What is Leaky Gut?

Leaky gut syndrome is a condition where your intestinal walls become permeable, allowing toxins, undigested food, and bacteria into the bloodstream. Leaky gut is caused by bacterial imbalance, poor diet, stress, smoking, overconsumption of alcohol, or exposure to environmental contaminants.

Symptoms:

Symptoms can vary person to person. Common symptoms include increased food allergies or intolerances, gas and bloating, fatigue, brain fog, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, joint pain, anxiety, depression, and skin problems.

Foods to consume:

Fruits and veggies

• Certain fats such as olive oil, avocado, coconut oil

• Omega 3 fatty acids: Salmon, tuna, herring, pumpkin seeds, walnuts

• Nuts and seeds

• Cultured dairy products if tolerated: kefir, greek yogurt, yogurt

• Bone broth, marshmallow root tea or slippery elm tea, coconut milk, kombucha

• Eggs, chicken, turkey

• Gluten free grains: brown and white rice, oats, buckwheat, amaranth

• Fermented foods, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, sourdough, miso, tempeh

Foods to Limit:

• Processed meats: cold cuts, bacon, hot dogs, deli meats

• Wheat-based products: bread, pasta, couscous, wheat flour

• Fried foods: potato chips, fast food,

• Alcohol, carbonated beverages, sugary drinks

• Refined sugars: cakes, muffins, pastries, sugary drinks, candy

• Gluten-containing grains: barley, rye, seitan

• Dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter. Sheep or goats milk may be better tolerated

Lifestyle changes to incorporate:

• Stress management: Practice mindfulness, start journaling, start meditating, add self-care into your daily routine.

• Get active: Moving your body can be a way to reduce stress, and helps make the body stronger.

• Limit alcohol: Swap mocktails for cocktails and if you’re using alcohol to cope with stress, implement more mindfulness techniques instead.

•Limit NSAIDS: Try to limit the amount of NSAIDs you take, try white willow bark tea, or cramp bark tea next time to see if it helps before taking the NSAID.

Supplements to Help:

•Glutamine: Glutamine helps to heal the intestinal lining.

•Probiotics: Help repopulate the good bacteria

•Vitamin D: Helps with immune response and improves the intestinal lining.

•Omega 3s: Reduces inflammation and helps with repair.