Bacterial Dysbiosis/leaky Gut

[glauderback]

I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles. After many months of increasing brain fog / sinus flare ups / gut pain / energy loss I went to the doc and discovered I have food allergies. This is a relatively new thing for me, and I know nothing about leaky gut (in fact I came across this thread via a google search trying to learn about it to see if that might be part of my issue). However, I have been working to learn about nutrition for several years, so I know a good bit about food. That's where I'm coming from with this post.

 

I also want to commend you for pushing forward with life. I am sure the stress/anxiety you are experiencing must make going to school and work difficult. Hang in there. There is an answer. You're just in the middle of the path to finding it.

 

A few observations that might help your food choices...

 

Quinoa. In your earlier posts you mentioned eliminating quinoa. Please note that it's not a grain. It's a member of the spinach family. Since it's loaded with protein and all the amino acids your body needs to build muscle, I'd think it'd be a great add in!... unless there's another reason you eliminated it that I didn't catch? If you can eat it, a quick/yummy breakfast is fried eggs (I fry mine in coconut oil) on top of quinoa.

 

Hummus. It's main ingredient is chick peas / garbanzos (just smashed up). Since you eliminated chick peas wanted to make sure you knew that!

 

Peanuts -  Peanuts are not a nut. They are a legume (bean family), so your body processes them differently than nuts, like almonds/walnuts, etc. I understand you are also considering elminating nuts, but I just wanted to clarify that one option would be to try eliminating peanuts and trying other nut-based foods, like almond butter. Nuts have good fats in them for you, so if they don't cause a problem, that might help your weight gain, too.

 

Meat - I read that you buy organic food, but I didn't see any mention of what feed the meat has been given. For example, cows were meant to eat grass, but even organic farmers often supplement their feed with grains to improve flavor and texture. Grass-fed beef is a much better choice because it doesn't cause inflammation, and some people with grain intolerances have issues with animals that have been fed grain. The same is true for other animal products, including eggs. Let me know if you need more info on this, and I'll look up some links.

 

Lemons - if you can, drink lots of lemon water. It cleans your body and makes your blood alkaline, which helps fight infection.

 

A book that might be helpful is the PH Miracle (and the associated books by the same author). Don't let the fact that one of the books is called "PH Miracle for weight loss" scare you. It's not a diet. That's just marketed to overweight people whose bodies will naturally lose weight as they start eating well. One point to note is that they promote soy use. Most soy is highly genetically modified and causes health problems, so I only use non-GMO soy products (like Bragg's liquid aminos - soy sauce alternate and great flavor/sodium add with lots of amino acids!)

 

A podcast/website I just came across that has some great meal ideas is the Raw Chef. Maybe he will help you come up with some new ideas? (therawchef.com)

 

Finally, do you practice any sort of religious activities? It's the best thing I've found to counter anxiety. Saying a prayer for you now...

[foam]

Hey Bryan how are you feeling now? I'm feeling excellent now that I've recovered from that antibiotic. I'm getting into antifungal herbal cleansing now, see how that goes. Been pretty busy grinding leaves.

[GFinDC]

HI Bryan,

 

The advice to avoid starches and sugars is because people who are starting the gluten-free diet can have bacteria  overgrowth that feeds on that stuff.  It can cause bloating and gas and irritation.  Symptoms very similar to lactose intolerance, as well as diahrea.  If you aren't having those symptoms, then you may not have that issue.  And so may not need to avoid those foods.

 

A good diet IMHO is meats, veggies, nuts and fruits.  If they have a small refrigerator at your work they may let you bring in a container of food to eat?  Many work places do provide refrig for their employees.

 

Avocados are a great choice as they have healthy oils in them and enzymes.  I like to mix a can of salmon with an avocado and some garlic, salt and pepper.  It goes real well on a sandwich, a wrap, or with Mission brand tortilla chips.

 

You may need to consider an elimination diet at some point.  Elimination diets can help pinpoint foods that cause a reaction.

 

The top 8 food allergens in the USA are:

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

Open Original Shared Link

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to list the eight most common ingredients that trigger food allergies. Most other countries have similar rules. In the United States, information about food allergies has to be written in simple terms adults and older children can understand. The eight foods included in food allergy labeling account for an estimated 90 percent of allergic reactions. These eight foods are:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts)
• Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder)
• Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
• Soy
• Wheat

Beyond those people on the forum have reported issues with nightshades (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant), corn, oats, rice, grapes, carrots, coffee, and many other foods.  One reason for this is the leaky gut process can lead to food intolerances developing.  But these may be temporary in some cases.  Not always though.

 

Eating chicken and steak is a good idea.  You can easily mix it with mushrooms and onion or other things.  I suggest you avoid the spice mixes for now.  It is better/easier to troubleshoot food issues if you use single ingredients.  Simplifying your diet is helpful if you are reacting to unknown foods.  Reduce the number of variables to make the equation more solvable.  Or the puzzle, however you like to think to it.

 

Easy yummy bread in minutes
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/56641-easy-yummy-bread-in-minutes/

How bad is cheating?
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/94443-how-bad-is-cheating-on-the-gluten-free-diet-periodically/

 

Thread For gluten-free, Dairy, Soy, Corn And Nightshade Free Recipes
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/97786-thread-for-gluten-free-dairy-soy-corn-and-nightshade-free-recipes/

Super Easy Meal Ideas Anyone?
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/97027-super-easy-meal-ideas-anyone/
 

[Pegleg84]

Hi Brian

 

Sorry to hear about your struggles. Brain fog is often worse than stomach pain, I know! Even after I went gluten-free, I still got brain fog after most meals. I discovered I'm also intolerant to soy (my evil nemesis) and dairy, but whole grains and dense proteins can do bad stuff to me too.

 

There's a lot of great advice here already, but sounds like you need to get a firm idea of what foods are always safe, which ones can cause trouble (but not all the time) and might need to be rotates, and which ones should be cut out entirely. That's different for everybody.

 

Also, it's possible that you do have Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance, even though you haven't been properly tested. That means you could be suffering from all the other fun things that seem to go with it, despite being entirely Gluten Free, like leaky gut and other problems. A lot of people here develop more intolerances over time. and they're different for everyone. For example, I can't handle quinoa (it tends to cause stomach stabbiness), and eggs give me serious brain fog. Problem foods might not be the usual suspects.

 

I'd also try digestive enzymes. They help break down proteins so they're easier to digest. I used to get brain fog/bloating more or less regardless of what I ate, and now I'm usually ok. It's been a huge huge help.

 

And definitely eat more! More proteins, good fats, etc. I'd try chicken or pork rather than ground beef, and fish. Not too much, but enough to supplement any vegetable proteins you're getting (avocados, nuts, whatever you can handle)

 

Anyway, it's a slow process but you'll figure it out.

 

Good luck!

[Bryan E]

Sorry it took me so long to respond. I have been keeping extremely busy with school, work, and health struggles.

Your not eating anywhere near enough, not even 10 percent. No wonder you have brain fog. It would be better if you were eating like. A full chicken in one day and some chicken soup with veggies in it. And a litre of yoghurt and other stuff. Then say half a kilo of red meat the following day + other stuff. There would be starving people in worn torn countries eating twice what your eating. Even I'm eating twice what your eating! .

 

If you can tolerate bananas and the sugars in them. Put 8 of them in a smoothie with I dunno 4 eggs. And some yoghurt, throw some coconut oil in there too. Stop eating those bars with dates and nuts.... dodgy stuff. too much sugar, sulphates and nuts. You would be far better off with the smoothie, more calories and less bad stuff.

 

You probably want about 4000IU of vitamin D3 per day during (non Summer months)

 

Omeprazole only makes you not digest food, you want the opposite and make sure you chew the food really well. Get rid of all the nuts and replace them with easy to digest proteins that are hard to become intolerant too (meats)

Yes, you were definitely right. I have upped my food intake greatly and I am starting to gain a little of the weight back. I have figured out that I can't do eggs anymore (nor snap peas), nor nuts. I have also since stopped the omeprazole, thank you for the tip. 

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles. After many months of increasing brain fog / sinus flare ups / gut pain / energy loss I went to the doc and discovered I have food allergies. This is a relatively new thing for me, and I know nothing about leaky gut (in fact I came across this thread via a google search trying to learn about it to see if that might be part of my issue). However, I have been working to learn about nutrition for several years, so I know a good bit about food. That's where I'm coming from with this post.

 

I also want to commend you for pushing forward with life. I am sure the stress/anxiety you are experiencing must make going to school and work difficult. Hang in there. There is an answer. You're just in the middle of the path to finding it.

 

A few observations that might help your food choices...

 

Quinoa. In your earlier posts you mentioned eliminating quinoa. Please note that it's not a grain. It's a member of the spinach family. Since it's loaded with protein and all the amino acids your body needs to build muscle, I'd think it'd be a great add in!... unless there's another reason you eliminated it that I didn't catch? If you can eat it, a quick/yummy breakfast is fried eggs (I fry mine in coconut oil) on top of quinoa.

 

Hummus. It's main ingredient is chick peas / garbanzos (just smashed up). Since you eliminated chick peas wanted to make sure you knew that!

 

Peanuts -  Peanuts are not a nut. They are a legume (bean family), so your body processes them differently than nuts, like almonds/walnuts, etc. I understand you are also considering elminating nuts, but I just wanted to clarify that one option would be to try eliminating peanuts and trying other nut-based foods, like almond butter. Nuts have good fats in them for you, so if they don't cause a problem, that might help your weight gain, too.

 

Meat - I read that you buy organic food, but I didn't see any mention of what feed the meat has been given. For example, cows were meant to eat grass, but even organic farmers often supplement their feed with grains to improve flavor and texture. Grass-fed beef is a much better choice because it doesn't cause inflammation, and some people with grain intolerances have issues with animals that have been fed grain. The same is true for other animal products, including eggs. Let me know if you need more info on this, and I'll look up some links.

 

Lemons - if you can, drink lots of lemon water. It cleans your body and makes your blood alkaline, which helps fight infection.

 

A book that might be helpful is the PH Miracle (and the associated books by the same author). Don't let the fact that one of the books is called "PH Miracle for weight loss" scare you. It's not a diet. That's just marketed to overweight people whose bodies will naturally lose weight as they start eating well. One point to note is that they promote soy use. Most soy is highly genetically modified and causes health problems, so I only use non-GMO soy products (like Bragg's liquid aminos - soy sauce alternate and great flavor/sodium add with lots of amino acids!)

 

A podcast/website I just came across that has some great meal ideas is the Raw Chef. Maybe he will help you come up with some new ideas? (therawchef.com)

 

Finally, do you practice any sort of religious activities? It's the best thing I've found to counter anxiety. Saying a prayer for you now...

I'm sorry that you are going through something similar as well. It's really no fun. This website is a great resource. It'll talk a while and a lot of work, but you'll get better.

 

Thank you very much for the words of encouragement, it's definitely hard but I do my best. I am sure most of us here know what it is like. I've since put quinoa back into the rotation. I was eliminating it because of it's starch content, but from another post here it sounds like starches might not be the worst thing, so I've put rice, quinoa, and red potatoes back into the rotation. We'll see how it goes. I had to cut out hummus as well, I'm not sure if it was that or the eggs that I would eat it with but it didn't go well. Maybe I'll have to try some hummus plain and see how that works. Peanuts I've found that I can't do. I would occasionally pick up some when I was out and had no food and they definitely set off a reaction, I think nuts do as well. All the beef that I buy is grass fed, I'm not sure what they feed the chickens though. I will look into lemons, thank you. I will look into that book and podcast as well, thank you for the tips.

 

No, I'm not religious, but I appreciate the thought!

 

Hey Bryan how are you feeling now? I'm feeling excellent now that I've recovered from that antibiotic. I'm getting into antifungal herbal cleansing now, see how that goes. Been pretty busy grinding leaves.

 

I've had a couple of good days and a lot of bad days. I've also been sick and stressed with finals and cheating on the rotational diet some so it's hard to tell how I'm actually doing. I'm hoping to start getting a lot better once summer starts.

 

Glad to hear that you are feeling excellent! That's great! I will have to do a search on antifungal herbal cleansing, I'm not sure what it is exactly.

HI Bryan,

 

The advice to avoid starches and sugars is because people who are starting the gluten-free diet can have bacteria  overgrowth that feeds on that stuff.  It can cause bloating and gas and irritation.  Symptoms very similar to lactose intolerance, as well as diahrea.  If you aren't having those symptoms, then you may not have that issue.  And so may not need to avoid those foods.

 

A good diet IMHO is meats, veggies, nuts and fruits.  If they have a small refrigerator at your work they may let you bring in a container of food to eat?  Many work places do provide refrig for their employees.

 

Avocados are a great choice as they have healthy oils in them and enzymes.  I like to mix a can of salmon with an avocado and some garlic, salt and pepper.  It goes real well on a sandwich, a wrap, or with Mission brand tortilla chips.

 

You may need to consider an elimination diet at some point.  Elimination diets can help pinpoint foods that cause a reaction.

 

The top 8 food allergens in the USA are:

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

Open Original Shared Link

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to list the eight most common ingredients that trigger food allergies. Most other countries have similar rules. In the United States, information about food allergies has to be written in simple terms adults and older children can understand. The eight foods included in food allergy labeling account for an estimated 90 percent of allergic reactions. These eight foods are:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts)
• Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder)
• Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
• Soy
• Wheat

Beyond those people on the forum have reported issues with nightshades (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant), corn, oats, rice, grapes, carrots, coffee, and many other foods.  One reason for this is the leaky gut process can lead to food intolerances developing.  But these may be temporary in some cases.  Not always though.

 

Eating chicken and steak is a good idea.  You can easily mix it with mushrooms and onion or other things.  I suggest you avoid the spice mixes for now.  It is better/easier to troubleshoot food issues if you use single ingredients.  Simplifying your diet is helpful if you are reacting to unknown foods.  Reduce the number of variables to make the equation more solvable.  Or the puzzle, however you like to think to it.

 

Easy yummy bread in minutes
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/56641-easy-yummy-bread-in-minutes/

How bad is cheating?
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/94443-how-bad-is-cheating-on-the-gluten-free-diet-periodically/

 

Thread For gluten-free, Dairy, Soy, Corn And Nightshade Free Recipes
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/97786-thread-for-gluten-free-dairy-soy-corn-and-nightshade-free-recipes/

Super Easy Meal Ideas Anyone?
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/97027-super-easy-meal-ideas-anyone/
 

Thank you, prompted by your post I reintegrated starches into my diet. It is definitely helping me have foods that I can eat on the rotational diet. My work does have a refrigerator (I work in food service) that I can use. However, I usually eat salad that I get from there when I am at work, although my schedule right now is three days in a row so I'm trying to find a way to incorporate that into the rotation diet. Last time I brought tuna but after eating 6 cans on tuna in a day I started getting worried about mercury poisoning. They do have a rice cooker there so I can use it for one of the meals.

 

I'm not the biggest avocado fan but I'll buy them anyway. Just one more food that I can eat. An elimination diet is always in the back of my mind but I don't think I want to go that route right now. That part about the nightshades scares me. I can't possibly cut more things out of my diet. I guess I'll just keep what I'm doing and identifying reactions and see if I need to cut any of those out. I am definitely trying to keep my diet as simple as possible, however it doesn't always work out.

 

Hi Brian

 

Sorry to hear about your struggles. Brain fog is often worse than stomach pain, I know! Even after I went gluten-free, I still got brain fog after most meals. I discovered I'm also intolerant to soy (my evil nemesis) and dairy, but whole grains and dense proteins can do bad stuff to me too.

 

There's a lot of great advice here already, but sounds like you need to get a firm idea of what foods are always safe, which ones can cause trouble (but not all the time) and might need to be rotates, and which ones should be cut out entirely. That's different for everybody.

 

Also, it's possible that you do have Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance, even though you haven't been properly tested. That means you could be suffering from all the other fun things that seem to go with it, despite being entirely Gluten Free, like leaky gut and other problems. A lot of people here develop more intolerances over time. and they're different for everyone. For example, I can't handle quinoa (it tends to cause stomach stabbiness), and eggs give me serious brain fog. Problem foods might not be the usual suspects.

 

I'd also try digestive enzymes. They help break down proteins so they're easier to digest. I used to get brain fog/bloating more or less regardless of what I ate, and now I'm usually ok. It's been a huge huge help.

 

And definitely eat more! More proteins, good fats, etc. I'd try chicken or pork rather than ground beef, and fish. Not too much, but enough to supplement any vegetable proteins you're getting (avocados, nuts, whatever you can handle)

 

Anyway, it's a slow process but you'll figure it out.

 

Good luck!

 

Sorry to hear that you went through this too. It's really no fun. That's the stage I'm on now, trying to figure out what produces reactions and what doesn't. I'm hoping to get a better feel for that after school gets out in a week and a half. I am running under the assumption that I am gluten intolerant and dairy intolerant. I don't know if I would need to change anything if I changed my assumption to that I had Celiac disease, but it's worth a shot.

 

The digestive enzymes sounds very promising, do you have a brand that you use? I'll have to go pick them up next time I'm at the store. Are they different than probiotics?

 

I can't do pork, and beef is one of the main ways I'm getting calories on one of my days right now, I don't think I could cut that out. I was eating tuna on one of the days (6 cans) but I don't think that's a good idea, and other fish is very expensive, but I will have to look into it. I'm eating a lot more right now for sure. Here's some examples:

 

Today:

1/2# turkey burger

4 Kind bars (see what I mean about the food on the run) 

1.5cups rice (dry) with carrots and green peppers

About to eat the other 1/2 pound turkey burger

 

Monday:

1lb ground beef

Salad (romaine, peppers, olives, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette)

1lb ground beef

 

 

I also think that I have to cut out olive oil, I think it was making reactions worse.

Thank you very much for your help everybody, I really appreciate it.

[Bryan E]

A couple of other points. I recently was talking to somebody who was saying that ever since they took accutane (an antibiotic for acne) they have been having terrible issues with anxiety, brain fog, and digestional issues. I looked it up and apparently there is a lawsuit against them.

 

 

The Accutane Team was formed with one vision; achieving justice and results for Accutane victims. Three experienced trial firms with significant track records have joined forces and are now actively advancing accutane cases toward resolution. Our lawyers are involved with accutane on a national level.

Our Team has won numerous verdicts against Roche. In November of 2008 a New Jersey jury awarded $13 million in damages to three plaintiffs who had developed severe gastro-intestinal health problems including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as a result of using Accutane. The jury found that Roche had been negligent in advising physicians of the potential dangers associated with prescribing Accutane. In April of 2008 a Florida man was awarded in excess of $10 million for a similar suit filed against Roche. To date, the company has been hit with over $33 million in damage awards from product liability suits over Accutane side effects.

 

 

Then it clicked. I took an antibiotic for acne when I was probably about 17, and shortly thereafter is when these problems started to develop. I think I took accutane, but it also could have been another antibiotic for acne (although I'm not aware of any others). I got extremely frustrated that my daily struggle and inability to live a normal life for the past 4 years is most likely because when I was around 17 I had a little acne and my mother took me to the doctor and they gave me these completely unnecessary antibiotics. I am actually quite mad about this, and I think I am going to hold a little ceremony to release my anger and frustration towards the medical system, my mother (I'm not actually mad at her, but she is involved in this as well being the one who thought I should see the dermatologist), and myself. Hopefully I can have a therapeutic breakthrough and make this healing process easier while not holding any grudges. 

 

I also have an idea and I want to know if something like this exists or if I would need to find a way to develop it myself. I am going to copy/paste my post from another forum, asking about if this technology exists. If anybody here knows about something like this then please let me know. The concept of it is an electronic journal. I am a little sleep deprived and am having trouble verbalizing my thoughts here, but I have a pretty clear image of it in my head. I'm just almost sure that it doesn't exist, so I would need to find somebody with computer programming experience who would be willing to design this.

 

I think I want the interface to be semi-calendar style (for the big picture), with a notebook-style interface on a daily basis. I want to be able to write in the journal and make entries by day and time. I also want to be able to sort by foods. So I could search broccoli and have the days and times that I've last eaten broccoli pop up (like dots on a calendar . You would then be able to apply various filters so you can show supplements, certain foods, etc. at the same time and track usage patters. I also get reactions to foods and such so I would want to be able to mark a time with a note that I had a reaction or was feeling off and then be able to search by those and see what I consumed 30-minutes or up to the day before each reaction to help me track patterns and figure out what is making me feel bad.

I am also on a rotational diet so once I eat a food I can't eat it again for 4 days (to help eliminate things that give me reactions). Being able to see a list of foods that are ok to eat (been at least 4 days since I've eaten them) on the current day would beawesome! But this is getting more and more complicated as I keep dreaming it.

I also would eventually want to add a feature where you can import food choices and add those to your daily journal when you eat them and it would automatically have the ingredients so when you're searching by reaction, it would incorporate the ingredients of for instance a snack bar or can of soup and check those with other possible things that contain those same components so you could see what's causing your reaction.

Also, having a section where you can search by food and see it's status; gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar free, soy free, peanut free, etc. Eventually add a list of restaurants where you can input your food sensitivies and it would show restauraunts around you with foods that you can eat.

I also eventually want to integrate a dream journal into it as well. Searching by keyword (like happy, so I could see what I was eating before I felt happy) would be a must as well

 

Hopefully that makes sense to somebody out there who might want to help me develop it.
 

[Bryan E]

Ok, so I have been doing more research into the relationship between antibiotics and gastrointestinal issues and found the following article. It sounds like it describes me personally. I think I'm going to buy her book and give that diet a go. Has anybody heard anything about it? Is it a sham? It makes perfect sense to me and I think it is the best fitting explanation and road-map to healing for myself that I have found yet. I wanted to check here first to see if anybody has any experience with it.

 

 

This is the introduction article that led me to the GAPS article:

Open Original Shared Link

This is the GAPS article:

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

I would really appreciate any opinions or personal experiences with this plan. It's giving me a little hope, so I hope it's not a dud.

 

 

Edit:

And here is the "most helpful" review quoted from Amazon. It sounds exactly like what I'm going through except mine is of a lesser severity. I am thinking about starting a new thread for this but I'll keep it here for now to see if it gets any responses, and then maybe make a new thread if me or somebody else deems fit, in case it could help somebody who won't otherwise stumble into page 3 of my thread.

 

 

WOW. This book is outstanding. Others have reviewed the book's content, and they do it far better than I could. So, instead, I'll attest to the healing power of this diet.

Over a year and a half ago, I became sick. Super sick. So sick I was unable to get out of bed. I eventually realized my adrenal glands were shot. So I quit my job and school and took time off, expecting to recuperate within a few months. Ha.

I researched and researched, pouring over everything I could read online. I had a Candida infection (resulting from allopathic drugs) that never went away. I'd literally feel poisoned, especially after eating. My immune system was a mess. I had zero energy. I suffered severe chemical and mold sensitivities and began to develop hives. I started developing arthritis in my knees and fingers. Some days it was so bad it prevented me from knitting/crocheting, two of my favorite pasttimes. I experienced constant congestion and back-to-back sinus infections. My body was in terrible shape. I'm not a dramatic person by nature, but I assure you, some days I wasn't sure how much sicker one could get before the body just gave up altogether. I kept getting weaker and more exhausted by the day. For months, I didn't leave the house. For the record, I'm 32 years old. (Mind-blowing, isn't it?) After several months of research and trial and error, I discovered the adrenal issues were a symptom of a much larger problem - severe leaky gut and gut dysbiosis.

If the preceding paragraph sounds like hyperbole to you, I can't say I blame you. Before my experience, I'd have been skeptical too. I had been preparing to study biochemistry in grad school. Before I became ill, I thought chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases could merely be 'managed.' In blind faith, I had accepted what the medical establishment tells us. That was fine, until the medical establishment failed me...repeatedly. I gave up on allopathic medicine and knew it would be my responsibility to heal myself. As much as this illness has consumed me, it really was a true wake-up call. A blessing in disguise.

So I researched. Boy, did I research. I took vitamin/mineral supplements. I got my detox pathways up and running again, as per Dr. Myhill's methylation protocol. I followed her advice for supporting mitochondrial health. I started eating meat. I had been a vegetarian for 16 years, but I was so sick I had no difficulty adjusting to eating meat again. In fact, I craved it. Things improved slightly, but my quality of life was still abysmal.

Finally, a few months ago I happened upon some website extolling the GAPS diet. I looked into it but figured I was already eating a clean (mostly) paleo diet, so I didn't need to buy this book. I didn't think it was that different from what I was already doing. When I had to stay home on Christmas day because I felt so toxic and crummy, I decided to purchase the book.

So, sure I had already eliminated processed foods and gluten. But I still ate cheese everyday. I still ate sweet potatoes and oats. I still ate a lot of fiber. This book showed me the error of my ways. These things are fine for a healthy gut. But my gut was a complete wreck and needed special help. More importantly, this book showed me what I WASN'T eating that I needed to be eating: lots of bone broth and marrow, organ meats, and lots of ferments, amongst other things.

I started following the GAPS diet intro on January 1st of this year. The first two weeks were brutal. I had been toxic for so long that I was used to feeling lousy, but the die-off this diet produced was intense. In the book, she stresses the importance of managing die-off; but, because I was so toxic, there was really little I could do. The diet alone, even without the introduction of probiotics, sauerkraut, and kefir was enough to produce rapid die-off.

Then early last week, it was like the fog broke. Gradually, I started having more energy. I announced to my shocked boyfriend that I wanted to go for a walk in the park like we used to do. We did. I suffered no repercussions from it, whereas before GAPS it would have taken me days to recover. I now go for a 30-45 minute walk nearly every day. I can't stress how utterly amazing this is. I prayed that GAPS would help me. It was my last resort. However, I never expected it to work this quickly. Truth be told, I'm still stunned.

I'm nowhere near fully recovered. I've still got toxins circulating. I still feel die-off, but it is nowhere near what it once was. True, I take other supplements. However, since starting GAPS I have stopped taking the majority of my supplements, simply because I no longer need them. At long last, my diet is providing the nutrients my body has been needing all along for repair (particularly cholesterol and saturated fats, which are sadly demonized in our culture). I probably sound like a crazy person because I'm so, so excited about this book and this diet; but if you're sick like I was, you know all too well what it's like to live in a chronically ill body. I don't know what percentage of CFS is caused by gut dysbiosis, but I know that mine was. If yours is, this is, without a doubt, the diet to follow.

Because I'm having such rapid success on the intro phase, I intend to stick with it for a few months. Some people fly through it in a matter of days before starting full GAPS. That's the nice thing about this diet; you move at your own pace and let your body be the guide.

I'm also curious to see how this diet helps me with the mental health issues I've contended with since childhood (namely fits of debilitating anxiety, ocd, and depression that have become increasingly severe in the last few years). I had tried several SSRI's over the last ten years until a new doctor put me on Adderall (which is nothing more than a mixture of amphetamine salts and is very, very hard on the adrenals) after diagnosing me with ADHD. The SSRI's never worked. I'd be happy if GAPS prevents my anxiety from getting worse, but truly I'd love to see the anxiety eliminated permanently. At this point I have no expectations. After all, I've lived with the anxiety for 30 years. But if anything can help, I firmly believe it'll be this diet.

This book saved me. Reading success stories of people recovering from CFS is what got me through the worst moments. I hope my story does the same, and I will update again in a few months as I progress along my GAPS journey. I wish you all the best of health.

UPDATE 4/10/12: Spring has sprung here. I no longer seem to be affected by pollen, which in previous years gave me terrible allergies and sinus infections. In fact, I have not had a sinus infection in months. The arthritis symptoms are completely gone. I've lost 15 pounds and walk an hour or more just about daily in addition to my chores around the house. Also, for the last 3 months my monthly cycle has been just that (cyclical). In the 20 years I've been menstruating, I've NEVER once had a regular cycle. Now it's literally every 28-29 days. There has been no improvement on the mental stuff yet; in fact, the die-off seems to be temporarily making it much worse.

UPDATE 3/1/13: I've been on GAPS for over a year now, with no deviation. No cheating whatsoever. I can honestly say I don't miss any of the "normal" food that I used to eat. This stuff is just so nutrient-dense that I don't ever think of eating anything else. And I used to literally be addicted to sugar. So, that's pretty cool. As to my progress - physically, I'm not much stronger than I was six months ago. But I'm still light-years ahead of where I was two years ago. Still taking walks, doing chores, knitting, able to function like a human being. I'm experiencing new die-off symptoms (caused by breaking up biofilm in my gut with probiotics and systemic enzymes, I believe) like visual disturbances, rosacea and other rashes, adrenaline rushes, numbness/tingling/burning in my extremities. Apparently, these things are all typical for Candida overgrowth. I'm not surprised that I haven't experienced more physical improvement. My Candida infection was/is quite severe, and I've always anticipated that it would take several years to recover. Happily, though I am able to report a significant improvement in my mental well-being. My depressive episodes started to lift just a few months into GAPS, and now they are all but gone. My favorite improvement by far, however, has been with my anxiety and panic attacks. It took about a year, but they are about 85% gone, at this point. I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to have some relief from this torment for the first time in over ten years (most of my adult life).

It should be obvious, but in case it's not, this protocol is not (nor does it claim to be) a quick-fix. I've had gut dysbiosis (and many, many rounds of antibiotics) since birth. It takes a long time to undo decades' worth of damage. The diet is only the base, although Dr. Natasha says that for many GAPS folks, the diet alone is enough. In my case, after the infection is gone, I will still need to detox, fix my adrenals completely, get my metabolic hormones back in order, and perhaps chelate. I have no delusions about how long this is going to take.

Thanks to all of you who have commented or contacted me over the past year; it's been wonderful swapping stories and information. I'm very grateful to you all. Here's to continued healing!

 

Also, here is the link to the book. The subtitle is a little misleading, as pointed out by some of the people in the reviews:

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

Edit: sorry, after a basic forum search (should have been my first move) I found a lot of information on GAPS. I'm ordering the book tonight. I'm really excited about the future!

[Bubba's Mom]

This diet (GAPS)is basically the SCD (simple carbohydrate ) diet.  It's also used for healing the gut.  The main thing is to cut out sugar, chemicals, and starches.  Use gelatinous bone broth to heal the gut and probiotics to populate with good bacteria.  I think the books are helpful in that they give recipes and examples of what your meal would be.  I use an L-glutamine supplement for gut healing as well. ( I had total villous atrophy along with ulcerations and had a lot of healing to do). It sounds like a good thing for you to try?  It sure couldn't hurt?

A while ago on this site I posted  a link to a site that I found which told how to have perpetual bone broth by slowly simmering a whole chicken in a slow cooker.  You take some out each day and add more water as needed.  If you add a teaspooon or so of vinegar it helps get that good gelatin out of the bones without giving a sour taste.

I tried to paste the link to that thread here.  I hope it works?  you might some helpful info in it?

 

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/89508-need-help-with-a-diet/

As time goes on I'm getting more intolerances, so I know I need to keep working.  I think I may go full on GAPS too?

 

I have an appointment at Mayo Clininc for follow up care next week.  I have a lot of questions, and among them will be how to finally get my gut balanced and healed.  A scope in December showed my villi appear to have grown back.  The weird thing I've found is that Dr.s don't seem to want to make us well...they seem to want to squelch symptoms with drugs instead.

Good luck!

[Bryan E]

Thank you for your post! There is one good thread on here comparing the GAPS diet to the SCD diet which I skimmed the other day. It does sound like GAPS applies to me almost perfectly though, so that is the one that I am going to do. I ordered the book + the cookbook last night. I'm not sure if I'm going to start with the intro diet or the full GAPS diet considering I already have been hopefully healing a little by being gluten free/dairy free for 3+ years plus a pseudo-SCD/paleo diet for the last couple of weeks/months. 

 

I don't have a slow cooker yet, but I will have to look into getting one. Thank you for the link to that thread. I am also taking anywhere from 2g-6g of L-Glutamine a day to help heal.

 

I am very sorry to hear that you are developing more intolerances. That's really no fun. It's good to hear that your villi have grown back though! That's progress! My best wishes to your continuing healing process, and I definitely share your frustration with the Western medical system. It's really no fun dealing with when you have a condition such as ours.

[Bubba's Mom]

Thank you for your post! There is one good thread on here comparing the GAPS diet to the SCD diet which I skimmed the other day. It does sound like GAPS applies to me almost perfectly though, so that is the one that I am going to do. I ordered the book + the cookbook last night. I'm not sure if I'm going to start with the intro diet or the full GAPS diet considering I already have been hopefully healing a little by being gluten free/dairy free for 3+ years plus a pseudo-SCD/paleo diet for the last couple of weeks/months. 

 

I don't have a slow cooker yet, but I will have to look into getting one. Thank you for the link to that thread. I am also taking anywhere from 2g-6g of L-Glutamine a day to help heal.

 

I am very sorry to hear that you are developing more intolerances. That's really no fun. It's good to hear that your villi have grown back though! That's progress! My best wishes to your continuing healing process, and I definitely share your frustration with the Western medical system. It's really no fun dealing with when you have a condition such as ours.

One thing that they stress with GAPS is the introduction phase.  You may only do it for a very short time, but they stress that you shouldn't skip it.  I never did it, and I think I may have to backtrack and do it?  I've been gluten-free, dairy, and soy free for almost 2 years.  The GAPS diet uses dairy and eggs which I am intolerant of, so I never tried doing GAPS or SCD, and they use stool consistancy as a guide to whether a food is well tolerated or not.  I don't have D as a symptom, so again, the diet didn't seem like it was a good fit for me at first. I'm rethinking it.  From reading through the GAPS diet site online they refer to page 95 in the book for those who can't do dairy, so I guess the diet may be possible for me after all? 

 

One thing I would add...the eggs that you use do matter.  Whatever they're fed comes through into the egg.  Organic, free range hens lay healthy eggs, wheras those fed a heavy grain diet may give you a bad reaction.  I learned that quite a while ago when they first came out with the higher nutrition Eggland's Best brand.  It proves the feed affects the egg.  I reacted badly to them when I could eat other eggs.

 

I also saw that they were recommending the diet for time frames like 1.5 to 2 years.  When I first started on this journey like most peolple I thought I'd go gluten-free and I'd magically become healthy.  The reality is, it takes a bit more work for some of us.  I admire your wonderful will power in giving up so many foods (I still haven't completely eliminated all sugar and starch) and awareness that the food we eat drives our health. My best wishes to you! 

[Bubba's Mom]

Here's one more thing to consider.  I ran across this info this morning.  Take a look at the free peek of the book and read the intro.  It may be one more piece of the puzzle for all of us to consider?

Open Original Shared Link#_

I hope the link works..if not go to amazon and check out the book: Earthing: the most important health discovery ever?

[foam]

Hey Bryan I'm following the SCD diet to the letter at the moment. It's certainly not as effective immediately as eating no sugar at all but you can actually hold your weight on it and slowly improve which is good. Better than starving yourself and improving for a week before you start to get deficient in _everything_. SCD is a pretty easy to follow diet for life I think, it's not very restrictive for someone that's been living on a more restrictive but probably less sensible diet already.

[Bubba's Mom]

This diet (GAPS)is basically the SCD (simple carbohydrate ) diet.  It's also used for healing the gut.  The main thing is to cut out sugar, chemicals, and starches.  Use gelatinous bone broth to heal the gut and probiotics to populate with good bacteria.  I think the books are helpful in that they give recipes and examples of what your meal would be.  I use an L-glutamine supplement for gut healing as well. ( I had total villous atrophy along with ulcerations and had a lot of healing to do). It sounds like a good thing for you to try?  It sure couldn't hurt?

A while ago on this site I posted  a link to a site that I found which told how to have perpetual bone broth by slowly simmering a whole chicken in a slow cooker.  You take some out each day and add more water as needed.  If you add a teaspooon or so of vinegar it helps get that good gelatin out of the bones without giving a sour taste.

I tried to paste the link to that thread here.  I hope it works?  you might some helpful info in it?

 

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/89508-need-help-with-a-diet/

As time goes on I'm getting more intolerances, so I know I need to keep working.  I think I may go full on GAPS too?

 

I have an appointment at Mayo Clininc for follow up care next week.  I have a lot of questions, and among them will be how to finally get my gut balanced and healed.  A scope in December showed my villi appear to have grown back.  The weird thing I've found is that Dr.s don't seem to want to make us well...they seem to want to squelch symptoms with drugs instead.

Good luck!

I'm just back from the Mayo Clinic.  They ran some tests and I was shocked to learn that I have fructose malabsorption.  I thought maybe I had a yeast overgrowth because eating sugar made me feel bad.  It's a rarely tested for companion of Celiac/gluten intolerance.  

I was told to go on a low fructose diet.  I was surprised to see that a lot of veggies have fructose.  Among them are onion and garlic.

 

If you've gone gluten-free and are still getting bloating, gas, belching, cramps, stomach pain, headaches, skin breakouts, or nausea, it's something to consider.  The test is very easy for a GI to do.