Concussion and Surprising Long Term Health Consequences

Has your child ever suffered a concussion while playing hockey?

If yes, then they are part of an estimated 10% of hockey players that suffer a concussion each year in Canada.

Short term symptoms of concussion include nausea, confusion, fatigue, lightheadedness, headaches, irritability, not knowing the time, date, or place, dizziness, ringing in the ears, loss of vision and vomiting.

Typically, these symptoms last a week to 10 days but in some children can last months.

Conventional treatment for concussions entails rest and avoiding any activity that aggravates symptoms.

While these initial symptoms can disappear, research has shown that the effects a concussion can re-emerge later in life in the form of neurological (poor memory, reduced motor skills, and reduced reaction times) but a concussion can also affect digestive function.

You may have heard of the gut-brain connection, where a poor digestion can affect brain function. The same applies the other way where brain damage caused by a concussion can influence the proper functioning of your digestive tract. More specifically, concussions have been shown to cause increased intestinal permeability or leaky gut.

Leaky gut is where not properly digested proteins are allowed to pass through the protective lining of your small intestines and into the bloodstream. This can lead to a multitude of different symptoms and conditions.

Symptoms of leaky gut include:

1. Digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
2. Seasonal allergies or asthma.
3. Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS.
4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, or celiac disease.
5. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia.
6. Mood and mind issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD.
7. Skin issues such as acne, rosacea, or eczema.
8. Diagnosis of Candida overgrowth.
9. Food allergies or food intolerances.

Testing for leaky gut is available through Cyrex labs in the United States, through a Functional Medicine practitioner or Naturopathic Doctor in Canada.

The good news is that leaky gut is a treatable condition through dietary modification and supplementation.

If you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to email me at dom@ottawaholisticwellness.ca.

Leaky gut syndrome and your health

Do you suffer from a multitude of different unexplained and seemingly unrelated symptoms? Your problems could be stemming from your small intestines.

Your small intestines is a long tube which curls around in your abdomen. The lining of this tube is like a shag pile carpet with lots of tentacles called villi. Over the carpet is a fine cheese cloth like layer with lots of minute holes. When food is fully broken down by your digestive juices, the small particles pass through the small holes and into your blood stream.

Sometimes tears occur in the cheese cloth known as, a leaky gut or intestinal permeability ,and allow partially digested large food particles and other toxins to pass in to your blood stream.

There are a number of reasons why leaky gut occurs including:

• Food sensitivities
• Fungal Overgrowth
• Bacterial imbalance
• Stress
• Excessive Exercise
• High Sugar Diet
• Overuse of Antibiotics, Anti-inflammatory and Antacid medications.
• Parasites

Common symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome include:

1. Joint pain
2. Eczema
3. Psoriasis
4. Hives
5. Allergies
6. Food Sensitivities
7. Fatigue
8. Bloating
9. Gas
10. Abdominal Cramps
11. Diarrhea

Leak gut is associated with a number of different conditions, in particular one group known as Autoimmune Diseases. Autoimmune diseases is in the top 3 conditions that cause death in humans.

You test for leaky gut by using a intestinal permeability laboratory test which you can get through your family physician.

A natural way to treat leaky gut is trough diet and some nutrition. It is a three part process:

1. Remove all food sensitivities.
2. Restore the gut enviroment through use of fermented foods and friendly bacteria.
3. Repair the gut through supplementation including l-glutamine.

Pleased be advised that this article should only be used for informational purposes and not as way to diagnosis any conditions. If you are unsure about your current symptoms pleased be sure to consult your  trusted health care professional.

Source: Dr Oz.com