The biggest way to tell if your leaky gut is healing is when your energy and vitality have returned, you've regained mental clarity, your mood has improved, you've returned to your ideal weight, and you feel like your best self. It's important to remember that, as with most health concerns, gut health is on a spectrum.
We recommend staying on the diet for at least 3-4 weeks as it will take about that long to “heal the gut.” Some patients may take up to 3 months to reestablish a normal functioning intestinal mucosa.
To heal the gut, most people need to first implement an anti-inflammatory diet and make lifestyle changes to prioritize rest, relaxation, and joy. Next, probiotics and (in some cases) digestive aids like enzymes and betaine HCl are helpful to increase good gut bacteria and strengthen digestion.
"Leaky gut syndrome" is said to have symptoms including bloating, gas, cramps, food sensitivities, and aches and pains. But it's something of a medical mystery. “From an MD's standpoint, it's a very gray area,” says gastroenterologist Donald Kirby, MD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic.
A balanced diet, complete with all the necessary macronutrients and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) can help fortify your gut. Vitamin D and an amino acid called L-glutamine may specifically help repair your gut lining.
Initial evidence suggests that intermittent fasting may benefit your gut health, particularly by increasing the diversity of your gut microbiome and the “good” gut bugs that make their home there. Certain foods may improve your gut health while intermittent fasting, as well as help support you during fasting periods.
When someone has a 'leaky gut', it means that the gut lining is damaged and cannot optimally function as a barrier any longer. The smaller holes become larger and allow harmful substances like gluten, bad bacteria, and undigested food particles to enter your system and cause considerable damage to health.
Leaky Gut Assessment (Intestinal Barrier Function)
Blood or stool tests for zonulin can indicate the presence of leaky gut. Blood tests can also show potential causes of leaky gut: high histamine, low DAO, antibodies to intestinal cells, and immune activation to bacteria.
What is it? While irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the gut-brain axis that causes stomach pain, irregular bowel movements (in form or frequency), and can greatly reduce the quality of life, a leaky gut is increased chronic permeability of the intestinal lining.
Three of the tests that your doctor may use to diagnose leaky gut syndrome are: intestinal permeability (lactulose mannitol) assessment. IgG food antibodies (food sensitivities) test. zonulin test.
Avoiding processed junk foods, alcohol, sugary beverages, refined oils, and artificial sweeteners may aid the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Cutting out foods containing gluten or common stimulants of digestive symptoms may also help.
Pastured kefir, yogurt, amasai, butter and raw cheese are some of the best options. Fermented Foods — In addition to fermented dairy products, fermented vegetables are some of the healthiest probiotic foods. They contain organic acids that balance intestinal pH and probiotics to support the gut.
Stay hydrated
One 2022 study also found that people who drank more water had less of a type of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal infections. Staying hydrated benefits your health overall and can help prevent constipation. It may also be a simple way to promote a healthy gut.
L-Glutamine
This amino acid plays a key role when it comes to maintaining the health of your gut lining. L-Glutamine is one of the best gut repair supplements out there, as it can help repair the right junctions between cells in the gut lining- which is important for those who suffer from leaky gut syndrome.
Since we're trying to reset the gut and activate autophagy—a process where the cells clean house, getting rid of old and damaged materials in order to look and feel younger—it's a great idea to fast for at least 16 hours one of these three days.
Include plenty of probiotic-rich foods like kimchi, kombucha, miso, or sauerkraut. Sometimes, you can also eat yogurt if you are not allergic to dairy. Try unsweetened sheep or goat yogurt. These are all foods that help your gut flora get and stay healthy.
Bacteria survive and thrive even in the harshest environments. Scientists have characterized species thriving in Antarctica, and even in deep-sea oil wells. Now, a study published in PNAS in August found that many bacteria can live without food for more than 1000 days.