In recent years, there have been more conversations and awareness around a condition called leaky gut, or dysbiosis. Leaky gut refers to an inflammatory condition where the cells of the gut become permeable, allowing particles to pass through the gut lining into the bloodstream. When foreign particles that have not gone through the proper digestion pathways enter the bloodstream, this can elicit an immune response. Many people experience allergy-like symptoms, psoriasis, brain fog, fatigue, eczema, and altered digestion. To manage and heal a leaky gut, try the following tips:

Food First

Take out any foods that can cause an underlying immune or inflammatory response. The best way to start is by eliminating the most common foods that are linked to inflammation – dairy, gluten, and sugar. You can go further by also eliminating nightshades as those can lead to low-grade inflammatory responses in many people. I like to take a food-first approach since it is the most cost-effective and the best way to see how your body will respond. After about eight weeks of “eating clean,” you can begin to reintroduce one food at a time and see how your body responds. It’s best to keep a food journal to track your symptoms.

Boost Diet

After taking out the foods that cause issues, load your diet with healthy and healing foods. Eating clean should not feel limited or restricted. Focusing on a variety of vegetables, complex carbs, healthy fats, and high-quality proteins can give your body everything it needs to stay healthy and support digestion. Here are some additional tips:

• Cooked vegetables are easier to break down if digestion is altered.
• Adding fresh, organic turmeric (about ½ inch) into shakes and smoothies can help with inflammation.
• Hemp seeds give the body a good source of anti-inflammatory fats.
• Berries are a great source of sweetness and nutrients without high levels of sugar.

Get Tested

A functional medicine practitioner or certain primary care physicians can run tests that analyze stool and blood to gain a better insight into how your digestive tract is working. A stool test looks at inflammatory markers, gut diversity, malabsorption, and zonulin levels. High zonulin is often linked with leaky gut. Running blood panels can uncover food allergies or sensitivities that trigger immune or inflammatory responses in the body. Removing these foods will help with alleviating symptoms and healing the gut.

Add in Healing Supplements

Starting with the basics can help improve the health of the digestive tract. I like to look at supplements as a boost to a healthy diet. They don’t always work well on their own, but when you combine them with a healthy diet, the benefits are enhanced. If you’re interested in adding supplements to your diet, here are a few to look into.

• L-Glutamine – Fuels the cell lining of the digestive tract and can help soothe and repair the gut. The best part of L-glutamine is the fact that it’s an amino acid, so if your body doesn’t use it all for your gut, it can be used in other metabolic processes.
• Digestive Enzymes – Sometimes, we need a little extra help breaking down certain foods. There are many reasons why our own enzymes can be low, but adding in some additional ones before meals can help ease bloating, digestive discomfort and symptoms of leaky gut.
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Boosting anti-inflammatory fats can help decrease inflammation in the body. Find a high-quality fish oil supplement to increase your intake of omega 3 fatty acids.

Manage Stress Levels

Stress is an area that is often overlooked when making healthy changes. You can have the healthiest diet, but if your stress level is high, your digestion will be impacted negatively. Finding time in your day to disconnect and wind down is one of the best ways to heal your body. “Shutting down” the sympathetic nervous system has a wide array of health benefits and can help ease symptoms of leaky gut.

Leaky gut is becoming more prevalent in our society as access and quality of food change. It’s important to not only take a look at the foods you are eating but to also consider supplements and stress management. Taking the right tests and changing your lifestyle can have a huge impact on leaky gut and the way you feel!