Bloating, inflammation, skin rashes, food sensitivities/allergies, fatigue, constipation, depression – do any of these symptoms sound familiar? The likely cause is a poorly functioning “leaky gut.” Read on to understand why you have symptoms – and learn the Infinity Way for relief.
How does a “leaky gut” occur?
Your gut breaks down food into small particles so the body can absorb and use it. When inflamed, however, your gut becomes compromised and allows large, undigested compounds, toxins, and bacteria to pass through.
Image: When gut cells become inflamed, they allow bacteria, undigested, food and other compounds to flow into your blood vessels.
This causes flareups of symptoms like bloating, food sensitivities, fatigue, constipation, and more. Diet, lifestyle, medications, and infections can cause further intestinal inflammation. The damaged cells in your gut aren’t able to properly digest food and produce the enzymes necessary for digestion. This leads to malnutrition and other issues that can become worse if left unchecked. Let’s look at how a leaky gut can impact other parts of your body.
The “leaky gut” and “leaky brain” connection
Now that we understand leaky gut, we can explain its connection to a “leaky brain.” Just like the tight junctions of your gut that keep harmful proteins out of blood vessels, the blood-brain barrier’s (BBB) network of junctions protects (you guessed it), the brain. When the junctions become loose, harmful substances can cross the BBB and create inflammation. Research shows a strong link between the causes of a leaky gut (unhealthy diet, inflammation, toxins, infections, etc.) and the causes of a leaky brain. The good news is that you can turn your leaky gut and leaky brain issues around to experience relief! Let’s explore how.
Support intestinal health with the RepairVite Diet
The RepairVite diet is designed to break the vicious cycle of leaky gut. The program reduces intestinal inflammation and provides the nutrients necessary for healthy intestinal microflora. Think of it as a reset for your gut! You’ll need to eliminate foods and drinks that are destructive to the intestinal membranes. The dietary restrictions include high-sugar foods and starchy carbohydrates that promote intestinal yeast overgrowth, inflammatory proteins (dairy, gluten, etc.), inflammatory lectins, and alcohol. Our straightforward outline highlights foods that are good and bad for gut health:
Make sure to eat:
- Plenty of veggies and low-sugar fruits
- Meats like fish, turkey, chicken, beef, lamb
- Bone broths: These have strong healing superpowers because they are full of collagen, minerals, and other nutrients that give your gut what it needs to heal. Bonus: you can use it to cook meats and tasty greens.
- Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, and others that help you replenish your gut’s store of good bacteria and good yeast
- Good fats like nut butters (just not actual nuts) and high-quality olive oil
Be sure to avoid:
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Dairy: Eliminate butter and all other milk products. A few substitutes that work well are coconut oil, bacon fat, and olive oil.
- Eggs: There is a substance in eggs that can bind to proteins and steal them right out of your leaky gut.
- Sugar and high-sugar fruits
- Chocolate
- Grains or legumes, including gluten-free grains, peas, and peanuts
- Nightshades: Avoid white potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and all peppers.
- Nuts: Even though unprocessed nuts are off the table, nut butters are okay to eat.
- Seeds: This is on a case-by-case basis that can be determined by your functional medicine doctor.
The Infinity Way to reduce GI symptoms
You should strictly follow the Repair Vite diet for 3-5 weeks to eliminate offending foods, then begin to reintroduce them very slowly once your gut is restored. This helps establish a baseline for food sensitivities and future gut care. Follow our guide to determine food allergies at home – this will help you figure out which foods to avoid long-term. You can achieve impactful results with the right diet and mindset! Explore our 14-day sample menu with recipes included for easy meal planning. The most important step is to have the right mindset and remember that this process will help you feel healthier and stronger. Our team is trained to help heal your gut naturally and will work with you every step of the way. Schedule an appointment to get back to balanced.