Repopulating with probiotic bacteria will go a long way towards restoring your gut health, but what about the damage that has already been done? A chronic fungal infestation is almost always associated with some weakness, and perhaps even permeability, in the intestinal membrane. That’s why, in this stage, we would also recommend some therapies to repair your gut lining and reduce intestinal permeability.
The importance of keeping your intestinal wall in good shape cannot be overstated. In most cases of Fungus overgrowth, the intestinal lining is compromised to some degree, and that has many implications for other areas of your health. You see, a large part of your immune system resides just behind the surface of this membranous lining. It is also the interface that allows you to absorb nutrients from your food, supports the bacterial microbiome that helps you to detoxify, and transforms food particles into nutrients (such as vitamin K in the large bowel). Lastly, it forms a physical barrier that protects you from pathogenic bacteria and other microbes.
In today’s culture, the integrity of your intestinal wall is continuously threatened by a plethora of forces: the overuse of NSAIDs; frequent antibiotic prescriptions; poor quality food; not enough sleep to regenerate, etc. If you really think about it, your intestinal wall is almost an extension of your skin.
Beginning first in the mouth, this mucous membrane pathway continues all the way down to its distal terminus, the anus. It is all along here that the outside world comes into contact with your internal environment via the foods and other substances that you ingest. Just as you don’t want to injure your skin on the outside, you don’t want your ‘internal skin’ to get damaged either. But in most people’s cases, that is exactly what is happening.
When the intestinal lining is compromised, it makes it easier for pathogens like a fungus overgrowth to take hold. It also becomes easier for those toxic byproducts to make it into your bloodstream. That’s why you need to reduce stress, eat the health promoting foods that we’ve discussed here, and also consider some gut reparative agents such as glutamine, slippery elm, cabbage juice, bone broth, and marshmallow. These are described in more detail below.
You may remember that we introduced the concept of intestinal permeability and ‘leaky gut’ earlier on in this book. It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so the below illustration will help you to understand the importance of the intestinal lining. A pathogen like Fungal Overgrowth can lead to inflammation and corrupt the healthy mucous membrane.
A Healthy Small Intestine Is A Vital Part Of Your Immune System
A permeable intestinal membrane can allow pathogenic Fungal Overgrowth, along with other harmful microbes, toxins, and undigested food particles, into your bloodstream. This can overstimulate and fatigue your immune system, so always remember how important it is to heal and protect this interface. Below is a list of some recommended gut repairing and soothing agents.
Glutamine
Glutamine is a key amino acid that enables enterocytes (i.e., the cells that largely comprise the lining of the small intestine) to repair, regenerate, and heal. As we discussed before, these cells are often damaged due to antibiotic use, NSAID use, refined and poor quality foods, stress, bacterial overgrowth, and of course fungal overgrowth. Glutamine is found naturally in protein-rich foods and broths like bone broth. For larger doses, you can also find it in supplement form.
Cabbage Juice
As the name suggests, this is made simply by juicing cabbage. A large part of the health-affirming properties of this juice is due to its content of glutamine. However, it is also a powerful antioxidant, supporting detoxification through several liver detox pathways, and full of anti-cancer compounds found in many brassica families (i.e., cruciferous) vegetables.
The high sulfur and iodine content make cabbage juice very helpful in cleansing the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. Moreover, its histidine content helps to regulate allergic responses and immune system dysfunction, both of which common in those with intestinal permeability issues.
Slippery Elm
Considered a demulcent herb, slippery elm has long been used in various ways for its soothing and moisturizing qualities. It was popular with professional opera singers over 100 years ago, and today is often used for dry or sore throats.
More importantly, slippery elm coats and lubricates the whole digestive tract, providing extra protection and moisture in those cases where it may be irritated due to medication use, ulcerations, inflammation, or a myriad of other reasons. Slippery elm can typically be found in lozenges, capsules, or teas.
Marshmallow Root
Another agent belonging to the class of ‘demulcent’ herbs, marshmallow acts in a similar fashion to Slippery Elm in that it coats, moisturizes, and soothes irritated mucous membranes and linings. It also has antitussive, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial qualities, which makes it great for those who have dry coughs or who are recovering from an upper respiratory tract illness. Both the roots and leaves can be used and, similarly to slippery elm, this is often found in the form of tea, capsules or tinctures.
Bone Broth
This last item has many uses and many healing properties. Made by slowly simmering and cooking animal bones, typically with a few vegetables and seasonings, bone broth can take 24 hours or longer to make. This method of cooking -a slow, gentle heating process -allows for the minerals and nutrients in the bone marrow to be gently released and leached into the broth. Here, rich glycoproteins and nutritive substances like collagen, keratin, and many minerals including calcium are found.
In Native American history, it was common for some tribes to suck the marrow out of freshly killed animals for similar reasons. They were known to be full of nourishing compounds to promote tissue healing, regeneration, and overall vitality. As is the case with all foods and animal products, in particular, you want to ensure you choose a free range and grass-fed animals so that they have the optimal levels of nutrients in the marrow. This is, of course, a more humane way to raise and process the animals as well!