Every day, we hear about the digestive issues that our patients are experiencing or that are prevalent in the population. The most common themes we hear about can be boiled down to “leaky gut” or holes in between the cells of the intestines. The links between these cells are known as tight junctions which “glue” the cells together. In people with celiac disease and other intestinal complaints, these junctions come apart, allowing large amounts of indigestible gluten fragments to seep into the underlying tissue which agitates the immune system cells and ultimately leads to inflammation of the gut.

Coming into the holiday season and colder weather, we are going to be faced with many food related decisions. The following lists will focus on what foods you will want to avoid and include in your diet if you are experiencing any digestive issues.

This list includes foods that can increase the prevalence of leaky gut:

• Refined carbohydrates- white bread and other processed foods
• Cereal grains
• Sweeteners
• Bad vegetable oils- canola oil, margarine, and “vegetable” oil
• Legumes- beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, soybeans, green beans, kidney beans, etc.… these are high in protein but also carbohydrates
• Dairy products
• Soda, juice, and alcohol

I have good news though! Here are some alternatives that minimize leaky gut!

• Non-starchy vegetables - artichokes, asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, onions, salad greens, squash, tomato, and others
• Some fruits- berries, citrus fruits, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, and pears
• Grass fed meats, free range poultry, and wild caught fish
• Range fed eggs
• Natural healthy fats- olive oil, avocado, palm oil, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter
• Some nuts and seeds- almonds, cashews, pistachio, and pumpkin seeds
• DRINK WATER- good rule is about half your body weight in ounces of water a day

The biggest challenge for me this season will be avoiding legumes. I love my homemade chili, which sadly involve several types of them! The good news is that if I use them sparingly and surround them with good, healthy alternatives as my other ingredients, I can limit the negative effects. That is really the key as we move into the holidays; make good choices and limit the indulgences!