Cure For All Intestional Problems - Digestive Disorders Message Board

Millstein · 11-19-2007, 11:57 AM

I suffered from IBS for almost 10 years. The only thing that got me on the road to recovery was raw goat's milk. I was always a big milk drinker and I just never realized how toxic the milk in the stores was. When I stopped drinking the toxic store milk and started drinking the raw goat's milk, within about 2 weeks my stomach finally started feeling better and less bloated. Getting raw goat milk is not easy, but there are goat dairies in many places. I have to drive about 3 hours to the nearest dairy to my home. I usually get about 8 gallons and freeze them - then thaw them as needed. Kefir is also very good for digestive problems, but I wasn't too good at making it. It's available at health stores though, but I'm sure homemade is the best. I also take Primal Defense, which has also been very helpful.

For more information on digestive problems and how to cure them, read THE MAKER'S DIET by Jordan Rubin.

Pebkac · 11-27-2007, 04:26 PM

Interesting. An acid environment does tend to prevent fermentation or bacterial growth outside of the stomach. Is it reasonable to conclude that eating acidic foods would help prevent fermentation and gas?

I think I'll do an experiment. I've always liked various vinegars and other acidy foods, and I can't say they have disagreed with me. I recently started adding lemon juice to my green tea because it's supposed to make the antioxidants more bioavailable. I've had much less gas since my surgery, say down to maybe a third of what it was, so hooray for that. Maybe keeping an eye on regular consumption of acidic foods will help too. I wonder what others have experienced with acid foods.

Have to say I always had a cast iron gut and I want it back!

mizzaj · 11-27-2007, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pebkac

Interesting. An acid environment does tend to prevent fermentation or bacterial growth outside of the stomach. Is it reasonable to conclude that eating acidic foods would help prevent fermentation and gas?

I think I'll do an experiment. I've always liked various vinegars and other acidy foods, and I can't say they have disagreed with me. I recently started adding lemon juice to my green tea because it's supposed to make the antioxidants more bioavailable. I've had much less gas since my surgery, say down to maybe a third of what it was, so hooray for that. Maybe keeping an eye on regular consumption of acidic foods will help too. I wonder what others have experienced with acid foods.

Have to say I always had a cast iron gut and I want it back!

I've heard others mention that it's a lack of stomach acid, not too much, that causes the stomach problems a lot of people suffer from. I wonder if that's why when I took a PPI, it reduced my possibly already low levels of acid to almost nothing-- making it feel like my food was stuck in my stomach.

My acupuncturist was the first person who turned me on to this theory. It seemed to make sense, and I found other articles online that also supported it. The idea that rotting, undigested food causes us to have more gas, and what feels like heartburn or acid reflux is very convincing.

At my acu doc's recommendation, I tried taking Betaine HCL capsules with meals. I would only take one. The first night I tried it, it didn't help, but didn't seem to hurt either. The second niht I tried it, it seemed to make my heartburn/reflux worse. Since then, I have not tried it. I figured if it wasn't helping, than maybe low stomach acid isn't my problem. It could be for others, but perhaps not me. I'm wondering if I have or had gastritis-- and I think extra acid would irritate my stomach lining further if that was the case. Sadly, while I felt like I could barely ingest more than a couple hundred calories at one time while on Protonix, I had no stomach pain either. When I went off of it, the stomach pain returned within a month, along with heartburn and reflux that I never had before I ever started the drug.

so now I don't know what to think. My acu doc told me to try Aloe juice to coat the mucosal lining of my stomach and make the Betaine HCL more effective. But that stuff was so nasty and seemed to hurt my stomach worse. I just don't know anymore. I think I may have gallbladder problems, so I'm not sure how much the stomach acid stuff comes into play. But I do know that I've been eating low fat, small meals since this started for me 10 months ago, and it doesn't necessarily help. But to those who are helped by taking vinegar, lemon juice, whatever, I say, keep taking it!! I wish the B HCL had worked for me......

Pebkac · 11-27-2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizzaj

Betaine HCL

The first night I tried it, it didn't help, but didn't seem to hurt either. The second niht I tried it, it seemed to make my heartburn/reflux worse. Since then, I have not tried it.

I had to look up what that is. So, it is a version of hydrocloric acid. That's interesting the first time didn't hurt you, and the second did. I find that often the amount in a supplement or medicine isn't quite right for me, and I take a half or something. Guess I'm sensitive, and in this area you are too. Maybe you should give it a try with a lesser amount or that amount less often?

The word betaine caught my eye, though, as I remember that being one of the ingredients in enzyme supplements that I once used. I did find them helpful for my then-digestive problems. Apparently it was originally from sugar beets.

That's tough if you can only eat mini-meals that a severe dieter would look at and be happy because they are fairly extreme. I sympathize.

I just want to pass on a book I've found helpful. I wonder if you've considered looking at things this way. It was called "Food, your miracle medicine" and it talks about what are the beneficial aspects of common foods, based on a lot of research studies. It's by Jean Carper. It tipped me off to quite a few helpful things. Currently, I've been eating a lot of high antioxidant fruits like pomegranate, berries and also pineapple which is supposed to be good for the liver. I feel pretty darn good, though I can't guarantee that is why. The pomegranate feels just wonderful.

lefta · 11-28-2007, 06:05 AM

Hi mizzaj,

I think it's unlikely that one betaine HCl capsule made your reflux worse. It was probably a coincidence. I've taken 10 of these with no side effects.

Make sure you take it before the meal, right when you are sitting down to eat. Definitely not during or after a meal. I'm down to 1 or 2 a meal at this point but was using 4 regularly with success. Try to follow the protocol where you increase the dosage each day, which is described at many web sites.

The same with aloe juice. Take that between meals and it should not cause reflux. I'd try the Lilly of the Desert brand if you have it locally. I find that it has a better taste than some of the others. That brand also makes something called "Stomach Formula", which includes slippery elm and some other soothing herbals. You can mix that with 2 oz of water and it includes mint in the ingredients so it doesn't taste like straight aloe vera juice. That's a nice product that I use regularly. My local Vitamin Shoppe carries it.

Have you tried digestive enzymes before? I would definitely try a good plant based digestive enzyme, like Digest Gold. If you have a problem with breaking things down in your stomach enzymes can definitely help. Take one of those at the same time as Betaine HCl.

DGL at least 20 min before meals can also help. But this, along with aloe juice, is more likely to help you in a healing capacity. There are no quick fixes for GERD.

If you really want to change this situation, you also have to make sure you are eating right. Don't drink soda and coffee (at least limit this. A cup a day rather than 10!) and junk food. Eat fruit and salads as much as possible. Reduce meat intake for a while.

These things worked for me (twice). The first time I got away from it and it came rushing back. 6 or 7 weeks ago my reflux was horrible again. Since then, I haven't even thought about taking an antacid. And I was on PPIs for 10 years!