Welcome to Unchained Caleb, where I talk about living the lifestyle of the Alpha Male 2.0 and the Unchained CEO as covered in my primary book, The Unchained Man, which has sold over 150,000 copies.
Had the same discovery a few years back. Decided to nuke the site from orbit and switch to the carnivore diet. All of my digestive/autoimmune problems have gone away and, crazy enough, the bald spot on my head is growing its hair back (seriously, wtf).
I periodically test new foods (e.g. I've found avocados are fine), but for the most part I'm all carnivore.
One other interesting note is that the food intolerance tests I had done in Dubai confirmed all of the foods that I'd determined were giving me issues.
You're recommending insanity. Taking something like Ozempic literally for the rest of your life? I suggest you do some research on what happens to your body if you stupid enough to do that. You're going to completely ruin your organs.
AI said they were okay for my problem as long as I started slowly. Per AI (that has access to all my paperwork):
Beans are actually one of the best things you can be eating right now. They're gluten-free, dairy-free, high in fiber, high in plant protein, and they're specifically called out in your DNA report as a good protein source (red kidney beans by name) and a top folate source (147 mcg per 100g), which matters given your methylation variants.
More importantly for your gut, beans are one of the most potent prebiotic foods available. They contain resistant starch and fermentable fiber that directly feed the beneficial bacteria your protocol is trying to rebuild — particularly Faecalibacterium, which is the key species you're depleted in and the one responsible for producing butyrate. So beans are essentially doing the same job as your Sunfiber supplement, just through food. That's exactly the kind of synergy you want.
The one thing you might notice is gas and bloating, especially when you're first adding them regularly. This is actually a sign that fermentation is happening — your gut bacteria are eating the fiber and producing short-chain fatty acids, which is the desired outcome. It typically settles down within a couple of weeks as your microbiome adjusts. If it's uncomfortable, start with smaller portions and build up gradually rather than jumping straight to a full can.
Keep eating them — they're working for you, not against you.
Food and its effects on the body are complicated. Finding the right diet is difficult, no doubt. I wish you good luck and good advice.
Wheat causes leaky gut in many people (some say "in almost everybody"). Seed oils can also be a cause; avoid "foods" high in linoleic acid (which is difficult, as it's in almost everything these days, including most commercial chicken fat and pork fat).
What is your primary source of fats now? I hope you have not been advised to "avoid saturated fats." That advice makes good health nearly impossible. I suggest lots of ruminant meat (beef, lamb--but not liver). Given the severity of your event, it might be a good experiment to try a carnivore diet as several other posters suggested, at least as a short-term elimination diet to see what happens. (But again, don't listen to liver bros. Good way to get copper and iron toxicity.)
May I ask, which of the tests you did were most useful?
Primary sources of fats is EVOO, avocados, and full-fat Greek yogurt.
I already responded to why I am not doing carnivore below. Carnivore is fine as a temporary thing to do for a few months. That's not what I'm looking for in a diet - I want something I can reliably do the rest of my life with long-term health and minimal willpower (doing carnivore "forever" will indeed fuck up your gut).
ALL the tests I did were useful. It was some of the best money I've ever spent in my life. I'm only scratching the surface of what learned in this article.
Psyllium husk is primarily a bulk-forming laxative — it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool. It has very limited prebiotic effect, meaning it doesn't meaningfully feed or diversify beneficial gut bacteria. For a leaky gut repair protocol, that's a significant gap.
Sunfiber (partially hydrolyzed guar gum) on the other hand is a true prebiotic — it's specifically fermented by beneficial bacteria in the colon, producing short-chain fatty acids (including butyrate) that help heal the gut lining. This works synergistically with the Sodium Butyrate you're also taking in Phase 2, essentially feeding the bacteria that then produce more butyrate to repair your intestinal barrier.
There's also a tolerance issue worth knowing: psyllium can cause significant bloating, gas, and cramping — especially in someone with a compromised gut like yours. Sunfiber is specifically formulated to be very low in digestive side effects, which is why it's often used in therapeutic gut protocols.
So psyllium isn't harmful per se, but it's essentially the wrong tool for what you're trying to achieve. It would be a bit like swapping a targeted supplement for a generic one that doesn't address the actual mechanism. Stick with the Sunfiber as prescribed
Had the same discovery a few years back. Decided to nuke the site from orbit and switch to the carnivore diet. All of my digestive/autoimmune problems have gone away and, crazy enough, the bald spot on my head is growing its hair back (seriously, wtf).
I periodically test new foods (e.g. I've found avocados are fine), but for the most part I'm all carnivore.
One other interesting note is that the food intolerance tests I had done in Dubai confirmed all of the foods that I'd determined were giving me issues.
I was considering carnivore but I wanted a diet that I could eat the rest of my life without changing it later.
Why don't you take the GLP-1 products for weight loss?
Because he's not a moron.
Do some research on the percentage of GLP-1 users who gain their weight back.
Take it forever. You don't stop taking testosterone for your testosterone deficiency. Why would you stop taking GLP-1's for your GLP-1 deficiency?
You're recommending insanity. Taking something like Ozempic literally for the rest of your life? I suggest you do some research on what happens to your body if you stupid enough to do that. You're going to completely ruin your organs.
google "ozepmic face" and then you'll know
Thank you for this comprehensive update. I hope that plan works and you get better soon. Digestive issues are no joke.
It's time you went 100% carnivore. Commit to at least two weeks. Don't cheat. Don't make excuses. Report back in a month.
+ any kind of meat, beef, lamb, bison, chicken, pork, seafood, eggs
+ water
+ salt
- no carb or sugar of any kind
- zero veg
- no cheese
- no coffee, tea, drinks other than water
- no spices other than salt
You'll have a few days of transition that may be uncomfortable and after that you will feel fucking amazing.
I'm almost doing that. Pretty much carnivore + berries + beans.
beans? kinda unusual for leaky gut patients. You should look into sprouted/germinated beans if possible, makes digestion waaay easier
AI said they were okay for my problem as long as I started slowly. Per AI (that has access to all my paperwork):
Beans are actually one of the best things you can be eating right now. They're gluten-free, dairy-free, high in fiber, high in plant protein, and they're specifically called out in your DNA report as a good protein source (red kidney beans by name) and a top folate source (147 mcg per 100g), which matters given your methylation variants.
More importantly for your gut, beans are one of the most potent prebiotic foods available. They contain resistant starch and fermentable fiber that directly feed the beneficial bacteria your protocol is trying to rebuild — particularly Faecalibacterium, which is the key species you're depleted in and the one responsible for producing butyrate. So beans are essentially doing the same job as your Sunfiber supplement, just through food. That's exactly the kind of synergy you want.
The one thing you might notice is gas and bloating, especially when you're first adding them regularly. This is actually a sign that fermentation is happening — your gut bacteria are eating the fiber and producing short-chain fatty acids, which is the desired outcome. It typically settles down within a couple of weeks as your microbiome adjusts. If it's uncomfortable, start with smaller portions and build up gradually rather than jumping straight to a full can.
Keep eating them — they're working for you, not against you.
Food and its effects on the body are complicated. Finding the right diet is difficult, no doubt. I wish you good luck and good advice.
Wheat causes leaky gut in many people (some say "in almost everybody"). Seed oils can also be a cause; avoid "foods" high in linoleic acid (which is difficult, as it's in almost everything these days, including most commercial chicken fat and pork fat).
What is your primary source of fats now? I hope you have not been advised to "avoid saturated fats." That advice makes good health nearly impossible. I suggest lots of ruminant meat (beef, lamb--but not liver). Given the severity of your event, it might be a good experiment to try a carnivore diet as several other posters suggested, at least as a short-term elimination diet to see what happens. (But again, don't listen to liver bros. Good way to get copper and iron toxicity.)
May I ask, which of the tests you did were most useful?
Primary sources of fats is EVOO, avocados, and full-fat Greek yogurt.
I already responded to why I am not doing carnivore below. Carnivore is fine as a temporary thing to do for a few months. That's not what I'm looking for in a diet - I want something I can reliably do the rest of my life with long-term health and minimal willpower (doing carnivore "forever" will indeed fuck up your gut).
ALL the tests I did were useful. It was some of the best money I've ever spent in my life. I'm only scratching the surface of what learned in this article.
Thanks for the reply. I just want to say that there's interest in hearing more about the tests if you're inclined to write about it.
I will.
Yikes, hoping for speedy recovery with no complications
Same problem here. Hope you get better man. Bone broth might be great for you too!
Eh... bone broth tastes like ass. But I agree it would be good.
Check out psyllium husks for your gut and colon. Have amazing results with it so far for my stomach.
One to three teaspoons daily in warm water, quickly chug it down and drink lots of water over the day.
What AI said based on the test results:
Psyllium husk is primarily a bulk-forming laxative — it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool. It has very limited prebiotic effect, meaning it doesn't meaningfully feed or diversify beneficial gut bacteria. For a leaky gut repair protocol, that's a significant gap.
Sunfiber (partially hydrolyzed guar gum) on the other hand is a true prebiotic — it's specifically fermented by beneficial bacteria in the colon, producing short-chain fatty acids (including butyrate) that help heal the gut lining. This works synergistically with the Sodium Butyrate you're also taking in Phase 2, essentially feeding the bacteria that then produce more butyrate to repair your intestinal barrier.
There's also a tolerance issue worth knowing: psyllium can cause significant bloating, gas, and cramping — especially in someone with a compromised gut like yours. Sunfiber is specifically formulated to be very low in digestive side effects, which is why it's often used in therapeutic gut protocols.
So psyllium isn't harmful per se, but it's essentially the wrong tool for what you're trying to achieve. It would be a bit like swapping a targeted supplement for a generic one that doesn't address the actual mechanism. Stick with the Sunfiber as prescribed
What AI tool are using for the feedback? Thanks
Claude Sonnet 4.6
Thanks Caleb!
told ya like 5 years ago to check for leaky gut 🤷 you shadowbanned me on youtube i think lol