You’ve been diagnosed with leaky gut. Now what?

Call a plumber?

Yes—just make sure it’s a digestive health expert! Options include gastroenterologists trained in functional medicine, federally accredited naturopathic physicians, or clinical nutritionists who specialize in gut health.

But let’s face it: many of us prefer the DIY route. If that’s you, here’s a framework to tackle leaky gut effectively:

Step 1: Stabilize the Gut Barrier

Support the repair of the gut lining using probiotics, postbiotics (e.g., butyrate), demulcent herbs, anti-inflammatory herbs (like curcumin or boswellia), nutrients (e.g., L-glutamine and zinc-carnosine), Collagen support, immunoglobulins, and peptides.

Step 2: Address Perpetual Drivers

Identify and reduce lifestyle or dietary factors that exacerbate leaky gut. Cut back on salt, alcohol, fat, sugar, emulsifiers, and food additives to ease the burden on your gut.

Step 3: Remove the Root Cause

If a deeper issue—like an infection or toxin exposure—is identified, address it, but only after stabilizing the gut. Prematurely tackling root causes can worsen the condition.

Step 4: Focus on Prevention

Once healed, adopt a lifestyle and nutrition plan prioritizing your intestinal barrier and microbiome health to maintain long-term gut resilience.

How long does this process take?

For some it can be 6 months or more. For most its between 2 and 4 months.

It can be tricky, so it is ok to put the DIY hat down and reach out for help.