To start, ‘Leaky Gut’ is a broad term many use to describe different types of gastrointestinal symptoms which may encompass other systemic problems like anxiety or fatigue, so it’s important to understand what’s really happening in the body and what’s at stake.
Although leaky gut isn’t a formal name the medical profession recognizes, there are times when your gut can start to become more permeable. That can cause unpleasant symptoms and consequences.
Diet and exercise are the two key areas you can focus on which can have a major impact on your gastrointestinal system. Some people might also need more direct medical treatments for leaky gut syndrome. Now, onto how to fix a leaky gut.
What Is a Leaky Gut and Leaky Gut Syndrome?
What is a leaky gut? It happens when the tight junctions of our intestinal walls start to loosen. This can let harmful substances get into our bloodstream. This causes symptoms and general health problems known as leaky gut syndrome.
Leaky gut is a condition that may lead to widespread inflammation and start an immune reaction. All of this can cause us to feel unwell and sluggish.
What Are Leaky Gut Symptoms?
Certain unhealthy foods can lead to an inflammation of the lining of your intestine causing leaky gut symptoms. This, along with other factors, can create a series of issues that have become associated with a leaky gut.
Symptoms of Leaky Gut
A bloated sensation
An excess of gas
Regular cramps
Chronic diarrhea or constipation
A deficiency of key nutrients
Tiredness and lethargy
Headaches and problems with concentration
Joint pains and widespread inflammation
Skin conditions such as eczema and acne
There are plenty of things you can do to mitigate these symptoms of leaky gut.
A Plan to Change Your Leaky Gut Diet
The best plan is to cut down on fatty, fried, or processed foods because these are key contributors to leaky gut problems and resulting in wide-ranging symptoms. A little more caution on those unhealthy foods along with some more nourishing alternatives may be in order. Consider adding these foods to your leaky gut diet:
Gluten-free oats, whole-grain bread, and brown rice
Fruits such as bananas, berries, citrus fruits, pineapple, and papaya
Sunflower, chia, hemp, and pumpkin seeds
Olive oil and avocados as sources of fat
Plenty of grilled fish rich in omega-3
Yogurts and other cultured dairy products
Nuts and nut milks
Fresh vegetables including kale, ginger, spinach, and cabbage
Alcohol Affects Gut Health
As a general rule excessive drinking will damage your digestive system. If you are drinking more than two alcoholic drinks a day you should try to cut down. Alcohol can cause intestinal inflammation and adversely affect your digestion and gut health. If you need help controlling your drinking, speaking with a doctor is an excellent start.
Identify Food Sensitivities to Reduce Symptoms of a Leaky Gut
If you're eating food that starts an allergic reaction, your gastrointestinal system is likely to suffer. You might not have a full-blown allergy, but when you’re sensitive to a type of food it can increase symptoms of a leaky gut.
Identifying a food you’re highly sensitive to can take time. It often comes down to trial and error. A good place to start is with gluten and dairy products. That’s because these are common causes of inflammation of the bowel.
Remove gluten and dairy from your diet for two weeks. Keep a diary and note down any changes you might notice to your general well-being. You can also ask your doctor for allergy tests.
Be Cautious About Restrictive Diets
There are a whole host of diets recommended to treat gastrointestinal symptoms. Some are highly restrictive.
It’s possible your doctor may have diagnosed a gastrointestinal condition other than leaky gut. If this is not the case, it’s unlikely you will need to go on a diet that cuts out certain foods or food groups completely.
Bear in mind that doing so might cause nutritional deficiencies which could make your symptoms even worse.
Drink More Water and Eat More Slowly
It’s important to always drink plenty of water because this reduces the stress on your digestive system. Dehydration can also be a contributing cause of chronic diarrhea.
When you don’t drink enough water, you might cause inflammation of the intestinal lining. This can lead to leaky gut symptoms such as bloating and cramps.
If you drink a glass of water after every meal, you will help flush out toxins and help the digestion of the food you’ve just eaten.
Taking time to eat regular meals is also important. Chew your food slowly and completely before swallowing. Make time to eat healthy food three times a day.
How to Fix a Leaky Gut with Exercise
Learning how to fix a leaky gut can start with an improved diet. This often needs to go hand in hand with taking inventory of your physical fitness, and more exercise is often something that can help. Obesity puts added stress on the digestive system. It can cause a leaky gut and many other intestinal problems.
If you’re experiencing intestinal pain, talk to your doctor so that you have a diet and exercise plan that is appropriate for your condition and one that will help you maintain a more healthy weight.
Here are some low impact exercise tips that can help:
Take a 15-minute walk after light meals to help the digestive process
Wait for up to an hour before going for a walk after a heavy meal
Aim to incorporate at least 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine, and start with brief sessions
Stick to low impact exercises such as swimming, walking, and cycling
Remember that mild-to-moderate exercise will increase blood flow to your digestive system. This can be a good thing for the health of your digestive tract.
How to Heal a Leaky Gut with Yoga and Mindfulness
Healing a leaky gut oftentimes means taking a holistic approach by incorporating a range of solutions. Certain yoga poses such as twists and folds can help the digestive process. They can bring relief to leaky gut symptoms such as bloating, gas, and constipation.
Stress is a common contributor to some gastrointestinal symptoms, and if you already have symptoms, stress can make things feel worse. Meditation techniques such as mindfulness are likely to have a positive impact on your digestive system and can help to reduce stress as well. This is why many people like to keep yoga and mindfulness as part of their lifestyle after experiencing the relief after temporarily trying to incorporate them into their day for a specific reason, like dealing with stress, or body pain.
Deep breathing exercises increase the amount of oxygen your body delivers to your vital organs. Increased blood flow to all of your organs is a free and easy way to prioritize your body’s overall health, including the health of your digestive tract.
Discuss Treatments with Your Doctor
It’s important to let your doctor know about any symptoms you’re experiencing which could be the result of leaky gut syndrome.
If you’re in Los Angeles and would like to make an appointment with me you can do so here.