WHAT CAUSES LEAKY GUT?
- Poor diet
- Chronic stress
- Toxin overload
- Bacterial imbalance
The biggest damage is made by the proteins found in un-sprouted grains, sugar, GMO’s and conventional dairy.
The problem with un-sprouted grains is their large amounts of nutrient blockers called phytates and lectins. Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that act as a natural defense system for plants and they protect them from invaders like mold and parasites. This is good news for plants but bad news for your body. Your digestive lining is covered with sugar-containing cells that help break down your food. Lectins move towards this area and when they connect to your digestive lining, they damage your gut and cause inflammation. Some of the lectins and foods that cause leaky gut are wheat, rice, spelt and soy. GMO and hybridized foods have lots of lectins because they have been modified to fight off bugs.
Conventional cows milk contains a harmful protein called A1 casein. Also, the pasteurization process of the milk destroys many vital enzymes and makes sugars such as lactose very difficult to digest.
Sugar will feed the growth of bad bacteria, which will further damage your gut.
Other Factors that Cause Leaky Gut
Chronic stress: It weakens your immune system and in order to reduce it, you should sleep more, exercise and hang out with positive people.
Toxins: We come into contact with over 80,000 chemicals and toxins every single year, but the worst are antibiotics, pesticides, tap water, aspirin, and NSAIDS. You should buy a high-quality water filter to eliminate chlorine and fluoride and use natural plant-based herbs to reduce inflammation in your body.
Dysbiosis: One of the leading causes of leaky gut is dysbiosis, which is an imbalance between beneficial and harmful species of bacteria in your gut. The overuse of antibiotics, tap water with chlorine and fluoride, and the lack of probiotic rich foods contribute to this imbalance.
THE 4-STEP PLAN TO HEAL LEAKY GUT
1. REMOVE foods and factors that damage the gut
2. REPLACE with healing foods
3. REPAIR with specific supplements
4. REBALANCE with probiotics
THE LEAKY GUT DIET AND 5 HEALING FOODS
- Bone Broth – Bone Broth contains collagen and the amino acids proline and glycine that can help heal your damaged cell walls.
- Raw Cultured Dairy – Contains both probiotics and SCFA’s that can help to heal the gut. Yogurt, amasai, butter and raw cheese are the best.
- Fermented Vegetables – Contain organic acids that balance intestinal pH and probiotics to support the gut. Sauerkraut, kimchi, and kvass are a good choice.
- Coconut Products– They are good for your gut. The MCFA’s in coconut are easier to digest than other fats and can be very helpful.
- Sprouted Seeds – Chia seeds, flaxseeds and hemp seeds that have been sprouted are great sources of fiber and can help the growth of beneficial bacteria. But if you have a severe leaky gut, you will need to get fiber from steamed vegetables and fruit.
- Also, consuming foods that have omega-3 fats is very beneficial (grass-fed beef, lamb and wild-caught fish like salmon).
TOP 5 SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEALING LEAKY GUT
- Probiotics help to replenish good bacteria and take out bad bacteria. You should consume probiotics in both food and supplement form.
- Digestive enzymes (one or two capsules at the beginning of each meal) ensure that foods are fully digested, and decrease the chance that partially digested foods particles and proteins can damage your gut.
- L-Glutamine – Glutamine powder is an essential amino acid supplement that is anti-inflammatory and necessary for the growth and repair of your intestinal lining. Take 2–5 grams twice daily.
- Licorice Root (DGL) is an adaptogenic herb that helps balance cortisol levels and improves acid production in the stomach. Take 500 milligrams twice daily.
- Quercetin improves gut barrier function by sealing the gut because it supports the creation of tight junction proteins. It also stabilizes mast cells and reduces the release of histamine, which is common in food intolerance. Take 500 milligrams three times daily with meals.
Sources: draxe.com, webmd.com