What exactly is leaky gut syndrome?

The term “leaky gut syndrome,” also known as intestinal permeability, is a term we hear quite often these days, but what does it really mean? The leaky gut syndrome occurs when the gut lining is damaged or compromised and cannot function as a barrier wall to foods, bad bacteria, and toxins. This is when we start looking for a leaky gut diet plan to help us heal.

In a healthy individual, the walls of the intestines have very small openings to only allow water and nutrients that our bodies need to absorb for energy, growth, and tissue repair. When these small holes get bigger due to the kinds of food we eat, they allow gluten, undigested food particles & bad bacteria to get through and enter the bloodstream. This disrupts the gut flora from too much bad bacteria leaking in and causes chronic inflammation that affects not only the digestive system but other organs as well. 

What causes leaky gut to happen?

The leading cause of leaky gut syndrome is something called dysbiosis or bacterial imbalance. Leaky gut foods to avoid are gluten, processed and fast foods, sugar, GMO foods, alcohol, and dairy products. Read below for a quality leaky gut diet plan!

A diet for leaky gut should include the following healthy gut foods:

1. In season fruits like bananas & berries, vegetables like broccoli, carrots, beets, spinach, ginger, mushrooms, yams and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi.
2. Making your own yogurt recipe or a quality organic plain Greek (no sugar) yogurt
3. Making your own “Leaky Gut Bone Broth” recipe or a quality boxed pasture-raised chicken or grass-fed beef bone broth. 
4. Healthy fats that include avocado, olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil (unrefined and cold-pressed)
5. Pasture-raised/grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish
6. Turmeric is great for leaky gut as it’s anti-inflammatory and contains curcumin, which has been known to reduce inflammation in the gut lining. You can add it to your food daily.

Leaky Gut 1-day Sample Menu:

Breakfast: blueberry, spinach, avocado smoothie

Lunch: organic mixed green salad with pasture-raised hard-boiled eggs

Dinner: seared wild-caught seared salmon with an organic green salad (homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing) and Japanese yam wedges

Snack: a palm-size mix of pistachios, pecans, and walnuts

FAQ about Leaky Gut Diet Plan:

1. What foods should you avoid for leaky gut? 

          -gluten, soy, sugar, processed foods and alcohol

     2. What’s the fastest way to heal leaky gut? 

         -reduce stress, change to a leaky gut diet 

3. Are bananas good for leaky gut? 

          -They are. Bananas help stabilize gut bacteria and reduce inflammation.

4. Does oatmeal help with leaky gut? 

          -Oats are a prebiotic, which feeds the good probiotic bacteria in your gut. They contain beta-glucan fiber, which is linked to healthy gut bacteria. 

Leaky Gut Syndrome has sadly become as well-known a term as the common cold or flu due to the number of people suffering from it daily. Healing the gut naturally can be done, but you must be willing to change your eating habits with gut-healing diets. For some, this can prove to be difficult as we get addicted to certain foods, but gut-healing diets do help and are worth the effort. Eliminating inflammatory and processed foods as well as fast foods, gluten, sugar, and alcohol, is essential and key to gut health.

So, the question is…do you want to continue feeling lousy and staying in extreme discomfort when you eat, or do you want to feel better and get on with living a healthy life? Contact Dr. Dady at the Center for Health & Healing to learn more.