Here are the next 4 out of 9 easy steps to get you going to heal a leaky gut:
6. Drink Pure Filtered Water
If you collect your own rain or spring water you are lucky! Chlorine and other additives are mixed through city and town water supply to kill off any potentially pathogenic bacteria that may be lurking within. The trouble is, when we drink this chemically-treated water, it also strips the good bacteria in our gut. Source pure, unfluoridated water for optimal gut health and especially when you are treating leaky gut. There are good filters to use. Research shows that a high-quality reverse osmosis filtration system is the gold standard for water filters!
7. Cut Back On Sugar
Processed sugar is like rocket fuel to the bad bacteria in your gut; they love the stuff. Sugar helps bad bacteria and yeasts to thrive and proliferate, leading to more damage in your gut. As the bad bacteria increase in numbers, they release substances called exotoxins. These exotoxins attack the healthy cells along the lining of your gut and cause further intestinal permeability. (i.e. Leaky gut!)
8. Detoxify Your Home (And Produce)
Did you know that the average person encounters more than 80,000 chemicals every year? There’s no way to fully account for what that’s doing to our health. However, there is enough research to show that it could be wreaking havoc on our gut. Think about what the toxins that we spray on non-organic produce or clean our homes with are actually designed to do… kill bacteria! Unfortunately, these chemicals don’t discriminate between good and bad bugs, and simply wipe the lot out. As a great starting point: try eating more organic food and choosing ‘green’ cleaning products. Baking soda and vinegar are good, general replacements for many cleaning products and many use cider vinegar to wash their produce. Your gut health will thank you for it!
9. Consume Organic, Grass-Fed And Pasture-Raised Bone Broth
Firstly, eating free-range, grass-fed animal products isn’t just a matter of ethical animal husbandry; it also affects our health. When animals are able to roam freely outdoors and are naturally exposed to cold temperature fluctuations, they produce higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect in our body!
So when it comes to soothing and nourishing the gut, a cup of organic, grass-fed bone broth, or supplement collagen is a powerful tool in supporting the repair of your gut lining and providing key, easily digestible nutrients to support healing and general wellness.
Lastly you may like to revisit the “Walk the Talk” Series 4 Volume 8 which features nutritionalist Marieke Rodenstein presenting: How Our Gut Flora Influences Our Health
There is a lot of information to “digest” about leaky gut syndrome! If you have experienced or are experiencing this syndrome, find out what works for you.
Note: Marieke says that it is hard to stay vegetarian and heal the gut and recommends at least managing some bone broth.
