Bioflavonoids
Consuming fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs is the best way to take in bioflavonoids.
1. Strawberries, grapes, apples & cranberries are high in the bioflavonoid ellagic acid. Citrus fruits, lemons, oranges and grapefruits are rich in citrus bioflavonoids.
Apples, peaches and plums are rich in the flavonoid flavan-3-ol.
Apples, peaches and plums are rich in the flavonoid flavan-3-ol.
2. Broccoli, onions, red peppers, spinach are some of the heavy hitters when it comes to flavonoids. Red and green onions are especially high in quercetin, celery are high in the flavones, while broccoli are high in flavonols.
3. Oregano, parsley, peppermint, Cinnamon and thyme are high in the flavonoid known as flavone.
4. Green tea is great beverage to up your flavonoid intakes.
5. Chocolate I mean a healthy chocolate that’s organic with a high cocoa percentage and low sugar content.
6. red and white wine contain flavonoids, but red wine has higher levels of significant amounts of flavonoids.
7. The soybean is particularly high in bioflavonoid. Dark beans — such as black beans and kidney beans, garbanzo & pinto — are rich in bioflavonoids.
8. pecans, walnuts, pistachios and cashews are great choices.
8. pecans, walnuts, pistachios and cashews are great choices.
9. Buckwheat particularly high in the bioflavonoids quercetin and rutin.
Leaky Gut Diet
These foods support healing because they are easy to digest and can help repair the lining of the intestines.
Bone broth – Bone broth provides important amino acids and minerals including proline, glycine and potassium that can help heal leaky gut and improve mineral deficiencies.
Cultured dairy – Probiotic rich foods like kefir and yogurt can help heal the gut by destroying bad bacteria like candida.
Vegetables – Try to adds coconut kefir or sauerkraut. These fermented foods contain probiotics essential in helping repair a leaky gut that work by balancing the pH in the stomach and small intestines.
Steamed vegetables – Non-starchy vegetables that are cooked or steamed are easy to digest and are an essential part of the leaky gut diet.
Healthy fats – Consuming healthy fats in moderation like egg yolks, salmon, avocados, ghee and coconut oil are easy on the gut and promote healing.
Fruit – Consuming 1-2 servings of fruit daily is good on a leaky gut diet. You can steam apples and pears to make homemade apple sauce or fruit sauce. Fruit is best consumed in the morning and keep fruit intake in moderation.
Foods that Cause Leaky Gut
Gluten – A gluten free diet can help improve the symptoms of leaky gut. Gluten is the sticky protein found in most grain products including wheat and is difficult to digest unless it’s been brought through a sourdough or sprouting process. On the leaky gut diet you will want to avoid all foods that contain gluten and wheat products.
Cows Dairy – The protein in cows dairy, called A1 casein, can trigger a similar reaction as gluten and therefore should be avoided. In fact, A1 casein may be 26x more inflammatory than gluten!
Sugar – Feeds yeast and bad bacteria that can damage the intestinal wall creating a leaky gut. If you are going to use a sweetener raw local honey is your best option but even that should be consumed in moderation at 1 tbsp daily.
Unsprouted Grains – Grains and soy when unsprouted and unfermented contain phytic acid which can irritate the intestines causing leaky gut.
GMO – Genetically modified organisms contain herbicides and pesticides that damage the gut lining. Studies out of the Journal of Environmental Sciences have found GMO foods destroy the probiotics in your gut and cause organ inflammation.
Top 5 Leaky Gut Treatment and Supplements
In following a leaky gut treatment plan you will want to take specific supplements to support digestion as well as protect the gut lining from further damage. Here are the most important leaky gut supplements you should consider taking:
#1 Probiotics (50-100 billion units daily)Probiotics can help re-colonize the gut with healthy bacteria.
#2 L-glutamine powder (5 grams 2x daily)Glutamine is an amino acid that helps repair the digestive tract, especially important for people with chronic diarrhea.
#3 Digestive Enzymes (2 before each meal)
These enzymes will improve nutrient absorption and help break down food particles.
These enzymes will improve nutrient absorption and help break down food particles.
#4 Aloe Vera Juice (1/2 cup 3x daily)
Aloe is healing to the digestive system.
Aloe is healing to the digestive system.
#5 Fish oil (1000 mg daily)
Fish oil contains the essential fatty acids EPA/DHA which reduce inflammation.
Fish oil contains the essential fatty acids EPA/DHA which reduce inflammation.
Essential Oils for Leaky Gut Syndrome
Essential oils of ginger and peppermint can soothe intestinal inflammation and support the healing of leaky gut. Take 2 drops of of each oil internally in a glass of water. Also mix 3 drops of oils with coconut oil and rub over abdomen 2x daily.