Sensitive Stomach

What’s a sensitive stomach?

The term “sensitive stomach” is a non-medical way to describe a stomach that’s easily upset. People with a sensitive stomach may experience recurring gas, bloating, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea.

Someone who has a sensitive stomach might connect their sensitivity to certain foods or situations. Others might experience discomfort or digestive disruptions without being sure of the cause.

At some point, everyone experiences stomach upset. But if you regularly deal with discomfort, indigestion, or changing bowel habits, you may have a sensitive stomach.

What causes a sensitive stomach?

Some people with chronic stomach discomfort are more sensitive to certain foods — like dairy, spicy foods, alcohol, or fried foods. Others may find that they have food intolerances which, unlike food allergies, are not life-threatening sensitivities.

Unlike those with food allergies, people with food intolerances may be able to tolerate small amounts of the foods in question. People with a dairy sensitivity can take enzymes that help them digest lactose.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Sometimes, people who experience frequent stomach issues have something more going on than just sensitivity. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one common culprit behind ongoing stomach trouble.

While its signature symptoms are similar to those of a sensitive stomach, chronic bowel pain is usually involved with IBS. This is due to inflammation in the intestines that tends to be made worse by certain foods.

IBS prevents your stomach and intestines from functioning optimally. Some people with IBS have chronic constipation, while others experience ongoing diarrhea. IBS affects the mobility of the contents of your intestines. This causes:

• changes in bowel habits
• trapped gas
• abdominal pain

Women tend to be diagnosed with IBS more often than men. Women who have had surgeries like C-sections or hysterectomies may be more prone to IBS than others.

Inflammatory bowel disease

If your symptoms are severe, your doctor may perform tests to diagnose you with an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, severe conditions that require prescription anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs.

These therapies may also be supplemented with medications to regulate bowel movements, stop diarrhea, prevent infection, and manage pain. Iron supplements might also be prescribed if you have chronic intestinal bleeding.

Further reading: "If Digestion Takes So Long, Why Does Diarrhea Travel So Quickly Through The Body?"

What are the symptoms of a sensitive stomach?

Most symptoms of a sensitive stomach can easily be treated at home. These include:

• intestinal gas
• bloating
• indigestion
• heartburn
• acid reflux
• nausea
• vomiting
• occasional abdominal pain
• constipation
• diarrhea

But if you have the following severe symptoms, contact your doctor immediately:

• chronic or severe abdominal pain that makes it difficult for you to do your normal activities
• blood or pus in your stool
• severe, ongoing diarrhea that lasts for more than two days
• nighttime diarrhea that keeps you from sleeping
• unexplained fever
• allergic reaction (hives, swelling, itching, etc.)

These symptoms may signal a serious condition. Your doctor will perform testing to determine the cause of your symptoms and diagnose the issue.

How to treat a sensitive stomach

Because there are many things that can upset a sensitive stomach, it can take time to pinpoint and solve the problem. Here are some remedies you can try at home to alleviate your discomfort.

Eat smaller portions

• Filling your stomach too much can make you gassy and give you indigestion. Try reducing the amount of food you put on your plate at each meal.

• Eating five or six small meals per day may also be more comfortable for your stomach than eating three large meals.

Eat more slowly

• Eating too quickly can also give you unpleasant trapped gas and indigestion. Make sure your food is well-chewed before you swallow, since digestion starts long before the food reaches your stomach.

Eliminate potentially irritating foods

Foods that can irritate a sensitive stomach include:

• dairy
• spicy foods
• processed foods
• oily or fried foods
• alcohol
• gluten

It might take a little trial and error, but identifying and eliminating foods you’re sensitive to will go a long way. If you already suspect what foods might be triggers for your sensitivity, it can be helpful to find substitute foods or foods that are similar in texture or taste. 

And if your stomach is especially sensitive, you might decide to eliminate all possible triggers to begin with to relieve your symptoms. If you choose to reintroduce these triggers one at a time later, you’ll be able to identify the problematic food.

Drink more water

If you don’t drink enough water every day, you might be chronically dehydrated without realizing it. Inadequate water intake can cause problems with digestion and elimination. 

If you don’t have enough water in your body, your colon can’t pull enough water in for proper bowel movements. In other words, if you don’t drink enough, you could end up constipated.

Lower your caffeine intake

Caffeine can be a stomach irritant. If you consume high amounts every day, lowering your caffeine intake could soothe your stomach. 

You might also consider changing the time of day when you drink caffeine to see if that helps. If caffeine is the main culprit, you may want to gradually eliminate it from your diet.

Reduce your stress

Chronic stress can lead to an upset stomach. If you aren’t able to pinpoint irritating foods, it might be that stress is triggering your discomfort. Consider adding a stress-relieving practice to your routine, like meditation or yoga.

Tips and Treatments 

Foods that tend to be soothing to people with sensitive stomachs include:

• cooked fruits and vegetables
• lean protein
• easily digestible grains
• fat-free or low-fat dairy

Your doctor may also recommend a short-term, low-fiber diet to ease your discomfort.

If you’re diagnosed with one or more food intolerances, your doctor will recommend you eliminate the food or foods in question. If you are diagnosed with an autoimmune condition like celiac disease, you’ll have to go on a gluten-free diet to manage your symptoms. 

If your doctor diagnoses you with a food allergy, you may be prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector. You’ll need to strictly avoid your allergens, as even a small exposure could cause you to have a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. 

Even if you’ve only had small allergic reactions in the past, the next one could be severe or deadly.

What’s the outlook for a sensitive stomach?

Most people with sensitive stomachs can successfully manage their symptoms at home through dietary and lifestyle adjustments.

Sometimes, though, stomach discomfort can indicate a more serious condition like IBS, IBD, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis.

If you are concerned about any of the symptoms you’re experiencing, contact your doctor.

Gluten-Related Neurological Symptoms and Conditions

There's no question that gluten can affect your neurological system: people with both celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity report symptoms that range from headaches and brain fog to peripheral neuropathy (tingling in your extremities).

Neurological illnesses such as epilepsy, depression, and anxiety also are common in those who react to gluten. In addition, a serious autoimmune condition called gluten ataxia affects a small number of people.

Finally, there are some hints that conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder also may be affected by gluten intake in a few individuals. However, it's not yet clear from the research who might be affected, and whether a gluten-free diet can help some people.

Here's a rundown of the neurological conditions impacted by gluten.

Depression, Anxiety Lead the List

Research shows that people with celiac disease suffer from much higher-than-average rates of depression and anxiety. In fact, one study found that about one-third or more of celiacs suffer from depression, and 17% may have an anxiety disorder.

People who test negative for celiac disease but who have been diagnosed with gluten sensitivity also report higher levels of depression and anxiety, although the links between the conditions are less clear because they haven't been studied.

It's not clear why gluten ingestion leads to these two neurological conditions.

Researchers have speculated that gluten-related intestinal damage might lead to nutritional deficiencies that cause depression and anxiety in people with celiac disease (deficits in certain B vitamins can cause some symptoms). However, that wouldn't explain why people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (who don't get intestinal damage from gluten) also suffer from those two mental conditions.

Some gluten sensitivity experts — notably, New Zealand pediatrician Dr. Rodney Ford — have hypothesized that gluten affects your brain directly to cause these conditions, but this theory hasn't been proven. Regardless, you're far from alone if you experience depression and anxiety from gluten.

Insomnia, Brain Fog, ADHD Are Also Commonplace

Many people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can tell quickly when they've accidentally been glutened: their brains cloud up and they feel less effective, even stupid and clumsy. This phenomenon, known as brain fog, hasn't been studied, but it's another extremely common symptom for both celiac and gluten sensitivity.

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder is another frequent complaint, in both adults and children — those of us who have kids with gluten problems can attest that school performance is much better when their diets are free of gluten!

Headaches? Yes, absolutely. In fact, migraines are commonly mentioned as both celiac disease symptoms and gluten sensitivity symptoms — up to one-third report experiencing this sometimes debilitating headache pain.

Finally, getting a good night's sleep may depend on whether you can steer clear of gluten-containing foods — insomnia and sleep problems seem to crop up in regularity in many of us.

You can learn more on brain fog, ADHD, migraine and sleep problems:

• Brain Fog and Celiac Disease
• Gluten and ADHD
• Celiac Disease and Migraine
• Could A Gluten-Free Diet Help You Get A Sound Night's Sleep?

Peripheral Neuropathy Also Common; Epilepsy, Vertigo Reported

Gluten also may affect whether your nerves and balance system function properly.

People who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity suffer from high levels of peripheral neuropathy, which causes a tingling or "pins-and-needles" sensation in your feet and fingers. The sensation stems from damage to the nerves in your extremities, and the condition may improve once you go gluten-free.

Epilepsy, meanwhile, results when your neurons fire incorrectly, leading to seizures and potentially even unconsciousness. Celiac disease also has been associated with a rare constellation of epilepsy and bilateral occipital calcifications.

Finally, vertigo — or a sensation of dizziness and spinning — occurs due to a malfunction in the balance system housed in your inner ear. There are only two studies potentially linking Meniere's disease (a form of vertigo) with celiac disease, but anecdotal complaints of vertigo are frequent among celiacs.

Serious Psychiatric Illnesses Such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar

There have been many reports suggesting gluten could be implicated in two very serious psychiatric conditions: bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

In bipolar disorder, there are a few studies that indicate people with celiac or gluten sensitivity may suffer from higher rates of the mental condition. There's also an intriguing study that looked at levels of antibodies to gluten in the bloodstream of people with bipolar and found high levels in those in the midst of a manic episode.

In schizophrenia, meanwhile, there have been decades of speculation that eliminating bread from the diet of schizophrenics (which of course would eliminate gluten) can help. However, there's little solid evidence for this and no indication of which schizophrenia patients might benefit. Most psychiatrists believe the percentage of people who might see an improvement in their schizophrenia symptoms while eating gluten-free is very small.

Gluten Ataxia Is Autoimmune Brain Damage

When gluten consumption causes your body to attack its own tissues, you suffer from a gluten-induced autoimmune condition. There are three of these: celiac disease (damage to the small intestine), dermatitis herpetiformis (damage to the skin), and gluten ataxia (damage to the brain).

When you have gluten ataxia, your immune system attacks your cerebellum, the part of your brain responsible for coordination. In many cases, the damage is irreversible, although a strict gluten-free diet can halt the progression of the condition.

Gluten ataxia is a relatively newly-recognized condition, and not all physicians agree it exists. In addition, the number of people who have it is thought to be very small. However, many more people with celiac or gluten sensitivity suffer from symptoms similar to those seen in gluten ataxia.

The Gluten-Free Diet May Help Your Neurological Symptoms

There's no question that celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can lead to a wide array of neurological problems and conditions. However, in most cases, you can reduce or even resolve your gluten-related neurological symptoms by following a strict gluten-free diet.

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This article from Gluten-Related Neurological Symptoms and Conditions
By Jane Anderson | Reviewed by Emmy Ludwig, MD
Updated September 01, 2017
and published via VeryWell

Gluten Ataxia: A Rare Autoimmune Condition Affecting the Brain

Gluten ataxia, a rare neurological autoimmune condition involving your body's reaction to the gluten protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, can irreversibly damage the part of your brain called the cerebellum, according to practitioners who first identified the condition about a decade ago.

This damage potentially can cause problems with your gait and with your gross motor skills, resulting in loss of coordination and possibly leading to significant, progressive disability in some cases.

However, because gluten ataxia is so relatively new, and not all physicians agree that it exists, there's as of yet no accepted way to test for it or to diagnose it.

But that may be changing: a group of top researchers in the field of celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity has issued a consensus statement on how practitioners can diagnose all gluten-related conditions, including gluten ataxia.

In Gluten Ataxia, Antibodies Attack the Cerebellum

When you have gluten ataxia, the antibodies your body produces in response to gluten ingestion mistakenly attack your cerebellum, the part of your brain responsible for balance, motor control, and muscle tone. The condition is autoimmune in nature, which means it involves a mistaken attack by your own disease-fighting white blood cells, spurred on by gluten ingestion, as opposed to a direct attack on the brain by the gluten protein itself.

Left unchecked, this autoimmune attack usually progresses slowly, but the resulting problems in balance and motor control eventually are irreversible due to brain damage.

Up to 60% of patients with gluten ataxia have evidence of cerebellar atrophy—literally, shrinkage of that part of their brains—when examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. In some people, an MRI also will reveal bright white spots on the brain that indicate damage.

How Many People Suffer From Gluten Ataxia?

Because gluten ataxia is such a newly-defined condition and not all physicians accept it as of yet, it's not clear how many people might suffer from it.

Dr. Marios Hadjivassiliou, a consultant neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals in the United Kingdom and the neurologist who first described gluten ataxia, says as many as 41% of all people with ataxia with no known cause might, in fact, have gluten ataxia. Other estimates have placed those figures lower — somewhere in the range of 11.5% to 36%.

Since ataxia itself is a rare condition—affecting only 8.4 people out of every 100,000 in the U.S.—that means fewer still actually have gluten ataxia. Estimates are much higher for the number of people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity who have neurological symptoms.

Gluten Ataxia: Gluten-Induced Neurological Problems

Gluten ataxia symptoms are indistinguishable from symptoms of other forms of ataxia. If you have gluten ataxia, your symptoms may start out as mild balance problems—you might be unsteady on your feet, or have trouble moving your legs.

As symptoms progress, some people say they walk or even talk as if they're drunk. As the autoimmune damage to your cerebellum progresses, your eyes likely will become involved, potentially moving back and forth rapidly and involuntarily.

In addition, your fine motor skills may suffer, making it more difficult for you to work writing instruments, zip zippers, or to manipulate buttons on your clothing.

Diagnosis Not Straightforward for Gluten Ataxia

Since not all physicians accept gluten ataxia as a valid diagnosis, not all doctors will test you for the condition if you show symptoms. In addition, experts in the field of gluten-induced disease only recently have developed a consensus on how to test for gluten ataxia.

Gluten ataxia diagnosis involves the use of specific celiac disease blood tests, although not the tests that are considered the most accurate to test for celiac disease. If any of those tests shows a positive result, then the physician should prescribe a strict gluten-free diet.

If ataxia symptoms stabilize or improve the diet, then it's considered a strong indication that the ataxia was gluten-induced, according to the consensus statement.

Gluten Ataxia Treatment Involves Strict Gluten-Free Diet

If you're diagnosed with gluten ataxia, you need to follow a very strict gluten-free diet with absolutely no cheating, according to Dr. Hadjivassiliou.

There's a reason for this: the neurological symptoms spurred by gluten ingestion seem to take longer to improve than the gastrointestinal symptoms, and seem to be more sensitive to ​lower amounts of trace gluten in your diet, Dr. Hadjivassiliou says. Therefore, it's possible that you might be doing more damage to yourself if you continue to ingest small amounts of gluten.

Of course, not all physicians agree with this assessment, or even necessarily with the advice to eat gluten-free if you have otherwise unexplained ataxia and high levels of gluten antibodies. However, it does seem to be backed up by anecdotal reports from people with diagnosed gluten ataxia and from people with severe neurological problems associated with celiac disease: Those people say the neurological symptoms take much longer to resolve; while some stabilize but never improve.

A Word from Verywell

The number of potential gluten ataxia sufferers is very small when compared with the numbers of people with celiac disease, and it's also small when compared with estimates for how many people have gluten sensitivity.

However, many people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity also suffer from neurological symptoms, which often include gluten-related peripheral neuropathy and migraine. Some also complain of balance problems that do seem to resolve once they go gluten-free.

It's possible that, as more studies are conducted on gluten ataxia, researchers will find even stronger links between that condition, celiac disease, and gluten sensitivity. In the meantime, if you have symptoms similar to those of gluten ataxia, talk to your doctor. You may require testing to determine if you have another condition that can cause similar symptoms.

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Sources:

Fasano A. et al. Spectrum of gluten-related disorders: consensus on new nomenclature and classification. BMC Medicine. BMC Medicine 2012, 10:13 doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-13. Published: 7 February 2012

Hadjivassiliou M. et al. Dietary Treatment of Gluten Ataxia. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. 2003;74:1221-1224.

Hadjivassiliou M. et al. Gluten ataxia in perspective: epidemiology, genetic susceptibility and clinical characteristics. Brain. 2003 Mar;126(Pt 3):685-91.

Hadjivassiliou M. et al. Gluten Ataxia. The Cerebellum. 2008;7(3):494-8.

Rashtak S. et al. Serology of celiac disease in gluten-sensitive ataxia or neuropathy: role of deamidated gliadin antibody. Journal of Neuroimmunology. 2011 Jan;230(1-2):130-4. Epub 2010 Nov 6.

Vitamin A: Necessary Growth Factor

Vitamin A is an absolutely vital vitamin for maintaining health, and unfortunately people with systemic candida often have deficiencies of the vitamin. In the early period of my systemic candida, I kept having weird eye, neural and other symptoms, and because of my horrendous eye problems, decided to get a vitamin A test. Sure enough, a deficiency! And it kept getting worse, not better, even with supplementation, which I then read in Supplements Exposed that supplements didn't boost vitamin A levels at all. So I tested out that theory, and sure enough, my vitamin A levels didn't budge even though I was taking powerful daily doses of vitamin A. Even now, in 2017, I still have a big vitamin A deficiency. My diet was ultra-strict before to control the systemic candida, and now that I'm a lot better, I'm really trying to eat as much vitamin A-rich foods ... the numbers have improved a bit, but I'm still deficient.

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Vitamin A: Information and Facts

Vitamin A was identified as a necessary growth factor in 1915 and was the first vitamin to be discovered. It is obtained from food in a combination of two different forms: as pre-formed vitamin A and as pro-vitamin A, which the body can convert to vitamin A as necessary. Pre-formed vitamin A, often in the form of retinal or retinal [sic], is found in foods of animal origin while pro-vitamin A, of which beta-carotene is the best known form, is found in orange, yellow and dark green vegetables and fruits. Both forms are fat soluble.

What does it do for your body? 

EYES - Vitamin A is essential for eyes to function effectively. It is involved in the growth and repair of the eye and in the production of a chemical called visual purple, which helps in night vision.

EPITHELIAL CELLS - Vitamin A is involved in the growth and repair of epithelial cells. These cells cover the internal and external surfaces of the body and are found in the skin, lungs, developing teeth, inner ear, cornea of the eye, sex organs, glands and their ducts, gums, nose, cervix and other areas. This growth and maintenance role is vital for many bodily functions. For example, the good health of the digestive tract lining is important in protecting against ulcers and maintenance of the lining of the vagina and uterus which are important in fertility.

PREGNANCY - Vitamin A is necessary in pregnancy for the development of the embryo.

NERVES - Vitamin A is involved in the production of membranes and of myelin, which coats the nerves.

GLANDS AND HORMONES - Vitamin A plays a role in the maintenance of the adrenal gland and synthesis of certain hormones such as thyroid hormone.

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM - Vitamin A is known as "the anti-infective vitamin" as it is vital for the development of the body’s natural defenses. It stimulates and enhances many immune functions. This immune enhancing function promotes healing of tissues and increases resistance to infection.

Adequate vitamin A intake, either from diet or supplements, is very important especially for children. Many studies have found that vitamin A supplementation reduces the risk of infectious diseases in areas where vitamin A deficiency is widespread. 

A recent research review of several studies found that adequate vitamin A intake in children resulted in many health benefits. Children in developing countries are often at high risk of vitamin A deficiency. In developed countries, ensuring adequate vitamin A intake is particularly important for immune support.

GROWTH AND BONE FORMATION - Vitamin A is necessary for growth and the formation of bones and teeth, collagen synthesis, cartilage synthesis and wound healing.

ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY - Laboratory experiments have shown vitamin A to have antiviral activity.

Absorption 

The presence of fat and bile in the intestines is necessary for vitamin A absorption. Around 80 to 90% of vitamin A in the diet is absorbed although this is reduced in older people and those who have trouble absorbing fat, such as pancreatitis, celiac disease and cystic fibrosis sufferers, who may run the risk of vitamin A deficiency. 

Vitamin A is joined to fatty acids in the intestinal lining, combined with other substances and transported to the liver, which stores 90% of the body’s vitamin A. 

Deficiency

Vitamin A deficiency is relatively rare in developed countries and is usually limited to those who have absorption difficulties, liver disease or who drink a lot of alcohol. Vitamin A deficiency is common in alcoholics and contributes to some of the disorders of alcoholism such as night blindness, skin problems, cirrhosis of the liver and susceptibility to infections. 

Vitamin A deficiency symptoms: 

EYES - One of the first symptoms of deficiency is night blindness due to lack of visual purple. Prolonged deficiency leads to xerophthalmia, a condition in which eyes become dry, ulcers appear on the cornea, the eyelids become swollen and sticky and which eventually leads to blindness. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading preventable cause of blindness in developing countries.

SKIN - Prolonged deficiency leads to thickened dry skin which is prone to infections. Small hardened bumps of a protein known as keratin may develop around the hair follicles.

GROWTH - Deficiency causes growth retardation, weight loss, diarrhea, thickening of bone shafts, congenital malformations, impaired hearing, taste and smell, wasting of testicles and reduced sperm count. Inadequate vitamin A intake may lead to improper tooth formation in children and to gum disease.

IMMUNE SYSTEM - Epithelial surfaces are adversely affected by vitamin A deficiency causing increased susceptibility to skin and respiratory infections. Immune cells and antibody functions are also affected which may lead to an increase in pre-cancerous cells in the epithelial tissues of the mouth, throat and lungs.

THYROID GLAND - A deficiency of vitamin A can contribute to lower levels of active thyroid hormone with symptoms of low body temperature, depression, difficulty in losing weight, headaches and lethargy.

Therapeutic uses 

Vitamin A supplements are used in developing countries to prevent or treat deficiency and to protect immune system function.  

SKIN DISORDERS - The vitamin A derivatives etretinate and isotretinoin are used topically to treat psoriasis. These compounds inhibit the formation of some of the toxic compounds which may be responsible for the high rate of cell division causing the scaly build up on the skin.

Other Uses

Vitamin eye drops have been used to treat dry eyes.

Creams containing vitamin A have been used to heal wounds in patients taking corticosteroid drugs.

Interactions

Vitamin E and zinc are necessary for vitamin A metabolism, including absorption, transport and release from the liver. Vitamin E may protect against some of the effects of excess vitamin A.

Vitamin A is necessary for calcium metabolism in the formation of healthy bones and teeth.

Vitamin A absorption is reduced by mineral oil laxatives, which bind it. Antacids, the anti-gout drug colchicine, and the cholesterol reducing drug, cholestyramine inhibit vitamin A absorption.

Alcohol irritates the digestive tract and inhibits the absorption of vitamin A while also depleting the body’s tissue stores.

Cautions

Pre-formed vitamin A supplements in doses of more than 3000 mg RE should not be taken by women who may become pregnant. Pro-vitamin A, or beta-carotene are safe for pregnant women. 

Vitamin A supplements should not be taken with isotretinoin or etretinate for skin disease or in cases of impaired liver or kidney function. If vitamin A supplements are taken with large amounts of alcohol, liver damage may occur.

Broad spectrum antibiotics should not be taken with high doses of vitamin A.

Sources of Vitamin A

• in leafy green vegetables
• in yellow fruits and vegetables
• in the liver oils of the cod and other fish
• in milk, cheese, butter and egg yolk

The Secrets of Sugar - documentary

Just found an interesting documentary online, "The Secrets of Sugar". I'm not eating any sugar, not even the 'natural' sugars in honey, molasses or fruit. Well, on extremely rare occasions I indulge in a a Granny Smith apple or a banana heavily smeared with almond butter which the fat from it greatly slows the breakdown of sugar from the fruit.

Since cutting all sugars, and I mean all, and eating so many veggies with high fiber gluten-free grains (quinoa, millet in moderation as it's high glycemic, adlay/Job's tears, brown rice) and low glycemic beans only (lentils, garbanzos and black beans) my energy which was always good is very good. People are amazed that my simple diet gives me so much energy. And even better, I hardly ever have a sniffle, a cold or a sore throat (only after eating something that has a high glycemic or fructose count, irritates my upper GI candida). Hmmm, could there be a connection between eating no sugar and feeling well? Wow, I would so say so!

Here's the link to the online documentary "The Secrets of Sugar". Sugar is a definite link towards autoimmune diseases, cancers, Alzheimer's, diabetes type 2, and more states of unhealth.

Milk Is Good Food? Think Again!

No other animal in the wild drinks the milk of another species. No other animal in the wild drinks its’ own mother’s milk past the age of weaning. There are a number of reasons why drinking cow’s milk is not the best choice for humans. Here are just a few:

• Cow’s milk protein is 85% casein which is potentially carcinogenic to humans. It is therefore a potential contributing cause of eczema, acne, kidney disease, arthritis, tooth decay, asthma, irritable bowels, sinus problems, Crohn's, colitis, MS, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.
• Cow’s milk is rich in a simple sugar called lactose, or “milk sugar.” However, after infancy, many people lose their ability to digest lactose. The result is that undigested lactose travels to the large intestine where bacteria break this sugar down, producing anything from gas, to cramps, to diarrhea. Cow’s milk is either a contributing cause or the sole cause for many people’s intestinal problems.
• Cow’s milk and other products (eggs, cheese, and yogurt) create an acid-ash in the body. This causes mucus in the nasal cavity and mucoid plaque in the digestive system. This also forces the body to leach calcium from bones and teeth to neutralize the acid which leads to osteoporosis and tooth decay.
• Dairy cows at conventional factory farms are subjected to horrific living conditions and as a result their immune systems are greatly weakened. To compensate for their ill health they are injected with antibiotics, which contaminates the milk we drink.
• To increase milk production dairy cows are injected with steroids and hormones which put them in a perpetual state of pregnancy. This also contaminates the milk we drink, reduces the nutrient content and creates pus in the milk.
• Legally, 135 million pus cells are allowed in one glass of milk.
• Infants especially need mother’s milk because it boosts their immune system. Studies show that infants fed formula or cow’s milk are 80 percent more likely to develop diarrhea and 70 percent more likely to develop ear infections when compared with infants who are exclusively fed their mother’s breast.
• Cow’s milk can cause colic in babies.
• Cow’s milk may cause allergies and asthma.
• Store bought milk is pasteurized which destroys most of the nutritional content.
• Humans have a difficult time absorbing the calcium in cow’s milk.

The age which children lose their ability to digest lactose varies. Well over half the world’s population is lactose-intolerant. Some races tend to lose the lactase enzyme earlier in life than others. Human breast milk provides a child with the mother’s antibodies, and those antibodies are very protective when it comes to infectious illnesses. Conversely, cow’s milk or infant formula is devoid of these protective agents. White blood cells called macrophages can be passed from mother to child through breast milk. These macrophages provide useful immune functions while in the child’s intestinal system. Human breast milk also contains a compound called lactoferrin. This agent tends to block the growth of E. Coli in the intestine. For these reasons and others many people choose to breast feed until their child is two years of age.

Cow's Milk Alternative

A great alternative to cow’s milk is milk made from raw nuts such as almonds, brazil nuts or sprouted buckwheat groats. These nut milks taste great and are high in protein, calcium and many other high quality nutrients without the risks associated with consuming casein.

It is easy to make almond milk at home. In a blender add 1 cup of raw almonds to four cups of filtered water. Blend at high speed for one minute. Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag and strain into a bowl. You can use more or less water to make your milk thicker like whole milk or thinner like skim milk. You can also save the pulp for use in other recipes such as making dehydrated cookies or flax crackers.

by Brian Hetrich, featured article on the Hippocrates Health Institute webpage, Dec 16, 2015

9 Signs of a Leaky Gut

The gut is the gateway to health. If your gut is healthy, chances are that you’re in good health. However, there’s a condition called leaky gut that can lead to a host of health problems.

What is leaky gut?

The gut is naturally permeable to very small molecules in order to absorb these vital nutrients. In fact, regulating intestinal permeability is one of the basic functions of the cells that line the intestinal wall. In sensitive people, gluten can cause the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Other factors — such as infections, toxins, stress and age — can also cause these tight junctions to break apart. Once these tight junctions get broken apart, you have a leaky gut. 

When your gut is leaky, things like toxins, microbes, undigested food particles, and more can escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via your bloodstream. Your immune system marks these “foreign invaders” as pathogens and attacks them. The immune response to these invaders can appear in the form of any of the nine signs you have a leaky gut, which are listed below.

What causes leaky gut?

The main culprits are foods, infections, and toxins. Gluten is the number one cause of leaky gut. Other inflammatory foods like dairy or toxic foods, such sugar and excessive alcohol, are suspected as well. The most common infectious causes are candida overgrowth, intestinal parasites, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Toxins come in the form of medications, including NSAIDS like Motrin and Advil, steroids, antibiotics, and acid-reducing drugs. They can also present in the form of environmental toxins like mercury, pesticides and BPA from plastics. Stress and age also contribute to a leaky gut. If you suffer from any of the following conditions, it’s likely that you have a leaky gut.

9 signs you have leaky gut?

1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
2. Seasonal allergies or asthma
3. Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS
4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, or celiac disease
5. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
6. Mood and mind issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD
7. Skin issues such as acne, rosacea, or eczema
8. Diagnosis of candida overgrowth
9. Food allergies or food intolerances

How do you heal leaky gut?

In my practice, I have all of my patients follow The Myers Way comprehensive elimination diet, which removes the toxic and inflammatory foods for a certain period of time. In addition, I have them follow a 4R program to heal their gut. The 4R program is as follows.

1. Remove the bad — The goal is to get rid of things that negatively affect the environment of the GI tract, such as inflammatory and toxic foods, and intestinal infections.
2. Replace with good — Add back the essential ingredients for proper digestion and absorption, such as digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid and bile acids.
3. Restore the balance — It’s critical to restore beneficial bacteria to reestablish a healthy balance of good bacteria.
4. Repair the damage — It’s essential to provide the nutrients necessary to help the gut repair itself. One of my favorite supplements is L-glutamine, an amino acid that helps to rejuvenate the lining of the gut wall. If you still have symptoms after following the above recommendations, I would recommend finding a Functional Medicine physician in your area to work with you and to order a comprehensive stool test.

This article is by Amy Myers, MD, a renowned leader in Functional Medicine.