Dust and Leaky Gut

Dust mite leaving its droppings. photo credit Hearst Apps

Healing a leaky gut can be tricky. Dietary changes may not be straight forward as food is part of our culture and social experience. Many people don't have easy access to better choices as they explore this aspect of addressing increased intestinal permeability.

It can be frustrating when you put time and effort into careful food choices only to not see good results. But did you know that a dusty environment can contribute to this difficulty?

A dust allergy is actually a reaction to an enzyme that is present in the excrement of the dust mite. This enzyme can irritate the epithelial tissue that is found in the outer layer of the skin, the lining of lungs, and the lining of the digestive tract as well.

Having an allergic reaction to dust can make you want to not clean because when the dust is sitting so nicely in the corner, it's not irritating your skin, lungs, or digestion. But it's really important to address this hygiene issue that can be contributing to your poor health.

Cleaning with a damp cloth is highly recommended since the dust will cling to the cloth and not become airborne. Using a HEPA filter to clean the air will trap the airborne particles. Also having a vacuum with a HEPA filter will capture the dust and allow you to remove it from the environment.

Do a little bit of cleaning every few days can give you a chance to recover from any irritation experienced. Using gloves and wearing a mask can reduce exposure as well.

Taking a bit of time to take care of yourself can go a long way.

Be well!

References

Benedé S, Pérez-Rodríguez L, Martínez-Blanco M, Molina E, López-Fandiño R. Oral Exposure to House Dust Mite Activates Intestinal Innate Immunity. Foods. 2021 Mar 9;10(3):561. doi: 10.3390/foods10030561. PMID: 33803079; PMCID: PMC8000190. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8000190/

Lin, J., Chen, D., Guan, L. et al. House dust mite exposure enhances immune responses to ovalbumin-induced intestinal allergy. Sci Rep 12, 5216 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09196-8

Sensitization to House Dust Mites in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Levchenko, Anastasia et al.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Volume 141, Issue 2, AB233 https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(17)32636-2/fulltext