Acacia Fiber

[njbeachbum]

ok, so i was diagnosed in 11/07 and have been gluten free since the beginning of December. i was symptomatic and misdiagnosed for many years. i am now coming up on five months adhering very strictly to the diet (with occasional cc here and there). i know i had substantial villi damage due to the length of time that i was still unknowingly celiac and exposing myself to gluten. after about 3 months i had started to see some improvement but i was still concerned about my true healing and how i was really doing.

so i started to research healing supplements and supplements for overall digestive health. one of the things that i've found to be a great addition to my daily routine is Acacia Fiber (Heather's Tummy Fiber, on www.helpforibs.com). I research a lot of fiber supplements and had concerns with all of them. My biggest problem was that i was still having up to 3 bm's per day, and they were soft in consistency and didn't seem to be getting more "normal". so i got the acacia fiber, which is a soluble type of fiber that has a prebiotic effect on the intestines (promotes the growth of good gut flora) and claims to normalize both constipation and diarrhea. i started with small doses then found myself stabilizing with a dose of one tablespoon, twice daily. this fiber is truly like a miracle. it was regulated and calmed my gut beyond belief. while i am still having up to 3 bm's daily (i'm told that it's not uncommon to have 2 or more per day, however, i have no idea what it's like to be normal in that area, sadly) but what i have noticed is that i am more regular about when they occur. gone are the emergency bathroom trips (except when cc'ed) and also i've noticed a decrease in the gas and bloating.

anyway, i just wanted to sing the praises of this product, and also see if anyone else has experienced success with acacia fiber. i've also been using the probiotic flora-q2 and i've been taking slippery elm and marshmallow root caps. i think all of it together has been promoting my healthy gut, in addition to coming up on 5 months gluten free. i guess there is a light at the end of the tunnel, huh? it's great when you really start feeling better than you have in most of your adult life

p.s. heather's tummy tamer peppermint caps are also quite soothing, and i use them before going out to dinner to calm my gut and prevent any "violent" reactions if i am cc'ed.

[WhimsiKay]

You read my mind! I was planning to ask about this product today -- I'm glad you got here first. Thanks!

[njbeachbum]

You read my mind! I was planning to ask about this product today -- I'm glad you got here first. Thanks!

i just ordered a bunch more... it could be coincidental that i'm coming up on 5 months gluten free and just feeling much better b/c of time, but increasing my soluble fiber intake can't really be a bad thing. so many of the gluten-free products are low in fiber anyway, so i think it's a win-win situation.

try it out and let me know how you do with it!!!!

[Sweetfudge]

i really like the tea that she sells. they just started carrying all her products at my health food store. i have some awesome recipes from that site (before celiac dx) that i still use all the time. used up all the tea ages ago, but may have to invest in some more

[MDRB]

i just ordered a bunch more... it could be coincidental that i'm coming up on 5 months gluten free and just feeling much better b/c of time, but increasing my soluble fiber intake can't really be a bad thing. so many of the gluten-free products are low in fiber anyway, so i think it's a win-win situation.

try it out and let me know how you do with it!!!!

Hi,

I'm glad you are having such success with this product. However, you should be careful about staying on it too long or dosing yourself with too much as your body will get used to having this help and will not want to function without it. Perhaps you could slowly reduce your dosage, or only use it if you are having stomach problems.

[RiceGuy]

If you want soluble fiber, there are other (less costly) ways to get it, such as guar gum. Apparently, the resistive starch in slightly green bananas is supposed to be very good for the intestines, and is even said to aid in intestinal repair. Google resistive starch if you're interested.