HOW TO SUPPORT LEAKY GUT
Step One – Removal
Remove any possible aggravations to allow the lining to heal. That includes drugs with side effects that cause intestinal wall damage such as anti-inflammatories, any common food allergens/intolerances, whether you think they bother you or not, any food that tends to cause you digestive disturbance. Stress is also a significant contributing factor, so reduce stress factors as much as possible. Remove foods that feed the opportunistic bacteria in the gut, such as sugar, starches, and dairy.
Step Two – Repair
Eat foods that support the good bacteria in the gut, such as fermented vegetables and drinks, for example, sauerkraut, kombucha tea, and coconut water kefir.
Take supplemental pro-bacteria such as HMF Multistrain Genestra Probiotic.
Take special nutrients known to support the gut lining, such as Restore for Gut Health and Slippery Elm Bark Nutritional Supplement
Natural anti-inflammatory products such as Turmeric/Curcumin (like Nature’s Edge® curcu-gel®) and Glutathione may also help.
Taking enzyme supplements such as Digestive Enzymes may help support the breakdown of food and ultimately help in gut healing.
Program for Supporting Leaky Gut
The Repair program is an aggressive and complete program designed to break the vicious cycle of leaky gut and support intestinal health related to nutritional deficiencies.
It consists of a restricted dietary program and nutritional supplements required for 10 to 60 days to address intestinal inflammation and help restore intestinal membranes.
The program may be needed for 30-60 days for more progressed cases and can be conducted for as few as three days for quick recovery after exposure to intestinal food sensitivities.
Length of Repair Program
- Average Leaky Gut Program – 10 days
- Moderate Leaky Gut Program – 20-30 days
- Severe Leaky Gut Program – 30-60 days
- Acute Repair Program – 3 days
The regimen requires a rigorous dietary program necessary to support the intestinal membranes. The dietary restrictions are not caloric, so quantity is not an issue. You can eat whenever you are hungry but must eat only from the list of allowed foods.
LEAKY GUT DIET OVERVIEW
Any intestinal repair program requires a strict diet necessary to support intestinal membrane health. The dietary restrictions are not caloric (not based on the quantity of food), so you can eat whenever you are hungry. However, you must only eat from the list of allowed foods. The goal of the dietary program is to remove specific known dietary triggers that may cause intestinal inflammation and provide the nutrients necessary to support healthy intestinal microflora. The dietary restrictions include sugary foods and starchy carbohydrates, which promote intestinal yeast overgrowth; inflammatory proteins (dairy, gluten, etc.); inflammatory lectins and alcohol.
You can eat foods with high fiber content, such as vegetables and low glycemic fruits. Shirataki or Miracle Noodle is not only allowed but an excellent non-calorie, high-fiber option. You can also eat foods with healthy essential fatty acids such as olives, olive oil, and fish. Eating fermented foods will also support the health of the intestinal microflora and proteins such as lean meats that are not inflammatory. Red meats are the inflammatory ones.
Make a solid attempt to eat frequently to support balanced blood sugar levels. It would help if you never allowed yourself to be hungry during the Repair Program. However, you may have urges to eat foods on the restricted list. Those must be avoided at all costs.
The complete avoidance of restricted foods cannot be overemphasized. Even small snacks or bites of inflammatory foods can create an immune reaction in the intestinal membranes.
It would help if you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
LEAKY GUT DIET
Foods To Avoid
- Sugars – including corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, honey, chocolate, candy
- High Glycemic Fruits – watermelon, mango, pineapple, raisins, and canned fruits
- Grains – including gluten, wheat, oats, rice, barley, buckwheat, soy, corn, wheat germ, spelt, amarath, kamut, millet, quinoa, etc.
- Gluten-containing compounds – including processes salad dressings, ketchup, soy sauce, barbeque sauces, condiments, modified good starch, etc.
- Dairy – including milk, whey, eggs, cheeses, creams, mayonnaise, etc.
- Soy – including soy milk, soy sauce, soy protein etc.
- Alcohol – including beer, wine, sake, cognac, liqueurs etc.
- Lectins – including nuts, beans, soy potatoes, tomato, eggplant, pepper, peanut oil, soy oil, etc.
- Nightshades – tomatoes, potatoes, all peppers including chilis, eggplant, tomatillos, goji berries
- Coffee
- Processed Foods
- Canned Foods
Foods to Eat
- Most vegetables (except tomato, potato, and mushrooms) – including anise, artichoke, asparagus, beets, bok choy*, broccoli*, Brussel sprouts*, cabbage*, carrots, cauliflower*, celery, chives, cucumbers, garlic*, kale, kohlrabi*, leeks, lettuce, onions*, parsley, radishes, rhubarb, shallots, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, water chestnuts, watercress, yams, zucchini.
- Fermented Foods include kimchi, kombucha tea, pickled ginger, sauerkraut, unsweetened coconut, and yogurt.
- Bone Broth – avoiding the fat as needed
- Meats – including fish, chicken*, turkey*, beef**, lamb**, organ meats, etc. Buy organic, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and grass-fed where applicable. Fish should not be farm-raised but wild with low mercury content. Avoid very high mercury-containing fish such as swordfish, most tuna, and king mackerel.
- Low Glycemic Fruits -apples, apricots, plums, peaches, pears, cherries, berries, grapes, lemons, etc.
- Coconut – including coconut oil, coconut butter, coconut milk, unsweetened coconut flakes, and unsweetened coconut yogurt.
- Noodles – brown shirataki yam noodles (from Asian grocery stores).
- Herbal Teas – uncaffeinated
- Herbs and Spices – including basil, black pepper, cilantro, coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, sea salt, thyme.
- Olives and Olive Olive
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Notes:
*Many people with gallbladder disease will have a hard time with these foods. Try them with caution. As your gallbladder heals they become easier to handle. Those prone to gas may also be affected.
**Limited amounts of these foods for gallbladder people.
Anything that is allowed on this diet is NOT ALLOWED for you if it causes you any negative symptoms. Avoid it for the duration of the program.
Protein powders should be avoided for the duration of this diet, including Pea Protein Powder.
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