The Leaky Gut Diet

“Doctor, I think I have leaky gut syndrome.”  Those were the opening words from a patient consulting me regarding her gut symptoms.  She said she had a whole constellation of symptoms that pointed to this condition.

I suggested that I take a thorough case history and do some testing before she could be sure that her suspicions were correct.

Leaky gut syndrome is damage to the lining of the small intestines caused by chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, chronic use of alcohol, caffeine, anti-inflammatories, or antibiotics, cytotoxic drugs like chemotherapy agents, radiation, intestinal parasites, stress, and a compromised immunity.

These factors can cause the intestinal lining to not absorb nutrients efficiently, yet allow bacteria, toxins, incompletely digested proteins and fats, and wastes to be “leaked” through the gut lining into the blood stream. 

This can lead to symptoms such as gas and bloating, abdominal pain, joint pains, fatigue, food sensitivities, weight loss, skin rashes, and even autoimmunity.

This patient had a history of food allergies from childhood which included gluten and dairy.  These foods would cause gas, bloating, and abdominal pain when she slipped up with her diet.  In her 30’s, she started experiencing joint pain which she self-medicated with high doses of ibuprofen.   Lately, she had being experiencing weight loss, along with weakness and fatigue.

With Vega testing, a number of sensitive foods were identified.  She also had dysbiosis, with low levels of healthy bacteria, but high levels of candida yeast.  Nutrient deficiencies, malabsorption, and enzyme deficiencies were also problems.

This information made this patient feel vindicated in her suspicions about leaky gut syndrome.  However, she was still frustrated about what to do with this knowledge.

I designed a protocol for this patient with her input regarding dietary restrictions.  It was recommended that we begin by avoiding her sensitive foods and following an anti-candida diet.  We addressed the dysbiosis by giving the patient an extremely high quality probiotic product along with a yeast killer that had a number of ingredients for killing unfriendly organisms in the gut.  To improve gut function, I prescribed a broad-spectrum digestive enzyme to facilitate digestion and a combination supplement to heal the lining of the gut. 

I recommended that she follow this program for a month and then return to be retested and we would fine-tune her program depending on the retest and changes in her symptoms.

She was very encouraged to have a specific plan to follow and knowledge of which foods to eat and which to avoid.

In a month the patient was very pleased to report that her gas and bloating had almost disappeared.  Her energy level was improving and she did not feel like falling asleep after eating.  Even her joint pains were less intense. 

The retest showed that 1/3 of her sensitive foods could be added back into her diet on a rotational basis.  The yeast level was back to normal, although the healthy bacteria levels were not quite where they should be.  Even the lining of the gut was improving.

Changes to her program included finishing off the yeast killer and not refilling it.  An excellent herbal formula for gently detoxifying the liver was added to assist the liver in clearing the toxins created by killing off the yeast.  Finally, a multivitamin/mineral was added to take care of the vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

After we had worked together for several months, this patient was extremely happy with the state of her health.  As long as she was careful with her remaining sensitive foods (gluten and dairy), she no longer had any gut related symptoms.  Her energy was fantastic and her joints no longer hurt, so she was able to start an exercise program.  Best of all, she moved back up to a healthier weight and was able to look good in her fancy wardrobe again.

It was a great outcome for this patient.  In the past, she suspected that she had leaky gut syndrome, but this condition was secondary to the weak areas in the body along with the food sensitivities.  By using the Vega testing, we were able to create an individualized program to address the body and help her regain her health. 

If you are suffering from a host of gut symptoms, you can put an end to your suffering.  Book an appointment for the Vega testing and let Dr. Yim design a program to put you back on track to health.  You deserve to experience a superb quality of life.