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Food sensitivity is caused when undigested food proteins passes through the leaky gut into the bloodstream, triggering the immune system to attack the particles.

Low stomach acid and lack of digestive enzymes can cause one not to break down food properly, exacerbating the situation.

That is when digestive enzymes can help. Because so many people are deficient in zinc, what may also be helpful is zinc supplementation.

Patrick Holford writes in New Optimum Nutrition Bible…

“supplementation with digestive enzymes reduces symptoms associated with food allergy and intolerance.  Zinc supplementation can also be helpful as deficiency is extremely common among allergy sufferers.  Zinc is not only needed for protein digestion, but also essential for the production of hydrocholoric acid in the stomach.”

NourishedHealth.com writes that many celiacs are low in zinc and that  …

” zinc appears to be essential in preserving and healing intestinal mucosa and halting celiac disease progression. It is also essential for healthy skin and skin cell regeneration, essential with dermatitis herpetiformis.”

Study found that children with food allergies have lower blood levels of zinc and selenium.

While I agree that Vitamin A will not be on the top of the list for healing leaky gut.  There are many other higher priority items on the list to heal leaky gut.

Nevertheless, I want to note this what Patrick Holford wrote on in his book New Optimum Nutrition Bible …

“Vitamin A is also crucial for the health of any mucosus membrane including the gut wall.”

That makes sense because Vitamin A is known to be good for the skin.  And your gut lining is like your internal skin.  Just like your skin, it is a barrier between the outside world and you.

A good source of food vitamin A is liver.   Or you can supplement with cod liver oil or other supplement forms.  But be careful.  Vitamin A can be toxic in high doses.  It is not likely to overdose if you are eating a reasonable size portion of liver.  But it is possible to overdose with supplements.

A safer way is to take beta carotene, which is water soluable and can be more easily eliminated by the body.  Then your body will be able to make its own amount of vitamin A from beta carotene as needed.

While there is an genetic component involved making certain individual more vulnerable, the causes of autoimmune conditions and disease falls in three main categories:

• Leaky gut / Food sensitivity
• Toxicity from chemicals, heavy metals, mold
• Chronic hidden infections

Autoimmune diseases and conditions are a dis-regulation of the immune system, where the immune system attack self instead of invaders.  The majority of immune system resides in the gut.  That is why almost all people with autoimmune have some gut and intestinal issues.  As the intestines get damaged, the gut become leaky and undigested food particle molecules flow into the bloodstream where it is not supposed to be.  So the immune system goes on the attack.  But due to molecular mimickery, it sometimes confuses body cells with the food particles or with the infectious agents that it is aiming for.

When gut become leaky, this causes food sensitivity.  The foods that are most allergenic are …

• gluten
• dairy
• corn
• soy
• eggs

All five of these are on JJ Virgin’s avoid list.   She also has peanuts and sugar on her avoid list.  Peanuts can often have aflatoxin which is why many people are allergic to peanuts.  Others have found that avoiding sugar can improve autoimmune conditions.

Gluten and dairy are the big ones and I feel that everyone with an autoimmune condition should avoid those two.  Corn and soy (if not labelled organic or non-GMO) are likely to be genetically modified.  Gluten and GMO’s are contributing causes of leaky gut.  The Paleo Diet avoid gluten, dairy, and legumes.  And many people find the “Autoimmune Paleo”  diet to be helpful in reducing autoimmune symptoms.  Here is a list of autoimmune paleo foods to avoid.

Ways to Heal Autoimmune

Read Dr. Amy Myers Understanding the True Cause of Autoimmune Disease to learn what causes it and how to reverse autoimmune.  Besides healing the gut and going Paleo, she recommends testing for heavy metals, mycotoxins, and infections.  And finally, managing stress which can disregulate and weaken the immune system.

In addition avoid GMOs and foods that you are sensitive to (test with Cyrex Labs). If you are eating out, take digestive enzymes.

Optimize vitamin D (go outdoors in the summer and supplement in the winter) and gut microbiom flora.  Take probiotics.   Be careful of vaccines and antibotics (use only when you really need to).

Heal leaky gut with bone broth.  Other nutrients that can help with autoimmune are glutamine, omega 3, curcumin, colostrum, zinc, and vitamin A.  Consider anti-parasite supplements.  GoodbyeLeakyGut.com has additional items on its list.