Throughout your life, someone has probably told you to “trust your gut,” meaning follow your intuition and be true to yourself especially when making a big decision.
Although sound advice, this simple idiom holds another important truth that most people probably aren’t aware of… the brain-gut connection. In fact, the gut is commonly referred to as the “second brain.” (1)
Did you know that similar to your gut barrier, there is a barrier between your brain and your bloodstream, known as the blood-brain barrier (BBB)? (2)
Both of these barriers work hard to protect your immune system, but just like leaky gut occurs when the gut barrier is compromised, the brain barrier can become weakened causing leaky brain.
One way to protect the brain barrier is to keep the gut barrier intact.
While you may have a pretty good understanding of leaky gut, let’s explore more about leaky brain, the brain-gut connection, and ways to heal your gut to help your brain!
What Is Leaky Gut?
Leaky gut (increased intestinal permeability) is a condition in which toxins and bacteria in the intestinal tract end up “leaking” through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream.
To some degree, we all have leaky gut because tiny gaps in the intestinal wall called tight junctions are in place to allow water and nutrients to pass through. However, the problem begins when these junctions become damaged and allow harmful substances to cross the barrier.
Ways the Gut Barrier Can be Disrupted
Lack of fiber (3)
Stress
Processed foods
Antibiotics
Pesticides
Lack of essential fatty acids
Gluten
Mycotoxins
Leaky Gut Symptoms
Fatigue
Brain fog
Digestive issues
Skin problems
Increased food sensitivities
Migraines
Autoimmune diseases
Inflammation
It’s clear that gut health has a HUGE impact on overall immune health. As we discuss leaky brain, you’ll have an even better understanding of why it all starts in the gut…
What Is Leaky Brain?
The blood-brain barrier is formed by endothelial cells of a capillary wall. When functioning properly, it allows the passive diffusion of some molecules into the brain.
This means it is selectively allowing beneficial nutrients as needed, and completely blocking others that could damage the brain.
This important blood-brain barrier can become ‘leaky’ when the conditions of the body do not support these tight junctions. (Another name for this is increased blood-brain barrier permeability.)
What happens when your blood-brain barrier is no longer a tight barrier?
It will not do its job of protecting your brain from potentially harmful agents!
Harmful agents that may enter your brain through a leaky barrier include:
Heavy metals
Mycotoxins (mold toxins)
Immune cells and antibodies
Pathogens
Pesticides & chemical toxins
Vaccines with nanoparticles
All of the above lead to inflammation...
When your brain becomes inflamed because of harmful agents, it is really dangerous to correct brain functioning. This can deter needed nutrients from entering the brain as well.
If you’ve ever had a hangover, you’ve experienced brain inflammation. When your brain is chronically inflamed, your body just won’t work right. You’ll likely be fatigued, slow to think and respond, and more.
Remember, inflammation is a major factor when it comes to leaky gut which is why the connection to leaky brain is so strong! (4)
When the gut barrier is intact, potentially dangerous peptides cannot enter the bloodstream. But if they do enter, they can float around and cause inflammation that can weaken the BBB.
Symptoms of Leaky Brain
Chronic fatigue/need more sleep
Chronic weak/slow digestion
Frequent pain and headaches
Poor recall/forgetfulness/brain fog
Fatigued from mental work
Craves carbs/needs to eat often
Increased sensitivity to foods and scents
Many conditions are related to leaky brain, whether leaky brain contributes them or they contribute to leaky brain:
MS (7)
Autism
SIBO
Autoimmunity of the brain
Celiac disease/gluten sensitivity
Dementia
Alzheimer’s
Parkinson’s
Brain cancer
Brain trauma
Give Your Barriers Some TLC!
Things that improve both your gut and brain barrier include:
Meditation (stress thins your gut mucosal barrier)
Time in nature
Home-cooked whole foods
Lots of fruits and veggies
Wild salmon
If you feel that your brain barrier may be compromised, it’s time to start healing! You can try a quality probiotic like my personal favorite MegaSpore. This superhero supplement packs a powerful punch and strengthens your gut by helping to balance your microbiome, getting rid of the bad bacteria and increasing your good bacteria.
MegaPre is another rockstar because it helps strengthen your gut barrier and promotes microbial diversity which again gives you more of the good bacteria. This is best to take right before dinner.
We all love a good cleaning, and Mega IgG does just that -- it cleans up infection and debris while soothing the gut! It’s best taken in the morning, and ideally you would take a small dose to start because it could cause constipation.
Last but not least, MegaMucosa works to REBUILD a healthy mucosal barrier by strengthening the mucosal lining.
Megapre and MegaMucosa are both powders, so it makes it easier for people who have a hard time swallowing pills.
These supplements restore and rebuild gut health which will directly impact brain health. As the intestinal barrier gets stronger and leaky gut begins to heal, harmful agents which negatively affect the brain barrier decrease, and the BBB begins to heal and grow stronger too!
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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.
Check out her easy 5-Day DIY Detox Guide here!
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