Eczema: Natural Healing, Without Medication

By George John Georgiou

Eczema is often a difficult problem as it can present at any age causing a variety of emotional problems too – the general medical consensus is that there is no known cause. However, this books clearly explains the many underlying causes of eczema such as food intolerances, dysbiosis, leaky gut, nutritional deficiencies, systemic inflammat

• Language: English
• Publisher: Da Vinci Health Publishing
• Release date: Feb 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9789925569427

George John Georgiou

Dr. Georgiou, Ph.D.,D.Sc (AM).,N.D., is a chartered biologist, iridologist, naturopath, herbalist, homeopath, nutritionist, bioresonance specialist, acupuncturist, clinical psychologist and clinical sexologist. He has been a clinician most of his life and is the Director Founder of the Da Vinci Holistic Health Center in Larnaca, Cyprus (www.naturaltherapycenter.com) which specializes in the natural treatment of chronic diseases, heavy metal toxicity and Candidiasis, along with many other health problems. He is also the Founder Director of the Da Vinci Institute of Holistic Medicine (www.collegenaturalmedicine.com) as well as the Da Vinci BioSciences Research Center. He is the author of 23 books, a clinician and researcher.

Book preview

Eczema:

Natural Healing

Without Medication

Dr George J Georgiou, Ph.D.,N.D.,D.Sc (AM)

Dedication

First, I would like to bow deeply to the thousands of patients who have helped me understand the complexities of this disease process and who need to take credit for the time spent with them in refining this protocol over many years. 

All these patients over the years have been my laboratory for developing many treatment protocols through trial and error, backed by research.

I would also like to thank all the researcher scientists, lecturers and teachers who dedicate their life to helping others, and all the courageous health professionals who go against the grain of the establishment, while thinking outside the box.

A loving hug of gratitude to my wife and 4 children for their support and understanding during my professional endeavours throughout these years – they are all blessed.

Finally, I deeply embrace the Divine faith that I have been blessed with, that has helped me believe in the innate healing abilities of the body, through the power of Natural healing, without chemical intervention.

A profound blessing to you all and may your healing journey be fruitful and fulfilling!

Copyright © 2018 Dr. George J. Georgiou. All rights reserved. No portion of this book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the written permission of the publisher.

For information contact Da Vinci Health Publishing – [e-mail].

Published by:

Da Vinci Health Publishing 

Panayia Aimatousa 300

Aradippou 7101

Larnaca

Cyprus

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: The following information is intended for general information purposes only. Individuals should always see their health care provider before administering any suggestions made in this book. Any application of the material set forth in the following pages is at the reader’s discretion and is his or her sole responsibility.

ISBN - 978-9925-569-23-6

Contents

Chapter 1: The Da Vinci Eczema Protocol

Chapter 2: The Holistic Model of Health

Chapter 3: Toxicity: Underlying Cause of All Diseases

Chapter 4: Detoxification: The Health Secret of all Time

Chapter 5: Food Intolerances, Inflammation and Disease

Chapter 6: Candida: A Universal Cause of Many Diseases

Chapter 7: Curing with Energetic Medicine and Bioresonance

Chapter 8: Emotional, Psychological & Spiritual Roots of Disease

Disclaimer

Summary and Concluding Remarks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

More Books written by Dr Georgiou:

Chapter 1: The Da Vinci Eczema Protocol

The word eczema comes from the Greek for boiling over. The term was adopted in earlier times from the blistering that occurred in acute hypersensitivity reactions.

Most people think that eczema is simply a skin condition that some people have and live with. However, from all the patients that I have seen with eczema, the condition can also have devastating emotional consequences for some sufferers.

Our skin is what others see, and they often make judgements based upon it.

Ignorance of skin disease is still widespread. Sufferers of eczema and other skin conditions such as psoriasis, often must put up with ill-informed comments and mistaken anxieties that these skin complaints are contagious.

Even family relationships can become strained when a child has eczema. The child's skin feels rough and this can adversely affect the sensation of touch, which is important for bonding with parents. Inflamed skin can be irritating and sore. The application of treatments, which is usually time consuming and often messy, can become a source of conflict. The child can use eczema as a weapon in manipulating his or her parents. A child with eczema may need more attention than a sibling with no such problem, skewing family dynamics.

These are all consequences that families with a child with eczema face every day.

People with eczema look and feel different – they seem to stand out from the crowd for the wrong reasons. This is an uncomfortable feeling for most people. At school, bullying and teasing can lead to shyness, withdrawal, under performance or a refusal to attend classes.

In older age groups, when physical appearance and attractiveness become increasingly important, chronically inflamed, cracked, dry skin is seen as unattractive and can cause much anxiety or depression. Sleeplessness from scratching leads to fatigue, which can increase psychological distress.

A sensitive and informed approach to eczema by relatives and friends can be extremely helpful. Accepting the person rather than the illness gets around a lot of the difficulty.

What is Eczema?

Eczema, or Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory skin disease affecting up to 17% of children and about 6% of adults in the US, making up more than 30 million people in the population (Laughter et al, 2000; Odhiambo et al, 2009). In some countries, more than 20% of children are affected.

Its cardinal features include dry, eczematous skin lesions, a relapsing and often chronic course and an intense, intractable pruritus (itching). Many of these features have been attributed in part to an acquired and/or genetic epidermal barrier defect.

Disturbance of the epithelial barrier is now recognized as a common feature in many inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, sinusitis, food allergy, asthma, as well as AD.

A defect in the barrier, related to claudin proteins that are deficient in AD, has been argued to favour the penetration of microbes, allergens/antigens and irritants into the dermis, and possibly contribute to a weakened immune response observed in early AD lesions.

If your skin is frequently itchy with thick red, scaly patches or small bumps that may leak fluid and crust over when scratched, it's likely eczema, not just dry skin.

In rare cases, atopic dermatitis can first appear during puberty or adulthood. It affects males and females equally.

Types of Eczema

Here are the most common types of eczema:

Atopic Dermatitis

The term atopic means there is a hereditary tendency to develop eczema, asthma and/or hay fever. This is the most common form of eczema, affecting an estimated 9 to 30 percent of the U.S. population.

Atopic dermatitis usually starts during childhood, typically in the first 6 months of life. Its symptoms include dry, scaly skin, redness, itching, a rash on the cheeks, arms and legs, and cracks behind the ears.

Contact Dermatitis

This is a type of eczema that occurs when your skin comes into contact with irritants or allergens (called triggers), resulting in redness, inflammation, itchiness and/or pain. There are two kinds of contact dermatitis: irritant and allergic.

The common triggers of irritant contact dermatitis are solvents, detergents, paint, pesticides, bleach and fumes. On the other hand, allergic dermatitis (also called allergic eczema) can be triggered by topical antibiotics, adhesives, fabrics and poison ivy.

Dyshidrotic Eczema

When you have small, itchy blisters on the edges of your fingers, toes, palms and soles of the feet, you may have dyshidrotic eczema. It is characterized by vesicles, which are small fluid-filled blisters. The other symptoms are itching, redness, flaking, pain and cracked or scaly skin.

Nummular Eczema

Also known as discoid eczema, this form of eczema can occur at any age. It is harder to treat and appears differently from the common types of eczema. If you have this condition, you develop coin-shaped spots that can be very itchy. You may get dry, scaly skin and wet, open sores as well.

Stasis Dermatitis

This is a skin condition that usually affects individuals who have poor circulation; typically occurring in the lower legs. You are at most risk for developing stasis dermatitis if you are over the age of 50. The common symptoms of stasis dermatitis are swelling around the ankles, redness, scaling, itching and pain. In more severe cases, oozing, cracking and ulcers on your skin may develop and possibly lead to infection.

Seborrheic Eczema

If you have skin flakes on your hair, scalp, eyebrows, moustache or beard, you may have seborrheic eczema. It is commonly known as dandruff, which makes the skin fall off in flakes. One of the most common causes is dry skin, which is often a sign of omega-3 deficiency. It is also believed to be related to the overgrowth of Malassezia globosa, a yeast normally found in your skin’s oil secretion.

Neurodermatitis

Neurodermatitis generally begins with a patch of itchy skin that becomes itchier the more you scratch it. This itch-scratch cycle often causes your skin to thicken and become leathery. You can also develop raised, rough patches that are red or darker than the surrounding skin. It typically develops on your neck, wrist, forearm, thigh or ankle.

It is crucial to know which type of eczema you have because this will help determine the best treatment for your condition. More importantly, this will allow you to pinpoint your triggers, and manage your symptoms successfully.

Babies

Eczema usually starts in infancy, with 65% of infants developing symptoms in the first 12 months of life, and 90% experiencing them before the age of 5.

Baby eczema is a dry, itchy condition characterized by tiny red bumps and crusty patches on the skin, which can sometimes ooze fluid or become infected if scratched. Scratching can also thicken, darken or scar the skin over time. As much as 10% of infants in the U.S. have some form of eczema.

There are different types of eczema that may affect your baby, but the most common type is called atopic dermatitis (AD). Also known as atopic eczema, this is a long-term (chronic) skin condition that starts with the immune system. It affects the skin’s ability to hold in moisture, hence becoming dry, itchy and easily irritated.

Baby eczema often goes away by itself, although there is no way to know ahead of time whether your child will outgrow it or not. Fortunately, this skin condition usually becomes less severe with age. In fact, most babies outgrow eczema by age 4.

Causes of Eczema in Babies

The exact cause of eczema is unknown; however, a combination of genes and environmental triggers may increase your child’s risk of developing the skin disorder.

Eczema can run in families. The tendency to develop eczema is often inherited. Babies who come from families with history of eczema, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), asthma or allergies are more likely to develop eczema.

Eczema can be triggered by allergens or irritants in the environment. Allergens, such as food, pollen or pet dander can cause a flare-up. The irritants that can trigger eczema include heat, stress, scratchy fabrics like wool and polyester, chemicals in soaps, fragrances, solvents and detergents.

Skin cells go into overdrive when something outside the body triggers the immune system, causing the skin to flare-up in the form of intense itching, redness and rashes.

Eczema at Different Age Groups

The appearance and location of eczema in children changes with age.

Infants (first 6 months): The areas mostly affected are the cheeks, scalp, forehead and chin, but it may spread to the neck, chest, hands and legs as well. The affected skin tends to look red and weepy. In most cases, infants rub their skin against bedding to relieve the itch, worsening the irritation.

Babies (6 to 12 months): Eczema typically appears on your baby’s elbows and knees, which are places that can be rubbed or scratched easily and frequently as your baby learns how to crawl. If the eczema becomes infected, you will notice yellowish lesions with oozing and crusting.

Toddlers (age 2 to 5 years): Your toddler’s skin may look dry, flaky and scaly, and can sometimes thicken and become leather-like (lichenification). The area around the mouth and eyelids, creases of the elbows and knees, wrists, hands or ankles are commonly affected.

Older Children (age 5 years and above): The rash is likely to appear in the folds of the elbows and knees. You may also notice red and itchy patches on your child’s scalp, behind the ears, hands and feet.

Causes of Eczema in Adults – The Medical Perspective

First, we will look at what the medical profession believe are the main causes, then we will add to these within a holistic model of health. It would be good to read the chapter on holistic medicine to get a better understanding on how these two philosophies and perceptions differ.

There are several factors - ranging from emotional stress and trauma to streptococcal infection - that can cause an episode of eczema.

The medical profession does not really know what causes eczema, this is why they find it so difficult to treat. However, the consensus amongst medics is that it has the following causes:

Genetics

Abnormal function of the immune system

Environment

Activities that may cause skin to be more sensitive

Defects in the skin barrier that allow moisture out and germs in

The medical profession believe that it is an auto-immune disease where the immune system has now become an enemy of its own body. The ten-million-dollar question, however, is what has caused the autoimmune disease to be triggered in the first place? We will answer this question later.

What Causes Eczema – The Natural Medicine Perspective

Apart from the commonly known medical causes, there are many other causes that are more within the realms of natural or holistic medicine. Let us examine what some of these are, as these are critically important to rule out as part of the treatment programme.

Here is a summarized list of some of the causative factors:

Genetic predisposition – you cannot change the genetic mutations, but you can change the expression of these genes using lifestyle changes

Bacteria

Viruses

Parasites

Fungi and mould producing mycotoxins and aflatoxins, particularly Candida

Food intolerances

Nutrient deficiencies – vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids

Impaired digestion

Antibiotics – destroy the good bacteria in the gut, causing a dysbiosis

Steroids, birth control pills and other hormones

Vaccinations

Leaky gut syndrome – will allow proteins from food to penetrate, causing autoimmune reactions

Constipation

Inflammation

Toxic pesticides

Toxic additives in foods

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in foods

Aspartame or the chemical sweetener

Processed foods and additives

Genetically Modified foods

Alcohol

Toxic chemicals in makeup and cosmetics

Toxic pharmaceutical drugs

Toxic mercury from amalgams and personal care products

Psychological, emotional and spiritual factors

Basically, any approach to healing eczema should take these, and perhaps other causative factors into account.

When I test patients using different diagnostic modalities, I often find a number of these underlying causative factors in one patient – rarely less than 10-15. Usually, when one can identify them and begin eliminating them, then the person’s eczema heals, and they can go back to leading a normal life, as long as they stay away from the factors that may trigger them.

Therefore many patients are willing to go through the IDEL Diagnostic Programme that I use at the Da Vinci Center in Larnaca, Cyprus where I work. It is a 5-hour testing protocol that covers many facets of health – IDEL is an acronym for IDENTIFY and ELIMINATE (www.naturaltherapycenter.com).

Let us examine a few of these in a little more depth.

The Psychoemotional Causes

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the skin is referred to as the ‘third lung’ and the skin’s condition is seen as a reflection of the health of the lungs.  Metaphysically, it is said that people who suffer from eczema and psoriasis are ‘weeping through their skin’. 

With skin problems, some sadness needs expressing - a sadness for whatever reason has been held in and silenced. This ‘holding in’ manifests itself in painful or irritating rashes.

You could say eczema is a cluster of attitudes of defensiveness, criticism, resentment, suspicion, fear, worry and the like.  This becomes an area where we become defensive and very touchy.

When we are holding onto something that should be let go, we become defensive and rigid, wherever we go. 

Defensiveness hardens into our character, protecting us when we feel threatened by others. When this defence mechanism is alerted, we either recoil, crawling into our shells at the first sign of trouble, or our anger rapidly boils to the surface and simmers there.

Eczema and other skin problems can become a crutch to hide behind when painful and difficult situations arise that you don’t want or don’t know how to meet head-on. It’s quite possible you’re afraid of being controlled and caught off-guard.

When our stomachs can’t digest new ideas and experiences, not only food is poorly absorbed into our system but our thoughts and feelings as well. When the stomach is rigid or tense, we are resisting or holding onto things that should normally pass through our bodies. Indigestion can be reflected on the skin, causing blemishes, eczema, and psoriasis, which metaphysically, are caused by confusing thought patterns, frustration and the inability to make our needs understood.

When you suppress your feelings of sadness, grief, anger and pain, you also suppress the love and joy along with them.  Emotions stuffed deep in the unconscious but still acting through the autonomic nervous system cause the endocrine glands to falter, weakening the resistance of the lymphatic system as well as the suppression of the elimination system, causing a backup of toxins in the body.

Candida and Eczema

Amongst the many hundreds of eczema cases that I have seen in my 35-years of clinical practice, I do not think that I have ever seen even one case of eczema that did not have an underlying Candida problem, usually accompanied by a leaky gut.

There is a complete chapter on Candida in this book, and it would be very worth reading thoroughly and beginning the treatment for this, even if you cannot get checked, as the probability of having systemic Candida, based on my own clinical experience, is extremely high.

The link between candida and eczema has been established for a while. For example, a 1968 study (Beare et al, 1968) published in the British Journal of Dermatology found a link between Candida and eczema lesions.

The study involved 172 infants aged 2–9 months. Half of them had seborrheic eczema while the rest did not.

The researchers found that 69% of the infants with seborrheic eczema had candida overgrowth in the eczematous lesions on their skins as well as oral candidiasis. In contrast, only 38% of those infants without eczema tested positive for the yeast.

The study demonstrates that Candida is a major cause of eczema at least among infants. Therefore, controlling Candida can effectively reduce the risk of infant eczema by half.

A 2006 study (Kränke et al, 2006) published in the German journal, Weiner Klinische Wochenschrift, also found that Candida was linked to eczema. The researchers recruited 126 patients aged 7–82 years who came into the hospital with anal eczema during the study period.

Their results showed that most of the patients who suffered from anal eczema also suffered from candidiasis. Therefore, they concluded that Candida overgrowth was linked to the eczema through contact sensitization.

In another study published in the journal, Clinical and Experimental Allergy, a group of researchers investigated the role of exposure and sensitization to Candida in the appearance and progression of atopic dermatitis (eczema).

The researchers recruited 156 young adults with atopic dermatitis as well as 18 patients with asthma, but no eczema, and 39 individuals with no allergies.

By using skin prick tests, immunoblotting and yeast cultures, the researchers were able to determine that the participants with severe atopic dermatitis had both Candida overgrowth in their eczema lesions as well as Candida sensitization in the form of specific IgE antibodies.

Therefore, the study showed that Candida infection in the gut continuously exposed eczema patients to immunoglobulins, especially IgE. The hypersensitivity reactions triggered by these immunoglobulin antibodies, therefore, may be responsible for the worsening or chronic recurrence of eczema (Savolainen et al. 1993).

Candida, Eczema and Other Yeasts

In this 1998 study (Savolainen et al, 1998) published in the journal, Allergy, a group of researchers aimed to determine the difference in exposure and sensitization to 5 yeasts commonly found around humans.

They measured the responses of the immunoglobulins, IgE, IgG and IgA to the following yeasts: C. albicans, C. utilis, Cryptococcus albidus, Rhodotorula rubra and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The study population included 20 individuals suffering from atopic conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis.

The most important finding of this study was that atopic patients who were previously exposed to and sensitized by C. albicans and S. cerevisiae still developed allergic symptoms when exposed to other environmental yeasts.

Because C. albicans shares the most antigens with the other yeasts, it carries a greater chance of cross-reacting IgE antibodies.

Therefore, although other yeasts are milder on the immune system, they can still trigger eczema in patients who have been previously exposed to and sensitized by candida overgrowth.

These conclusions mean that candida may still cause eczema even when the real culprit is another yeast. This research supports my own clinical observations which have shown that candida is usually present in most cases of eczema.

This is why clearing the Candida is a critical step in curing the eczema, but we will discuss this in far more depth in the Candida chapter later.

Leaky Gut and Eczema

When different areas of the intestinal tract become irritated, inflamed or breached, we can suffer from an array of symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, indigestion, gas, bloating and cramps, and these are usually caused by a leaky gut which further causes allergies, anemia, fatigue, weight loss, arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, muscle pain and more. Symptoms can persist for years with people bouncing from doctor to doctor without ever being properly diagnosed. While these diseases have different names, they have one thing in common - a leaky gut.

Hyperpermeability of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier results in enhanced transport of intact and degraded antigens across the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier, which could induce food protein sensitization and food allergy in susceptible individuals (Farhadi et al., 2003) (Fig. 1). Yamaguchi et al. (2006) therefore hypothesized that gastrointestinal colonization by Candida may be involved in aggravation of Eczema by affecting the mucosal barrier in a manifestation of a food allergy, otherwise known as a food intolerance.

Fig 1 Gut permeability and food allergies

In the era of classic Greece, Hippocrates - known as the Father of Modern Medicine -made the famous proclamation that "All diseases start in the gut."

Hippocrates may not have known the science behind leaky gut syndrome, nor did he use the term, but he was spot on.

A leaky gut is a condition in which the small intestine wall becomes inflamed and breached with tiny pinholes that leak putrid food particles into the blood stream. Your immune system builds antibodies to the proteins in this faecal matter and your body attacks these proteins as if they were foreign germs.

That is why it is called an auto-immune disease, because your immune system becomes confused between its own protein and foreign protein. It goes on to attack protein in other parts of the body such as between the joints, causing rheumatoid arthritis.

These poisons infiltrate the blood and lymph and overload the liver’s ability to detoxify them. Some of this overload empties into the skin, manifesting as psoriasis or eczema.

There is interesting research from Spain (Romani et al, 2012) that has shown higher levels of a specific chemical, LPS, in the blood of patients with psoriasis who also have metabolic syndrome, characterized by excess body fat, high blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, etc.

Finding elevated LPS levels in the bloodstream is an indication of two things; first, it means that the gut has become permeable or leaky which has allowed the LPS to get into the bloodstream. Second, it means that the process of inflammation has been enhanced as LPS acts as a powerful switch, turning on the inflammatory cascade.

The researchers tried a type of light therapy to treat the psoriasis – phototherapy – but as this was focussed on treating only the skin and not dealing with underlying causative factors, the elevation of the LPS did not change.

What this means is that the phototherapy was basically treating the smoke while the fire was being ignored. The fire is the inflammatory cascade brought on by this LPS chemical that leeches its way into the bloodstream because the gut is permeable.

What Causes Leaky Gut?

Several important factors should be considered when answering this question. First and foremost, understand that it is the role of various probiotic bacteria to maintain the integrity of the gut lining – they are ultimately the first line of defence.

Let’s look at some of the most common causes of leaky gut that need to be dealt with before the gut can heal:

Food intolerances

Abuse of antibiotics, cortisone, hormone drugs and others

Dysbiosis - a microbial imbalance in the gut

Poor microbiota of the gut

Deficient digestive or pancreatic enzymes

Low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria)

Poor digestion – eating on the run, not chewing food properly, eating under stress

Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Exposure to toxins – heavy metals, PCB’s and many more

Parasites in the gut

Lectins from food

Chronic stress

Gluten grains

GMO corn and other foods

Soy

Commercial dairy

Processed foods, preservatives, dyes, and additives

Refined sugars

Refined oils

When the balance of bacteria within the gut is threatened by such things, the ability of the good bacteria to maintain the gut wall lining is challenged.

Chronic stress can also weaken your immune system over time, which cripples your ability to fight off foreign invaders like bad bacteria and viruses, leading to inflammation and leaky gut.

We come into contact with over 80,000 chemicals and toxins every single year, but the worst offenders for causing leaky gut include antibiotics, pesticides, tap water, aspirin and NSAIDS (anti-inflammatories).

Finally, one of the leading causes of leaky gut is a condition called dysbiosis, which means an imbalance between beneficial and harmful species of bacteria in your gut. The overuse of prescription antibiotic drugs, tap water with chlorine and fluoride, and the lack of probiotic-rich foods contribute to this imbalance of good and bad bacteria.

The most common components of food that can damage your intestinal lining are the proteins found in un-sprouted grains, sugar, Genetically modified foods (GMO’s) and conventional dairy.

The problem with un-sprouted grains is that they contain large amounts of antinutrients, or nutrient blockers called phytates and lectins. Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that act as a natural defence system for plants that protect them from outside invaders like mould and parasites.

This is good news for plants but bad news for your body. Your digestive lining is covered with sugar-containing cells that help break down your food. Lectins gravitate toward this area and when they attach to your digestive lining, they damage your gut and cause inflammation.

Lectins are found in many foods, not just grains, and when consumed in small amounts there is usually no problem as the liver deals with them. Foods, however, that have large amounts of lectins can cause problems – some of these foods include wheat, rice, spelt and soy.

Sprouting and fermenting grains reduce phytates and lectins, making these foods easier to digest. Also, soaking pulses for at least 24 hours without changing the water will also help break down proteases, making pulses easier to digest.

Genetically Modified Foods (GMO’s) and hybridized foods tend to be the highest in lectins since they have been modified to fight off bugs. 

Gluten-containing grains are also another culprit for leaky gut syndrome. It is important to stay away from these foods while healing your leaky gut.

Conventional cow’s milk is another food that can cause leaky gut. The component of dairy that will harm your gut is the protein A1 casein. Also, the pasteurization process will destroy vital enzymes, making sugars like lactose very difficult to digest. Goats and sheep milk are better alternatives.

Sugar is another substance that will wreak havoc on your digestive system. Sugar will feed the growth of yeast, Candida and bad bacteria, which will further damage your gut. 

Bad bacteria produce toxins called excitotoxins, and Candida produce mycotoxins; both damage healthy cells and cause leaky gut syndrome.

Healing Your Leaky Gut

There are a number of things that you can do to heal your leaky gut:

1. Avoid refined and processed foods

It is critically important to remove some of the foods that will irritate and inflame the gut, such as:

processed foods – all packaged foods, ready-made dinners, tinned and baked – these are full of trans and hydrogenated fats, colouring agents, preservative chemicals and more – not good for the gut

sugars – of all kinds as they increase the acidity and inflammation of the gut, as well as feeding Candida and other microorganisms

alcohol – which causes high sugar peaks, that again feed Candida and other bugs

These foods feed pathogens that release toxins that damage the gut wall and enlarge the tight junctions that lead to leaky gut syndrome.

2. Eliminate Allergens in the Diet

Food allergens are one of the most common causes of leaky gut syndrome. It is imperative that you remove food intolerances from your diet – read the chapter on food intolerances to get a better understanding of the importance of this.

Gluten has been identified as the biggest culprit. Other common allergens are dairy - especially cow’s milk - alcohol, soy, yeast, sugar and excessive meat, but it could be any food. This is why it is important to identify your specific food intolerances. 

3. Adequate Hydration

Hydration is very important for all of our organs to function correctly. A dehydrated body is susceptible to allergens and infections as it is unable to remove toxins.

To maintain an adequate amount of hydration, you should consume at least 8-10 glasses of fluids in a day. This can be increased or decreased depending on your individual need. 

4. Ensure Adequate Fibre Intake

Make no mistake, a fibre-rich diet is essential for maintaining gut health.

Adequate fibre in your diet ensures that gut motility is maintained, digestion is supported and that your gut wall is protected.

It also supports the growth of the good bacteria in the gut which is vitally important.

Ideally, you should be getting about 35 grams of fibre per day. You can get it from adequate servings of lightly steamed vegetables,