Leaky gut, or “intestinal permeability” is a condition that causes damage to the wall of the small intestine.

In a healthy small intestine, the ‘tight junctions’ that line the wall of the small intestine are able to absorb and assimilate food and nutrients into the body while blocking any foreign substance.

In a leaky gut, however, these tight junctions become damaged.  Foreign substances such as undigested food particles, waste products, and bacteria “leak” through the walls of the intestine and into the bloodstream.

This degradation leads to a decrease in the intestinal enzymes needed for proper digestion. Meanwhile, the immune system is triggered to build IgG antibodies to these “foreign” molecules that don’t belong.

This causes an autoimmune response that makes it very difficult to digest the common foods you love!

Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome

The immune response to these invaders can present as any of these 9 signs and symptoms:

• Chronic diarrhea, constipation, gas, or bloating.
• Food allergies or food intolerances.
• Poor immune system.
• Headaches, brain fog, memory loss.
• Excessive fatigue.
• Skin rashes and problems such as acne, eczema, or rosacea.
• Cravings for sugar or carbs.
• Joint Pain or Body Aches.
• Mood imbalances such as depression and anxiety.

What Causes Leaky Gut Syndrome?

How does someone get to this very uncomfortable point?

Here is a quick break down of some of the most common causes of Leaky Gut that can help navigate the “WHY” behind gut permeability:

• Stress: Chronic stress is a contributing factor to multiple gastrointestinal disorders, including leaky gut.
• Repeated ingestion of inflammatory foods: Most common being gluten, dairy, alcohol, and sugar
• Gut Infections: Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth (SIBO), Candida overgrowth, parasites due to contaminated foods, water, or soil.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): The long-term use of NSAIDs like ibuprofen can increase intestinal permeability and contribute to leaky gut.

How Can You Support a Healthy Immune System?

The good news is that it’s possible to drastically improve digestive health with these four stages (or four R’s) of gut healing.

Following the Four R’s in the order provided can ensure long-lasting results.

Throughout each stage, herbs like ginger, turmeric, and peppermint can soothe any bloating or discomfort.

Stage 1 (Remove) - It’s time to remove any suspected culprits! The patient should eliminate any suspected food sensitivities from their diet, such as excessive yeast growth (candida), suspected parasites, and inflammatory foods such as FODMAPs, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, and soy.

During stage one, the patient should enjoy easily-digestible foods such as soups, stews, and bone broths.

Are you looking for a simply way to identify food triggers? Check out this Food & Mood Journal that can help bring awareness to eating patterns, as well as provide some clues as to what your body may be reacting to.

Stage 2 (Replace) -  Aiding digestion with “helpers” appears to be highly beneficial in improving gut health outcomes. Ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, and bitter foods such as arugula, dandelion, and radicchio as well as enzymatic-rich foods like papaya and pineapple can boost gut health during this transition.

Stage 3 (Reinoculate) - Restoring the good bacteria in your gut by incorporating prebiotic foods (soluble fibres; apples, beans, potatoes, etc) and probiotic foods (sauerkraut, fermented veggies, organic tempeh, miso, etc).  In addition to foods to rebuild good bacteria in the gut, whole foods diet should be emphasized while gradually reintroducing food groups that were previously eliminated to prepare the digestive system for Stage 4.

Stage 4 (Repair) -  Congratulations on making it this far! This is no easy feat! Stage 4 is the  Mega TLC stage - our favorite! Here, we support the gut by giving it all the nutrients it needs to repair itself. Emphasis on high antioxidants, bioflavonoids, EFA’s and liver supportive foods are added in addition to the gut healing hero, Glutamine.  Pre and pro-biotic foods will continue as a part of a solid gut supportive foundation.

Support the Digestive System with Our Gut Healing Program.

Sometimes starting at the beginning of any protocol or gut healing journey can be overwhelming. You know something’s up in your body, but playing Sherlock on a daily basis can make your head spin. Gluten-Free this, Egg-Free that, and what the heck are FODMAPs?….It can be hard to know where to start.

That’s why we’ve put together the Meal Garden Gut Healing Program — to support all 4 stages of digestive healing. Click here to gain access!

Leaky Gut

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