The 4 Worst Things for Leaky Gut

Published September 27, 2015

Your gut is a semi-permeable organ; this means things can pass back and forth into your body. Normally, what passes through are good things. Sometimes, things like poor diet, stress, or toxins can lead to a condition called intestinal hyperpermeability. ^[1] Basically, your gut has become too permeable because of irritation, and partially undigested food and toxins can pass back into your bloodstream. This can lead to a lot of health issues, but there are things you can do to plug up that leaky gut. Changing your diet is one great place to start.

4 Things That Worsen Leaky Gut

Do you know the 5 worst things if you currently have leaky gut? Well, you should definitely make it your goal to avoid these.

1. Alcohol

Alcohol suppresses production of hormones called prostaglandins, which help keep irritation in check. ^[2] A low supply of prostaglandins can, then, lead to sweelling in the gut. Drinking alcohol can also keep necessary nutrients from flowing back into the bloodstream. If you have leaky gut, avoiding alcohol altogether is your safest bet.

2. Sugar

Sugar can cause leaky gut because any amount of sugar can actually "feed" yeast and bad bacteria in the body, leading to gut irritation. And if you already suffer from leaky gut, sugar will just continue to make a bad problem worse.

3. Dairy

Leaky gut can often lead to food intolerances, with dairy being one possibility. If you have leaky gut, consider getting your dairy from sources other than cows, since cow dairy products contain proteins called A1 and A2 beta-casein. ^[3] Unlike its counterpart, A2-beta casein is suggested as more digestible in those with leaky gut, but finding dairy without A1 can be problematic as, right now, the majority of dairy products in the U.S. and Canada come from A1-producing cows.

4. Gluten

As the sticky stuff in most grain products, gluten acts as a binder in foods. For many with leaky gut, gluten intolerance is simply par for the course. Consider eating gluten-free to help soothe a leaky gut. In many studies, removing gluten from the diet has even helped repair intestinal function. ^[4]

The Take Home

If you steer clear of these four things, your gut will certainly thank you. And because they're covered with toxins, you'll also definitely want to avoid genetically modified foods.

What diet changes would you make for leaky gut? Tell us about it in the comments.