Healing a Leaky Gut

HOW DOES OUR GUT GET LEAKY?

NEUROLOGICAL: AGEs (advanced glycation end products), Intestinal inflammation, Autoimmunity
HORMONAL: Thyroid imbalance, sex hormone imbalance, cortisol (chronic stress)
STRESS: Decreased stomach acid, Catecholemines, Cortisol (Chronic or acute)
INFECTIONS: H.Pylori, Bacterial overgrowth, yeast overgrowth, intestinal virus,parasitic infections
MEDICATIONS: NSAIDS, Corticosteroids, Antibiotics, Antacids,Xenobiotics, Chemotherapy & radiation
DIET: Alcohol, grains, dairy, legumes,anti-nutrients, processed foods, sugar, fast foods, trans/damaged fats


SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

GI DISTRESS: Constipation, Diarrhea, Pain, Bloating, Gas
NUTRIENT MALABSORPTION: Undesired weight loss or weight loss resistance, fatty acid deficiency or vitaman and mineral deficiency
COMPROMISED IMMUNITY: frequent colds, flu, intense seasonal allergies or inflammatory responses

REMOVE THE FOLLOWING:
Processed and refined foods
Alcohol
Grains
Legumes
Dairy
Refined seed oils
Sugar

If you have already removed those foods: remove nuts, seeds, coffee and eggs as a next step

REPAIR

• Eat Omega 3 fatty acids to balance out the naturally high omega 6 diet that most of us eat.
• Eat soluable fiber, starchy vegetables or fruits like sweet potatoes, butternut squash and plantain
• Drink herbal teas like peppermint, licorice root to aid in repairing the mucosal lining of the digestive system.
• Supplement with amino acid L-glutamine in water between meals to help with gut lining repair (5-8g per day)
• Supplement with omega 3 and fat soluble vitamin rich fermented cod liver oil/butter oil blend 1/2-1t per day
• Supplement quercitin a powerful antioxidant to help with inflamation and DGL to promote the repair of the mucosal lining of the gut.

REINOCULATE

• Eat probiotic foods like raw sauerkraut or fermented foods/vegetables
• supplement with probiotics in pill or powder form

REINTRODUCE

• Eat one of the eliminated foods at each of your meals on day 31.  after the elimination and note any changes to your mood, energy, mental clarity, digestive function and your skin.  Repeat the reintroduction of one eliminated food every 3 days to discoer which are causing problems and which are not.  (the reintroduction of gluten containing grails is not recommended