What is the fastest way to heal leaky gut?
Well first — Your gut didn’t become leaky overnight.
So while I can share with you how to heal leaky gut syndrome fast, by “fast,” I do not mean overnight.
If someone out there tells you leaky gut syndrome can be gone overnight or through straight will (vs. hard work), run away quickly.
It’s not possible.
In fact, it took me a good 10+ years. 10 years is not fast by any means, but I didn’t have all the information and knowledge I do today.
This is why I can help you heal much faster. I have the tools all ready to go!
You can get started today if you’re ready, willing, and able.
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Because I wrote an entire book on Leaky Gut back in 2019, I do know a thing or two about it.
In fact, not only did I write the book, but I also healed my own leaky gut.
So what exactly is a leaky gut?
In the simplest terms, Leaky Gut Syndrome is when the cells that make up the lining of the intestinal tract become so inflamed that the gut lining becomes more permeable than it’s meant to be.
Eventually, the walls that line the intestinal tract become permeable to the degree that undigested food particles and gut flora enter the bloodstream. (Source)
It is a condition that refers to a dysfunction in the lining of the intestines.
The intestinal lining acts as an intestinal barrier with tight junctions, controlling the passage of substances from the intestines into the bloodstream.
In the case of leaky gut syndrome, this barrier becomes compromised, allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to leak through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream.
If you go to your doctor and discuss “leaky gut,” they may not take you seriously. They might, though, if you use the words, “intestinal permeability.”
So, then, how might you know you have a leaky gut?
Symptoms of Leaky Gut
There are many ways you might know if you have a leaky gut, but here are 11 symptoms of leaky gut syndrome I’ve talked about at length over time:
- Digestive system symptoms, including gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea or a combination of them all
- Seasonal allergies or asthma
- Hormonal imbalances
- An autoimmune disease
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia (including joint pain issues)
- Mood and mind issues (ADD, ADHD, etc.)
- Skin issues like acne and rosacea
- Candida overgrowth
- Food allergies, food sensitivities, and food intolerances
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, Celiac, etc.)
- Headaches
(Sources: 9 Signs You Have a Leaky Gut, What is Leaky Gut, Leaky Gut Syndrome: What You Should Know About Your Gut Bacteria)
What is the Fastest Way to Heal Leaky Gut?
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In just 28 days you can begin to feel better and heal leaky gut.
And the fastest way to heal leaky gut is by going through the following 4 main steps in an intentional way.
4 main steps, broken down by week
1] Remove
During week 1, the goal is to remove every food (and other factors) that could potentially be harming your gut lining and causing it to be leaky.
When it comes to leaky gut syndrome (and irritable bowel syndrome) it can be very hard to know what to remove and what not to remove.
This is due to two main things:
- There is so much conflicting diet and food advice out there
- Any underlying cause and/or other health condition must be considered (this is what makes each case unique)
Furthermore, the reason this step becomes so murky is because if you ask your doctor, the chances of you getting clear answers – that are accurate – might be few and far between.
So when it comes to point 1: “There is so much conflicting diet and food advice out there”
- Start somewhere and then
- Use a food + lifestyle journal to meticulously track
Honestly, this is exactly what I did which then lead to point 2: Any underlying cause and/or other health condition must be considered (this is what makes each case unique)
I took my findings to my doctor so that we could explore deeper based on trends and patterns I was seeing.
The good news is that I have made this step far easier for you.
In the 21-Day Quick Gut Detox you will get:
- General “Yes” and “No” lists (an elimination diet of sorts)
- a full 21-day meal plan
- the PDF copy of my book, A Gutsy Girl’s Bible: a 21-day approach to healing the gut
In these 21 days alone, you are likely to discover at least something about what’s causing those digestive systems to begin with.
While this step takes into consideration just the first week, you might find that you need longer – I recommend the full 21 days, but you can adjust for both how you’re feeling and if you have the chance to see your healthcare provider to determine any long-standing gut health issues.
Regardless, it’s the best first step, with or without a doctor, to start seeing symptom relief!
2] Replace
In week 2, we will replace the foods that have potentially been contributing to your leaky gut with foods that will support gut healing.
Too often in the gut healing community, I see women who will remove a hundred foods for life.
And honestly? This is not your bes strategy for overall health in the long run.
You’ll need to replace the foods you were once eating for foods that do not contribute to chronic inflammation and do not hinder progress on healing any underlying condition.
And this part can be not only tricky, but also scary.
You start feeling better from the first step and think, “I don’t want to feel like I did before ever again.” So you limit yourself to a few foods.
Don’t do that.
Replacing means that you are still removing the inflammatory foods, but now you’re adding in foods that to quell the systemic inflammation.
3] Repair
The goal of week 3 is to continue building on the work you have done during week 1 (removing) and week 2 (replacing) and really begin repairing the gut lining and soothing any remaining inflammation.
During this time, you can consider repairing with specific leaky gut supplements like: digestive enzymes, l-glutamine, zinc, digestive bitters, and any of these 15 best leaky gut supplements.
But remember that even if you are going to start repairing with a supplement boost, you still have to pay attention to the foods your eating.
A poor diet cannot be fixed by supplements alone.
4] Rebalance
And finally, the goal of week 4 is to rebalance the gut microbiome by continuing on with the diet changes begun in the previous three weeks.
This is the time when you’re going to want to incorporate beneficial bacteria.
Like before, this can feel scary to add things back in, but they key to an optimal gut microbiome is beneficial gut bacteria.
As Dr. Axe states, “Microbiota also regulate the digestion and absorption of nutrients and help supply epithelial cells with energy.”
One great way to do this is through the best probiotic supplement and/or consuming probiotic foods + prebiotic foods.
…….Bonus “R:” Rejuvenate
Technically there is no 5th “R.”
But if I’m being honest, this might be one of the most important components for overall gut health and treating health conditions like leaky gut syndrome.
You MUST focus on the LIFESTYLE components.
And this is the one that almost no one talks about, but failing to do so will never allow your body to fully heal.
The lifestyle components include things like:
- Breathing more
- Chewing your food, fully
- Sleeping!
- Getting chronic stress under control
Here are 21 gut healing lifesyle components.
If you truly want to heal leaky gut fast, you must take action.
And this is where it can all get confusing.
What action? How do I take action? Where should I start? How will I know if I’m feeling better?
Action Steps for Healing Leaky Gut Fast
One way to move forward is to simply take the 4 main steps described above and learn to navigate this all on your own.
You could do it, with enough time and research.
But do you really want to spend those 10 years like I did?
Do you have the energy and drive to power through it all on your own?
If not, let me help expedite your process.
Start with these three steps today
- Join the 21-Day Quick Gut Detox
- Soak up all the materials I have poured my heart into to make sure you succeed.
- Start.
28-days might not seem like it’s appropriate for how to heal leaky gut syndrome fast, but trust me……28 days or years upon years?
In case you think there will be nothing good to eat during the 28 days, I want to prove to you that there is.
And, in fact, there is something for almost every single diet out there.
I put together these lists so you could see how the recipes all break down.
NOTE: If you don’t have The Leaky Gut Meal Plan book, you can ask for access to any one of the below recipes for FREE inside the Quick Gut Detox course (which already includes many of them!).
3 Ways to Know Your Leaky Gut is Healing
The following are my my 3 top ways to know your leaky gut is healing.
Food Tolerance (or Food Intolerance / Food Sensitivity)
How are you tolerating food now or how will you tolerate it in the future?
Food that you could not eat before is a good indicator of how your body is changing.
Remember, when I was first diagnosed with everything at the start of my journey, I found out that I was intolerant to 22 foods.
Was I really intolerant to those 22 foods? No! I can now tolerate anything and everything.
What it told me, though, was that my gut was leaky and I was seemingly reacting to everything if that is what it was telling me.
Look through your gut healing journey journal, and ask yourself:
- Are there foods I am eating now that I couldn’t in the past?
- Have I started incorporating more diverse foods when in the past I would have been too afraid for more?
- Are food reactions becoming infrequent?
[Tests for food intolerances, allergies, and sensitivities.]
Bloating, Gas, Constipation, Diarrhea
Almost everyone with a leaky gut issues presents with some sort of digestive issues whether it’s bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, or a combination of any of them.
While all 4 are common and can be normal as part of any random occurrence, none of them are normal on an ongoing basis.
Common and normal are not the same things, and the sooner we all realize this when it comes to gut health, the faster we can all improve.
You should not be living on a daily basis with any (and definitely not all) of the above.
Again, look at your gut healing journey journal.
In my journal there is a key. Are you seeing the key symbols on a regular basis for any/all: bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea?
If your leaky gut is healing then you will:
- Notice fewer occurrences of any of the digestive symptoms above
- Experience less severe bouts of any of the above
Clear Skin
Finally, look in the mirror. How is your skin?
I used to suffer cystic back acne, and my face and was covered with various blemishes.
Additionally, I had period dermatitis – rashes all over my nose and chin; painful and itchy, scaly and horrendous.
Finally, semi-skin related, but there were cracks in the corners of my lips, which is known as angular cheilitis.
Yes, all of it was miserable.
If you see yourself in any of that, then your leaky gut is mostly likely still alive and well.
But even if you presented with any one of the above and it’s now gone, you might be healing and your leaky gut might be sealing up.
Take a look in the mirror and be honest with yourself.
Remember, you’re beautiful no matter what, but these visible signs are indicative of your leaky gut status which is all we are concerned with today.
And there you have it all.
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Xox,
SKH
🤰 bloating be gone! weight loss through optimal gut health for women
💃ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢᴜᴛ. ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪfe.
🫶🏻 founder gutbyome.com
The book specifically lays out a meal plan each week based off of the 4 steps you mentioned. I know you have vegan recipes but do you mention the vegan recipes week by week by what we need or is it only animal based recipes??
Hi Amanda – No, the grocery lists and meal plans are all-in-one. No special diet (i.e. Vegan) is listed out separately. Sorry!
Hi, I don’t know where I’m at with this. I know I paid you at least $59. I don’t have anything. I’m snowbirding now so mail being forwarded but… could you look and see if I have this book?
Hi! I am not sure at all. Please email us at opportunities @ agutsygirl.com so we can help you sort it out. Thanks!