My Struggle with Leaky Gut & Stomach Issues
For the past 7 years I have dealt with different stomach issues ranging in levels of severity. I have done countless tests and bloodwork to try and figure out the culprit. Every test always came back normal and showed I had very little food intolerances - not even a dairy or gluten intolerance.Yet I was still having horrible stomach issues which eventually led to other autoimmune issues like psoriasis. Even now eating a very nutrient dense, clean diet free of most chemicals and inflammatory ingredients, I still struggle with symptoms. Recently I found “Fast Like A Girl” by Dr. Mindy Peltz and after reading the science behind fasting I have decided it will be my next step on the road to healing my gut issues.
Fasting and Chronic Disease and Illness
Countless studies have shown fasting to help heal a myriad of different health issues including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative brain conditions, and cancer. When you fast your body stops using glucose for fuel and turns to burning fat and producing ketones.After a certain amount of time your cells move into a state of autophagy, repairing, detoxing, and regenerating themselves.During longer fasts your body can begin to produce stem cells that help to repair damaged cells.
What Happens During a Fast?
Increased ketones
Increased mitochondrial stress resistance
Increased antioxidant defenses
Increased autophogy
Increased DNA repair
Decreased glycogen
Decreased insulin
Decreased mTOR
Decreased protein synthesis
Fasting and The Gut
The food we are eating, medications, stress, etc are destroying the healthy gut microbes that are vital for our health. Microbes help pull vitamins and minerals out of our food, produce serotonin, break down estrogen, and scan for inflammation. Fasting can replenish the healthy microbes needed to help your gut function properly.Fasting can regenerate intestinal stem cells that can repair the lining of our intestinal tract.
Source: Peltz, Dr. Mindy. Fast Like A Girl. Carlsbad, CA, Hay House, 2022.