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Healing the Gut Tribe ~ CHEAT SHEET

66K views 42 replies 16 participants last post by  baileyb 
#1 ·
WHAT IS GOING ON?
Leaky gut, yeast/bacteria, IBS, IBD, Crohn's, colitis
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...0&postcount=36
http://www.mdheal.org/leakygut.htm
http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/171

Candida FAQ
(v. helpful but not 100% correct on everything IMO)
http://web.archive.org/web/200208020...mi/candida.htm

Studying stools
http://www.enzymestuff.com/rtstools.htm

Encoparesis http://www.enzymestuff.com/rtencopresis.htm

ASD. Sensory Issues, IBS and the Gut Reaction
http://www.enzymestuff.com/rtsensorygut.htm
http://www.enzymestuff.com/conditionsensory.htm
http://www.pecanbread.com/BTVCautismchapter.html
DIETS
Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) in the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle
www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info
(start with Beginner section and "Science Behind the Diet" and "Intro Diet" in this section)
and www.pecanbread.com
(see Science Behind the Diet and food charts at Food Preparation/Beyond Intro Diet)

Nourishing Traditions
http://www.westonaprice.org/bookrevi...raditions.html
http://www.mercola.com/2003/mar/8/no...traditions.htm
using NT for IBS: http://www.westonaprice.org/askdoctor/ibs.html
(NT is the cookbook of the WAPF nutritional foundation site www.westonaprice.org, lot of nutritional info there)

The Maker's Diet and Patient Heal Thyself by Jordan Rubin
http://www.makersdiet.com/
http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndi...ivehealth.html
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...2/ai_107201236
TREATMENTS
Probiotics... why they are essential
http://www.a-vital-life.com/page.php?p=5_ltr_3

Yogurt and Kefir… the strongest probiotic you can get
http://www.healingcrow.com/ferfun/co...onspiracy.html

Making Yogurt in bulk http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&postcount=119

Fermented Foods (great dairy free source of probiotics)

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/3/fermented_foods.htm

Digestive Enzymes

http://www.enzymestuff.com

Betaine HCI

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/dige...s/a/LowHCL.htm

Cod Liver Oil

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnut...dliveroil.html

Coconut Oil
http://www.coconutdiet.com/digestive_disorders.htm

Primer on Digestive System (and Nutrients Essential for Gut Health)
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...6&postcount=55

Natural Anti Fungals/Anti Bacterials
http://www.enzymestuff.com/conditionbacteria.htm#4

The Healing Power of Bone Broths
Source of natural glutamine and healing gelatin
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...23#post3942223
http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/broth.html
http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeat...beautiful.html
OTHER PERTINENT ARTICLES AND THREADS
The Power of Probiotics
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ad.php?t=96009

Nutrition/Immunology 101
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=406983

Whatever happened to the cure for celiac disease?

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.i...ac_disease.htm

Causes of Autism
Exactly what a deficient diet and immune system can and does result in.
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=367180

How Not Have an Allergic Child: role of gut flora in development of allergies
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=471144

Prepping the Body for Optimal Pregnancy
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=398509
BASIC SUGGESTED OUTLINE:

1. Digestive enzymes with meals.
2. Enzymes between meals, esp. proteases and cellulases.
3. Yogurt/kefir/fermented foods/probiotics.
4. Cut out foods you determine that you cannot digest or are allergic to.
5. Add nutrient dense superfoods and good quality supplements.
6. Educate yourself on what is really a healthy diet... nutrient deficiencies can in themselves lead to many digestive issues.
7. If all the above doesn't work, investigate alternatives: anti fungals/bacterials, homeopathy, etc.
 
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#2 ·
I think I will post updates as new messages instead of editing the list as I seem to be finding something new to post everyday!

Please don't respond to this thread, go to this month's Gut Healing Tribe to ask questions.

If you would like to receive update notifications, click the "Subscribe to this Thread" option above under "Thread Tools".
 
#8 ·
#12 ·
Eat Fat, Lose Fat
by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon

The "Health Recovery" diet in the book is not for weight loss. It is for healing a number of autoimmune conditions including serious or not so serious digestive disorders:
  • Recovery from surgery, life-threatening illness, debilitated weak condition, chemotherapy, malnutrition.
  • Adrenal Weakness/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Allergies/Hay Fever
  • Asthma
  • ADD
  • Constipation
  • Diabetes and Insulin Resistance
  • Emotional Problems: Anxiety, Depression, Mood Swings
  • Fungal Infections/Candida
  • Gallbladder Ailments
  • Hormonal Imbalances/Women's Diseases
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Immune System/Autoimmune Disorders
  • IBS/Colitis/Crohn's Disease
  • Skin Problems: Eczema, Dry Skin, Wrinkles, Scaly Patches, Hair Loss
  • Thyroid Imbalance
  • Viral Infections: Epstein-Barr, Herpes, HIV/AIDS
http://www.eatfatlosefat.com/test-healthrecovery.html

The HR diet is based on a lot of coconut oil and coconut milk, lacto-fermented foods and beverages (kefir sodas and yogurt), and lots of homemade bone broth. They recommend raw milk and kefir/yogurt but there is a high calcium milk alternative made from coconut milk and KAL dolomite powder if you are allergic to dairy. And the fermented foods and kefir sodas are great dairy free sources of probiotics.

Also includes eggs, meat, liver (or just dessicated liver tablets), fish, cod liver oil, high vitamin butter oil, animal fats, vegetables, natural vitamin C from amla or acerola powder and only one serving of soaked grains/day. Swedish bitters or apple cider vinegar for liver and digestive support.
 
#14 ·
#19 ·
Concept of human bowel flora as a living organ
http://www.probiotictherapy.com.au/p...s/concept.html

Concept of human bowel flora as a healthy or sick organ
http://www.probiotictherapy.com.au/p...concept_2.html

Quote:
It is useful to compare the human faecal flora to a living organ because its major component is a complex mass of living cells. Furthermore, it interacts with the human body and the human body interacts with it.

Given that the human body is made up of approximately 1014 cells - while 1 x 1013 are body cells, about 9 x 1013 cells are bacteria contained within the bowel. Hence, purely on cell count we are 10% human and 90% stool!
 
#20 ·
With respect to infants and gut flora:

Bifidobacteria comprises 91% of microflora of BF infants and 75% of FF infants. (Harmsen et al, 2000)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

The bifidus dominance and exclusive BF'ing seals up the gut mucosal lining. This is extremely important for the immune system to start to develop the ability to recognize "self" vs. "non-self". The gut flora is 70% of the innate immune system primary defenses (basis of the GALT, MALT and BALT immune systems).

There is also a lot of evidence that colicky behavior, and sleeping and stool problems, with infants are a direct result of the imbalance of gut flora. So bifidus supplementation might be a good first step for correction or prevention of behavioral and immune system diseases.

Edit: B. Infantis is the correct human strain that is preferred. Natren Life Start or Solaray BabyLife. I have more confidence in the first one, but the second is dairy free if you know for sure your babe is allergic to dairy. Interestingly, Elizabeth Lipski PhD author of Digestive Wellness for Children recommends probiotics made from dairy if they are well tolerated by the child as helpful in aiding the body to digest dairy. She also states that she has seen B. Infantis correct colic in newborns within days and uses it in her clinical practice. Also indicated for cradle cap and eczema.

Intestinal flora in the neonate: impact on morbidity and therapeutic perspectives
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...t_uids=9759211

Just One Bottle
http://www.massbfc.org/formula/bottle.html

The Case for the Virgin Gut
http://breastfeed.com/resources/articles/virgingut.htm

Developmental microbial ecology of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/69/5/1035S

Beneficial Baby Bacteria: Their Key Benefits, Functions, & Selection
http://www.natren.com/pages/natashart3.asp

Your Baby's Best Advantage - Probiotics
http://www.natren.com/pages/baby.html

Quote:
Further studies found differences in the gut flora of infants who are likely to develop allergy. When compared with healthy infants, babies who developed allergy symptoms were less often colonized with bifidobacteria. These results could indicate a role for the intestinal microflora in the development of and protection from allergy, especially in developed countries, where antibiotic therapy and sterile C-section deliveries are far more common.

Childhood eczema is almost entirely caused by food allergies, noted Dr. McCann. "We also know that one allergy can predispose to another. In other words, if food allergies and eczema can be prevented, then so also can asthma." He adds, "In future years, every newborn baby will receive with her first feeding, a goodly gulp of a friendly bacterial mix. Meanwhile, we are stuck with treating after the fact, rather than prevention."

Of the many factors suggested to explain the worldwide increase in asthma, "We have found only one primary prevention, the maintenance of a normal bowel flora," reported pediatric allergy specialist Dr. Bengt Bjorksten, in an address to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Studies, Stockholm, Sweden. Studies from Europe show that newborns with abnormal flora have many more times the prevalence of allergic disease. If the baby does not have a good GI barrier, it sets the stage for increased allergic disease.
Effects of intestinal microflora and the environment on the development of asthma and allergy.
Bjorksten B.
Centre for Allergy Research and Department of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. bengt.bjorksten@cfa.ki.se

Quote:
Recent studies have shown differences in the composition of the microflora between healthy and allergic infants in countries with a high and low prevalence of allergies and between healthy and allergic infants within such countries. These differences are apparent within the first week of life and thus precede clinical symptoms.
Evidence of probiotics in prevention of allergy and asthma.
Bjorksten B.
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. bengt.bjorksten@cfa.ki.se

Quote:
Recent epidemiological studies and experimental research suggest that the microbial environment and exposure to microbial products in infancy modifies immune responses and enhances the development of tolerance to ubiquitous allergens. The intestinal microflora may play a particular role in this respect, as it is the major external driving force in the maturation of the immune system after birth and animal experiments have shown it to be a prerequisite for normal development of oral tolerance. The composition of the microflora differs between healthy and allergic infants and in countries with a high and low prevalence of allergies. These differences are apparent within the first week of life, or even in the maternal vaginal flora during pregnancy and thus precede clinical symptoms.

Two very common things given to babes or BF'ing mamas that greatly effect the infant's ability to lay down and keep proper gut flora balance:

-Antibiotics
-Tylenol/Advil

Also note: If you have yeast/thrush you are passing this on to your babe's flora. There is indication that yeast does indeed change the immune systems reaction to foods:

Animal Studies Show Gut Flora/Antibiotics Effect Oral Tolerance

Antibiotic administration early in life impairs specific humoral responses to an oral antigen and increases intestinal mast cell numbers and mediator concentrations.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract

Quote:
The reconstitution of intestinal flora of GF mice with Bifidobacterium infantis, one of the predominant bacteria in the intestinal flora, restored the susceptibility of these Th2 responses to oral tolerance induction; however, this was only effective when such reconstitution was performed in neonates, but not in mice at an older age.
Antibiotics and Infant Gut Flora from MT
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...2&postcount=24
 
#21 ·
Dealing with Die Off

I've been doing a lot of research into vitamin C lately:
(see post on Levy's book)
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=507310

Vitamin C neutralizes both endotoxins from cell death, aka die off, and exotoxins, metabolites produces by yeast/bacteria.

The issue seems to be taking enough to see a result, not that it won't work. If anyone has a physician who does vitamin C IVs this might be an option for someone having a hard time. It will saturate your body's tissues better than any oral dosing can. (As toxins rapidly deplete your tissue stores of C.)

So the next best thing is determining your "optidose" ... the amount that you can take to bowel tolerance. Start taking 1-2 grams every hour or two until you get watery diarrhea. Then take just under that amount every single day, 4x/day is best. Healthy adults will be in the range of 6-12 grams/day. So it's possible you will need more during die off crisis.

Sodium ascorbate version is ph buffered so the body absorbs it better than ascorbic acid.
 
#22 ·
Great book on the role of gut flora in the development of allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, Crohn's, IBS, etc.

Bacteria for Breakfast
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...075920-8901432

Has a cheesy title and cover, but this is a gem of a book with lots
of study references. Was written by a pharmacist whose young son
contracted a C. Difficile infection. He was put on many different
antibiotics with no success, probably making him worse. Finally
what worked was a new probiotic called VSL#3 with 450 billion count
of 8 strains.

Was most interesting for its detailed description of the role of gut flora in controlling the immune system in development of allergies for ex. And the fact that the way probiotics suppress bacteria and candida is because they produce metabolites that kill off the bad guys.

Also has the perspective that if you are facing any of these challenges, you are going to need very high counts of probiotics, in the trillions. And that several different strains of beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts may be needed. No one thing works for everyone. And since our gut flora numbers something like 500 different kinds, we will probably need many strains to make a difference.
 
#23 ·
So many people ask about different brands of supplements here. Do you think it would be worth creating a sticky of accepetable brands? You know Sodium Ascorbate: brand X,Y,and Z. CLO: brand X,Y,Z. Probiotics etc... Have we done that already? I'm thinking no, as I'm getting alot of pm's asking this question. It would be alot easier if the info were readily available-wouldn't it?
 
#25 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by firefaery View Post
So many people ask about different brands of supplements here. Do you think it would be worth creating a sticky of accepetable brands? You know Sodium Ascorbate: brand X,Y,and Z. CLO: brand X,Y,Z. Probiotics etc... Have we done that already? I'm thinking no, as I'm getting alot of pm's asking this question. It would be alot easier if the info were readily available-wouldn't it?
This would be very helpful. I spend a lot of time pouring through threads to figure out what brand/type people are using. I figure there's no sense in re-creating the wheel . . .
 
#26 ·
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ghlight=health

This is a link to a thread that discusses some of the good bacteria/yeasts in water kefirs, and some of the health benefits of kombucha.

Here's a quote from that link if it's not working (originally posted by xenabyte):

Quote:
Milk Kefir grains are for culturing milk and will enrich and alter it to be more like a wide spectrum yogurt, with the addition of healthy yeasts also.

Info on the content of milk kefir is more easily found and so I'll not type that.

Water Kefir grains are for the use in a water/sugar mixture and will give you a probiotic drink that is dairy free. Here are some of the healthy bacteria and yeasts found in water kefir:

Lactobacilli
Lb. alactosus
Lb. brevis
Lb. casei subsp. casei
Lb. casei subsp. pseudoplantarum
Lb. casei subsp. rhamnosus
Lb. casei subsp. tolerans
Lb. coryneformis subsp. torquens
Lb. fructosus
Lb. hilgardii
Lb. homohiochi
Lb. plantarum
Lb. pseudoplantarum
Lb. yamanashiensis

Yeasts
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
S. florentinus
S. pretoriensis
Candida valida
C. lambica
Kloeckera apiculata
Hansenula yalbensis

Streptococci/lactococci
Streptococcus cremeris
Str. faecalis
Str. lactis
Leuconostoc mesenteroides
Pediococcus damnosus

Water kefir is usually very mildly alcholic, but this can be increased by longer fermentations or with the addition of more sugar or solid fruit juices.

Kombucha (SCOBYs) are used to ferment/culture black or green tea. A Kombucha SCOBY is not a mushroom or a fungus as many call it, but another symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts (the good kinds).

The key ingredient formed in Kombucha ferments is glucuronic acid, which binds up poisons and toxins in the body, both environmental and metabolic (naturally occurring) and flushes it out of the body via the kidneys. This is a natural process that your liver and kidneys would do every day by producing its own glucuronic acid, however the Kombucha tea boosts this process.

Glucuronic acid is also a building block for a group of polysaccharides, including hyaluronic acid (a component of connective tissues), chondroitin sulfate (a component of cartilage), mucoitinsulfuric acid (a building block of the stomach lining and vitreous humor of the eye) and heparin.

A small amount of alcohol is produced (about .5%) and it is lightly carbonated.

The Kombucha brew also contains Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 (vegan source), as well as folic acid and L-lactic acid, which is a substance that is usually low or missing in cancer patients, and is believed that low levels of this needed substance helps prevent failure in cell respiration and the build up of undesirable DL-lactic acid in tissues.

Kombucha also has usnic acid which has a mild antibacterial effect.

Kombucha also has the beneficial yeast strain, Saccharomyces boulardii, a popular treatment in Europe against candida infections ("yeast against yeast") and also c. difficile. It also increases the immunoglobulin IgA.
 
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