Repairing Leaky Gut Using Food as Medicine
Gut Health
Our gut has a huge influence on our health, both mentally and physically.
Ever have a gut feeling that symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, aching joints, brain fog, stubborn weight, depression/anxiety, and food sensitivities are somehow related? Leaky gut might be the culprit.
What is Leaky Gut?
Intestinal permeability or leaky gut is a constellation of symptoms intimately related to the health of cells that line the digestive tract. Imagine the gut as a long tube that runs from the mouth to the rectum. This one cell thick wall acts as a fortress to keep the outside world inside the tube, insulating the body from potential threat from bacteria, virus, fungi, pollutants, toxins, harmful chemicals, certain foods, and stress hormones. If this barrier is breached, or when the tight junctions between the cells breaks down, information in the tube leaks through the gut and enters the body, alarming the immune system, contributing to a host of symptoms.
How to Treat Leaky Gut?
Supplements can be helpful, but diet and nutrition play an important role in healing the gut lining, so reach for your fork and read on to learn how to eat your way to a happier gut and improved health.
Recipe for Healing
1.) Probiotics
Think of these as beneficial bacteria with benefits. Probiotics help maintain intestinal integrity by moderating how quickly food passes through the body. They aid in the production of vitamins and help to make short-chain fatty acids, a primary fuel source for immature colon cells. By feasting on undigested fiber, probiotics help to neutralize xenobiotics, or substances foreign to animal/human life. They have anti-inflammatory properties and help to strengthen the inner layer of the intestines.
Probiotics are naturally occurring in foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and other fermented foods. Start your day with sugar-free yogurt topped with fresh berries and grain-free granola. Or use sauerkraut/kimchi as a condiment to meats at an evening meal. Short-term supplemental probiotics, such as Megasporebiotic, may also be beneficial.
2.) Vitamins
Vitamins A and D play a central role in preserving the integrity of the tight junctions between cells along the GI tract. These fat-soluble superstars maintain the integrity of the gut lining and support the immune system and gut microbiota. The body readily converts sunlight into vitamin D, but you can also get it from eating salmon, sardines, egg yolk, liver, mushrooms, or fortified food. Vitamin A can be found directly in animal foods such as liver, fish oil, beef, eggs, and milk. Plants contain precursors to vitamin A as beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A. Enjoy orange-colored produce such as carrots, sweet potato, orange peppers, cantaloupes, as well as broccoli, squash, and spinach. Try a spinach salad with leftover roasted broccoli and hard-boiled eggs for an easy meal rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin D.
3.) Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in varying amounts in fruits, roots, and leaves, as well as whole grains, nuts, seeds, lentils, and legumes. Increasing fiber intake is associated with lowering cholesterol and improving constipation. But it’s also key for maintaining gut integrity. When the microbiota feast on fiber, the microbes produce short-chain fatty acids or SCFA. These metabolites go on the become a fuel source for colonocytes, or infantile colon cells, which mature to strengthen the gut wall. Besides promoting gut integrity, SCFA supports the immune system, plays a role in metabolism, manages inflammation, and prevents disease. Begin to incorporate more fiber in your diet by adding small amounts of lentils or beans on most days. For inspiration, see my lentil salad recipe.
4.) Polyphenols
Produced by plants to protect them from ultra-violate radiation or pathogens, polyphenols serve double duty as naturally occurring antioxidants with far-reaching benefits for the human body, including anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. In the gut, they can help to break down biofilms and improve the inner layer of the intestine by enhancing tight junctions. The simplest way to ensure sufficient intake is to include as many colors on your plate as you can. For example, start your day with a cup of green tea, add a cup of berries, cauliflower rice and a dash of cinnamon to your smoothie, and include a leafy green salad at lunch and dinner.
5.) Medicinal herbs
While the Western world uses a variety of herbs and spices to transform dining, much of the world still relies on traditional/herbal medicine to treat illness. Rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals, herbs and spices help to improve the intestinal barrier, alleviate dysbiosis, lower inflammation, and improve mucus production. The most studied herbs to support gut integrity include black tea, ginger, peppermint, marshmallow (the tea, not the candy), hibiscus (enjoy a cup of tea), and licorice. Incorporating these foods into your diet is as easy as a cup of tea. Or use ginger in stir fries and experiment with curries to tickle your taste buds and nourish the gut lining.
6.) Mushrooms
Mushrooms contain a wellspring of bioactive compounds, including vitamin D, selenium, polyphenols, and terpenes. They have gained a lot of publicity in recent years for their many healing benefits, including immune support and brain health, but they are also rich sources of prebiotic fiber that stimulate the production of SCFA, which supports the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Most studied mushrooms include Chaga, Turkey tail, King trumpet, Maitake, Lions mane, and Shiitake. Try a cup of Chaga or Turkey Tail tea or make a mushroom sauté with shiitake mushrooms. Try a cup of Chaga tea, or add ½ tsp dried chaga powder to a smoothie. Also, check out my Shiitake Mushroom Sauté recipe.