Leaky Gut: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Begin Healing

Many of the clients I see – whether women struggling with IBS, children battling eczema, or families dealing with a list of unexplained food reactions – come to me feeling frustrated, confused, and often at the end of their tether.

They've tried gluten-free, dairy-free, low histamine, probiotics… and yet symptoms persist. Bloating after nearly every meal. Skin that flares for no obvious reason. Tummy pains that come and go. Constipation that switches to diarrhoea. Anxiety that seems tightly linked to food intake.

One of the key pieces I often explore with these clients is intestinal permeability – more commonly known as leaky gut.

This isn't just another fad diagnosis or wellness buzzword. It's a physiological process that can underlie a whole host of seemingly disconnected symptoms. When addressed properly, it can be a turning point in restoring gut function, calming inflammation, and helping the body feel safer again.

What Exactly Is Leaky Gut?

The gut lining is like a gatekeeper. It’s meant to allow nutrients from food to pass through into the bloodstream, while keeping out larger, potentially harmful substances — like undigested food particles, bacteria, toxins, and inflammatory molecules.

But in some people, especially those dealing with chronic digestive issues or inflammatory conditions, that barrier becomes more porous than it should be. This allows things that don’t belong in the bloodstream to sneak through, triggering immune responses and widespread inflammation.

Over time, this can start to affect far more than digestion — and that’s where many of the skin, mood, and energy symptoms come in.

Why It Matters in IBS, Eczema, and Children’s Gut Health

You don’t have to have a formal autoimmune diagnosis or severe gut disease to be affected by increased intestinal permeability. In fact, in my clinic I see this pattern regularly in:

• IBS sufferers, particularly those with bloating, food reactivity, and unpredictable bowel habits

• Children with eczema, reflux, constipation, or food intolerances, often since infancy

• Women with adult acne, rosacea, or “mystery” rashes that don’t resolve with topical creams

• People with anxiety or mood swings that seem to worsen after certain foods

In all these cases, the gut wall isn’t functioning as the protective barrier it should be — and the immune system is often on high alert as a result.

What Can Contribute to a Leaky Gut?

There’s rarely one single trigger. Instead, it’s usually a combination of stressors that wear down the gut barrier over time. These might include:

• A long history of antibiotics, acid blockers, or NSAIDs

• Diets high in refined carbohydrates, processed food, or inflammatory oils

• Food intolerances that go unrecognised and keep the gut in a state of low-grade irritation

• Chronic stress, which suppresses digestive function and disrupts gut immune balance

• Low stomach acid or enzyme output, common in both stressed adults and young children

• Gut dysbiosis, where beneficial bacteria are outnumbered by less helpful strains

In children, early life events such as C-section delivery, formula feeding, or antibiotic exposure can also leave the gut more vulnerable if not properly supported.

As a nutritional therapist I help you piece together what could be the trigger and how to fix it.

Signs That the Gut Lining Might Need Some Support

Some of the most common signs I look for include:

• Bloating after meals, or constant bloating regardless of food

• IBS-type symptoms that don’t fully resolve with diet alone

• Multiple food reactions that seem to be “spreading” over time

• Rashes, eczema, or hives that don't respond to conventional treatment

• Poor weight gain or faltering growth in children

• Brain fog, fatigue, poor sleep or irritability

• Frequent illnesses or slow recovery from infections

Importantly, these signs don’t mean a “broken” gut — they’re signals. And with the right tools, your body can begin to repair.

How to Gently Support Gut Repair

If you suspect leaky gut may be contributing to your (or your child’s) symptoms, here’s where I usually begin — not with drastic diets or expensive testing, but with foundational, nourishing steps.

1. Remove triggers – but not forever

Start by temporarily reducing foods known to irritate the gut lining: gluten, dairy, ultra-processed snacks, excessive sugar, and alcohol. This is not about long-term restriction, but giving the gut a break to reset.

Add in healing foods

• Bone broth (or meat stock for children) to soothe the gut lining

• Stewed apples, cooked root veg, and oats – easy on digestion and rich in prebiotic fibre

• Fermented vegetables (if tolerated), like sauerkraut or kefir, in small amounts

• Omega-3-rich foods like oily fish, flax, or chia seeds

Support the nervous system

Rest is critical for repair. Even a few minutes of deep breathing, gentle stretching, or switching off screens before bed can help shift the body from “fight or flight” into “rest and digest” mode.

Consider gentle supplementation

For some, targeted nutrients can speed up healing:

• L-glutamine – an amino acid that fuels gut cells

• Zinc carnosine – supports mucosal repair

• Vitamin D – key for immune regulation

• Probiotics and prebiotics, depending on tolerance

For children, I often use food-based powders or liquids rather than pills, and always introduce them gradually. Please seek the guidance of a qualified nutritional therapist to find the correct product and protocol for you.

Think longer term

It’s not just about what you eat – sleep, stress, movement, and emotional safety (especially for children) all play a role in gut health. Gut repair is a whole-body process.

Final Thoughts

If you’re dealing with IBS that just won’t settle, skin that flares without warning, or a child who always seems to be reacting to something — don’t dismiss the possibility of a compromised gut lining.

It’s not about chasing perfection or cutting out every food forever. It’s about listening to your body, supporting your gut ecology, and giving your system space to heal from the inside out.

If this sounds like you (or your child), know that you’re not alone. These issues are common, but they’re not “normal” — and they’re absolutely addressable with the right support.

Test don't Guess

If you are interested in finding out more about your gut ecology and how this is influencing your health problems I offer gut microbiome testing with a consultation to help get you the answers you need. Click here for more info.