How much daily thought do you give to your gut health? While most of us know that this is an important factor to overall health, did you know that it could actually be impacting your inflammation levels? As a fellow lippy lady myself, this fact piqued my interest because we’re all trying to do better when it comes to managing inflammation and Lipedema symptoms. Today, we’re covering what the research shows about the connection between Lipedema and gut health and what you can do to set yourself up for success.
How Gut Health Became a Focal Point for Me
Before we dive into the science, I want to give just a little bit of background about how we got here. I’ve been getting this question a lot lately. . . Many of you have asked, “Why does gut health matter for Lipedema?“. The answer to that question is simple. As a practitioner who works with tons of lovely ladies in the Lipedema community, I started to notice a common theme.
Many of the lippy ladies I was working with also had symptoms of extreme GI upset, constant digestive issues, and signs of gut permeability, otherwise known as leaky gut. This has been so prevalent in fact, that it really stood out to me as something that needed to be addressed. You might be wondering why we are focusing on gut health for women with Lipedema. What is the connection?
Connecting the Dots: Leaky Gut and Lipedema
So, what do you think I did when I realized that so many women with Lipedema were also experiencing GI upset and signs of leaky gut? I went to the science, of course! The biggest thing that stood out to me when doing research on this topic is this: poor gut health = increased levels of inflammation. This fact is really the bottom line and WHY good gut health is so important for women with Lipedema. If you’re a lippy lady, you already know that keeping inflammation low means less pain, less swelling, and a better quality of life. So, of course, we want to do what we can to support this, right?! I certainly think so!
For my friends out there who want more on HOW poor gut health and leaky gut cause inflammation, here are all the details:
Essentially, leaky gut (or gut permeability) occurs when our bodies experience a weakening of the tight junctions of the intestinal wall lining. These intestinal walls are designed to keep toxins OUT of the bloodstream. When they are weakened and compromised, this allows toxins to seep through. This increases the toxic load in our bodies, triggering an inflammatory response.
One way to imagine this is to think of it as a leaky pipe under your kitchen sink. Normally, everything that’s supposed to be removed from your home as waste stays inside the pipe. But what happens when you have a leak? All of the crud in your sink ends up leaking out into your kitchen. . . Not good! This is very similar to what is happening in the body. All of that being said, leaky gut is a very inflammatory condition and not something you want to be battling in conjunction with Lipedema!
What Causes Leaky Gut?
Leaky gut is caused by many different things, but here are some of the most common for women with Lipedema:
- Refined foods – diets high in sugar, alcohol, and processed foods can damage both the gut lining and the gut microbiome
- Low-fiber diets – fiber feeds our gut microbiome, so when we eat a fiber-depleted diet, it wreaks havoc on our gut and weakens the intestinal walls over time
- Food sensitivities – when we ingest foods to which our bodies are sensitive, it can cause an inflammatory reaction in the gut, ultimately causing a breakdown of the gut walls over time
Leaky gut is very hard on the body and even harder on the Lipedema body. As lippy ladies, we’re working hard every day to lower inflammation levels. With a leaky gut, every time we ingest food, it has the potential to trigger an inflammatory response. This is even more likely if you’re continuing to consume foods that are exacerbating the condition.
The Inflammatory Cycle in the Gut:
Here’s a look at how this cycle of inflammation can run in the body.
- We eat poor quality food or food we are sensitive to
- This spikes inflammation in the stomach and weakens the gut lining over time
- When the gut lining is weakened, this allows more toxins into the blood
- When toxins enter the blood, another inflammatory response is triggered
This is a vicious cycle to be stuck in and definitely not what you want if you’re working hard to reduce inflammation in your body. So what can we do about this? There are two things that you can focus on now to help heal your gut. They include proper nutrition and if you’d like a little extra support gut microbiome testing. Let’s begin with number one: nutrition!
Diets High in Fiber Heal Gut Permeability
If you are experiencing leaky gut or other gut microbiome issues, it’s important to take a look at your diet. Have you been eating a fiber-depleted diet? Or perhaps you have been consuming large amounts of sugar, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates. Both of these things are reason for gut issues and likely the cause of your symptoms.
The good news is that to heal your gut, all you need to do is make a few small tweaks to your eating. The first is to focus on fiber. All of the science on gut health points to fiber as the hero. I highly encourage you to focus on ways you can ADD fiber to your diet instead of focusing on taking other things away. This one change will be super impactful to your long-term health. Here’s a few of the most important reasons to add fiber to your diet:
- It helps carry toxins out of the body. This is huge if you’re looking to lower inflammation and feel your best!
- It also helps create more diversity and a population of helpful microbes in your gut. This is another way that it helps to bring inflammation down in the body.
- Fiber is linked to better immunity because it improves gut health. Better gut health = better immunity!
- Fiber will improve levels of satiety, so you won’t have to worry about going hungry or feeling HANGRY.
It’s important to note that if you’ve been eating an extremely fiber-depleted diet, you’ll want to take this process slow. GI upset can occur when you add more fiber to your diet, but I promise it is SO worth it! Once you work your way up, you will be on your way to better gut health. The second thing you may want to consider is gut microbiome testing. While not a requirement, it can provide a helpful insight into “what you’re dealing with,” so to speak. The testing I use in my practice is called the GI Map.
What is the GI Map?
The GI Map (Microbial Assay Plus) is an FDA-approved, functional stool test that utilizes quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology to analyze the DNA of organisms present in the gut. This comprehensive test identifies key markers such as parasites, bacteria (including H. pylori), fungi, and other microbial imbalances, offering unparalleled insights into gut health.
Scientific research continues to highlight the pivotal role of gut health in influencing overall wellness. The gut microbiome is central to mediating the effects of diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors on numerous systems, including:
- Digestive health
- Immune function
- Metabolic processes
- Skin health
- Brain and mental health
- Hormonal and neuroendocrine balance
The GI-MAP provides practitioners with actionable data to address the root causes of chronic health issues. For the women in my practice, this means that we’re able to pinpoint what’s actually happening in their body, determine which strains they have high and low levels of, and make a plan to help improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and help to absorb the nutrients in their food. How? By targeting imbalances within the microbiome, the GI-MAP serves as a powerful tool for optimizing overall health and restoring balance to the body. To learn more about the GI Map, you can reach out to me here.
Get Started with Better Gut Health
Alright, friend, are you ready to take the first step toward better gut health? I know that if you’re already trying to manage Lipedema, this can feel especially overwhelming. Because of that, I created a FREE Guide that you can use to start improving your gut health. Inside, you’ll find tons of valuable resources, including:
- information on how gut health is linked to lower levels of inflammation
- a functional tool called the 5R protocol to heal your gut
- tips for healing leaky gut specifically, according to science
- recipes for better gut health and more!
This free guide is up for the taking and can help take the overwhelm out of working toward better gut health. To grab your copy, click here! Good luck friend, I know you can do this! If you need some additional help or would like to discuss testing options, reach out to me here.
References
- Tan JK, Macia L, Mackay CR. Dietary fiber and SCFAs in the regulation of mucosal immunity. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Feb;151(2):361-370. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.11.007. Epub 2022 Dec 19. PMID: 36543697.
