to identify the root causes of my issues.
I was attracted to their practice because their approach to health looked different from traditional medical professionals. They had a holistic and integrated solution approach focusing on the root causes of issues rather than suppressing the symptoms.
My family doctors and even specialist physicians were always focusing on symptoms. After they understood the symptoms, they prescribed medication to suppress symptoms.
Mainly I was recommended to use anti-acid supplements that ruined my digestive health.
Later I found out that these anti-acid tablets caused different health issues. It is another story for next time.
The stomach needs acid to digest food. Unfortunately, I was acting against my nature by reducing the required acid for digestion to feel comfortable. So, while getting a bit of comfort from the pain, my condition got worse, and newer symptoms emerged.
After a while, suffering from abdominal discomfort was unbearable. I was only thinking about my stomach. I never thought about the gut, colon, or other associated digestive organs.
The term “functional medicine doctor” was cemented in my memory when a naturopath highlighted its importance. It was serendipitous that I decided to search for one and finally found one in my city. They were rare in those days.
The cost was prohibitive too, but I decided to invest in my health. And I found a good one based on recommendations from my friends whose problems were resolved timely.
When I described my situation, the doctor diagnosed my condition calling it “leaky gut syndrome.” I had never heard that term before. I asked him what leaky gut meant. He explained so elegantly that I visualized the dents in the gut.
I previously undertook an elective and basic human anatomy class in my first degree. During the classes, I did not come across the term leaky gut. Maybe it was mentioned, but it did not register in my memories.
However, in half an hour time during the consultation, I learned so much about the function and the critical role of the gut in our health and well-being.
In short, the human gut has around 4,000 square feet of epithelial lining. This complex lining controls the materials entering the bloodstream. Its lining prevents the destructive substance from entering the bloodstream.
If this lining is damaged, unwanted materials go into our bloodstream and cause autoimmune responses and inflammation issues. Knowing this simple fact gave me clues about leaky gut syndrome.
Based on my discussion with the functional medicine doctor, my symptoms were allergies, food intolerance, constant bloating, high inflammation, mild arthritis, and skin disorders.
They were reflecting the leaky gut syndrome clearly. I was pleased to know that at least my symptoms were known. Before, I had no idea about the root cause and suppressed the symptoms with medication, which worsened it.
This awareness created an interest in me to research the topic in detail. I started searching the medical and health literature. I noticed that functional and natural health communities widely discuss the leaky gut issue and shared insights.
I participated in several community activities and gleaned valuable insights from clinical stories and testimonials from anecdotal cases of members.
During these interactions, I also found many medical resources related to leaky guts buried under the dust. Again, there were different names, but they all described the same situation.
During that time, I noticed that the topic of leaky gut was controversial. Some mainstream medical professionals did not believe in its existence. But some research studies have been undertaken, as I provide in the reference section.
When I reviewed those studies, I found that the common term was “increased intestinal permeability”. Therefore, I have attached some studies in the reference section for interested readers. From my experience, a leaky gut is real. I respect the opinions; however, denying this phenomenon does not serve humanity.
Frankly, the terminology and technical details did not matter much to me during that time. All I needed was some relief from the symptoms. The discomfort of bloating was unbearable. This suffering affected my vitality. So, I accepted the name “leaky gut” and continued my investigation on this path.
As my symptoms indicated a leaky gut syndrome clearly, the doctor recommended two effective ways to solve my problems. Some points conflicted with my prior knowledge and experience, but I trusted his proven expertise.
For many years, my health advisors recommended that I had to eat frequently. As a result, I ate three main meals and three snacks daily. Here is the story of why I don’t eat snacks anymore.
In addition, my nutritionists and dieticians recommended I should increase my fiber intake. So, in addition to starchy vegetables and fruits, I was supplementing with a ten-gram fiber tablet to improve my digestion daily.
Fibre was touted as the remedy to fix gut and colon issues. I naively believed the recommendations without questioning and practiced them as advised.
The central premise of these recommendations was fiber served as a pre-biotic for gut bacteria. In addition to getting fiber from plants, I also supplemented with probiotic-rich foods like kimchi, fermented soy, and kefir.
As I was determined to fix my digestive issues at any cost, I started an intensive literature search using the terms “leaky gut” and “increased intestinal permeability” as starting points. My first finding created a shock effect.
To my surprise, I found out that fiber could be an issue. My functional medicine doctor also confirmed that. My prior knowledge was that our microbiome needed fiber to keep us alive and energetic. This knowledge manifested by my imagination with assumptions gained from the nutrition textbooks that I failed to question.
One day, considering the suggestions from the doctor, I had an epiphany regarding fiber. I decided to reduce my fiber intake gradually. Within a few days, I felt noticeable comfort in my digestive system. My body informed me I was on the right track.
Despite great comfort, I remained skeptical because the fear of losing my imaginary microbiota was bothering me subconsciously. Belief is a potent mental and emotional construct for human beings. However, from hindsight, until we challenge our beliefs, we hardly find the light in life.
With the inspiration from digestive comfort, I kept reducing fiber. The less fiber I consumed, the better I felt. So, what the heck was going on, I thought. And I felt a sudden shift in my physical, mental, and emotional state.
I was hacking my own biology deliberately. This biohacking capability gave me mixed feelings, but my mood was optimistic and uplifting. I shared my sensible biohacking experience in this story.
One day, I decided to remove fiber altogether from my diet. Yes, I started practicing a zero-fiber diet that I learned from the health communities. Some community members had altruistic personalities and remarkable credentials, like medical doctors, health care consultants, longevity experts, and medical researchers.
Why didn’t I know about these people before? They appeared in my life like angels when I needed their support the most. I am a true believer in serendipity.
With the encouragement of the community, I adopted a fiber-free diet. Within a few weeks, many symptoms disappeared. I felt like a newborn. Interestingly, my body did not tolerate fiber. It saw it as a foreign material.
Perhaps, it is related to my genetic disposition. I have no proof for it, but it looks like a possibility. My genetic tests indicated some of my conditions. I also learned about my ancestral history, which gave me clues about my habits.
The vital outcome of eliminating fiber was my digestive issues got resolved. In addition, removing fiber from my diet helped me reduce inflammation and water retention in my body.
As a result, bloating disappeared, and my arthritic pains were substantially reduced. The new habits contributed to turning off my hunger switch too.
More interestingly, my brain fog was replaced with a sunny mental landscape because a leaky gut was related to a leaky brain, that I will touch on in another story.
In short, all the ominous signs manifesting as physical, emotional, and mental health that I experienced were gone, and many great things entered my life.
The crucial learning from natural and functional health discussions was the fact that healthy intestinal cells can prevent leaky gut and improve intestinal permeability.
As advised by the functional medicine doctor, I started using gelatin to heal my gut lining. I made gelatin from bone broth.
I learned that a healthy level of stomach acid helps me have a healthy mucosal lining. Gelatin increases gastric acid secretion. Realizing the importance of gelatin, I decided to make it a lifestyle habit. I also use hydrolyzed collagen.
Creating my own gelatin was fun. It is healthy and delicious. I boil fresh lamb or cow bones for 24 hours in a porcelain-based slow cooker. When the broth gets cold, it turns to gelatin. I sometimes eat cold gelatin that turns it into jelly with a spoon. It is my natural desert.
I also warm it up and drink it before going to bed because it improves the quality of my sleep. Gelatin has high amounts of glycine. Glycine is an amino acid and serves as a neurotransmitter for the brain. It has many benefits.
So, gelatin improved my gut health by fixing the damage in intestinal cells, and as a bonus, it improved my sleep and reduced my stress.
After I started a lifestyle with zero fiber and consumed gelatin daily, all my digestive issues disappeared. I also use activated charcoal occasionally to get rid of toxins and heavy metals from my gut. I shared my experience with activated charcoal introducing why I carry it in my emergency bag in this story.
After implementing these simple hacks, I experienced notable improvements in my health. Awful bloating went away. Allergies disappeared. I got clearer and smoother skin. Food intolerance was reduced. And more importantly, inflammation markers got optimized, and my arthritic pain was substantially reduced.
Fixing my leaky gut has been the best contributor to my health and fitness. The solution was simple and natural for me. Gratefully, I did not need any medication or surgery. Even though it sounded so complicated, the solution was straightforward. Just eliminating fiber and introducing gelatin made the most significant impact on the solution.
I know many people believe that fiber is essential. I respect people’s beliefs, but I don’t believe them anymore based on my experience and what I heard from others who suffered like me.
Some people may need fiber and thrive with it. Good for them, and I support them. We are all unique, and our needs are different. For me, fiber was useless. I proved it via trial and error, supported by caring community members and knowledgeable health professionals.
Here is an informative video prepared and presented by a medical doctor who analyzed fiber in detail. Every word in this video has resonated with me. I have no affiliation with this doctor; it is just a serendipitous encounter.
I wish I had seen this video when I was younger. It could have saved me from suffering for so long. Investing 20 minutes of our time in watching this video may help us understand the role of fiber in our health, and it can be a game-changer for some of us.
Later learning from health communities and functional medicine doctors, I implemented many more lifestyle habits, which helped me thrive and get a sustainable life. I share my health, fitness, and lifestyle stories in the Euphoria publication on this platform.
Conclusions and Takeaways
The key lessons from this poignant story are the importance of taking responsibility for our health, investigating rigorously, challenging our beliefs, collaborating with informed people, staying open-minded about possibilities, and taking action with sensible experiments and gradual increments.
After fixing my leaky gut, fat loss became effortless.
My friend Anna also experienced the same situation I documented in the attached story.
Skipping breakfast for a decade and then moving to one meal a day plan, I prevented the occurrence of leaky gut gratefully.
Thank you for reading my perspectives.
I’d be delighted to obtain your feedback and learn from your experiences too. You may check other conditions I reversed successfully.
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