New Consciousness Review Winter 2016 | Página 25

HEALTH What Causes the Damage There are many different diet and environmental influences that can compromise our gut health as well as elements of our past medical history, including:  Overuse of antibiotics  Birth via C-section  Not receiving breastmilk  Overuse of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories)  Diet High in Gluten  Diet High in Sugar, Processed Foods & GMO’s  Chronic Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors (antacids) If you’re checking the box on any (or close to all) of the above, don’t fret. The damage can be repaired. The time it will take depends on many factors – including your specific condition and your compliance with the plan to correct it. Getting Back in Balance What to Take Out It’s critical to start here because you can’t start the repair process while damage is still being done. Gluten When you consume gluten, it causes the release of a protein called zonulin, which unzips the “tight junctions” that hold together your intestinal lining. Sugar Sugar feeds the pathogenic bacteria (e.g. yeast), allowing them to overtake the beneficial bacteria, aka “dysbiosis.” GMO’s The Bt (Bacillus thuringienesis)-toxin within genetically-modified crops has been show to alter immune function and gut permeability. Overuse of NSAIDS NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) play a large role in increasing the permeability of your gut. Stress Chronic stress makes your gut more permeable, disrupts the composition of the microbiota and causes inflammation within your gut. Other Food Sensitivities Beyond gluten, other sensitivities or intolerances can exist that can be tested via blood work and/or elimination diets. Common culprits are dairy from cow’s milk, corn and soy 25 | New Consciousness Review