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  • #308294
    A Friend
    Participant

    Microbial Gut Health is a prominent subject in my inbox this morning… as seen in a research topic which Dr. Mercola featured in his newsletter today.

    The reality of this topic has certainly had a profound effect on my own course of health… or lack thereof, beginning back about 1990 (with doctors’ Rx’es about every 4 months, and my ignorance about this… and physicians not making sure I knew about and replaced the good flora. After two years of this, I became a lifeless vegetable. Thankfully, a mother and father who had put in a health store where I lived at the end of these first two years, gave me a copy of Dr. Crook’s book, and following what I learned, I got my life back and thought everything was “turned around.” Once we are so severely compromised, we need to know many unfriendly organisms have moved in, and can remain hidden, and take on a life of their own. I hope to pay even closer attention to this (now years later), and hope to impress on those new to Road Back how important restoring microbial gut health really is.

    Dr. William Crook, a pediatric allergist by training, began researching for answers to get many of his babies well who were not responding, and he eventually wrote about 12 books on the subject — for children, men, women. During his years of research, he also established the International Health Foundation on this topic.

    Gut flora (or the absence of “microbial gut health”) would continue playing havoc with my own health and body, and eventually adversely affecting every part of me. But, the attention I gave it those first two years turned things around enough that I did understand that restoration of gut health had, at least, given me much of my life back. Wish I had done even more then than I did. Then I had to read books. Now, knowledge is at our fingertips on the Internet. I am encouraged to dedicate myself to again more closely focus on this subject. The IBS that developed acutely when I took high dose D-3 in early 2013, really has taken its toll, as apparently nutrients were not absorbed during almost a year because the IBS was acute daily. What I’ve learned and benefitted from over the years has been of great benefit. It’s time I learn and do MUCH more. The articles seen today in the Mercola newsletter and Science Daily look promising.

    I did a search on the first page under General Discussion above, using the words, Microbial Gut Health, and numerous topics by RBF BB members’ posts show up. With the science on this subject being reported in today’s Mercola newsletter, as well as Science Daily, and many others, while we need to address the overgrowth of unfriendly organisms negatively affecting our health, it is my belief we need to be just as diligent in learning all we can about how important restoring good microbial gut health that affects our whole body.

    These are a topic link of the article in Dr. Mercola’s newsletter today (also in Science Daily) plus some of the topics found when I did a search in the General Discussion search window above using these search words: Microbial Gut Health.

    1. More than just bacteria: Importance of microbial diversity in …
    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140310090919.htm Cached
    “More than just bacteria: Importance of microbial diversity in gut health, disease.” ScienceDaily. … Importance of microbial diversity in gut health, disease.”

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/26/microbial-diversity-gut-flora.aspx
    1. articles.mercola.com/…/microbial-diversity-gut-flora.asp Cached
    Understanding the importance of microbial diversity in gut health and disease could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating GI disease.

    Importance of Microbial Diversity in Gut Health & Disease
    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140310090919.htm
    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/26/microbial-diversity-gut-flora.aspx

    Note: On Roadback

    #372236
    Anonymous
    Participant

    Nice post!

    I’ve been dealing with IBS in the past. It was quite severe: I had lost 50 pounds, from 180lbs to 130lbs. I was like a skeleton and had to be hospitalized.

    After a parasite was found, I went through 4-5 courses of difference antibiotics. Now I feel better, but still have some issues (probably because of antibiotic’s use).

    What is helping me right now is:

    Lactoferrin
    Bovine Colostrum
    Different kinds of probiotics taken daily (including Boulardii)
    Green Thea (mixed with aloes, prebiotics powder)

    I’m about 80% healthy (gut health related). What specifically helped you regain your own digestive health?

    #372238
    Anonymous
    Participant

    They tell us to treat an acidity of the stomach, but an acidic pH in the stomach is crucial for different vitamins and nutrients to be absorbed from food. A long-term use of acid-blocking medications such as Prilosec, Nexium, Zegerid, Prevacid, Zantac can disrupt the normal production of hydrochloric acid and destroy the natural flora of the stomach.
    How to know if we need more acid products or alkaline? I have been told that symptoms are similar.
    Linda L.

    #372237
    Lynne G.SD
    Participant

    Hi Linda;
    Over the age of 40 everyone loses stomach acid and by the time you get over 65 there is not very much.That is why you see all the little old dears popping tums like candy.They are having heartburn due to incomplete or slow digestion.All my family uses GNC/s digestive enzymes with a meal or a snack.They have a fabulous blend and a big blue jar of 240capsules costs around 30$.Hubby can’t live without them

    #372232
    Anonymous
    Participant

    Lynne G.
    I would think that taking so many medications our stomach is very acid. Does GNC add the acidity or just helps in digestion like probiotic? I had heartburn two days ago and drank a glass of water with a half teaspoon of bi-carb soda and it helped. Do you think GNC would be useful for me? Thank you.
    Linda L.

    #372230
    Anonymous
    Participant

    I ran a search for Vitamin D3 may negatively effect autoimmune disease on the search feature here and did not come up with anything. I will try going back in the history. The author of the Marshall protocol is the only thing I have seen that tries to explain this in scientific terms, but i certainly remain open to more information

    #372231
    A Friend
    Participant

    @aoshi_xken wrote:

    Nice post!

    I’ve been dealing with IBS in the past. It was quite severe: I had lost 50 pounds, from 180lbs to 130lbs. I was like a skeleton and had to be hospitalized.

    After a parasite was found, I went through 4-5 courses of difference antibiotics. Now I feel better, but still have some issues (probably because of antibiotic’s use).

    What is helping me right now is:

    Lactoferrin
    Bovine Colostrum
    Different kinds of probiotics taken daily (including Boulardii)
    Green Thea (mixed with aloes, prebiotics powder)

    I’m about 80% healthy (gut health related). What specifically helped you regain your own digestive health?

    Aoshi,

    Thanks for your informative post above, and sharing what is helping you right now. Hope you will come back to this thread and share more as you have more insights and improvement.

    I have been (am) a “work in progress.” My gut health (digestion, etc.) had never been a problem over my lifetime. In one post I mentioned I’d always said I had a “cast iron” stomach. Quite a number of years ago when I first became chronically ill, and was treated with abx about every 4 months for repeated acute illness onset, I was treated with a prescription for 10 days — and this pattern kept repeating itself… which became chronic illness, and the rest of the story that is still ongoing & changing over periods since that time.

    I was doing so well at my annual checkup in January 2013, until about Feb or March 2013 when I began the D3 5,000 (after about 5 days allergic reactions were thought to have begun, and then an explosion (IBS) took place. (Hard to believe that this has been going on that long — today is 5/22/2014.) I’ve kept reading and doing everything I knew to do. Had seen both my primary care physician and my AP physician (who, bless her, thought I needed a lower GI test… but my PCP felt uneasy about that… guess we both thought the IBS would settle down on its own, but it continues.

    I believe my inability to absorb nutrients from food over this long period of time (nutrients have gone right through me quickly/daily without being absorbed, has even caused a decrease in vision and I believe is the culprit that has accelerated cataracts which a year before were only “beginning.” I’ve found information related to this.

    Two nights ago, I found information and a site about work by a group doing controlled studies with patients with IBS. This work, among other things they do, identifies the organisms in the patient’s IBS through genetic ID of the organisms involved … and addresses them — now, isn’t that amazing! It was late two nights ago when I found this work, was away all day yesterday, and leaving town for several days. As soon as I know more, I will share again on this topic with those interested. (I also plan to share this information with my treating physicians as soon as I have “digested” and organized the information.)

    Keep the faith!
    AF

    #372233
    richie
    Participant

    To Linda
    Guess you dont have scleroderma –a major condition of scleroderma is reflux in which the so called trap door gets overgrown with collagen –this causes acid to back up into the esophagus -over time many people who eschew acid inhibiting meds such as prilosec nexium etc wind up with holes in their esophagus or worse -another point –all this esophagus cancer we are hearing about –I wonder what role reflux plays in it ????? –I am aware of people who took your approach who now can only eat liquids or have to have a boot placed in the esophagus –neither very pleasant —I take prilosec now for 14 years without any problems at all –I assure you my absorption is just fine –Gut flora is replaced daily by my use of large dose of probiotic –there is a big difference between the “book” and reality —
    richie

    #372234
    Anonymous
    Participant

    richie- I regret to offer a contrary opinion on the reflux question. I have had symptoms for LPR for about 5 years., and spent a lot of time looking into as I a sure you have as well From my understandings the concerns about the drug therapies is that they lower the levels of stomach acidity, and not that they kill off friendly gut bacteria. And lowered acidity may mean both an incomplete digestion process for breaking down nutrients, as well as allowing pathogens to survive the digestive process due to lowered acidity. There was a study that showed problems from PPI usage, but i am not sure whether it accounted for probiotic intake. I have heard from some of Weston Price folks that they feel it is related to a candida infection around the two sphincters which accounts for this, and have heard of some reports that after 8 months or so on one of their diet the condition disappeared. In my case as I have had mild improvement with minor lifestyle changes, and have pretty much lived with it. Though I imagine my symptoms are not as bad as others. Many have found relief by using betaine upon finding out the reason for their symptoms was not enough stomach acid. This leads to the final point that in no way are PPI’s, and the like treating a problem, in the gut. The directive is based entirely upon on the idea that reflux is a given, as in no possible curative agent for the cause of sphincter dysfunction is possible, and therefore lowering the acidity of the reflux will result in less damage to tender areas that are effected

    #372235
    Maz
    Keymaster

    @richie wrote:

    To Linda
    Guess you dont have scleroderma –a major condition of scleroderma is reflux in which the so called trap door gets overgrown with collagen –this causes acid to back up into the esophagus

    Hi Richie,

    Wondering if you have seen the following – called the LINX System to augment weak LES to prevent reflux. I caught a report on News CT the other night as they followed a guy who had this minimally-invasive procedure. The success rate has been so promising that the FDA has approved this treatment before clinical trials have been completed. In the news report I saw, the guy who had the procedure done was reflux-free right after implant of the LINX device.

    http://www.linxforlife.com/howitworks.php

    Whether it would work for SDers who suffer from scar tissue build-up, I don’t know, but for those with severe GERD who can’t use PPIs or other methods to control it, this device may be a real blessing.

    #372221
    Anonymous
    Participant

    I heard that you cannot vomit with the device. I cannot confirm that, and for that matter I have not vomited in 25 years or more. But that part sounds a little scary

    #372222
    richie
    Participant

    Maz –good thought but for myself the more I can keep away from doctors the better –this does sound like an alternative though for some folks


    Matt –constant erosion in the esophagus leads to many many dire problems –Barretts esophagus being one of them —-In case you havent noticed there is an explosion of esophageal cancer –speculation is this constant erosion being a suspect –I take PPI’S for 15 years now and no problems both with my gut or esophagus –so any theories you might have really fall on my deaf ears —
    richie

    #372224
    Anonymous
    Participant

    Richie-. These are not controversies I make up. Only about half of LPR cases test positive for acid reflux or signs of acid reflux damage in their esophagus. You have no response to proposition that lower stomach acid has negative health consequences?
    Oh well.

    http://www.post-gazette.com/home/2011/08/01/Heartburn-meds-tied-to-cancer/stories/201108010183
    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/combating-acid-reflux-may-bring-host-of-ills/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

    #372223
    Maz
    Keymaster

    @mattnapa wrote:

    I heard that you cannot vomit with the device. I cannot confirm that, and for that matter I have not vomited in 25 years or more. But that part sounds a little scary

    Hi Matt,

    Nice to meet you. 🙂

    I wondered about the ability to belch and vomit (ugh) after LINX placement and, according to the following article, it is not a problem:

    http://usclinx.com/

    “The device is implanted laparoscopically during a 15-20 minute outpatient surgery. The device appears to have less side effects than the standard surgical treatment for GERD (Nissen) and allows patients to Belch and Vomit which decreases the gas and bloating that is associated with the Nissen.”

    I also adhere to the premise that controlling symptoms and, hopefully, reversing disease in the least invasive way possible is optimal. Unfortunately, in the case of folks who have a serious systemic disease, such as scleroderma, which can be a bit of a freight train, hardening internal organs and causing gastric motility problems, the issue can be much more complex. There are far-reaching consequences from not controlling gastric reflux in this sort of scenario, not least of which is inhalation of stomach acid, which leads to lung fibrosis and ramping up the scarring and narrowing of esophageal tissue to make swallowing very difficult…and this can happen very quickly. As such, this sub-set of rheumatic patients need to take immediate measures and not wait to control these symptoms while waiting for their AP to kick in. In time, however, as the disease regresses, weaning off the pharmaceutical supports is a wise and worthy goal in order to revert to healthier means to control residual symptoms.

    Stomach acid is vital to activate digestive enzymes in order to break down proteins that are ingested. Some folks find that by supplementing with digestive enzymes can relieve GERD, for instance, as these can assist with breaking down food more quickly and, thus, speed up gastric emptying. To reduce stomach acid for too long can leave folks with issues lower down in the gut, including gut dysbiosis and overgrowth of certain bugs, like C. Diff.

    It’s not an easy balance for extremely ill patients to find, so each person must become their own best advocate, do their homework, and decide what feels most comfortable for themselves.

    #372229
    Anonymous
    Participant

    Maz- Thanks for that and I am certainly not suggesting PPI and the like are not appropriate treatments for many cases, and in particular for those with other serious additional disease factors. LPR, which is a subset of GERD with symptoms higher in the throat, the diagnostic situation is more complicated and there is some reason to believe that not all these cases are caused by stomach acid. There is also a rather large split between how gastroenterologists and ENT’s perception of the disease. Several times I had ENT’s wanting to prescribe me PPI’s without even an exam, or meeting with me. I found this disturbing quite frankly and am gravely concerned about them being over-prescribed in general. But again I am definitely not saying that there are not times when they are appropriate. However, in my opinion, they should be a last resort when you have exhausted all lifestyle and diet changes without finding relief. As opposed to RA, the conventional medical community does acknowledge diet may help some in GERD or LPR, but they do not believe sugar consumption plays a role in the disease. One silver lining I am hoping to get out of my RA like symptoms is that it will give me the push to go on and try law carb diet for up to a year to see if i have success with alleviating symptoms of LPR and my RA type stuff. I have some wheezing, as LPR is suspected of causing reflux to enter the lungs, a tight throat, some trouble swallowing, and a constant sinus infection. It can be kind of funny of how one tends to try to ignore such symptoms in a way that is probably a combination of bravado and denial with the latter being the more important factor. I know I am new here, and sorry that I continue to offer some contrary opinions, but the PPI and acid reflux issue is one that hits close to home. I hope the LINX can be a successful option. Personally I think it is likely better than a lifetime of PPI’s

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