Now Lets Take A Look At The 4 Different Levels
- Level 1 this is where youll find the 3 main types of food that you can eat like crazy. They are so healthy that theres no need to count calories!
- Level 2 here youll see the 8 groups of food that you can eat often . Youll find some of the tastiest foods included here, which hopefully makes this diet much easier to stick to.
- Level 3 & 4 this is where youll discover 5 more types of food, which you can eat occasionally IF you can tolerate them. Further below, Ill talk about how to test yourself to see if you can handle them.
To make sure this food poster is super handy for you, I will now go through each level in detail, including telling you exactly how much to eat of each level. This portion control can make a huge difference.
Side note some of the foods fit into multiple categories. For example, avocado could be in 3 different categories. And so Ive placed foods wherever they make the most sense.
And for a few foods, Ive added them to more than one category .
Ditch All Sugars And Dairy Except For Some Gut
First I asked you to ransack your house and bin all the grains and legumes.
Now Im asking you to find anything with sugar or dairy in it, and add that to the scrapheap as well! By the end of today youll probably have no food left in the house
But thats alright.
In fact, the process of elimination is without doubt the most important step towards healing your leaky gut and feeling great again.
Channel Your Inner Dalai Lama And Cut Work Stress Out Of Your Life
For the majority of us, our main source of stress is work.
And as we know, chronic stress is one of the top 5 causes of leaky gut, because it has a crippling effect on digestion and in general makes it very hard for your body to fight off the bad bacteria and yeast overgrowth causing leaky gut.
Not to mention the inflammation that flares up because of leaky gut.
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Symptoms And Associated Conditions Of Leaky Gut
Problems and imbalances in our gut can cause more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating or diarrhea, they can be the root cause of many chronic health problems. Leaky gut has even been associated with hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and hashimotos thyroiditis, diabetes, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, and skin conditions, just to name a few.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed below, you could have leaky gut.
Symptoms of leaky gut include:
- Bloating and fluid retention
- Autoimmune diseases
Consider A Megadose Of L
First of all, its worth explaining that L-Glutamine is just an amino acid . And in fact, it is the most abundant amino acid naturally found in our blood!14
But heres the cool thing about it
you see, just like protein powder feeds your muscles so they can repair and grow stronger, L-Glutamine can fuel your gut lining15 so it too can repair damaged cells and come back healthier.
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What If You Dont Like The Taste Of Bone Broth
Then try some flavorless collagen protein powder.
You see, heres the cool thing for those of us that dont want to be sipping on bone broth all the time
it turns out you can actually enjoy the secret ingredient in bone broth in powder form. And most interestingly of all, recent studies are showing it can be much more effective than food due to higher absorption rates of the amino acids in collagen6.
Heres A Chart Of The Most Popular Foods That Contain Wheat:
Youll hopefully join me in a moment of sadness as we see some of the all time tastiest foods included above, like bread, cereal, pasta, pizza, cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, beer etc.
If you are Celiac or otherwise significantly gluten intolerant , you should also try to avoid wheat-derivative products like couscous, durum, semolina etc and products containing trace amounts of gluten especially hidden as fillers, eg sauces, soups etc.
Dr Perlmutter has an extensive list of foods that contain gluten, including in small amounts.
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How Candida Can Impact Leaky Gut
And eventually they may even end up finding their way into our organs and tissue , which can lead to chronic conditions developing over time.
Plus, under this kind of constant attack the gut lining is never going to be able to heal. Instead it will remain hyper-permeable, i.e. leaky.
So for us leaky gutters, chronic candida overgrowth is thus something to take seriously and to watch out for.
Diseases Associated With Leaky Gut
There are some common digestive diseases as well as diseases found in other parts of the body that are often associated with leaky gut. These include conditions like Celiac Disease, Crohns Disease, and irritable bowel syndrome , or inflammatory bowel disease , as well as diabetes and liver disease. Many of these are considered autoimmune diseases or contain an autoimmune component. Autoimmune responses have been shown to be made worse by the presence of harmful substances that enter the bloodstream from the intestines. When these substances cross the intestinal barrier, the body recognizes them as foreign or harmful objects to be attacked through an immune response. Food allergies are another condition associated with leaky gut that can result in digestive issues and serious health problems. Heartburn, acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease commonly occur due to food allergies and food sensitivities.
The immune system is also central to preventing other serious diseases like colon cancer. While research is still underway, scientists do know that the immune system is directly influenced by the makeup of the microbes and bacteria in the gut. There is a connection to be made and better understood the importance of maintaining a healthy digestive system, even in relation to causes and risk factors for serious diseases such as cancer.
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Why Is Aptt Prolonged In Antiphospholipid Syndrome Usmle
The aPTT test is prolonged when there is a deficiency of certain clotting factors or when heparin is presenttwo conditions that carry an increased risk for bleeding. In contrast, when the aPTT is prolonged due to interference from antibodies to phospholipids, the patient actually has an increased risk for thrombosis.
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Taking Medications That Damage Your Gut
Medications are the double-edged sword of our modern world. Some are life-saving and non-negotiable. Yet there are other gut-damaging medications such as antibiotics, oral contraceptives, and NSAIDs that can do more harm than good and get in the way of fixing leaky gut.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are one of the most over-prescribed medications. Nearly half of all outpatient prescriptions are unnecessary, according to the CDC. They work by blocking bacterial processes by either killing the bacteria or stopping them from multiplying. Unfortunately, antibiotics cannot tell the difference between the bad bacteria causing an infection and the good bacteria that belong in your gut. As the number of good bacteria in your gut decreases, you become susceptible to gut infections including Candida overgrowth and SIBO, which can contribute to leaky gut and interfere with leaky gut treatment.
Oral Contraceptives
Oral contraceptives or birth control pills contain synthetic hormones such as ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone, which are not recognized or broken down by the body in the same way natural estrogen is. Birth control pills also disrupt your internal balance of Candida by causing something called estrogen dominance meaning too much estrogen in the body. Candida cells have the ability to permeate your gut lining, causing leaky gut. When working to fix leaky gut, talk to your doctor about alternative methods of contraception.
NSAIDS
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How To Diagnose Leaky Gut
The gold standard to test gut barrier function is the lactulose/mannitol urine test. This is a non-invasive test, thank goodness. Your role is to drink a sweet solution that contains two types of sugars lactulose and mannitol and then to collect a urine sample. Then the lab will test your urine to see which of those sugars show up.
When your gut is healthy i.e. not leaky lactulose is too big to be absorbed directly by the lining of your small intestine. However, if your gut function is compromised, the lactulose sugar can sneak through and be absorbed, kind of like your puppy sneaking through a loose board in the fence. More lactulose present in the urine signals a more leaky gut.
The mannitol is absorbed by the gut lining, but if the gut is damaged, it is not able to absorb as much of the sugars. So in this case, less mannitol means more damaged gut tissue and less surface area.
Together, the ratios of sugars present in your urine after drinking the sugar solution lets your doctor know how well your gut is functioning is it leaky or is the surface area in good condition to absorb the nutrition from your food? .
Consider Eating Smaller Meals And Matching Food Groups Better
When trying to repair your leaky gut, attention to detail matters. Thats why even the more trivial ideas are worth trying out.
So with this idea Im basically suggesting
- Eat 4-5 small meals a day, as opposed to 3 big ones. A day of eating would then look something like: green hulk shake , snack , small lunch , afternoon snack and dinner .
- Combine food groups smartly. This is pretty easy when youre eating a leaky gut diet. i.e. the foods that are hard to combine are pretty much out. But just in case you are eating fruits , make sure they are eaten as much as possible by themselves or at least away from heavy protein meals.
Now with all of that said, it is worth noting that I am not completely sold on eating smaller meals and more often.
Thats because I do like the thinking behind 2-3 meals a day only, since this gives the digestive system plenty of time for breaks.
So like with all ideas on this list, it really comes down to personal experimentation and seeing what works best for your digestive system.
IDEA #29
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Do I Need A Supplement
According to research published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, there is some evidence that probiotics can improve the function of your gut and even help reverse leaky gut, but long-term studies are still needed. There is not a single study to date suggesting that probiotics are harmful.
Probiotic supplements are more like a fertilizer that communicates to your existing gut bacteria. It can regulate the pH and cross-talk to other bacteria, increasing short-chain fatty acids which is the food for the gut cells and help regulate inflammation and the immune system of the gut, says Dr. La Vella. Transitioning away from processed foods and toward whole foods is usually enough to keep your gut healthy.
Herbal supplements may be helpful in certain situations, but arent necessarily a quick fix.
I think of supplements as medications there is always a risk and a benefit. I prefer to think about restoring ecosystem balance rather than supplementing to cover up a bad dietary or lifestyle choice, says Dr. La Vella.
S To Fix Leaky Gut And Heal Autoimmune Problems
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Leaky gut is probably a term that you have heard increasingly often lately, and its no wonder with modern-day societys diet of excessive carbohydrates and sugar.
Were going to tell you what it is and give you 5 steps to fix leaky gut and heal autoimmune problems!
Its a rash, its a pain, its . an autoimmune problem!
According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, one in five Americans has an autoimmune disease.
Although autoimmune problems can manifest as issues in certain areas of the body or conditions that affect specific organs, researchers theorize that these diseases begin in the gut .
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What To Expect From Our Holistic Approach To Gut Health
The BeBalanced, BeRenewed Gut Restoration program provides a comprehensive approach to gut health, ensuring our clients success long-term.
As with any of our program, the first place we start is with education and continual support. When it comes to leaky gut, it is important to us that you understand the root causes of your symptoms while providing you with an easy to follow, clearly defined process for healing your body. You will work directly with one of our trusted Natural Hormone Balancing Specialist, who will keep you on track, motivate you, and support you every step of the way even beyond your regularly scheduled check-in appointments.
Next, we tackle your diet, as this will be the foundation of the healing process. For the first 30 days you will follow what we call an elimination diet eliminating all inflammatory foods that can irritate your gut and contribute to permeability. This is not a calorie restricting diet by any means, but dont be surprised if you lose a few pounds in the process !
The BeRenewed Gut Restoration program supplements are essential to fixing leaky gut.
With Over 100 Hours Of New Research This Is The Most Accurate Leaky Gut Diet List
I really wanted to make sure this pyramid is accurate and fits us leaky gutters like a glove.
So I spent a lot of time with the team finding important subtleties in the existing dietary framework.
For example, prebiotic foods are in level 2 of the pyramid. Theyre great! But some may not be.
eg prebiotic foods like asparagus are high in FODMAPs and thus may not play well for many of us with temporary or ongoing FODMAP tolerance issues.
So to make the prebiotic food category really helpful, Ive only included low FODMAP prebiotic foods as examples.
These subtle nuances can make all the difference in helping your gut heal.
Another example of all the new research thats gone into this food pyramidprobiotic foods.
Youll see theyre a foundation of the diet. But once again, not all probiotic foods are created equal. In fact, within specific probiotic foods eg sauerkraut there are differences worth distinguishing.
For example, red cabbage based sauerkraut is significantly lower in FODMAPs than white cabbage sauerkraut. As a result, red sauerkraut makes the list of examples, not white sauerkraut.
Throughout the pyramid Im trying to simultaneously simplify and optimize the leaky gut diet for you.
Attention to detail matters. And I hope you love it.
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Testing For Leaky Gut
If you want to heal your leaky gut, you first have to know if you have one. Symptoms are often attributed to other conditions. The good news is that there are tests that can determine if you have a leaky gut.
One of the more accurate tests is the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test . This tests the levels of zonulin in your blood, which gives a biomarker of how much intestinal permeability there is. Dr. Alessio Fasanos research showed that gluten triggers the release of zonulin. Zonulin is a chemical that signals the tight junctions of your intestinal wall to open up, creating intestinal permeability, or a leaky gut. Higher than normal levels of zonulin is an indicator of a leaky gut. Optimal levels of zonulin are 22.3 to 161.1 ng/mL.
Another way to test for leaky gut is to find out if you have a food sensitivity. The best way to discover your food sensitivities is to complete an elimination diet. An elimination diet is a short-term eating plan with the goal of pinpointing exactly which foods are causing the uncomfortable, painful, or mysterious symptoms you are experiencing.
Anatomy Of A Leaky Gut
Most of the problems associated with leaky gut syndrome occur in your small intestine, but all the organs of your digestion are involved and impacted. The information here is compiled from Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, coauthor of Real Cause, Real Cure, and Liz Lipski, PhD, CCN, author of Digestive Wellness.
Mouth: Not chewing food thoroughly can be a setup for digestive troubles. Mechanically breaking your food down to a liquid state makes your stomachs job easier. It also mixes in digestive enzymes that begin dissolving proteins, carbs, and fats even before you swallow.
Stomach: Your stomach digests food with enzymes and acids, distilling it into a slurry that moves into the small intestine. If digestion is incomplete, food particles enter the small intestine. And if the gut lining there is irritated, those particles can pass into the bloodstream, setting the stage for inflammation and food sensitivities. Incomplete digestion can negatively affect your assimilation of nutrients and encourage the overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeasts.
Large Intestine: As your large intestine continues to break down food, the colon extracts water from the slurry for use elsewhere in the body. A solid stool of waste forms and is sent to the rectum. In the absence of adequate fiber, however, elements of slow-moving waste can reenter the system, creating a variety of inflammatory and toxicity problems throughout the body.
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