You are here : Home > FIN Blog > Teen Depression and Leaky Gut

There is a new study just recently out in the Journal of Defective Disorders that shows that teen depression can be associated with intestinal permeability (“Leaky Gut”). The study showed that unmedicated adolescents’ depression severity was associated with increased intestinal permeability. This study examined gut permeability in unmedicated adolescents with and without major depressive disorder.

It’s so sad to see all the health problems kids are suffering from. The good news is we may be starting to get some answers. The gut/brain connection is being studied and the link between mental health and gut health has been documented. This study confirms the mechanisms by which GMOs and glyphosate contribute to, or cause, leaky gut that leads to depression.

Diet is Extremely Important

Many Americans are affected by poor diet choices, chronic stress, toxic overload and bacterial imbalance. It appears that the prevalence of Leaky Gut has reached epidemic proportions. The medical profession is just now agreeing this condition may even exist, which is especially shocking to me because “intestinal permeability” has been discussed in the medical literature for over 100 years!

For those who do not know or understand what Leaky Gut is, it is an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in the gut (dysbiosis). The lining of the intestines is called the epithelial lining. This lining is the gateway between your intestines and your bloodstream. It controls what is allowed to pass into the bloodstream from your digestive system. This lining when healthy has tight junctions. Tight junctions have a very precise job — they have to maintain the delicate balance between allowing vital nutrients to enter your bloodstream, while remaining small enough to prevent xenobiotics (disease-causing compounds from your diet or lifestyle) from passing out of your digestive system into the rest of your body. Once the lining of gut is compromised, this allows the passage of undigested food particles, toxins, antigens, and bacteria in the lumen to enter the bloodstream creating a “Leaky Gut.”

There is mounds of evidence showing that the gut and the brain are intimately connected. Dr. Emeran Mayer, MD, has been studying this connection for years and is renown in his field. Food Integrity Now interviewed Dr. Mayer a few years back about his research and his best selling book, The Mind Gut Connection-Are You Listening? Also, visit Dr. David Perlmutter, Board Certified Neurologist, site to learn more about the gut/brain connection. We have interviewed Dr. Perlmutter too.

So if the brain and gut are so intimately connected, wouldn’t it make sense that the intestines need to be healthy to have a healthy brain. We also know that glyphosate (the active ingredient in RoundUp and other glyphosate-based herbicides) is in much of our food supply. If you are not eating organic, you are eating glyphosate. Glyphosate can break down the blood brain barrier which can lead to increased brain damage, behavioral issues, learning disorders and early onset dementia.

You can test your glyphosate levels in your body, foods, pets and soil. Don’t forget to use discount code FOOD10 on checkout.

Solutions

It’s not an easy task to get teenagers to eat organic but it is important to their well being. I would suggest you start only buying organic food. It is pretty easy these days to find organic food in your grocery store or farmers’ market. You can’t control everything your children eat but you can control what they eat in your home. You also set a good example for them by eating organic and you will feel better too! Also, talk to your kids about the importance of eating organic. Ask them to try it for one month and see if it makes a difference in the way they feel. Share articles with them about eating healthy but don’t overwhelm them. The best way to teach is by example. If you are doing it, they will notice, even if they won’t admit it to you!

Parenting can be challenging during this time of having to navigate through the food supply to make healthy choices. That being said, it has never been as important as it is now because we have never had so many toxins and chemicals in our food as we now. Get creative, do your research and if you need assistance with parenting, I can help! Be well.

Also, stay tuned for my upcoming Creative Parenting Summit! More on that later!