One of the leading causes we see patients suffering from at SeeBeyond Medicine are issues with their gut. Sometimes, it’s obvious, sometimes it is not. The gut is truly our “second brain” and can affect the whole body. For instance, 90% of serotonin, a feel-good neurotransmitter, is produced in the gut. Therefore, when our guts are not happy, we are not happy
The root of many inflammatory or autoimmune symptoms can be caused from what we call a “leaky gut.” There are ways to identity leaky gut with testing, however if you read on and these symptoms sound like you, the chances are high that you may be dealing with a leaky gut.
What Is Leaky Gut?
Leaky gut or intestinal permeability affects the integrity of the gut lining. The gut lining serves as a barrier of the intestines and is supposed to keep food particles and toxins inside the gut. However, when the gut wall becomes compromised, this allows particles to enter the bloodstream causing inflammation throughout the body.
When food particles/toxins that are supposed to remain inside the gut, leak through the intestinal lining into the bloodstream, an immune reaction or allergic response occurs, identifying the particles as “foreign invaders” to attack. Similar to how our bodies respond to bacteria or a virus. As a result, the immune response causes “autoimmune” symptoms where it can feel like your body is turning on you as it attacks itself.
Leaky gut does not only impact digestive health and can be the cause of any of the below:
- Constipation/Diarrhea – any digestive issue
- Food Intolerances
- Joint Pain
- Skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis and acne
- Fatigue
- Brain Fog
- Thyroid issues
- Hormonal imbalances
- Difficulty losing weight
- Fatigue
- Bloating
- Migraines/headaches
What causes Leaky Gut?
- a poor diet – most common cause of leaky gut
- NSAID use (Advil)
- stress
- alcohol
- antibiotic use
- pregnancy
- food allergies (gluten, dairy)
- bacteria or yeast overgrowth in gut (SIBO or Candida)
Let’s heal your gut!
Follow the guidelines below to start your gut healing journey with SeeBeyond Medicine
Leaky Gut Foods to Eat
Here are a few of the best foods to include in a leaky gut diet:
- Bone Broth (chicken or beef)
- Fermented Foods (sauerkraut, kimchi)
- Healthy Fats (avocado, nut butters, oils, olive)
- Omega-3 Fats (salmon, flax seeds)
There are a few key dietary rules to properly heal the gut.
- Eat soft, cooked, warm food as much as possible. The easier it is to digest, the less work your gut has to do while its healing – lots of soups! Eat more fish vs meat. The denser a food is, the more your body has to work to break it down.
- Eat all REAL Food – organic is preference. Nonorganic food contains pesticides/herbicides/mold that also cause damage to the gut.
- Eat small meals 5-6x a day, every 2-3 hours. Smaller meals will not overwhelm your digestive system to give it time to do its job – digest!
- Water. Drink ½ your body weight in ounces or 64oz a day as minimum. You need to “cleanse” your GI system.
- Eliminate the following for at least 2 weeks! These foods are the top leaky gut culprits, and they are non-negotiable. You must remove:
- Sugar
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Alcohol
- Packaged/processed food and drinks
- Limitations
- Coffee or any caffeinated beverage – eliminate or limit to 2 cups per day.
- Carbonated Beverages – stay hydrated with good ole water! Eliminate or limit to 1 cup a day.
- Gum – gum is tricking your body that you are ready to digest food. Eliminate or limit to give your digestive system a rest.
- Spicy food – pepper, chili powder, hot sauce – spicy food can irritate the gut lining – lay off or limit until your gut is healed.
- Fruit/healthy carbohydrates such as oats. If you have a yeast or bacteria overgrowth in your gut, too much sugar from even healthy food such as fruit can “feed” the bacteria/yeast to overgrow.
Example Leaky Gut Meal Plan
Choose vegetables, healthy fats and protein. Limit fruit and healthy carbohydrates.
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs, cooked spinach
- Snack: Nut butter and apple
- Lunch: Bone broth soup with kale, celery, carrot, shredded chicken
- Snack: unsweetened coconut yogurt
- Dinner: Salmon with asparagus and cooked sweet potato
More Tips to Heal Your Gut
- Bowel Movements – aim to have 1 every day or at least 3-4x a week. If you are not eliminating properly, toxins are sitting in the gut and could be seeping out into your blood stream. Try our constipation protocol if you are constipated.
- Magnesium Citrate Powder – take 1 scoop mixed in water 1 hour before sleep
- Colon Detox – take 2 capsules before bed
- Go Fiber – 1 scoop mixed in water per day
- Avoid NSAID pain-killer medications – Try much safer and gut friendly alternatives for pain relief.
- Full Spectrum Hemp Oil
- Inflammaway
- Get tested for food allergies and sensitivities that are harming your gut! FIT and potential pathogens or yeast overgrowth. CDSA. Sometimes we need to discover the root of what exactly is causing inflammation in your gut. Schedule your free consult to learn more.
Supplement Protocol to Heal Leaky Gut
Therbiotic Factor 6 Probiotics – 1 capsule daily with food. Must be refrigerated. 100 billion broad spectrum probiotic that replenishes good bacteria and crowds out bad bacteria that could be causing harm.
Digest Complete – take 1-2 capsules with each meal. These are digestive enzymes that will break food down properly, lowering the chance that undigested foods particles inflame the gut wall. Only take with larger meals, not needed for snacks.
L-Glutamine Powder – 1 scoop mixed in water before bed on an empty stomach. L Glutamine is an essential amino acid necessary for the growth and repair of your intestinal lining. Plan to stay on this at least 3 months.
ION Biome – 1 tsp 3 times a day before meals. This magic or “dirt” water repairs the leaks in the gut lining. Plan to stay on this for at least 3 months.
At SeeBeyond Medicine we are experts at healing the gut. Please reach out and schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can best help you heal your gut and feel better!
Please consult with a physician before following any of our protocols or schedule a free consult with SeeBeyond Medicine.
Best,
Dayna Arena, RN
SeeBeyond™ Medicine