Could Your Gut Health Be Suffering Because of Your Eating Habits?

Leaky Gut Syndrome is not a disease. There is no doctor who will say so. It isn’t even clear as to whether it is the cause or the effect of a condition. All true, but it doesn’t change the fact that leaky gut is something that really does happen, and when it does, it comes guns blazing. Just because it has a quirky name doesn’t make it any less potent.

What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

 The leaky gut syndrome is a condition that affects more Americans today and may even be the cause of incidence number hikes in conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune disease. An annoying and uncomfortable condition, a leaky gut is what happens when your digestive system stops functioning properly. If left untreated for long, it could cause several serious medical conditions in the future. Before we discuss the leaky gut, you must understand how the gut works and what causes the breakdown in the clockwork.

Ideally, when you ingest food, the food goes down to the stomach, where the digestive tract uses enzymes to break it down into compounds that the body can absorb and use. What’s left in the stomach is moved to the intestines, where they are broken down further by the gut bacteria and used as fuel for themselves and the host – you. The remains of the undigested food particles are sent to waste disposal. The intestine walls are semi-permeable with tight junctions in the walls. This means that the intestinal wall is such that it allows for water and nutrition to pass through the tight junctions while keeping larger molecules of undigested food, pathogenic bacteria, and toxins out of the bloodstream. This is called intestinal permeability. The rest is intense biology that we need not get into here but you get the essence of it. This is the role of the digestive tract – ingestion, digestion, and disposal of waste from the body.

There are only too many reasons why this system breaks down – we will see to that further on, but when that does happen, cracks open up in the intestinal walls. Where once, only the smaller nutritional molecules could pass through, the tight junctions now allow all sorts of harmful substances into the bloodstream. This causes inflammation in the gut and the body as a whole. Also, the bacteria that live in your gut are either good bacteria or harmful bacteria. The harmful bacteria manage to leave the gut through the new spaces in the intestinal walls and cause problems like gastrointestinal infections. The beneficial gut bacteria are affected by this and stop functioning properly, thereby affecting overall health. The larger particles that leave the digestive tract to trigger a reaction from the immune system, which incites an inflammatory response by producing antibodies which results in chronic disease.

This is Leaky Gut Syndrome.

How Do You Recognize Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Leaky gut symptoms vary from one person to the next as the composition of the gut bacteria is as unique as fingerprints. There are immediate gastrointestinal symptoms like:

• Bloating and gas
• Stomach cramps and pains
• Bowel movement irregularities – diarrhea or constipation

Because the gut influences other body systems, there is a definite impact on them as the intestinal lining deteriorates.

• Skin problems like rashes, eczema, acne, or hives
• Brain fog, fatigue, and mental health issues
• Mood swings and disorders
• Joint pains
• Food allergies like lactose or glucose intolerance
• Autoimmune diseases begin to show like celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory bowel disease.
• A weakened immune system leaves you susceptible to colds, touches of flu, etc.

The link between the bacteria that live in the gut and digestive health is a little more complicated. The health and diversity of the gut bacteria in the intestine are directly linked to the health of the intestinal cells and this relationship works both ways. The beneficial bacteria affect biological functions like the immune system, nutrient absorption, sleep, and neurotransmitter production. When the gut microbiome is disturbed, these functions are affected too. Because the bacteria thrive on prebiotic fiber that you consume, they produce short-chain fatty acids which positively influence the health of the gut lining and help with the prevention of disease.

Some bad gut bacteria live in the gut too and it is these guys who thrive on high-protein, low-fiber diets and produce compounds like ammonia that trigger digestive symptoms and cause potential harm. This could also lead to gut dysbiosis. When you consume diets like this, the bad bacteria become stronger and can multiply quicker – increasing in number while the good bacteria lack the resources to fight back. The composition of the gut flora changes for the worse and this is both the cause and effect of leaky gut syndrome. The bad bacteria release endotoxins which damage the intestinal lining causing increased intestinal permeability. It is a cycle of how damage creates more damage.

There are several reasons why you may develop a leaky gut. It could be excessive levels of stress, a lack of sleep, or the absence of exercise. But the main cause usually boils down to diet and what it is that you put into your body. Certain foods are good for you and a healthy gut.

• Vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, arugula, cabbage, spinach, mushrooms, and beetroot. These vegetables are fiber-rich foods that act as prebiotics for the healthy bacteria in the gut.
• Fruits like coconut, berries, kiwi, pineapple, apple, lemon, lime, banana, mandarin, etc. Fruits are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber – all of which are beneficial to gut health.
• Fermented foods like kombucha, miso, tempeh, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Such foods have probiotic content, which helps improve the diversity and numbers of the gut microbiota.
• Grains and seeds like rice, buckwheat, teff, sorghum, amaranth, chia seeds, flax seeds, and gluten-free oats. Again, these are fiber-rich foods.
• Healthy fats feed the probiotics in the gut like avocado, extra virgin olive oil, and omega-3-rich fish.
• Lean cuts of meat from lamb, chicken, beef, turkey, and free-range eggs ensure that you have enough amino acids and protein content to support optimum function.
• Dairy products that may or may not be fermented. Yogurt, cheeses, buttermilk, and kefir have excellent probiotic value. Dairy-free milk is also an option.

The list of what benefits your gut is massive and there are a lot of options available, whether you be vegan, vegetarian, or non-vegetarian; learn more about the best gut health foods. That leaves us with a much shorter list of what you must not eat if your gut health is ailing.

Making A Bad Situation Worse

From the get-go, you must understand that the gut microbiome is not a sturdy ecosystem. Even though the gut flora influences most of the body’s functions, it is extremely delicate and dysbiosis can result from repeated assaults from food habits.

Each digestive system is different as tolerances are built up over a lifetime of eating habits. And each person’s gut microbiota is different. This is why leaky gut is such a difficult condition to identify. What works for you may not work for the next. The same digestive issues could manifest varied symptoms.

There are some foods that are just bad for you and a leaky gut is perpetuated by them. Avoiding them would help improve gut health. These foods include:

1. Fried Foods
   Potato chips, burgers, chicken wings, nuggets, and French fries sound really good but are dripping with fat. Literally so. Meat fried in oil is high-protein and fat-rich. The digestive system has to work doubly hard to break these foods down so that they can be used by the body for energy. The use of excessive fats leads to the storage of the same, promoting obesity, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Such foods are also notorious for causing heartburn, peptic ulcers, and stomach aches. If you already suffer from gut dysbiosis, trans fats promote the growth of harmful bacteria which will increase intestinal permeability. Fried foods also increase the risk of liver disease.
   
   
2. Refined Oils
   What you are cooking with also impacts gut health. There are only too many choices now with alternates to originals and vegan versions of dairy products. There is evidence that suggests that vegetable oils cause increased intestinal permeability more than animal fats. Oils that have been treated with chemicals that are harmful to purification purposes are called refined oils. Usually, hexane is used. During the purification process, the PUFAs- polyunsaturated fatty acids in these oils turn into trans fats which the body cannot digest easily and the bleach used to deodorize the oils can’t help the gut much either.
   
   
3. Processed foods
   Research has proved that consuming large amounts of processed, junk food or snack foods can harm your microbiome. These foods encourage the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. Processed foods include any foods that have been treated with salt, sugar, chemicals, or additives to keep them fresher for longer. This includes almost everything in your refrigerator now. The study suggested that foods high in meat and fat content lead to higher colonization of pathogenic bacteria in the digestive tract leading to IBD, cirrhosis, and cancer. Processed foods contain high amounts of sugar that feed these bacteria and can also feed type 2 diabetes – an autoimmune disease linked to a leaky gut. High amounts of salt or additives are bad for overall health too.
   
   
4. Red Meat
   Foods that have high-fat content can clog up the intestines and have the colon release chemicals that ultimately lead to clogging of the arteries. Red meat is one such food. When consuming meat, it is always recommended to choose lean cuts and low-fat proteins like fish or chicken instead. Meats to avoid include beef, lamb, pork, veal, and goat. This principle also applies to processed meats like sausages, bacon, ham, and deli meats. Diets that are rich in red meat have been found to cause changes in the gut lining and in the bacteria that live there. The cumulative effects of red meat often led to obesity, diabetes, colon cancer, heart diseases, or stroke.
   
   
5. Alcohol
   Studies conducted on animals and human subjects confirm that alcohol increases intestinal bacteria. This growth is usually of the harmful kind and alcohol also destroys the mucosal lining of the intestines that act as a layer of protection. Alcohol also causes poor digestive and intestinal functioning.
   
   
6. Artificial Sweeteners
   Artificial sweeteners became all the rage when calorie counting and weight loss became a mass movement. However, saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame, all used in such sweeteners, cause an unhealthy increase in the pathogenic bacteria E. coli and E. faecalis. These bacteria are responsible for worsening digestive health and the metabolism of nutrients.
   
   
7. High Fructose Foods
   If you have a sensitive digestive tract, you probably should stay away from fruits that contain lots of fructose – fruit sugars. Even though the fruit may be a great source of pectin- fiber, these sugars may deteriorate overall digestive health.
   
   
8. Lactose or Gluten
   These are selective triggers and can cause harm only to a few but when they cause reactions, you may feel gassy or bloated. Dairy contains two beneficial strains of bacteria – lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, both of which support gut function. But intolerance to lactose can create a definite decrease in their numbers in the gut. Gluten causes a reduction in the production of cytokine-bacteria output. This leads to a shift for the worse in the gut.
   
   
9. Refined Carbohydrates
   Processed carbs and sugar together make for a lethal combination for the gut. This leads to quick and potent dysbiosis leading to several issues with kidneys, heart disease, neuropathy, retinopathy, cancer, and even cognitive decline. The gut bacteria support all these functions and dysbiosis hampers them all. Also, processed carbs are harder to process, increasing the load on the stomach.

These are the leaky gut foods to avoid. When trying to heal a leaky gut, changing your diet is just part of the process. Intestinal permeability is affected by diet but also by several other factors. Lifestyle habits have to be changed along with the changes in diet.

Supplementation Recommendations

1. As you diligently avoid foods that exacerbate leaky gut syndrome, Biotics 8 can be a strategic ally. Its careful selection of probiotics and prebiotics helps reinforce your intestinal barrier, working in concert with your diet to mend and maintain the integrity of your gut lining.

2. Women should consider incorporating Yourbiology Gut+ into their dietary strategy to heal a leaky gut. Tailored to support the female digestive tract, this supplement aids in restoring the delicate balance of the gut microbiome, complementing the avoidance of harmful foods and promoting digestive wellness.

Cooking Better

It’s not just the food that causes the harm but also the way that it is cooked. Take sweet potatoes, for instance. You could boil them up and eat them with some vegan mayo – that’s ok. But if you choose to deep fry them in canola oil and eat them with nacho cheese – that isn’t so great.

Cooking is one habit that you can change. 

• Switch oils. Extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil is cold-pressed. Meaning that they have not been treated to high heats that alter the fats to trans fats. 
• Switch to lean cuts of meat that can be grilled, boiled, steamed, or baked. 
• Use spices or herbs to pick up the flavor profile or vegetable instead of using dipping sauces. 
• Save the bones of meats like chicken or beef and make homemade bone broth instead of readymade soups. 
• As much as you can, consume vegetables raw, braised, or steamed. This helps to keep the nutritional value intact and keeps the fiber intact, which helps the bacteria in the gut. 
• Replace butter with margarine or vegetable fats.
• The easiest way to cut down on fat is to use a non-stick pan. This almost eliminates the need for oil for frying or sauteing. Frying should be your last option- stick to roasting, baking, blanching, grilling, or steaming.

To heal a leaky gut, the best thing to do is get on supplements, find out more aboutthe 10 Best Leaky Gut supplements and seek further help if autoimmune diseases make an appearance. Changing your diet along with a natural gut health supplement helps the gut lining heal and support the probiotic numbers in the gut. Healing leaky gut syndrome is a process and it doesn’t rectify itself overnight. Patience is key and always keeps a healthcare practitioner or a dietician in the loop. Improving gut health means giving up smoking, alcohol, fast food restaurants, take-away meals, milkshakes, and frozen ready-to-eat meals. This calls for a lifestyle overhaul.   

A leaky gut diet preferably should consist of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains – these are all high fiber foods, lean meats, and fish – for omega-3 fatty acids, and fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, or miso. This would start the healing process by replenishing the probiotic numbers in the gut and also affect the diversity. The more diverse the strains of bacteria the more beneficial they are for the gut. Healthy fats feed the bacteria too and help reduce inflammation. These foods are also a source of vitamins and minerals which benefit overall health. Bone broth is also good for the gut; get more details about bone broth from here. With amino acid profiles, minerals, vitamins, and collagen, bone broth can greatly help improve intestinal permeability. Bone broth can also help with joint pain. 

A friendly leaky gut diet along with probiotic supplements should begin to make some difference to your digestive distresses. You can start the process by keeping your plate as colorful as ever during each meal.