Sorry I have not posted in so long. I do tend to start off great, but have a hard time keeping it up. We did just recently celebrate our 10th anniversary, though, which created a lot of life chaos. And I took up my old part-time job. But I think things are settling back down now. So here we go...
Recently it was recommended to me to do peppermint oil capsules. I am leaning towards JD & EK having a leaky gut/IBS type gut. But too much peppermint oil can be toxic. Do any of you do peppermint oil capsules or enzymes? Someone also heard of Dr. Oz talking about artichoke leaves although I found it had more to do with nausea, which he links to indigestion. Anyone have experience with these, good or bad? Here are some links if you're interested.
http://www.helpforibs.com/supplements/
http://www.irritable-bowel-syndrome.ws/peppermint-oil.htm
http://www.healthyfellow.com/266/artichoke-leaf-for-indigestion/
http://www.drozfans.com/dr-ozs-advice/dr-oz-stomach-ache-remedies-aloe-vera-juice-artichoke-leaf-extract/
We have recently switched from Culturelle to Therbiotic Complete. Culturelle has a minute amount of dairy in it and while I doubted my kids having a reaction to that little amount, it is so interesting to me how different their stool is. I had my first constipated kid (JD) when I switched to TC. Their stools are definitely more firm, both his and EK's. LJ I have a harder time knowing, since he is potty trained now. And he generally does not have the same reactions like JD & EK do. He has reactions to foods, they're just different reactions. But back to the constipation. JD was going 3 or 4 times in an hour to two hours little rocks. I had to call the G/I because I thought constipation was usually not going for 3 days or more, having never really seen it in my kids before. Of course, she recommended Miralax and juice. Ok, I can handle giving him a little juice, even though it's irritating to his gut and I'm just changing constipation for inflammation. But Miralax? For a kid that usually has diarrhea? Needless to say, I just fed him lots of juice & fruit & water. Of course, I just recently read how Aloe Vera juice can help. I think we're back on schedule. Thankfully. I was changing him before getting in the car, after getting in the car, and when we arrived at Target across the street! And it's not like it takes me a few seconds. I take at least 10 minutes for each transition, making sure we have enough food for our bottomless pit on our errand running, waters are full (especially for my camel JD), and we have all our other basic needs for being out of the house for awhile. And leave room for JD & EK's regular protests or last requests or last poops. :)
And just another couple of "Tips of the Day", here is a good synoposis of where to start in taking care of your gut by good ol' Dr. Oz.
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/cure-your-upset-stomach
Here is a link that talks about what causes IBS. I think it's interesting that the 2 highest triggers are dairy (casein) and wheat (gluten)....hmmmm...any wonder my kids are on elimination diets????
http://www.sharecare.com/question/what-causes-irritable-bowel-syndrome
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Brainstorming :: Vitamin C
Okay fellow mommies, I need some help. We all got colds in our house last week, and with LJ starting school this week, I boosted us all up with some Vitamin C. LJ & JD both just had 1 250mg chewable of Vit C. JD had diarrhea. LJ used to, too, but I did not see that this week. The lowest dose of intolerance of Vit C is 1-5 grams! Does this mean malabsorption, even though JD tested negative for malabsorption with the G/I doctor this spring? Am I just over-thinking it? But he's always had diarrhea with Vitamin C & Calcium/Magnesium chewables. I assume the Cal/Mags are due to the citrate version (he gets Tums now for the carbonate version). Again, LJ has the same problem. Do I give more Tums (I'd hate to constipate)? I try to keep doses minimal, unless there is reason to give more.
I just cannot figure out why anyone would have diarrhea on such a low dose of Vitamin C! I'm back to changing his diapers 4-5 times per day! :(
Thanks!
I just cannot figure out why anyone would have diarrhea on such a low dose of Vitamin C! I'm back to changing his diapers 4-5 times per day! :(
Thanks!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Saccharomyces Boulardii
So my last post talked some about the neuro-gut correlation. 2 of my children this past spring had 6 week stomach bugs. One had been on a regular probiotic, Therbiotic Complete, which is an excellent probiotic (got thru New Beginnings Nutritionals & expensive). Because they could not keep food down, I changed to Culturelle dissolvable packs (via Target, and tasteless!) so I could help heal their guts. It seemed like LJ's intestines were shredding, so I knew I had to throw a bunch of stuff at him. The problem is, it's not like probiotics are a first-case treatment at your local doctor's office. Honestly, I didn't know much about them until we started the biomedical route with LJ's autism. It is recommended that you rotate probiotics about every 3 months, so that your body doesn't get too accostomed to just one.
So that leads me to Saccharomyces Boulardii. After these horrible stomach bugs, I added Sacc B to his supplement regimen. What we got out of it was nothing short of amazing. Those of you who just want to feel better, or have your kids feel better, may not see these kinds of things come about. LJ started doing handwriting, and drawing amazing pictures for him beyond his usual rainbows and scribble.
From Wikipedia:
Saccharomyces boulardii (brand name Florastor, among others) is a tropical strain of yeast first isolated from lychee and mangosteen fruit in 1923 by French scientist Henri Boulard. It is related to, but distinct from, Saccharomyces cerevisiae in several taxonomic, metabolic, and genetic properties.[1] S. boulardii has been shown to maintain and restore the natural flora in the large and small intestine; it is classified as a probiotic.
Boulard first isolated the yeast after he observed natives of Southeast Asia chewing on the skin of lychee and mangosteen in an attempt to control the symptoms of cholera. S. boulardii has been shown to be non-pathogenic, non-systemic (it remains in the gastrointestinal tract rather than spreading elsewhere in the body), and grows at the unusually high temperature of 37°C.[2]
S. boulardii is often marketed as a probiotic in a lyophilized form and is therefore often referred to as Saccharomyces boulardii lyo.
Something that I thought was very interesting from this Healthline website http://www.healthline.com/natstandardcontent/saccharomyces-boulardii
Sacc B can show to help diarrhea related to: antibiotics, virus, C.diff (bacterial), in children, traveler's, IBS, Crohn's, etc. Other important qualities are it survives any acidity in the intestines, and it is a yeast species that does not grow Candida yeast or feed it. (Note: Candida yeast is known to gather/colonize and grow in the gut to a point in autistic spectrum or immune-compromised people that it is difficult to eliminate it and requires anti-fungals like caprylic acid, garlic, oregano, Nystatin and Diflucan.) So basically, it can help improve diarrhea, regardless of source. This is especially helpful when all your stool cultures come back negative, like all of my children's labs. If it's viral-related (thereby unprovable), it can still help.
Autism Coach says:
http://www.autismcoach.com/Saccharomyces%20Boulardii.htm says:
Saccharomyces Boulardii is a probiotic non-colonizing yeast species closely releated to Brewers yeast. It is not related to yeast group to which Candida belongs. Soon after supplementation, S. Boullardi "blooms" and quickly becomes established in the gut, where it can produce lactic acid and some B vitamins.
Extensive studies and clincal use show that S. Boullardi can:
Displace pathogenic yeast species, such as Candida, in the gut
Increase levesl of IgA
Support the establishment of friendly bacteria in the intestines
Supports nutrient absorption in the small intestinal mucosa
S. Boullardi and Culturelle are the two single most effective probiotics my family has used to reduce yeast infections and to support the immune system.
I really am getting to the point our whole family is about to be taking it. There are very little, if any, side effects to be found with Sacc B, and it only does great things for those with sensitive guts. You can take 1-3 capsules/day. They are just a little tart, like a lime, if you empty a capsule into water for your child.
So that leads me to Saccharomyces Boulardii. After these horrible stomach bugs, I added Sacc B to his supplement regimen. What we got out of it was nothing short of amazing. Those of you who just want to feel better, or have your kids feel better, may not see these kinds of things come about. LJ started doing handwriting, and drawing amazing pictures for him beyond his usual rainbows and scribble.
From Wikipedia:
Saccharomyces boulardii (brand name Florastor, among others) is a tropical strain of yeast first isolated from lychee and mangosteen fruit in 1923 by French scientist Henri Boulard. It is related to, but distinct from, Saccharomyces cerevisiae in several taxonomic, metabolic, and genetic properties.[1] S. boulardii has been shown to maintain and restore the natural flora in the large and small intestine; it is classified as a probiotic.
Boulard first isolated the yeast after he observed natives of Southeast Asia chewing on the skin of lychee and mangosteen in an attempt to control the symptoms of cholera. S. boulardii has been shown to be non-pathogenic, non-systemic (it remains in the gastrointestinal tract rather than spreading elsewhere in the body), and grows at the unusually high temperature of 37°C.[2]
S. boulardii is often marketed as a probiotic in a lyophilized form and is therefore often referred to as Saccharomyces boulardii lyo.
Something that I thought was very interesting from this Healthline website http://www.healthline.com/natstandardcontent/saccharomyces-boulardii
Sacc B can show to help diarrhea related to: antibiotics, virus, C.diff (bacterial), in children, traveler's, IBS, Crohn's, etc. Other important qualities are it survives any acidity in the intestines, and it is a yeast species that does not grow Candida yeast or feed it. (Note: Candida yeast is known to gather/colonize and grow in the gut to a point in autistic spectrum or immune-compromised people that it is difficult to eliminate it and requires anti-fungals like caprylic acid, garlic, oregano, Nystatin and Diflucan.) So basically, it can help improve diarrhea, regardless of source. This is especially helpful when all your stool cultures come back negative, like all of my children's labs. If it's viral-related (thereby unprovable), it can still help.
Autism Coach says:
http://www.autismcoach.com/Saccharomyces%20Boulardii.htm says:
Saccharomyces Boulardii is a probiotic non-colonizing yeast species closely releated to Brewers yeast. It is not related to yeast group to which Candida belongs. Soon after supplementation, S. Boullardi "blooms" and quickly becomes established in the gut, where it can produce lactic acid and some B vitamins.
Extensive studies and clincal use show that S. Boullardi can:
Displace pathogenic yeast species, such as Candida, in the gut
Increase levesl of IgA
Support the establishment of friendly bacteria in the intestines
Supports nutrient absorption in the small intestinal mucosa
S. Boullardi and Culturelle are the two single most effective probiotics my family has used to reduce yeast infections and to support the immune system.
I really am getting to the point our whole family is about to be taking it. There are very little, if any, side effects to be found with Sacc B, and it only does great things for those with sensitive guts. You can take 1-3 capsules/day. They are just a little tart, like a lime, if you empty a capsule into water for your child.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Irony
So, after I start a blog about gut issues, JD (2nd son), gets sick with the stomach bug and I have to postpone his big brother's birthday party. *Sigh* JD's party got cancelled completely, since LJ and EK had the never-ending stomach bug something-or-other for a combined 2 months. I will NOT be excited if EK's party in December gets cancelled or postponed for the same thing. Do you think doctor's will sit up and take notice that maybe my home has the more-often-than-usual issues with guts if that happens?
Thankfully, that day I had already arranged to go out shopping (groceries, party shopping, not actual FUN shopping) and didn't have to deal with all the fun clean up.
Today we were back to normal, after we spent half the morning helping LJ adjust to the fact that the party was not today. But I digress.
We have strong G/I history. My dad had ulcerative colitis before he had surgery several years ago. DH & his dad have acid reflux. LJ (firstborn son) actually has acid reflux. It's odd to me that I am just now realizing I probably should have mentioned how bad his diarrhea was and his projectile vomiting to our pediatrician, but what did I know? I didn't realize till I had JD & EK that not all kids were that bad. It took this year & random vomiting in the middle of the night and no fever that I figured it out. Because sometimes it just looked like alot more like a bad version of spit up. (Hmmm...yet another reason the diet helped.) Me, I have minor gut issues, but definite allergies (which is related to the whole immune system issues the gut issues imply) and other random things that are also now all coming together. For now, I am probably the healthiest physically in my family. Mentally, well...yeah. That's a whole other blog. Maybe The Neuro Girl or Needstobelockedup Girl. You know you live a crazy life when being locked up just stops sounding so awful. But again, I digress.
The point of this post was supposed to be irony. You'll find the later I blog, the less organized my post may be. Hopefully next time I'll have more time to post on the kids' history & what has helped.
One of the key things about the gut is, it is closely linked with the immune system and the brain. So often, when you treat the gut, you see a domino effect with any other immune or brain issues. For example, I tend to feel like I live in a fog and could sleep all day. The neurologist I saw said I was borderline narcoleptic and had significant periodic leg movements (my DH says it feels like there's a hurricane in the bed). I am also borderline hypoglycemic (I'm borderline everything). So I was finding if I had Chick-Fil-A sweet tea or milkshakes or brownies, I was prone to running up curbs and into rocks while driving. Apparently this crash never shows up on tests thru 3 pregnancies. But I pretty much don't eat any of that unless I'm home and ready to take a nap. But when we went GFCF (gluten free casein free or wheat free/dairy free) for LJ, over time, I started just eating the similar diet they had. Now we hardly have bread in our house, and sweets are only GFCF (with the exception of my stash). But I learned when I ate LJ's brownies, I don't have the crash I have with my uber-favorite Duncan Hines fudgy brownies...and the less sugar and carbs I ate, the better I continued to feel. The less foggy my brain was throughout the day. Don't get me wrong, I'm still low energy, and 10 hours of sleep a night will never be enough, but it's alot better. And imagine, I can actually think for my poor children now. I'm sure they've been wondering, "Gee, Mommy, where've you been all these years?"
Thankfully, that day I had already arranged to go out shopping (groceries, party shopping, not actual FUN shopping) and didn't have to deal with all the fun clean up.
Today we were back to normal, after we spent half the morning helping LJ adjust to the fact that the party was not today. But I digress.
We have strong G/I history. My dad had ulcerative colitis before he had surgery several years ago. DH & his dad have acid reflux. LJ (firstborn son) actually has acid reflux. It's odd to me that I am just now realizing I probably should have mentioned how bad his diarrhea was and his projectile vomiting to our pediatrician, but what did I know? I didn't realize till I had JD & EK that not all kids were that bad. It took this year & random vomiting in the middle of the night and no fever that I figured it out. Because sometimes it just looked like alot more like a bad version of spit up. (Hmmm...yet another reason the diet helped.) Me, I have minor gut issues, but definite allergies (which is related to the whole immune system issues the gut issues imply) and other random things that are also now all coming together. For now, I am probably the healthiest physically in my family. Mentally, well...yeah. That's a whole other blog. Maybe The Neuro Girl or Needstobelockedup Girl. You know you live a crazy life when being locked up just stops sounding so awful. But again, I digress.
The point of this post was supposed to be irony. You'll find the later I blog, the less organized my post may be. Hopefully next time I'll have more time to post on the kids' history & what has helped.
One of the key things about the gut is, it is closely linked with the immune system and the brain. So often, when you treat the gut, you see a domino effect with any other immune or brain issues. For example, I tend to feel like I live in a fog and could sleep all day. The neurologist I saw said I was borderline narcoleptic and had significant periodic leg movements (my DH says it feels like there's a hurricane in the bed). I am also borderline hypoglycemic (I'm borderline everything). So I was finding if I had Chick-Fil-A sweet tea or milkshakes or brownies, I was prone to running up curbs and into rocks while driving. Apparently this crash never shows up on tests thru 3 pregnancies. But I pretty much don't eat any of that unless I'm home and ready to take a nap. But when we went GFCF (gluten free casein free or wheat free/dairy free) for LJ, over time, I started just eating the similar diet they had. Now we hardly have bread in our house, and sweets are only GFCF (with the exception of my stash). But I learned when I ate LJ's brownies, I don't have the crash I have with my uber-favorite Duncan Hines fudgy brownies...and the less sugar and carbs I ate, the better I continued to feel. The less foggy my brain was throughout the day. Don't get me wrong, I'm still low energy, and 10 hours of sleep a night will never be enough, but it's alot better. And imagine, I can actually think for my poor children now. I'm sure they've been wondering, "Gee, Mommy, where've you been all these years?"
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The World of Gut Issues
So in the last 24 hours, I've talked to friends with kids with immune issues, a new neighbor friend that we stumbled upon our kids' gut issues, and the local Wal-Mart checkout lady. You know the world is coming to an end when you are dispensing probiotic advice to the Wal-Mart checkout lady who starts the conversation by looking at all your gluten free groceries and talks about her son with ADHD and her own OCD. Oh, that does not include the apparant half a dozen conversations I have had in the last 24 hours on Facebook and my middle child who woke up with a stomach virus this morning. Ha!
Once upon a time I knew talking about poop and bowels and constipation was a conversation taboo. Then my husband went into urology where young men getting shot in the you-know-where was a weekly occurrence. Then we had 3 kids with chronic diarrhea and, well, I think I've lost the ability to do what is socially correct. Because, apparently, it comes up whether or not I'm even trying to talk about it.
SO! Currently I have children that need me (Lucas, currently saying "Mommy?! It's a really big poop!"), but I will try to post next what our journey has been, and where we are now.
Meanwhile, post what you've tried, what your questions are, etc! I'd love to have conversations about it, share what we've learned, and learn new tips from you all! And then we don't have to gross everyone else out on FB! :D
Once upon a time I knew talking about poop and bowels and constipation was a conversation taboo. Then my husband went into urology where young men getting shot in the you-know-where was a weekly occurrence. Then we had 3 kids with chronic diarrhea and, well, I think I've lost the ability to do what is socially correct. Because, apparently, it comes up whether or not I'm even trying to talk about it.
SO! Currently I have children that need me (Lucas, currently saying "Mommy?! It's a really big poop!"), but I will try to post next what our journey has been, and where we are now.
Meanwhile, post what you've tried, what your questions are, etc! I'd love to have conversations about it, share what we've learned, and learn new tips from you all! And then we don't have to gross everyone else out on FB! :D
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