Healing Leaky Gut with Food??

[Lauren]

Ok, this is VERY long! I am totally willing to do this as a consult (instead of in the group) if it’s too many details/too much to ask. The short version is this:

My almost 2 year old and I have been on a gluten/dairy/corn/egg/soy free diet for about 9 months, after an elimination diet and seeing various reactions to these foods. I believe he has a leaky gut which I’d like to help heal. I am looking for ways to heal this issue (and any others that exist) using whole food nutrients, and to avoid supplements as much as is possible. He has seemed to react to most of the supplements we’ve tried, or had trouble taking them. So, any recommendations you all have are welcome and appreciated!

Now, for the long version. I’ve included everything that might be helpful in understanding our situation (perhaps *too* much info--sorry this is so long!):

River (now 23 months) was born at home. I labored for over 50 hours, his heart rate was awesome the entire time. He was posterior. He had shoulder dystocia on the way out, and my midwife reached her hands in to help him out. Not long after his birth she gave him a vit. K shot, she said in part b/c *I* lost a lot of blood. (I lost about a liter of blood after he was born.) His umbilical cord was in a tight knot when he came out, (he must have swam through it in utero, and it probably tightened as he was born). So, the cord did not pulsate, there was a lot of blood in it that squirted out when we cut it. (Not sure how much info/detail you all need, I thought I’d tell you *everything*!)

I had trouble with breastfeeding, in part due to my blood loss, but mostly because of ignorance about breastfeeding. For the first 3 months of his life we used formula supplements (both milk and soy based) as well as donated breastmilk from a friend of mine. He was nursing most of this time, at one point was totally off the breast (but getting about 1/2 his nourishment from breastmilk, I was exclusively pumping). Using domperidome, lots of herbs, and tons of pumping, along with nursing, he came back to the breast and from 3 months on he was exclusively breastfed (and continues to nurse lots today at almost 2.)

He had the first 2 rounds of vaccines, but after the 2nd round, he had a fever and slept for a very long, uncharacteristic amount of time. He also had diarrhea for days. I started really researching vaccines and was shocked and horrified by what I found, so he has not been vaccinated since.

He also had ‘baby acne’ from maybe a few weeks old until 5 months.

At around 13 months he got an ear infection, and we did the antibiotics (amoxicillan). He got a rash on the back of his neck during this, and we stopped using them after 5 days.

Around this same time period, I noticed a lot of changes in him. He was seeming to be very irritable and easily frustrated (very uncharacteristic for him), not sleeping well (waking in the night and running around screaming for 1-2 hours), peeing his pants in the night (he was ec’d from 3 months and had never peed at night--this was a big change!), had the red ring around his anus at all times, ‘raccoon eyes’, and I’m sure other symptoms as well. With the help of the foodlab yahoo group, I learned a/b elimination diets and we found he reacted to gluten, dairy, corn, soy and eggs.

Since then our diets have changed dramatically. We avoid the above mentioned foods, along with most nuts/seeds and citrus, because I have thought he has reacted to them in the past. (I’m willing to try them again though! I did not formally test any of them.) Foods we eat on a regular basis include (listed in an order of the quantity/frequency we eat them): brown rice (in many forms--rice, rice milk, crackers, bread, cookies, etc.--probably 2 servings a day easily), green peppers, onions, garlic, carrots (whole/juiced), tomatoes (mostly canned), sunflower oil (used for cooking), chicken and turkey (we were vegetarian but started eating these after dropping dairy and eggs), beans (black, garbanzo, kidney, pinto, lentils etc.) canned and dried, broccoli, kale, other greens, potatoes, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, etc.), berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries), apples, bananas, pears, cucumbers, buckwheat flour, oatmeal, enerG egg replacer, fruit & vegetable juices (fresh and bottled bolthouse farm), avocados, celery, green beans, sweet potatoes, zucchini, coconut milk, millet, maple syrup, agave nectar, sometimes brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, tons of spices and salt and pepper, palm oil...etc. Also cultured carrots, beets and cabbage for the probiotic value... In addition, I am not totally opposed to trying other meats, although it might be a difficult transition for me (I’ve never cooked meat before, and doing the poultry now has been a real learning experience! I was a vegetarian for 12 years b/4 changing our diets in this manner...) A lot of the food we eat is cooked. I do not soak our grains but am interested in learning more about this and other food prep. ideas that might help us. I also have been (irregularly) taking a prenatal vitamin and calcium supp. (which he does not seem to react to.)

I think I’ve included a majority of what we eat on a regular basis (at least 2-3 x per week). What I am looking for now is where to go from here. I believe ds has a leaky gut, and we have tried supplement after supplement (vitamins and enzymes) to help heal it. He has seemed to react to everything we’ve tried. I’d love more info on where to go with our diets--what to add to bring in the vitamins/nutrients he needs, along with how/if he can get the digestive enzymes he needs through foods. What supplements you all might feel *are* necessary, etc. I want to help heal his gut (and any other issues that might be going on). Any advice or suggestions you all have are greatly appreciated!

TIA!!!

Lauren :)

Favorite Posts:

 

14 Steps For Healthy Guts

Beet Test (stomach acid?)

Candida 101

 

Green Breakfast Challenge

Healthy Poop 101
Master Tonic 101

 

Nettle Leaf herbal infusions 101.
Overwhelmed? Where to Start?!
Probiotic Selection

 

[Pat Robinson]

"They" say that raw, virgin coconut oil is best. But, from my reading about the medium chain fatty acids, I haven't been able to confirm *why* raw is necessary. There is a chocolate coconut, peanut butter ball recipe. Basically, raw CO + PB mixed in the food processor, maybe add a tad of vanilla. Cool in the fridge and then make balls (quickly, it kinda melts) and roll in raw cacao. Ummm-good. :-D We also use CO in smoothies. But, I cook with the refined (abet not as beneficial). Dh and ds don't like the coconut flavor of the raw CO. I just take a small tablespoon of it occasionally for the benefits.

Just a itsy bitsy pinch of Epsom salts in water to drink all during the day. About 1/8 tsp in a huge glass of water. If he gets loose stool, too much. Epsom salt baths are even better, daily, instead. :-) Good luck with that, lol.

You can't ferment the CLO yourself. Well, I don't think so. You can read this website about the difference between fermented and regular CLO. http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/10/fermented-cod-liver-oil-serie... It tastes HORRIBLE. Seriously.

I ordered fermented CLO (plain flavor) from here: http://www.building-health.com/ It is much cheaper than on the Green Pastures site. And when you buy 2 bottles, you save another $6. So, it was $36.90 vs. $49 (at Green Pastures), and shipping was FREE!


Pat

[Lauren]

I am at a different comp now--my home comp will not allow me to use the reply at the bottom of each post (not sure why! I click on it and nothing happens...) Anyway, I *had* water kefir grains that I killed, but I will totally get real ones. (Prob. from the link you've added here.) If the grains were living in cow's milk, and I switch them to goat's milk, should I wait for a couple batches b/4 giving it to River (because of his dairy intolerance issues? He just gets super-mucousy and runny nose, watery eyes, along with the red ring, etc. after eating dairy. I haven't tested it in a long time though (used yogurt months ago to test.) I will wait on the eggs.

Thank you! :)

[Lauren]

Woo hoo--thanks for the link--I love cheaper!

Lauren :)

[Pat Robinson]

I saw Tanya's note below with the caution about the kombucha. I have to agree with her about avoiding large amounts with mercury fillings. I detoxed and released mercury with a large dose and had the headache from hell for over a day. I also ate cilantro, which releases mercury though. So, it was the combination. Don't do that. ;-)

I do drink about 2 ounces of kombucha, a couple of times a week. And with such a young child, you want to probably start slower than I posted. I'd increase by one ounce each MONTH instead. But, I agree with Tanya about focusing on "safer" detox alternatives (nutrition) while you are nursing. Many children drink kombucha safely. Ds likes it, sometimes. Other times not.

Tanya knows more about thyroid and adrenal issues. I'm still learning in this area. I can give you tons of additional links about nutritional support of the thyroid. But, you are probably a bit overwhelmed already. http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?p=13227979&...

I'd also strongly recommend seeing a classical homeopath. Homeopathy can help to address hormonal balance.


But, just read one link a week, work at incorporating what you learn into your lifestyle, and then read another. Take notes. Baby steps. There is plenty of time. :-)


Pat

[Lauren]

Thanks Tanya! I need to look into removing my fillings!
Lauren :)

[Pat Robinson]

The recs are for both, but you'd want an extra Brazil nut a day. :-)

Just use the salt liberally, for the extra micronutrients. It doesn't have to be in water. I add it to my bone broth and sip it. I add the broth to rice, soups. I cook pasta in a small amount of broth, and it absorbs the broth. Really, those are suggestions. Ds won't drink the broth, here. I add it to foods, and he doesn't get nearly the amount that I consume.

"They" recommend "structured" water, which has minerals, or 'hard water'. Adding a bit of mag sulfate and/or sea salt helps to give it more nutritional value. Historically, we drank from mineral springs. I use bottled mineral water when I make bone broths.

The benefits of kombucha and kefir come from just a Tablespoon a day! So, the added benefits are from increasing consumption over time. I put a tablespoon of kefir in cereal milk, or in juice, or in smoothies. I have a bunch of ideas for adding it, if you need them.

You could easily add a bit of water kefir to carrot juice or apple cider, popsicles, salad dressing, yogurt, chocolate coconut balls, etc.

Pat

[Pat Robinson]

You can get water kefir grains, which have no dairy casein. Or you can get milk kefir grains for use in dairy or juice. Milk kefir grains won't reproduce in juice. If you want to use milk kefir grains for juice, which is great to do, keep 1/2 stored in some dairy to keep them growing. All in all, the water kefir is easier than messing with two different jars, probably.

It is very hard to kill kefir grains. There are ways to revitalize them.

If you want to make goat's milk kefir, you can use the first few batches for dh. :-) But, it'd probably be ok for ds, as the kefir casein is A2, which is an old world casein. And it is cultured (predigested with enzymes and prebiotics and probiotics). Most commercial milk has A1 casein, nowadays and is pasteurized first.

Milk from humans, some cows (Guernsey), sheep, pigs, and goats is A2 casein. All kefir grains are A2 casein. It is much less allergenic than the mutated A1 casein. If you followed all of that! http://www.northamericandevon.com/Ar...guestblog2.htm

Here is more info about the different types of casein. http://www.mothering.com/discussions...1&postcount=35

Kefir casein originates from thousands of years ago.


Pat

[Pat Robinson]

I have 10 huge mercury fillings. I've investigated it and am not comfortable with the risks of removing them, at this time, for me. But, Tanya has much more information about the safest ways to do so.

You'd want to read "Amalgam Illness". http://www.amazon.com/Amalgam-Illness-Diagnosis-Treatment-Better/dp...

It is $70, so I haven't bought it, yet. You can read it online. It is 240 pages though. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZG9glNfif5YC&dq=Amalgam+Illnes...

You have to be careful, the chelating supplements and some foods must be avoided while the fillings are in. It is complicated. :::sigh:::


Pat

[Pat Robinson]

I agree with Tanya here about avoiding kombucha, with nursing and a mouthful of mercury, or unknown toxic loads. :-/


Pat

[Pat Robinson]

Here is a list of hidden corn. (sit down, it is long) http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php


Pat

[Lauren]

(I'm at my home comp again and unable to reply directly to other posts--sorry for the confusion!)

Pat--thank you for the corn list--OY! I've luckily read a similar list and cut *most* of it out of our diets...Sorghum??? I use sorghum flour at times--I need to look into this! And I need to go into my cupboards and re-read ingredients!

;)

As far as kefir goes, would we get the same benefits from water kefir as goat's milk kefir? I just want to find out b/4 working on getting raw goat's milk (which I do know I can get in my area.) I had my own water grains from the kefir lady (kefirlady.com) which I practically killed, then gave to a friend (who revived them and drinks water kefir all the time now...) I could do more water kefir (my fave was apple juice kefir!), but am willing (and excited) to try goat's milk kefir esp. if it has different benefits.

Thanks for all the support!!!


Lauren

[Pat Robinson]

Raw goat's milk kefir has the most prebiotics, enzymes, probiotics and beneficial microbials.
Water kefir is spectacular!! (and a bit more work, and more delicious, imo)

Pat