Healing the Gut Tribe.......April - Page 20

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by birthjunkie27

I'm taking Sundown Fish Oil 1000mg, high in omega-3 fatty aicds.

Only one? You should be taking at least 6 or more.

Sundown® Fish Oil 1000mg (180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA per softgel, 2-6 per day)*

Also, there is a general warning against fish oils from certain companies in capsules. They have tested to be rancid because of heat processing ... and rancid oil is very dangerous, contains free radicals. Personally I only go with cod liver oil from trusted sources, for the vitamins too. One tablespoon of CLO for bf'ing mothers. I don't know anything about the Sundown brand or the manner of processing.

Originally Posted by birthjunkie27

I also just started taking Garden of Life Primal Defense HSO probiotic. Is there such a thing as too much probiotic? I've been giving Samara Udo's Choice Infant's Blend Probiotic, which as I'm reading it it only contains 15% bifidobacterium infantis. I give her about 1 tsp a day. I dip my finger in it and let her suck it, and this is how she takes it.

I don't think I have any digestive symptoms. Nothing I have ever eaten ever really bothers me. I'm pretty regular, rarely have diahrrea (not sure how to spell it).

What do you think of grapefruit seed extract? I bought some yesterday, but haven't done anything with it yet.

I'm not sure on the Udo's Choice as it contains acidophilus and thermophilus.
http://www.vitacost.com/UdosChoiceInfantsBlendProbiotic

My DS is still not doing well so at least you can learn from some of my mistakes! (don't do FOS or acidophilus when ebf)

Grapefruit seed extract kills beneficial bacteria in addition to the bad bacteria/yeast. I would not give it to babe. I would not take it yourself if you are not having yeast symptoms.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by caedmyn

OK, question for those of you who have been doing gut-healing for a bit...how long did it take you to see changes in yourself or your DC? I'm not sure anything's changed with me or DD, although it's only been 10 days so maybe I'm just too impatient.

Does anyone know if doing a colon cleanse is a good idea with gut healing or might help things along? I still have gas so I'm not sure if there's stuff that needs to come out (that's gross, I know!), or if I'm adding too much new food or what. I've only added half a dozen fruits/veggies, plus the nut butter. Part of the problem is I have no idea how to tell whether I'm going too fast or not--since nothing seems to be changing and I don't have any digestive symptoms other than gas, how can I tell? DD still has circles under her eyes, diaper rash, and had some green poop yesterday. I may have to try eliminating eggs or nuts to see if she is reacting to one of those, but I'm going to try to do some yeast-killing first to see if that helps.

I noticed a significant change within a week or two, all my gas was gone. With my DS, well, 8 months on SCD hasn't seemed to help all that much!! His stools tests did show the carb loving bacteria has been eliminated (Klebsiella) but not the protein loving ones (Proteus) so I think that is our issue.

Are you doing digestive enzymes? I'd do those before cleanses. I've never done one myself, so I'm not much help.

[JaneS]

DS was 8 months old when we started CLO for his eczema upon advice of ND. He got 1/2 tsp/day.

The more I read about CLO and ADD and autism, I'm sure this was one of the things that I actually did right and saved his brain.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by artisticat

Well, I was doing SCD with fanatical adherence, that is until Easter. And now all this week it seems I've slipped up more and more. I was on it off and on for a couple months and this last time I did it slow and fanatically for 2 weeks. Still have tons of gas issues that never went away. Trying to figure this all out is hard work!!

Right now I am trying to decide which minerals to start with first (money is tight) Should I just start with a multi? I live in Michigan which is Selenium deficient and I could be low in Magnesium. So confused on whether to do a CAL/Mag combo or just Mag. I try and eat bone broths every day and i was eating yogurt every morning. Lately though everything sounds yucky to me. I don't want yogurt or kefir or any of my ferments. Nothing really sounds good (usually I am always hungry) Wonder what that means? Don't know wether it is bad or good. I do seem really thirsty too.

Oh and Jane-- what is EPO good for besides excema? I think I read that you were taking it too? What is it supposed to help or give again?

Still not sure on the Betaine HCI though. Has anyone tried it with success? I am really considering to just go and try it.

Selenium is cheap, just get the yeast free selenomethione version. And I was just reading that butter is good source of selenium, who da thought!

I totally love Natural Calm Magnesium, Firefaery's rec.

I didn't feel like eating when I had gas too, that could be it, your system is just not accepting of food right now.

I took the EPO (less now) for my bladder issue (interstitial cystitis), it helped a great deal, I assume with tissue integrity. More info here: http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyour...linolenic.html

I find that article so interesting for the "obligate carnivore" hypothesis. Based on my abysmal health after vegetarian diet, I'm sure I'm one of them.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by firefaery

Oh, and just out of curiosity...how many people are doing SCD with fanatical adherence right now? I'm having a hard time keeping track...

Me no longer :

Been doing little cheats for a while, like canned tomatoes, raw non fermented cream, chevre.
Started NT soaked grains and am doing fabulously!
Always enzymes.

I really like Thropp's Ultra-Zyme, they seem to be pretty strong and cheapest all around:
http://www.throppsnutrition.com/ps_ultrazyme.htm

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by Vaquitita

after 3 weeks on a low carb, nt diet with kefir everyday i no longer seem to be having gas and indigestion. and -TMI HERE- my bm's no longer contain undigested food particles. my ebf ds now has nice yellow bf poop instead of greenish yellow allergy poop. yay!

so i'm hoping this means my leaky gut/malabsorption issues are clearing up, but obviously i still have a yeast problem so time to address that more directly...

sigh... when will i be *healthy* ???

R

That's very good progress!!

It's really hard, I know! But I look at it this way, I've learned SO MUCH about nutrition and it's connection with health through this whole journey that I never ever would have discovered. Or found the commitment to change. I'm actually grateful for it. Well, most of the time (not on days when DS is hitting me and not sleeping, sigh).

I really did see significant healing from kefir right before I did SCD. Then all of a sudden, kefir started tasting gross to me and I craved yogurt.

I've been doing a lot of thinking as to why DS is not getting better and I am and kefir is one of the things I did differently than he.

It's so hard to say which is the best probiotic. The information is so conflicting.

I've been so down on HSO's and Jordan Rubin as I'm sure you know. But then my WAPF Chapter Leader (who has become a friend I see almost every week for playdates) really believes in them, has personally seen benefits with herself and her DH, and uses them with her clients. (She is a nutritional consultant.)

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by Pookietooth

Jane, I think you may be right about bacteria + yeast -- what do I do that will kill both in both of us? Oh, and I definitely will try the banana thing -- and maybe yogurt, but lately ds has been refusing it.

I think enzymes are the easiest choice, the proteases for the bacteria and the cellulases for the yeast. 3x day in between meals if you can. The problem with "killers" is that so little is known about them, what exactly they kill and whether they work in vivo, b/c the are just tested in vitro. Plus one is always not so sure which strains you have, even with stool testing.

Maybe a change in probiotics is necessary? Consider Sacc. boulardii or the beneficial yeasts in kefir. Or dare I now say it and eat my previous words ... HSO's. As you can tell, the idea that SCD can fix absolutely everything is completely disproven by my DS! And he has never even had advanced foods like dried fruits or beans since becoming fanatical last Sept.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by ccasanova

I have been debating whether or not to post here in the heal the gut tribe. I know you mamas are probably very far into this, and I'm a newbie asking questions, but I have decided to give my questions a try. First, from doing google searches I am suspecting that I might have a problem with my gut. I'm not sure if it is candida or just an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria. Or if what I mentioned above is the same thing??? I don't have the money to go see a naturopath to get it diagnosed if it is the case (candida) so I'm kinda on my own. First, if I am suspecting these things, is it ok for me to just go get a candida cleansing kit? Will this get rid of the problem if that is what I have? Which one is good and how will I know when all the candida out of my body. Also, if a imbalance of good/bad bacteria is the problem will taking probiotics fix the problem? Should I take the 2 products at the same time? I'm seeing what I think is a patch of ezema, dandruff, fungal skin infection, and some kind of rash near my belly button. Some of these things have been going on longer then others. But I never thought that it could be some problem of my gut. Can someone help? TIA!

What are your gut symptoms? I'll make it less embarrassing for you... you don't have to answer me if you don't want to. If you are not having 1-3 solid brown comfortable bm's a day, with no discernible food particles, and no gas or bloating or indigestion, then you have a problem.

Yes probiotics are essential for healing any gut issue and especially gut flora problems. In very large amounts, that is why homemade 24 hr yogurt or kefir is so great, there's a higher bacterial count in one teaspoon than most capsules on the market.

Echoing my previous post to Jen... this is where enzymes really excell... if you don't know what bad bugs you are fighting. Taking enzymes between meals fights the bad bugs and gut inflammation.

The fats in your diet also might need some looking at for the skin issues.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by caedmyn

JaneS--so should I try to avoid nuts for a while? I'm not sure how much of a difference it would make at this point anyway...I ate a ton of peanut butter (probably easily a pound a week) while pregnant, and the first couple months of DD's life. I guess I could try to avoid it if it's necessary...but first I'm going to go make myself a pecan butter pancake so I at least get one treat in if I have to give the stuff up!

Not sure what to say... perhaps stick to the nuts that are easier to digest like pecans and almonds for now?

[caedmyn]

Is there anything I can do to minimize die-off reactions? I'm going to start enzymes again soon and they made DD really cranky last time I tried them, even though they didn't bother me. Would epsom salt baths help her if I took them (she's EBF)?

[mamajessica]

Another ? here
I have been taking Candidase for almost a week and have a few new "symptoms" and am wondering if they are related. The rash (yeasty) on my underarms is worse and I have constant "cotton mouth". Is this things getting worse before getting better? Any suggestions?

[Panserbjorne]

Caedmyn-pascalite clay! It will absorb and transport all the nastiness and clear things out for you. It really minimizes the reaction. I have posted alot about it on this thread (whenever anyone asks about die-off) it's very safe and relatively cheap-about $10 for a pound. It's something else I always have on hand. It's a calcium based (as opposed to sodium based) clay. IT's great for MANY things, but die off, diarrhea and vomitting are the top ones in my book. It's fabulous. Different than bentonite, so google it and find the specific "brand."

unfortunately the one thing you can count on is things getting worse before they get better! Are you doing anything topically for the rash to make yourself more comfortable?

[mamajessica]

Well, I was using some topical yeast cream, but I can't really tell if it has helped at all. I also used TTO diluted in distilled water, but it didn't do much either. The general dampness of my underarms makes it worse, so changing shirts often is helpful. Plus I am stinky because it's hot now. Any ideas? I quit using any sort of deoderant.

[Panserbjorne]

I honestly don't work for or profit from them in any way...but pascalite. IT really is a multi tasker. IT will absorb any dampness and smell, and is quite healing to skin. On dd's yeast rashes (when we had them) I sprayed colloidal silver, let it dry and then sprinkled pascalite clay. Works every time! I doscovered this wheh TTO stopped working. IT has never failed us.

[caedmyn]

firefaery--do you take baths w/the clay or how do you use it? Also, what type of cultured foods did you eat once you were done with the probiotics? Like NT style stuff, ginger carrots, etc?

[mamajessica]

Originally Posted by firefaery

I honestly don't work for or profit from them in any way...but pascalite. IT really is a multi tasker. IT will absorb any dampness and smell, and is quite healing to skin. On dd's yeast rashes (when we had them) I sprayed colloidal silver, let it dry and then sprinkled pascalite clay. Works every time! I doscovered this wheh TTO stopped working. IT has never failed us.

Cool. I have read about it a few times here, but didn't really absorb it because of product and information overload

[artisticat]

Did anyone ever mention what to do for kidney and liver support?

[lilsishomemade]

Hi Everyone! Wow, this is a long thread I'm subbing, though, and hope that maybe I can find a little guidance here...

A little background: I've had eczema all of my life, and have had several allergy tests, and my allergies seem to change over the years...Anyhow, it's really bad right now, and my dermatologist has said that there's really nothing else he can do for me

I'm nursing right now, and he seems to be always stuffy. Like, last night, I had to have him sleep in his carrier so that his head was really elevated. It breaks my heart.

My oldest is a very spirited child, and has a lot of issues with his anger. He will just scream at the very top of his lungs sometimes for no reason. He has a hard time concentrating, and just seems unhappy quite a bit.

My middle child has, since birth, had off and on problems with gas. I mean, awful gas, that smells like rotten eggs. When he is having a gas problem, he'll burp about every 5-10 minutes. He and his older brother also have a problem with occasional diarrhea for no apparent reason, that clears up.

I really feel we have gut issues. I just don't know where to start!! We don't have the $$ to go see a specialist, and the research is great, but a lot of it is hard for me to follow along...

Anyone have advice for where the best place for us to start might be?

[Panserbjorne]

re: pascalite. Depends on what it's for. I've never bathed in it...I have used it as a poultice, or as a deoderant-I brush my teeth with it, use it on insect bites, as a facial mask, as a supplement. Depends what you need. For the underarm thing, I just put a bit in my palm and rub it in as needed

Yup-NT style cultured foods. My favorite is saurkraut, but Jane has posted some yummy recipes on the SCD recipe thread.

There are many things for liver and kidney support-depends on your situation (whether you're nursing or pregnant, on any meds, what the support is for etc.)

[Panserbjorne]

Sorry Caedmyn-that was less than specific. For die off you do it as a supplement. Maybe 3 times a day (if you feel that you need that much) in a bit of water. I never did more than that, never felt I needed to.