Going Grain-Free for Leaky Gut

Going grain-free for leaky gut may help you to reverse digestive issues and reduce chronic inflammation. 

And not just inflammation within the gut itself, but also systemically throughout your entire body.

Grains have been a part of humans’ everyday diet routines for centuries.

Though many people rely on them for the bulk of their meals, grains are still a modern addition to our diets thanks (or rather, no thanks) to the agricultural era.

But the bitter truth is the lectins and phytic acid in grains make them extremely hard to digest. *source

For many people (especially those with autoimmune and gut issues), grains wreak havoc on the immune system and trigger symptoms of autoimmune disease and contribute to leaky gut.  *source

Taking on a Paleo philosophy and ditching the grains may bring you the much-needed relief you have been seeking for so long.

Due to the benefit of a reduction in inflammation, many people have claimed that going grain-free for leaky gut (which is a step beyond a gluten free diet) has even helped them to reduce or even eliminate their need for long-term medications. *source

How to ditch the grains?

If you suspect your gut issues are related to diet, eliminating grains may help.

If you are experiencing digestive issues, it is important that you consult your doctor. Any changes in digestive health should be assessed. 

Grains to consider eliminating from your diet to help reduce inflammation:

Wheat

Corn

Oats

Rice (white, brown, wild)

Bran

Wheatberries

Groats

Bulgur

Rye

Spelt

And if you are still finding discomfort in your gut, you can also try eliminating pseudo grains *source* like:

Quinoa

Millet

Buckwheat

Amaranth

Quitting on something you have been eating almost all your life can be hard and a little stressful too.

Here are some tips to help you:

Positive self-talk is important.

Keep a positive mindset and know you are doing this for better heath!

Do the elimination / bio-hacking in your own way.

A lot of people tend to take gradual steps to grain-free because they cannot totally give up grains suddenly, and that is perfectly okay.

Do it your way; any way that you are comfortable with.

Pamper yourself in any other way that you love.

If you like watching movies; go for it.

If you like attending gatherings, then do that often. In the beginning, you can divert your mind from the grain-ditching process by focusing on the “good” in life.

What to eat instead?

You might ask what would you be eating if you ditch grains completely?

There are a lot of things that allow you to replace grains in a healthier way:

Spiralized zucchini noodles (also easily made with a Kitchenaid spiral attachment)

Sweet potato starch noodles or sea vegetable noodles

Cauliflower rice

Tigernut pancake/waffle mix

Spaghetti squash

Tapioca pudding

Grain-free protein bars from Primal Kitchen

Protein balls made with the best ever caramel-like dates

Chia seeds (though considered a pseudo grain, it may not present with them same issues as them) *source

The key is to have fun with your diet.

Don’t get stuck in the grain rut! Try new things, and season them differently with Paleo spice blends and seasoned coating mixes.

Here are some more of my favorite grain-free recipes:

And here are some grain-free cookbooks full of delicious Paleo eats to reduce inflammation: