You’ve probably heard it called many things: the Leaky Gut Diet or the Anti-inflammatory Diet, but what it comes down to is simply giving your body whole, good, healthy, real food to help it heal and rebuild itself.
Following a healing diet like the one mentioned below will put your body on the right path to healing. Progress may start to be seen in as little as 2 weeks! Some autoimmune issues and lifetime chronic conditions will take longer to cure, and results will vary per person. Of course, always check with your doctor before you reduce any medications, even as your symptoms decrease. You may have been prescribed medications been based on previous health concerns. This diet will improve overall health, and continuing to take medications when there is no need may result in unintended consequences. Please make sure to work with your doctor to reduce any medications as the need for them goes diminishes.
Vegetables
(Eat lots of frozen or fresh veggies (not canned or packaged with seasonings, breading or sauce). Can be eaten raw or cooked. Beans must be dried beans, not canned)
Eat as much as you want of the following:
| Asparagus | Eggplant | Parsley |
| Bell Peppers | Garlic | Radishes |
| Broccoli | Ginger Root | Snow Peas |
| Brussel Sprouts | Green Beans | Spinach |
| Cabbage | Green Lettuces | Sprouts |
| Cauliflower | Kale | Yellow Squash |
| Celery | Mushrooms | Zucchini |
| Collard Greens | Mustard Greens | Onions |
| Cucumber |
½ cup serving per day is allowed:
| Artichokes | Lentils | Black Beans |
| Beets | Okra | Kidney Beans |
| Carrots | Peas | Pinto Beans |
| Chick Peas (Garbanzo) | Pumpkin | White Beans |
| Legumes | Squash (acorn, butternut, winter, spaghetti) | Lima Beans |
| Leeks | Tomatoes | Olives |
Nuts & Seeds
(whole nuts, not nut butters. Roasted and salted is fine, but not flavored. Peanuts are not included because they are toxic to a healing body.)
| Almonds | Pecans | Cashews |
| Walnuts | Macadamia Nuts | Brazil Nuts |
| Pine Nuts | Pumpkin Seeds | Flaxseeds |
| Chia Seeds | Sunflower Seeds |
Fruits
(1 small piece of fruit a day, or ½ cup berries)
| Strawberries | Blueberries | Raspberries |
| Blackberries | Cherries | Lemon |
| Lime | Apples | Pears |
Fats & Oils
These:
| Butter | Coconut Oil | Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
| Grapeseed Oil | Flaxseed Oil | Fish Oil |
| Cod Liver Oil | Avocado Oil | Sesame Oil |
| Walnut Oil |
Not These (Very harmful and inflammatory):
| Vegetable Oil | Canola Oil | Safflower Oil |
| Crisco | Margarine |
Meats/Protein
Fatty meats with the skin left on are preferred. Meats should not be purchased already seasoned or breaded. Bacon, lunch meats, and sausages are not included as they often contain harmful cancer-causing additives. Try to get organic, grass-fed/finished or wild-caught when possible, of the following:
| Beef | Chicken | Eggs |
| Fish (avoid Tilapia) | Lamb | Turkey |
| Venison | Wild Game |
Seasonings/Condiments
(use to season veggies and meats as you need to)
| Sea Salt | Black Pepper | Red Pepper Flakes & Cayenne |
| Oils (see Fats & Oils above) | Apple Cider Vinegar | Red/White Wine Vinegar |
| Herbs | Natural Spices (not store-bought spice mixes) | Avoid products that have been processed and/or contain sugar |
Power-ups
More things to add in daily to promote healing:
| Homemade Bone Broth | Sauerkraut | Ginger |
| Cinnamon | Peppermint | Turmeric (Curcumin) |
| Garlic | Fish Oil | Probiotics |
| Digestive Enzymes | Other fermented vegetables |
Beverages
- Water (preferably with lemon or lime)
- Tea (Black or Green, Hot or Cold, unsweetened)
- No Dairy (cream or milk)
- Avoid all sweeteners
Helpful Tips:
- All meals should be cooked at home to ensure all ingredients promote healing.
- Cook larger meals so leftovers can be frozen and used later in the week.
- Everything should be made from whole foods, not packaged processed foods.
- Generally, if it has a label and/or multiple ingredients – don’t eat it.
- Drink lots of water throughout the day, preferably with lemon or lime.
- If you aren’t hungry, don’t eat, especially when you first wake up.
- Limit eating to 1-3 times per day. Eat large enough meals to eliminate need for snacking in between meals. If hunger sets in before the next meal time, increase fats and vegetables during the next meal. If you eat enough fats, you will NOT be hungry to snack.
- Consume at least 25 grams of fiber every day.
- Aim to use ingredients together to make meals more satisfying:
- Soups (made with homemade broth, meat and lots of veggies)
- Big, fatty salads (with tons of dark green, leafy veggies topped with meat and healthy oils and vinegars)
- Grilled meats, with large sides of raw, sautéed, or steamed veggies
- Eggs cooked how you like them, with veggies sautéed in healthy fats
Things to Avoid:
- You must stay away from the following to encourage healing, as these foods are very damaging to the body and cause inflammation and chronic issues:
- Sugar (even natural sugars, like honey) and artificial sweeteners
- Grains, whole or floured (wheat, corn, rice, quinoa)
- Processed foods (ingredients you can’t define or pronounce)
Here is a handy printable of all the above information
