A healthy gut is linked to brain function and much more. I’ve struggled with gut issues since I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998. Now I want to share with you the story of how I healed my gut.
At times my digestion has been good, at others not so much. Dealing with celiac disease has meant enduring a certain amount of IBS. And living with multiple sclerosis has meant that I’ve sometimes experienced sluggish gut motility which is very uncomfortable and can make me a bit cranky! Your digestive system may have suffered from insults like mine above, or perhaps a poor diet, stress, or the overuse of antibiotics. Here are simple steps you can take to heal your gut.
Grain-Free Diet
I was diagnosed with celiac disease in the 1990’s. I followed a strict gluten free diet for a couple of years and did not find much improvement in my digestive system. So I went on a grain-free diet, removing rice, quinoa, and other grain-like seeds, as well as potatoes, corn, and much more. My digestion improved after strictly following this diet for 6 weeks and I’m still on it. Following a grain-free diet is one of the cornerstones of my health plan and has been immensely helpful to me!
All of the recipes on my website are strictly grain-free. For the first few years, I followed the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. For more information on that you’ll want to check out my SCD Recipes page.
Enteromend
I’m absolutely in love with Enteromend, a gut healing product that contains glutamine, aloe vera, and curcumin, among other therapeutic ingredients. When I wake up in the morning I drink a quart of hot water. After that I mix a scoop of Enteromend into 1-2 cups water and drink this mixture on an empty stomach. Along with this incredible supplement I also take two 1 gram capsules of bromelain, which you can find more on below.
A word of caution with glutamine. While it is an incredible amino acid that can tremendously impact gut health for the better, it can also turn into an excitotoxin if it is not properly assimilated and goes down the wrong pathway. For this reason, I started on one-quarter teaspoon of Enteromend and stayed on this dose for several weeks, slowly building up to a full scoop which is just over a teaspoon.
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Bromelain
Bromelain is an enzyme used to reduce swelling and inflammation, derived from pineapple. Don’t worry if you’re on a Ketogenic Diet, because this supplement doesn’t contain any sugar. Bromelain is extremely effective in healing tissues in the digestive system. Since bromelain prevents blood clots by acting as a blood thinner, it is important to speak to your doctor if you are going to add this supplement to your healing plan.
Magnesium Supplement
When my gut is sluggish and motility is slower than normal I take this magnesium supplement called H2Go. It consists of magnesium oxide which is not as absorbable as other forms of magnesium, but very effective in stimulating the bowels into moving! When needed I chew 2-6 tablets, which is around 400-1,200 mg. I drink 2 cups of water along with it so that the magnesium doesn’t dehydrate me since it has an osmotic effect, pulling water out of the body and into the gut to be dispelled.
I have tried Natural Calm which contains around 300 mg of magnesium citrate in a 2 teaspoon serving and have not found it to be effective for me in supporting gut motility and reducing constipation. It might work for you though since everyone is different.
Fermented Food
Fermented Foods such as Kevita, Ozuke’s sauerkraut, Bubbie’s pickles, and Nancy’s fermented cottage cheese and yogurt are some of my top choices when it comes to healthy foods rich in probiotics. Not on the menu? Probiotic supplements which I can’t digest and according to this article, may contain gluten, even when labeled gluten-free.
Fasting and Bone Broth
When all else fails, I take a break from eating and do a 1-2 day fast. This is an incredibly helpful pause that helps to reset my gut. If you do not want to cease eating entirely, you can do a bone broth fast. The collagen in bone broth rebuilds the lining of the gut.
Walking
I’ve also found that walking helps to heal my gut. The rhythmic action of moving my pelvis settles my stomach and digestive system. Even when I’m not feeling all that well, maybe even sluggish and tired, a simple 10-15 minute walk, looping around our block can be of great benefit. I generally feel much better after, than I did before.
How I Healed My Gut + Your Tips and Tricks
What are your tips and tricks in keeping your gut healthy? Leave a comment and let me know!
Teri says
Elana, you may want to look up an article at naturalnews.com titled Magnesium for MS, ALS, and epilepsy. Some interesting info there. Dr. Carolyn Dean is awesome!
Elana says
Thanks Teri! Magnesium is one of my favorite supplements. I get IV infusions and take 2 different types orally each day :-)
Laura C says
Elana,
Have you ever tried Colostrum LD™Colostrum LD™ by Sovereign Laboratories. I’ve ordered the new customer, “free” test pack and am hoping it helps me w healthy gut. Their website claims to directly heal leaky gut, so I can’t wait to find out if it helps. Your tips are also wonderful and I may incorporate some of those as well! I was told over the summer I have SIBO, which is apparently difficult to get rid of and keep away, but I took oregano oil for over a month to get rid of it and I think it helped a great deal. My brain fog was alleviated for sure, no luck in the weight loss category yet though. Lately, I’ve just been eating sweets and carbs and have to get those back out of my diet to start the healing and weight loss, so this blog post is encouraging.
Thank you!
Elana says
Laura, thanks for your comment! We tried colostrum around 10 years ago and it did not have much of an impact on us either way. I hope you’ll keep me posted on your health :-)
Allie says
Thanks for this excellent post, Elana. I’ve always wondered specifically how you got your gut back on track. With your advice and recipes, I hope I’ll get there too! :)
Elana says
Allie, I’m so glad that you are enjoying my advice and recipes! I hope you’ll keep me posted on your gut health :-)
Kerry Rosene says
Thank you for all your wonderful healing tips & sharing! What do you think about starting the day w/ apple cider vinegar or lemon water?
Elana says
Kerry, I haven’t tried starting the day with apple cider vinegar, but often drink lemon water as outlined here:
https://elanaspantry.com/start-the-day-with-hot-water-and-lemon/
Enjoy!
Elana
Kerry Rosene says
Thanks! I know I have major food allergies and have been told I may have fibro myalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. I’m very confused about my symptoms- it could even be Lyme- I don’t know where to focus my money to find out if I have autoimmune issues.
Do you have any guidance on where to start? I’m very overwhelmed and scared of equating more money on dead ends. Thank you for any info you care to share.
Elana says
Kerry, that is such a great question. Thankfully, the best place to start with all of these issues is in healing your gut since leaky gut can make all of the health challenges you listed above much worse. Also, here is a link to a list of my favorite functional medicine doctors for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/natural-treatments-for-multiple-sclerosis/
I hope you’ll keep me posted!
Elana
April Tanis says
Hi! Elana…I love your website…hearing about your stories and recipes. I “truly” admire you…you are amazing!!! My heart goes out to you with your MS. I truly understand about pain!! Which is why I want to share this with you because I care. I am not very good at explaining things…especially when there is SO MUCH information in order to make sense. To make a LONG story short…please buy the Medical Medium book by Anthony William. You can get it on Amazon. It explains everything in more depth details, on MS, Celiac, and Gut Health. It is AMAZING!! He is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & many other resources (support groups). It all makes sense and you will see what I mean when you read it. I promise you will NOT be disappointed!! Many Blessing to you and my sincere hope for your health.
Elana says
April, thanks for your comment. I got that book when it came out back in 2015 :-)
Sarah Besocke says
These comments are so touching to me. As you see Elana- you have not been on this journey alone. By sharing, and being vulnerable you open up possibilities for the rest of us to lead healing lives. I have been following you since 2008. Your website was a life changer for our family. Really. I get choked up thinking about it. Thanks for opening your heart and sharing your story. It is a gift (and so are your yummy recipes!).
Elana says
Sarah, thanks for your incredible comment, it absolutely made my day! I’m so happy we are on this healing path together :-)
Elise says
I have to reiterate Sarah’s sentiments as I too have been a dedicated follower and your recipes have been a lifesaver for me since I had to alter my eating habits after I was diagnosed wih CD. I am such a fan of how simple many of your recipes are, that I share my photos of my attempts with my family and friends on modestmousse.blog
Elana says
Elise, thanks for your incredible comment! I’m so happy that my recipes have been a lifesaver for you and am glad that we are on this healing path together :-)
Kerry says
Another huge thank you for your wonderful insights and recipes. My kids and I love them all!! I’m curious about your thoughts/experience with milk and/or water kifir. I’ve been hearing more about it and the benefits of the probiotics for the gut but haven’t done much research yet, or looked into sugar content or if a sugar replacement could be used etc. to keep it low carb. Thx again.
Elana says
Kerry, I have a friend who is going to teach me how to make low-carb kefir from raw milk, so I’ll keep you posted!
Mary says
Elana,
Although I’ve followed you for a while, enjoying your healthy recipes, I am now following you even more! I have 5 autoimmune diseases, although MS is not one of them.
I so appreciate your wisdom and new recipes and advice for healing the gut.
I have used lots of magnesium for ages. It helps with my energy and regulates me. The other day I ate some dates (4) and it did more than the magnesium does! What a surprise.
Anyway, I am thankful for you and hope you continue to improve in health so the rest of us can follow you to a healthier life!
Elana says
Mary, what a sweet comment! I love hearing that you are now following me even more! I’m sorry that you are dealing with 5 autoimmune diseases, but glad that we can be on this healing path together. I hope you’ll keep me posted on your progress :-)
Jacquie K. says
Hi Elana
Thank you for writing so many interesting and informative articles. I have learnt so much from you. I have followed a paleo diet for over a year now and have made lots of your recipes. I especially enjoy making your chocolate chip cookies recipe, yum!! My family really enjoys these as a special treat. My question is, do you ever make or buy kombucha and if you do, does it help your gut? I have been making kombucha for a while now and find it really helps my gut. At first I was concerned about the sugar content, but then found out that as the liquid ferments, the sugar evaporates. I am interested in your thoughts about kombucha. Thanks again, Elana for all your information.
Elana says
Jacquie, thanks for your comment! Kombucha is very interesting. The sugar is digested by the bacteria for the most part, however if you look at the nutrition information for kombucha you can see that there is still a fairly high amount of sugar in it. I stick to the Kevita product mentioned above because the coconut flavor (which is fermented coconut water, no added sugar) has only 4 grams of carbs in an 8 fluid ounce serving. To further reduce the carbs I usually mix half a serving with soda water. I hope that answers your question and that we can stay in touch here!
Noel Schwartz says
Thank you, Elana. I’m a huge fan, and I appreciate this post.
Elana says
Noel, thanks so much for making my heart flutter in the best way :-)