Diet

Leaky Gut Syndrome Diet: Can A Leaky Gut Syndrome Be Treated With Diet?

Leaky gut, or leaky gut syndrome, is a condition that creates gaps in the lining of the intestinal walls. This allows food particles, bacteria and waste products to enter the bloodstream directly. However, eating foods that have a positive effect on gut bacteria and inflammation can help alleviate Leaky Gut symptoms. There’s also strong evidence that leaky gut is the leading cause of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes. Another problem is that this disorder can cause malabsorption of vital minerals and nutrients such as zinc, iron, and vitamin B12. This article describes Leaky Gut Syndrome and the foods that can affect it. We’ll also show you a brief nutrition plan that includes foods for improved digestive health.

Leaky Gut Test and Some Facts

slim woman holds her hands on stomach as a sign of healthy digestive tract

A proposed gastrointestinal disorder called leaky gut syndrome is currently the subject of much debate throughout the medical community. Some naturopaths even claim that a leaky gut could cause obesity in many people. So this is a common problem that could also be responsible for the disease. However, most doctors claim that there isn’t enough research to prove it is a legitimate problem. In some people, the physical structure of their intestines is compromised for a variety of reasons. The tight connections that control what materials the intestine absorbs don’t work properly. This allows small substances to get into the bloodstream, known as intestinal permeability.

Woman with abdominal pain due to leaky bowel at the doctor's examination

Doctors sometimes find increased intestinal permeability in people with Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, those receiving chemotherapy, and those who have high intestinal intakes such as aspirin and alcohol. The intestinal permeability is a symptom of these complaints, but not a cause. This does not lead to anything other than inflammation of the intestinal walls, but this is not leaky gut syndrome. In addition, research shows that increased intestinal permeability sometimes has positive effects. This would be, for example, the improvement of the water and nutrient absorption as well as the activation of the immune system.

Lectins and Other Causes

Drawing depicting leaky gut syndrome nutrition heal leaky bowel

Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are abundant in plant foods like tomatoes, legumes, and some dairy products. They are supposed to bind the cell membranes of certain tissues of food and prevent their proper digestion by humans. This could then additionally lead to the toxicity of lectins and an inhibition of the digestive system. If you consume these in smaller amounts, the digestive system will get by. However, foods with large amounts of lectins can be problematic for the intestines. Some of these that could cause Leaky Gut symptoms are wheat, rice, einkorn, and soy. Sprouts and fermented foods contain fewer lectins, which makes them easier to digest. However, genetically modified and hybrid foods have the highest levels of lectins. Gluten-containing cultures could also damage the lining of the intestines, possibly creating a leaky intestine. That is the right nutrition against leaky intestines.

e koli bacteria as a cause of leaky gut

Ordinary cow’s milk is another food that can crack the intestinal walls. The component in dairy products that can damage the intestines is the protein A1 casein. Pasteurization also destroys vital enzymes, making lactose very difficult to process. Sugar is another substance that damages the digestive system. Sugar feeds the growth of yeast and bad bacteria, which can further damage the intestines. Bad bacteria actually create toxins called exotoxins that damage healthy cells and create the aforementioned holes in the intestinal wall. According to a 2018 review, low gut bacterial biodiversity can lead to increased permeability and inflammation. This can even increase your risk for various medical conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease and obesity. So people can benefit from a diet that increases the diversity of bacteria in the gut. This likely involves consuming more prebiotic and probiotic foods that aid the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria.

Treat Leaky Gut with Diet

Dairy products can lead to leaky well and a leaky bowel needs to heal

Eliminate certain foods and factors that can damage your gut. It is important to eliminate allergens and flammable foods such as some convenience foods, added sugars, GMOs, refined oils, synthetic food additives, and conventional dairy products. The main toxic exposures to avoid are some toxins in tap water, pesticides, and antibiotics. However, always ask your doctor first before considering such a diet, otherwise you could be depriving your body of important nutrients. Replace harmful substances in food with ones that have healing properties. This allows a permeable intestine to be healed, as such foods are easily digestible and have a positive effect on the intestinal mucosa.

List of suitable foods

sauerkraut kimchi and other fermented vegetables as well as hot paprika for better intestinal health

bone broth contains, for example, collagen and the amino acids proline and glycine. These contribute to the healing of damaged cell walls.
Fermented dairy products contain both probiotics and short-chain fatty acids, which can also help heal the intestines. Kefir, yogurt, and raw cheese are some of the best probiotic foods.
Fermented vegetables contains organic acids that balance the pH of the intestine to support it. Sauerkraut, kimchi, and yeast are excellent sources.
coconut and all such products are especially good for intestinal health. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconuts are more easily absorbed than other fats, so they have a positive effect on permeable intestines. For example, coconut kefir also contains probiotics that aid the digestive system.
Germinated seeds such as chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds are excellent sources of fiber that can aid beneficial bacteria to grow. If your bowels are not permeable when you are mirrored, but you still have symptoms of Leaky Gut, you may need to start getting fiber from steamed vegetables and fruits.
Healthy fats and the consumption of unsaturated fatty acids in moderation such as egg yolks, avocados, butter and coconut oil is easily processed from the intestines and promotes healing. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in anti-inflammatory foods like beef, lamb, and wild fish like salmon.
fruit can also be consumed. For example, you can stew apples and pears to make homemade apple puree or fruit sauce. It is best to eat the fruits in the morning and not later in the day. Their uptake is therefore to be maintained in moderation. If your bowel is leaky, we recommend 1-2 servings of fruit per day.

healthy food use natural products as a leaky gut therapy

Other foods that can improve your gut health include:

Vegetables like eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and zucchini
Fruits like blueberries, grapes, oranges, papaya and strawberries
Nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, cashews and pine nuts
lactose-free dairy products and milk alternatives, including hard cheese, lactose-free milk and plant-based milk alternatives
Grains like oats, corn, rice, and quinoa

Dietary supplement against leaky gut

packaging with probiotics different types of probiotic food supplements

The leaky gut treatment plan includes many natural supplements that can aid your digestive health and protect your colon from further damage. For example, there are six useful supplements for leaky gut such as probiotics, digestive enzymes, L-glutamine, licorice root, shilajit, and rose hip.

Probiotics (50-100 billion units per day), however, may be the main dietary supplement you should be taking as it will help replenish the good bacteria and drive out the bad. It is recommended to take it both in food form and as a supplement. Look for strains like Bacillus clausii, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces boulardii, and Bacillus coagulans.
Digestive enzymes ensure complete absorption of food and reduce the likelihood of partially digested particles and proteins damaging the intestinal wall.
L-glutamine is critical to any leakage bowel treatment program. As a powder, it is a basic amino acid that is anti-inflammatory and is necessary for the growth and repair of the intestinal lining. One of the benefits of L-glutamine is its protective effect. It covers the cell walls and acts as a repellent against irritants.
Licorice root is an adaptogenic herb that balances cortisol levels and improves stomach acid production. Licorice root also improves the body’s natural processes to maintain gastric and duodenal lining health. However, this herb is especially helpful when irritable bowel syndrome is caused by emotional stress. In addition, it improves the way cortisol is produced and metabolized.
Shilajit Mumiyo is a medicinal herb widely used in Ayurvedic medicine that can protect against stomach ulcers and reduce inflammation caused or worsened by leaky intestines.
Rose hip root has antioxidant and antihistamine properties. These make it a great addition to Leaking Gut Syndrome.

Possible nutrition plan for leaky intestinal walls

stimulate digestion with fewer lectins and more fermented fruits and vegetables

This last section covers some simple meal ideas to improve colon health. However, some people may find that certain foods cause more leaky gut symptoms than others. You can do this by keeping a food journal to track your eating habits and identify potential triggers. Just take a look at the next examples of Leaky Gut recipes to find a suitable menu of the day for you.

breakfast

oatmeal with blueberries and honey as well as nuts such as almonds and cashews

A bowl of Greek yogurt with blueberries, strawberries or kiwi.
Oat flakes with water or lactose-free milk and berries of your choice.
Add an egg or two to sourdough toasted bread.

Lunch and dinner dishes

Lekeres stir-fry lemon chicken with basil, cherry tomatoes and leaky olives treat well with diet

Combine mixed greens with sliced chicken breast, carrots, tomatoes, and grated parmesan to make a salad.
Use eggs, broccoli, tomatoes, and a protein of your choice to make frittata (Italian omelette) (optional).
Mix together beef, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper and zucchini noodles for delicious pasta dishes.
For example, lemon chicken can be served with grilled chicken breast, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.
Grill or fry salmon fillet and serve with a side salad.

Suitable snacks for in between:

Rice waffles coated with peanut butter
Grapes and brie
Let the oat flakes steep overnight with strawberries or dark chocolate chips
A mixture of almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts

Human bodies standing side by side with organs shown leaky gut symptoms

Leaky Gut Syndrome can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea and gas. If you think you may be suffering from it, you can try changing your diet to relieve the symptoms. Not everyone reacts in the same way to different foods. As mentioned above, you can try keeping a food journal to identify foods that cause leaky bowels. You should also consult a doctor if your state of health does not improve despite the above-mentioned change in diet and a possible Leaky Gut therapy is necessary.