Some days, life is hard on your gut. Your entire digestive tract can be affected by stress, processed foods, alcohol, medications, and bacteria. Just a tiny leak in the permeability of your intestinal lining can lead to surprisingly big problems. Increased intestinal permeability, or leaky gut, is being linked to more conditions lately. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, they could be caused by leaky gut.

1. Low Energy/Chronic Fatigue
2. Weight gain/Belly Fat
3. Digestion issues like Constipation, Bloating, IBS
4. Poor Concentration
5. Lack of Motivation
6. Chronic Inflammation
7. Headaches
8. Skin issues, like acne, rosacea, and eczema
9. Hormone Imbalances
10. Anxiety, depression, ADD & ADHD

Here are some tips on how to heal leaky gut:

Elimination

With leaky gut, the first step is to identify and remove the source of gut-lining irritation, rather than attempting to suppress its symptoms with drugs. Start by eliminating the most common irritants-sugar, dairy, gluten, soy, and chemical additives in processed foods. Eliminate a food for 2 weeks, then reintroduce it and keep notes on your reactions.  As you eliminate You can get started with this in my next Free Sugar Detox.

Write down what you eat and how it affects you. If you feel bloated, fatigued, or gassy, add that food to your elimination list. Most of the time, your body is trying to tell you something with these symptoms, so make notes and listen to it.

Limit your use of NSAIDs and alcohol. If you use NSAIDs for pain relief related to your diagnosis, try eliminating them  or limiting them to the bare minimum. Using a therapeutic dose of anti-inflammatory medication for two weeks can cause your body to develop a leaky gut that persists, even if you discontinue the medication.

Replenish

Give your body what it needs to to heal and rebuild by supplying it with vital nutrients. Start with plenty of whole foods. Whole foods are full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, plus enzymes the small intestine needs to heal. Nonstarchy vegetables and lean protein should come first, then plenty of healthy fats like avocados to help strengthen cellular membranes.

Fiber-rich foods will be beneficial in eliminating the toxins and waste quickly during this process. Aim for about 30 grams of fiber per day through colorful vegetables, berries, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole-kernel grains. If you’re eliminating gluten, stick with flaxseeds.

Take digestive enzymes to heal your leaky gut. Taking supplemental enzymes before you eat gives the GI tract a jump-start on digestion, making food easier to break down and nutrients easier to assimilate.

Supplement with Glutamine. This amino acid supports immunity and digestion by fueling the cells that line the small intestine.

Increase your omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3-rich foods, including coldwater fish, nuts, seeds, and avocados calm inflammation and rebuild healthy cell walls.

Regrow

Once your body has patched up the leaks in the gut,  help it grow a healthy layer of good bacteria that will help protect the GI tract and assist with digestion. These beneficial bacteria strengthen your immune system, improve metabolism, help your body make vitamins, and aid in the absorption of minerals. The two most important groups are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Add a probiotic that is at least 50 billion active cultures twice a day.

Eat fermented foods such as kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut, tempeh,  kefir, and yogurt (dairy or nondairy). These foods will help keep the good probiotic bugs to stick around.

Thank you for reading my blog about how to heal leaky gut! I hope you’ve found some value in it!