Today we introduce the topic of our next lectures series, "Roots of Health: Leaky Gut and Candida." Our very own Dr. Kalli shares a bit about this topic that has become a buzzword in the natural health field. To learn even more, attend one of her upcoming in-store lectures at a Fruitful Yield near you!
How many times have you heard this story: “I just feel run down, my allergies seem to be getting worse, I have headaches all the time, I can’t get good sleep, my digestive system is sensitive, I’m always congested ... and my doctor tells me I’m fine.” Chances are, this has happened to you or someone you know. People often go to their doctors complaining of vague, widespread but non-life threatening symptoms, yet their doctors give them a clean bill of health. But what if they’re missing the root cause of these symptoms?
As a functional medicine specialist, I will tell you that good health starts with gut health. Our overall health is closely tied with the gut’s ability to break down, digest, absorb, and assimilate nutrients from foods.. Every other function of our body depends on these nutrients for fuel and co-factors for functionality. Without these, things start to break down. But if the break down starts in the gut, our whole body can slowly be affected. Two of the most overlooked issues that happen with the gut are candida overgrowth and leaky gut.
Candida overgrowth, or gut bacterial imbalance, can happen quite easily. Candida, a yeast-like parasite fungus, is naturally present in our gut flora. When kept in check, it works with our gut microbiome to stay in balance. Many factors can cause Candida to overgrow, upsetting our gut flora balance by crowding out the good bacteria. This leads to other issues, including leaky gut.
Leaky gut, also referred to as intestinal permeability, happens when the gut lining is compromised. A compromised gut lining allows particles of food, waste, toxins, and other pathogens to pass directly into the blood and lymphatic systems of the body without proper processing. This leads to not only malabsorption of nutrients but also chronic inflammation and an over-reactive immune system.
There are many reasons someone can develop a leaky gut as well as candida overgrowth, which is why I think it is often overlooked and under-addressed in the health care community. To learn more about the root causes of these two issues as well as how to address them, please consider attending one of my in-store lectures at your nearest Fruitful Yield store!
About the Author:
Dr. Kalli Prater is a Chiropractic Physician in Illinois that specializes in Functional Medicine and also works with Fruitful Yield as a nutrition educator. She has a passion for sharing her knowledge and helping individuals live their healthiest and happiest life.
*Content contained in this article is not intended to provide or to constitute medical or healthcare advice. Nor can it be relied upon as preventative care, cure, or treatment for any disease or medical condition. You should consult a qualified healthcare professional for advice regarding the diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition and before starting any supplementation, nutritional, exercise, or other medical program.
