Got Leaky Gut?
image credit to www.womentowomen from www.balancedbites.com
“I’m not giving up bread!”
This is often the first response you’ll hear when explaining that grains are not eaten when following The Paleo Diet. For a few seconds I’m usually speechless – my mind awhirl with so many reasons one should avoid grains altogether. For one – eating more than a couple of tablespoons of bread, including whole wheat bread, will not only cause your blood glucose levels to spike but it will also keep your blood glucose levels elevated for an extended period of time . It’s a vicious chain of events – high blood sugar levels stimulate your pancreas to produce more insulin. Constant high blood glucose and insulin levels (also known as hyperinsulinemia) can be detrimental to your health. Hyperinsulinemia leads to a plethora of problems: inflammation, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Type II, Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome, weight gain, infertility, cancer, etc. Google the term ‘Hyperinsulinemia’ along with any one of these health issues and you’ll be surprised by what you’ll learn! To be fit, healthy and happy for the long haul, you’ll need to consistently maintain normal blood glucose levels. That’s one good reason to avoid bread altogether, whether white or whole wheat.
Yet when it comes to eating bread, or grains in general, there’s a little more to the story. How would you feel knowing that grains can not only lead to hyperinsulinism, but they can also make your gut leak. Yep, you too may have already acquired “Leaky Gut Syndrome”. Leaky gut comes in varying degrees from tolerant, to gluten sensitive, to full blown Celiac disease.
Not going to give an anatomy lesson here, but think about your mouth, stomach, intestines, etc. from beginning to end. It’s one very long tube. When your intestinal barrier is working correctly, it breaks down nutrients your body needs while keeping out harmful substances. But what happens if this barrier begins to breaks down? You’ll leak – basically leaking the contents of your intestines into your bloodstream. When the microvilli lining of the intestinal wall is destroyed, gate “tight-junctions” loosen and it becomes “open sesame” to bacteria, yeast, viruses and larger food molecules that don’t belong inside your body. Continue reading
Cheryl,
I met Cheryl at a level 1 CrossFit cert I was coaching several years ago. Then I saw her at another Level 1. Then a CrossFit Nutrition cert...on the other side of the country! Then another! Cheryl has a a seemingly insatiable desire to learn. This curiosity, as powerful as it is takes a back seat to perhaps one thing however and that is Cheryl's desire and capacity to HELP. I think one of the most profound things any of us can do is leave a legacy of helping. I was very excited to hear about her forthcoming blog and will be reading it every day.
Cheryl, I hope this message finds you well. I think we all at one point had an aha moment about why we do the things we love to do. When I first came upon CrossFit I knew that my world would be turned upside down. I’ve learned so much and am so grateful for the people like you that make my fitness journey such an exciting one. I honestly do what I do and strive to become better at what I do because of genuine people like yourself. Take pride and be passionate about what you do and how you do it. Get comfortable with uncomfortable is a theme we’ve chosen here at OPT, because we believe that getting into this uncomfortable zone unfolds many life lessons. Here’s hoping you teach others about this, make it happen, all the best.