Leaky Gut Diet

Include

Bottled spring water
Brown Rice
Beans & Legumes:
Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), Mung beans, Lentils, Millet & Amaranth (beans and legumes may cause a problem for some people who following a gut repair program, particularly if you suffer from an autoimmune disease. So, you should consult a doctor before consuming these foods).
Seaweed
Eggs/Egg yolks (pasture raised)
Coconut Meat & Coconut Products:
Coconut oil & coconut milk etc
Ghee: (clarified butter)
Olives
Organic, grass-fed and free-range meats and bone broths
Organic/free-range chicken & turkey
Wild-caught omega-3-rich fish:
i.e. anchovy, salmon, tuna, mackerel, and herring etc.
Pea protein:
A great alternative to whey or casein, and it’s also is less inflammatory. Additionally, pea fibre acts as a prebiotic and it’s lower in lectins than other types of vegan protein.
Fermented foods & probiotics:
Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, pickled beets, brine-cured olives, miso, kvass, coconut kefir, coconut yoghurt, non-dairy or goats milk kefir, goat milk yoghurt, amasai, (A2 casein - from cows that are 100% organic and grass-fed), goat/sheep butter and raw goat/sheep cheese.
Healthy/good fats:
Unrefined avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, unrefined coconut oil and fish oil
Vegetables:
Artichoke, asparagus, avocado, arugula, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, cucumber, eggplant, escarole, endive, ginger, jicama (Mexican turnip), kale, mushrooms, potatoes, radish, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, turnips, yam, watercress, and zucchini.
It’s better to steam your vegetables, as well as providing valuable vitamins, this will help you break down fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Vitamin D rich vegetables can help you to reduce the inflammation in your GI tract.
Fruit:
Apples, bananas, blueberries, coconut, grapes, kiwi, lemon, limes, mandarin, oranges, passionfruit, papaya, raspberries and strawberries.
Sprouted Seeds:
Flaxseeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds
Nuts (raw & unsalted):
Pistachios, walnuts, almonds and nut-based products - i.e. nut milk.
Apple cider vinegar:
This can help you to balance your stomach acid levels. (Don’t take this if you’re already taking prescription medication to reduce stomach acid).
Gluten-free Oats: A good source of gentle fibre.
Raw Cacao: This dairy-free treat contains lots of friendly bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus).
Herbal teas:
Chamomile, dandelion, fennel, ginger, marshmallow root, peppermint, slippery elm, pau d'arco, licorice/liquorice root, green and black tea.
Prebiotics: Dandelion greens, garlic, gum Arabic (sap from the acacia tree), jicama, onions & Resistance Starch: raw green banana flour, organic potato starch & inulin powder.

Avoid

White rice
Corn
Gluten
Wheat
Spelt
Un-sprouted grains
Soy/Tofu
Caffeine
Dairy:
Cow’s milk, cheeses and ice cream etc
Tap water
Refined Sugars & Artificial Sweeteners: (aspartame, saccharin & sucralose).
(You can replace these with natural sweeteners like coconut nectar or green leaf stevia).
Synthetic food additives
Margarine
Hydrogenated oils & Trans-fats
Refined vegetable and unsaturated oils:
Canola (rapeseed), corn oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil and soybean oil.
Conventional dairy
Processed meats:
Bacon, hamburgers, hot dogs, deli meats, and processed breakfast sausages etc.
Baked goods:
Brownies, cakes, cookies, muffins, pastries, pies, tarts, pizza etc
Junk food:
Crisps/potato chips, candy bars/chocolate bars and sugary cereals etc.
Snacks:
Crackers, donuts/doughnuts, muesli bars, pretzels, popcorn, etc.
Sauces & Dressings:
Hoisin sauce, salad dressing, soy sauce and teriyaki sauce etc.
Drinks: Alcohol, carbonated beverages and sugary drinks.

Whole Foods, Fermented Foods & Fibre

It’s important to consume plenty of whole foods and fermented foods. Your body needs this type of food to repair any damage to your gut. Whole foods contain essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients. Fermented foods should be a key element of your diet, as this fuels gut health.
Fibre is another ingredient that is crucial for gut health. So, you will need to eat fibre-rich foods on a regular basis. This is what the small intestine needs in order to heal. It will enable you to rebuild new healthy tissue. The ‘include’ and ‘avoid’ list below should help you with your leaky gut syndrome meal plan.

Vegan, Pescatarian & Anti-Inflammatory Diets

Vegan, pescatarian and anti-inflammatory diets are recommended. In terms of a pescatarian diet, the essential oils, (omegas) contained in fish are highly beneficial. The elimination of dairy in a vegan diet will also have a positive effect on your leaky gut condition. Some people also believe that the exclusion of meat from your diet may also relieve the symptoms of leaky gut. Studies have shown that following an anti-inflammatory diet will improve your gut motility. This type of diet includes foods that reduce inflammation and excludes foods that trigger inflammation.

GAPS Diet

The GAPS diet is an elimination diet. Some people believe that it can improve digestion and help to heal the gut. It promotes the inclusion of essential fatty acid supplements and probiotics. It also recommends taking Vitamin A supplements and digestive enzymes. Other recommendations include eating organic foods, fermented foods, (so long as you’re able to tolerate them) and eliminating processed foods. As the GAPS diet is extremely restrictive, (which may result in malnutrition), you are advised to consult your doctor first.

Candida Diet

The candida diet will fight the overgrowth of yeast in your body. It usually starts with a candida cleanse. This part of the process involves eliminating yeast, sugar, dairy and white flour from your diet. Eradicating candida will be extremely beneficial for your gut health. As part of your cleanse you may want to try Bentonite Clay. This is good for flushing toxins out of your system and it also promotes digestion.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting can help you to heal your gut. This process involves intermittently eating and then refraining from eating for periods of time. Intermittent fasting impacts positively by restoring gut balance and reducing inflammation. It offers you the opportunity to get relief from the symptoms of leaky gut syndrome. You’ll be able to strengthen the gut barrier function, and this ultimately supports recovery.

Juicing

Juicing is good for promoting a healthy digestive process. It can help you to repair your leaky gut and reduce inflammation. Juicing will remove most or all the fibre from vegetables and fruits. Green juice is great and pure celery juice is highly recommended. The benefits of celery juice include; the promotion of your natural stomach acid (which helps you digest your food), constipation relief, a source of Vitamins A, C and K, electrolytes, potassium, magnesium, iron, beta carotene and calcium. In addition to this, it’s a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Therefore, it can help fight the symptoms of leaky gut when consumed on a regular basis.

Leaky Gut Sensitivities

As different people experience different symptoms and sensitivities, some people may not be able to tolerate certain foods on the ‘include’ list. For example, people with autoimmune disease may want to consider limiting or avoiding nuts and seeds and eggs. We, therefore, recommend that when you consume a suggested food, that you pay close attention to how your body reacts. If you experience any unwanted symptoms, you should stop eating that food immediately. It’s also recommended that you consult a doctor regarding any foods that you are unsure about.

Leaky Gut - Diet, Supplement & Lifestyle Changes

In order to keep leaky gut away you will need to implement lifestyle changes and support your diet with appropriate supplements. Drugs can contribute to leaky gut, so, try to avoid taking NSAIDs, antacids, antibiotics and other unnecessary drugs. Even taking ‘the pill’ or corticosteroids can be problematic for your gut, including causing gut flora imbalances. You may not have a choice when it comes to taking some drugs, so, it’s important to discuss this with your doctor first.
If you are committed to cutting down your drug intake, natural remedies can be very beneficial. Meditation, acupuncture, and breathing exercises can also help with pain.

Nutrients & Supplements

The following products might be helpful for you. However, be sure to consult your doctor before taking vitamins or mineral supplements:

Vitamin A: Helps tissue growth and enables gut repair and cell development. It also reduces excessive inflammation.

Vitamin A: from Now Foods

Vitamin A from Bluebonnet Nutrition

B Vitamins: Helps the stomach and intestines to function correctly. This, in turn, enables good digestive health.
Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant. It plays a role in protecting cells and aiding their growth and development. Coupled with collagen, it can also aid intestinal barrier regeneration.

Organic Acerola Powder (Vitamin C) from Perfect Supplements

Raw Vitamin C from Garden of Life

Catie's Organic Whole Food Vitamin C Plus from Catie's Organic

mykind Organics Vitamin C Organic Spray from Garden of Life

Vitamin C from California Gold Nutrition

Liposomal Vitamin C from Dr Mercola

Ester-C Plus, Vitamin C from Solgar

Vitamin C Powder from California Gold Nutrition

Vitamin D: To boost your immune system, reduce inflammation and preserve the intestinal integrity. This will help heal leaky gut. It is also thought to play an important part in holding the intestinal lining together, therefore helping to prevent the onset of leaky gut syndrome.
Selenium: Helps to fight inflammation in the gut and protects any potential damage to the gut lining.
Magnesium: Reduces inflammation and relaxes muscles in the digestive tract, including the intestinal wall. This helps to improve digestion and neutralizing excess stomach acid. As a result of this moves stools through the intestines more easily.
Zinc: Helps to preserve the quality of the intestinal wall and heal leaky gut.
Quercetin: Taking this supplement will enhance gut barrier function and help to heal leaky gut. (Take reasonable amounts of this supplement only for a short time). Quercetin is a flavonoid which is also found in foods like apples, onions and kale. It is an antioxidant with anti-allergy properties.
Collagen: A protein which helps to re-establish the gut lining.

North Atlantic Marine Collagen: from Landish

Gelatin: Much like collagen, this protein can help heal leaky gut. It does this by reducing inflammation and providing amino acids (i.e. glycine). This then helps to strengthen the gut lining. We recommend this grass-fed beef gelatin, (Vital Proteins) that can be purchased on Amazon.
Amino acids: (L-glutamine, L-proline, L-serine, L-cysteine, L-threonine). We recommend that you consult a doctor before taking amino acid supplements. There have been some concerns about L-glutamine supplements (isolated glutamine). So, you may wish to consume digestible sources of glutamine instead. This can be found in foods like meat, bone broth, fish, eggs, spinach, parsley and cabbage etc.
Coenzyme Q10: This is an anti-inflammatory which is can reduce any tissue damage caused by gut pathogens. It is an antioxidant/essential natural nutrient which is also produced by the body. Taking this supplement can, therefore, replace what is lost in the leaky gut syndrome. It can cause a few side effects and have a negative interaction with blood thinning drugs. So, we recommend consulting your doctor before taking it.
Digestive enzymes: For short-term use only: this alleviates some of the stress on your gut.
Marshmallow root capsules: Helps fight leaky gut syndrome – see herbs and spices section.
Liquorice/Licorice root capsules: This ensures that you’re able to maintain homeostasis for your hormones. This is important in preventing cortisol from overtaking your system. Therefore, allowing you to fight off leaky gut syndrome.
Aloe Vera: Helps to improve digestion and alleviates the symptoms of constipation and heartburn. It is effective in reducing inflammation and toxicity, promote healthy bowel movements and improves gut bacteria. You can try it the powder, pill or juice.
Fish Oil: This is full of essential fatty acids that aid inflammation reduction. It will help to speed up the process of healing leaky gut.Krill Oil from Dr Mercola

Omega-3 Fish Oil from Sports Research

Omega-3 Premium Fish Oil from California Gold Nutrition

Omega-3 Fish Oil from Now Foods

Omega-3 Fish Oil from Solgar

*There is some scientific evidence for these benefits, but more research is needed to corroborate them, and they should not replace professional medical advice or treatment. It is also essential to note that while many individuals have found these products to be beneficial, every body is different and may react differently to them. Before starting use, it is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional. We must clarify that the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these claims.

Herbs & Spices

Garlic: A great source of vitamin B6, C, and minerals. It also has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Garlic will allow you to keep the levels of ‘bad’ bacteria in your gut to a minimum. It can also aid you in combating candida (yeast) overgrowth in your gut.
Ginger root: This flowering plant will help reduce inflammation. It will also promote the production of your digestive juices and stomach acid. It is highly effective in helping to break down food and move it through the gut.
Curcumin: (from turmeric) - It prevents inflammation and heals leaky gut.
Peppermint: Can reduce inflammation in your gut and help to soothe an upset stomach.
Pau d'arco: Fights Candida and inflammation. It also has immune-boosting properties that will help to heal leaky gut.
Dandelion root, fennel and liquorice/licorice: These all have cleansing and digestive properties.
Marshmallow root: This moistens the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. It coats the stomach lining with flavonoids that combat inflammation. This then lowers the risk of leaky gut syndrome.
Slippery Elm: This will help alleviate symptoms of leaky gut syndrome. It’s a lot like marshmallow root, whereby it coats the intestines. This helps to protect the intestines from any potential damage. Slippery elm also contains antioxidants which help fight off symptoms of leaky gut.

Essential Oils

You can use essential oils to help reduce inflammation and boosting your immune system. They are hugely beneficial for balancing the bacteria in the gut and fighting off harmful pathogens. This all contributes to the promotion of a healthy gut and the resulting repair of the gut walls.:

Follow the Amazon links for the best essential oils for gut health: Peppermint, thyme, caraway, cardamom, clove and ginger essential oil are great for healing your gut naturally.