THE SILVER PROTOCOL
stomach acid
STEP ONE MODULES
STEP TWO MODULES
STEP THREE MODULES
Partially completed, but a lot of editing to do yet and extra sections on the gallbladder etc to be added.
I’m going to start splitting this Module into two sub-modules. That might cause some temporary disruption. Please be patient when that happens.
Experimental summary generated by an AI
It’s missing too much, but this is just my first try
Abstract
The document discusses the significance of stomach acid for proper digestion and overall health, illuminating how low stomach acid can lead to various digestive issues, including gastritis, acid reflux, and leaky gut syndrome. It highlights the detrimental effects of chronic stress, poor dietary choices, and the overuse of acid-lowering medications like PPIs, which can lead to an environment conducive to pathogenic growth and impaired nutrient absorption. Effective strategies for addressing low stomach acid and promoting digestive health are also presented, emphasizing lifestyle adjustments and dietary changes.
Key Points
Importance of Stomach Acid: Stomach acid, primarily hydrochloric acid, is crucial for digesting protein and preventing pathogen overgrowth in the gut.
Role of Stress: Chronic stress activates the fight or flight response, which can suppress digestive function and acid production, leading to gut issues.
Impact of Diet: Consuming junk food, excessive alcohol, and not chewing food properly can strain the stomach and hinder digestion, resulting in discomfort and malabsorption.
Misdiagnosis of Acid Reflux: Many medical professionals misattribute acid reflux to excessive stomach acid, when it is often due to low acid levels compromising the esophageal barrier.
Medication Risks: Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and other acid-reducing medications can harm gut health by destroying stomach acid production and increasing risks of severe infections.
Leaky Gut Syndrome: Low stomach acid can lead to undigested food particles and pathogens entering the bloodstream, contributing to systemic health issues and autoimmune conditions.
Natural Remedies: The document recommends using Zinc Carnosine and DGL Licorice Extract, as well as adjusting dietary habits, to improve stomach acidity and digestive health.
To fix this system, we must start at the top. That means we must chew our food thoroughly. If you see things like corn in your stool, you didn’t chew it properly, so your stomach and gut below could do little with it!
The rest of this module is about the Stomach. However, the Liver, gallbladder, pancreas and the rest of the gut will be added soon, as they all prepare your food for the long journey down through the intestines.
WHAT CAUSES MY STOMACH TO ACT UP?
The FIGHT, FLIGHT or FREEZE System
Trying to feed your stomach when it’s shut down can cause significant problems because it doesn’t make digestive acid or pepsin or organise itself to absorb Vitamin B12.
One of the most common causes is STRESS that won’t go away. When you’re stressed, your body prepares you for a fight, flight, or freeze. The brain tells your adrenals to make cortisol and adrenaline. They run out and shut down those bodily processes you don’t need to fight or run away. Once, that might have been a reaction to a tiger. You don’t want your gut stealing energy from your legs if you have to run from a tiger.
Pink arrows = increased function.
Blue arrows = decreased function
That’s no problem if it’s only for a short time, but modern-day stress can be never-ending, and that’s a significant problem if your gut is shut down most of the day, every day. It won’t work when you need it to. It’ll make you suffer! So, when your brain at the top of the diagram perceives stress. It’ll turn off the lights and close all those processes that you don’t need to run. Note that the heart speeds up and blood pressure increases, but the stomach shuts down!
WHAT ELSE CAUSES MY STOMACH TO ACT UP?
Eating junk food, drinking excessive alcohol, too much water or water at the wrong time is another way to stress your stomach.
That means lots of processed high carbs, rancid or the wrong kind of oils and alcohol. Many processed ‘foods’ aren’t food. They’re ‘food-like’, and our bodies can’t cope with them. You don’t have to be a Puritan and eat none at all, but most people overeat it.
Too much water flushes out hard-gained and much-needed electrolytes, and drinking water at the wrong time (with meals) dilutes stomach acid, so it can’t work correctly.
Add to that the modern trend of eating too fast and not chewing our food correctly. It then goes down in big lumps without giving the acid and enzymes in our mouth time to do their work and break down our food. Our stomach needs the food as a fine mush, or the acid and enzymes can’t get into it.
Stress will put your stomach to sleep. It’ll run out of acid and enzymes. Then, when you try to send food down there, it won’t get digested properly. The stomach can’t cope with these things, especially when stress has put it on a go slow!
The food will rot rather than digest, cause rumbles and make lots of gases, so you’ll spend extra time on the toilet, or wish you could. You’ll belch and burp and blow stomach contents back up your oesophagus, causing GERD and/or LPR.
It won’t sterilise your food, and so it’ll allow pathogens down to your lower gut, causing infections and SIBO. It’ll allow undigested food down below also, causing Leaky Gut. Low acid permits H. pylori to set up camp in the holes it drills into your stomach’s lining, and it alters its environment by killing off even more acid.
YOUR STOMACH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GATEWAY TO YOUR BODY
Your stomach is the gateway to your gut and, from there, to your body. It tries to ensure that only the right things get in and locks the rest out. It does this with a powerful acid that kills pathogens and helps digest food, making it suitable for different forms of digestion further down the gut. Many high-protein foods will only rot rather than digest in your stomach and gut if they're not first broken down by the strong acid and pepsin in the stomach.
The pH scale below demonstrates the strength of everyday products. The most potent acids, like battery acid, have a pH near ZERO. Stomach acid should be close to pH 1, but it’s weak if it’s only pH 3. However, it can still burn unprotected tissues. Blood is very tightly controlled at close to pH 7.4, so it’s a whisker alkaline (unlike as shown in the diagram below ie. NOT pH 8, which would kill you).
Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are weaker acids with a pH of 2 and 3, respectively. That might seem close, but each unit to the right is ten times less acid, so pH 2 (lemon juice) is ten times weaker than pH 1 (good stomach acid), and pH 3 (vinegar) is a hundred times weaker than pH 1. Ascorbic acid is weaker and has a pH of around 4 in water, depending on its concentration.
One of the primary roles of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) and pepsin is to digest protein, including meat. Hence it would burn your fingers if you could dip them in. pH 7 is neutral, like pure water. It's neither acid nor alkaline. However, it can vary greatly depending on the minerals and other matter dissolved in it. Milk is about pH 6.7, and so is a whisker acidic. Your blood is about pH 7.4, so it’s a whisker alkaline. pH 14 is the opposite extreme and is a powerful caustic, like drain cleaner. It would burn you, just like battery acid.
PPIs and H2 blockers block stomach acid production. Whereas Antacids like baking soda and magnesium oxide, neutralise acids and can cause stomachs to become alkaline. Without sufficient acid, the protective gateway to your body is broken, You can test the pH of your urine and saliva with pH paper (as indicated). Ideally, it should be close to neutral (7), but the pH of your urine can fluctuate considerably depending on recent meals, exercise and stress.
DIFFERENT DIGESTION ZONES AS THE FOOD GOES DOWN
In this diagram, you can see how secretions in the Oral Cavity (Mouth) are slightly alkaline (mostly above pH 7), and we start to digest carbs there when we chew our food with saliva. Then it changes to very acid in the stomach, especially when eating and soon after. Then, when the stomach empties into the Duodenum, alkaline bile salts (never bile acids) and pancreatic enzymes react with the stomach acid, causing a sizzle that breaks apart any remaining solids and prepares it for slightly alkaline forms of digestion further down the gut.
HIGH ACID or is it LOW ACID???
BigPharma argues that the burns are due to acid being too strong, which seems reasonable if you don’t think about it too much. Strong acid burns more than weak acid, right? However, other things are at play here.
The weak acid allows it to escape into an unprotected area in the esophagus because it doesn’t trigger the LES (the valve at the top of your stomach) to close! They sweep that under the carpet by destroying the remaining acid, so it can’t burn when it escapes up there.
Unfortunately, then the stomach can’t work correctly. It can’t sterilise your food, and pathogens can get past the gateway, and that can cause severe infections below. Because low acid can’t digest much at all, undigested food also gets past the gateway. That can cause a Leaky Gut, which lets foreign chemicals and particles into your blood, causing severe diseases, diarrhea and constipation. Over time, that worsens because the stomach acid has been prevented from being made, or because it has been neutralised, you don’t get burnt any more. So the Acid Reflux and pain might stop, and you think
the problem’s solved!
Or is it?
DRUGS: PPI’S, H2 BLOCKERS AND ANTACIDS
One of the most common medical errors is misdiagnosing Acid Reflux. The myth is that it’s caused by too much stomach acid when it is almost always too little. Too many doctors sweep it under the carpet by RXing Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs).
The drug is effective in alleviating pain; however, its long-term usage substantially increases severe risks to the body. Proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, and Antacids have been linked to severe health problems when used over extended periods. They destroy the production of stomach acid and/or eliminate the acid that has been made.
Despite the potential harm, individuals are frequently prescribed these medications for prolonged durations, and they can even be purchased OTC in some places. Even though BigPharma often RXs PPIs to kill off the H. pylori, without the acid, H. pylori digs in for a party, and I mean ‘digs in’. They erode the stomach’s protective barrier and allow what little acid is left to cause severe pain there.
We generally don’t do scientific papers here, but here’s a small extract with the important part expanded below. This is just one of many pathogenic bacteria that stomach acid blocks from going down further and causing infections below. Click the pic to link to the study.
BUT THAT’S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG!
THREE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT CAN MERGE TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME
GASTRITIS is caused by low, not high, stomach acid. When the acid is low, the bugs will play. Not just H. pylori, although that’s the most well-known because it can cause some of the worst problems like severe pain and even cancer. It loves a non-acid environment. In fact, when the acid level is good, it’ll likely still be there, but without causing any harm.
1. PAIN IN THE STOMACH
One of the tasks of good acid is to kill off any bugs (pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites) that get a ride into the stomach with your food or drip there from nasal secretions. Those bugs include pathogenic bacteria, yeasts, moulds and viruses. It also includes large parasites looking for a new home in your gut. Low acid waves them through, but some stop for a party. Usually, the wall of your stomach is protected by a special lining. But the invading bugs dig holes in your gut lining. When that’s penetrated, even low acid causes harm and severe burning pain. Ulcers can develop and become cancerous if left too long.
THREE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS cont.
2. MEDIUM TO SEVERE PAIN IN THE ESOPHAGUS
ACID REFLUX / GERD is caused by acid escaping the stomach through a weakened LES valve. If the stomach acid is weak, the LES doesn’t detect it, so it doesn’t close and lets stomach juices up into the esophagus. This is even worse when gasses from rotting & and fermenting (undigested) food, or carbonated beverages pressurise the stomach, causing bloating, burping and belching.
This causes stomach contents to be propelled up the esophagus past the LES. Even though it’s only a weak acid, it can burn the unprotected tissues above the LES, causing intense pain.
Eating within 3 hours of going to bed assists the stomach contents to access the LES as this is no longer prevented by gravity.
Similarly, the sphincter at the bottom of your stomach can leak only partially digested food that can’t be adequately digested down into the gut.
3. IRRITATION IN THE ESOPHAGUS
LARYNGOPHARYNGEAL REFLUX (LPR) is a variant of GERD. Generally, this occurs when the stomach acid is VERY weak or almost absent, and it leaves the LES mostly open, allowing gasses from the stomach and the gut to blow past the LES. This can carry not so much acid, but Pepsin up into the esophagus. Acidic foods then activate the pepsin, and it eats into the protein-rich wall of the esophagus, causing, not so much strong pain, but irritation, coughing, hoarseness, laryngitis, chronic throat clearing and related symptoms. It can also sometimes access even the bronchial system and the lungs, causing irritation there too.
THREE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS cont.
A short video on 5 Important Signs that indicate you’ve likely got low stomach acid, plus a few extra.
1. Low iron/ferritin.
2. Low B12.
3. Chronic constipation.
4. Pale coloured poop.
5. Heart burn / acid reflux.
6. And in the miscellaneous group:
Frequent stomach upsets and food poisoning.
A heavy feeling in the gut.
Hypothyroidism.
WHAT’S YOUR ACID LIKE?
A simple test you can do at home.
HOW TO FIX YOUR STOMACH ACID PROBLEM
If you're taking a PPI or similar, don't try to cold turkey them. That might prove to be painful and even dangerous if you’ve been on them for years. Keep them going for now and fix the damage they're doing first.
You need to get some Zinc Carnosine and some DGL Licorice Extract (NOT licorice). On this website, you'll find Recommended Brands that you can buy at a discount in the 'Recommended Supplements' section. See the button at the bottom of the page.
If your problem is severe, or long-lasting, or you know you have H. pylori. I strongly recommend you start with Life Extension's brand of Zinc Carnosine (Gastro-Ease - see right), which also contains a probiotic that out-competes H. pylori in the stomach. As a result, it should work faster. Start with about 16 mg per meal. If you don’t have H. pylori, use any other Zinc Carnosine from our Recommended Supplements section, as they’re cheaper.
When you eat, a healthy stomach starts to make saliva and stomach acid as soon as you think of food. So taking DGL and Zinc carnosine a little before that happens, sets the defences up to protect your stomach lining against the acid. If you're taking betaine HCl (stomach acid in a pill), then that's always WITH the meal, so the earlier DGL/Zinc protects against that too.
The best time to take DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) and/or Zinc Carnosine for gastritis is 20 minutes before meals. Here's why:
1. Taking DGL at this time helps it mix with saliva, which is important for it to work well.
2. Taking DGL after meals doesn't work as well because it needs to mix with saliva before food reaches the stomach.
3. For severe cases, take 2-4 chewable tablets (380-400 mg each) between meals or 20 minutes before meals.
4. For mild cases or maintenance, take 1-2 tablets 20 minutes before meals.
DGL may help by:
- Stimulating the release of compounds in saliva that help stomach and intestinal cells grow and regenerate.
- Increasing mucus production, which protects the stomach and esophagus from acid.
Taking DGL before meals gives it time to activate these protective mechanisms before food and stomach acid are introduced, maximizing its protective effects on the stomach lining.
If you have silent reflux and GERD, take DGL as a lozenge, or a pill that dissolves in your mouth. That coats the esophagus and so helps to protect it.
When taking DGL Licorice Extract, after a couple of weeks and provided you're not getting further pain (it might take longer), see if you can slowly reduce the dose of your PPI/Antacid. If your pain returns, go back to your regular or previous dose and try again in another week or so. There is no absolute timing for this. It depends on how bad your problem is.
Slippery Elm is an alternative to DGL. However, NOT if you’re considering a pregnancy or if you’re already pregnant, as it’s used for abortions in some places.
Reacidifying your stomach
Once you're off the PPI/Antacid and still feeling no pain, try testing yourself with some dilute (50:50) ACV. If there is no pain, try some 50% ACV in water. If there is still no pain, try some straight ACV. If there is still no pain, try adding one tab of Betaine HCl/Pepsin with a meal. If there is any pain, then retreat a step and try again a little later. If all goes well, take one with each main meal. Depending on their strength, you may need to increase the Betaine HCl to about 1500 mg per high-protein meal and less for other meals. Maintain that for a few weeks, and then see if you can reduce your dose of Zinc Carnosine. If you continue to feel no pain, slowly lower the zinc carnosine until you eliminate its need. If you feel pain, go back to the last good dose and maintain that for a week before trying again. When you've used the last of your zinc carnosine, add 15 mg of an ordinary zinc supplement with 1 mg of copper. After a week, see if you can stop the zinc carnosine completely. And after a good week or so, ween yourself off the DGL licorice.
Bitters Help You Make Your Own Acid
Gentian bitters, derived from the root of the *Gentiana* plant, are known to stimulate the digestive system by increasing the secretion of stomach acid and other digestive juices. This effect is primarily due to the bitter compounds found in the gentian root. When these bitter substances are tasted, they trigger a nerve reflex that stimulates the production of saliva and gastric juices, enhancing digestion and appetite.
Other types of bitters, such as those containing wormwood, dandelion, and bitter melon, also work similarly by stimulating the bitter taste receptors. These receptors, when activated, signal the digestive system to produce more saliva and gastric juices, aiding in the breakdown of food and improving digestion.
In summary, gentian bitters help increase stomach acid through the activation of bitter taste receptors, which in turn stimulate digestive secretions. Other types of bitters, such as wormwood and dandelion, also utilize the same mechanism to aid digestion.
OTHER ACTIONS YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE
You will need to find the cause of your low stomach acid. The actions above will likely prove temporary unless you close the loop. The leading causes of low stomach acid besides acid-lowering drugs are:
Poor diet, especially excess high carbs. Hypothyroidism & Vitamin B1 deficiency.
Low Vitamin B1 is a common partial cause of low stomach acid. Try some of the Benfotiamine form, (it’s one of the most available forms). It’s also fat-soluble. You might need anything between 250 and 1000 mg, but start low and increase slowly. It can sometimes cause paradoxical problems if you increase it too quickly. It needs plenty of magnesium, potassium and the other Bs as they’re its mates, and it only plays team sports. See other Step One modules for magnesium and potassium and the Step Three module for B Vitamins.
The thyroid will be covered in another module. However, you need to check the following tests to determine your thyroid status:
FT3 and FT4 at a minimum vs the Optimal, NOT their Normal Range Limits. If any of those show a problem, you'll also likely need to test RT3, both Hashimoto's antibody tests, a full iron panel, Iodine, Magnesium, Vitamin D, probably a four-point diurnal saliva cortisol test and probably other tests. Most of these aren't easy to get. TSH, T3 and T4 aren't much use. Compare the results of these tests against OPTIMAL levels, not Normal levels, which are near useless.
If you have low stomach acid, you'll almost certainly have low vitamins B9 and B12 and minerals. It’s important to check those, too. Low acid can cause low potassium, and low potassium can cause low acid.
An excellent article which overlaps with this Module, plus offers some alternative solutions.
SOME DOCTORS DO IT (W)RIGHT
One of the most well written books on the subject is by Drs Wright & Lenard below. There are now better ways to fight this evil than when they wrote this book many years ago, but it’s very sound advice and well worth the read if you have this problem.
To-Do List
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2.
All sections from here will be moved to a new linked sub module. Name to be determined.
It will include sections on the Gallbladder, Pancreas, Leaky Gut, IBS, Poop (Texture, Colour, Constipation and Diarrhea) and others to be determined.
Most, but not all, problems with the above start with a lack of stomach acid. That allows undigested food to proceed down the gut, as well as unsterilised food, which allows pathogenic bacteria to move down the gut, causing infections.
THE GALLBLADDER
Main Functions of the Gallbladder
Bile Storage: The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver, which is essential for digesting fats.
Bile Release: It releases bile into the small intestine in response to food, aiding in the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients.
Bile Concentration: The gallbladder concentrates bile by removing water and electrolytes, making it more effective in digesting fats.
The Main Functions of Bile.
Fat Digestion and Absorption: Bile is essential for the digestion and absorption of fats. It contains bile salts, which have properties that allow them to emulsify large fat droplets into smaller ones, increasing the surface area for digestive enzymes to act upon. This emulsification process is crucial for the efficient digestion and absorption of dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) in the small intestine. It prepares for the pancreatic lipase to further digest the fats and oils.
Neutralizing Stomach Acid: Alkaline bile helps to neutralise stomach acid, and together with the secretion of bicarbonate from the pancreas, it helps neutralise the acidic chyme that enters the small intestine from the stomach, creating a more suitable environment for digestive enzymes to function.
Disinfection of Pathogens: Bile has antimicrobial properties due to its detergent-like action. The bile salts can disrupt the cell membranes of certain bacteria, reducing the risk of infection in the intestines by harmful microorganisms.
Removal of Toxins and Waste Products: Bile is involved in the excretion of waste products from the body. It helps eliminate bilirubin, a byproduct of red blood cell breakdown, by transporting it from the liver to the intestines for excretion in feces. Additionally, bile aids in the excretion of excess cholesterol and other waste products, maintaining cholesterol homeostasis in the body.
Overall, bile is a multifunctional fluid that is crucial for efficient digestion, absorption of nutrients, and the elimination of waste products, contributing significantly to the body's metabolic balance.
Key.
Green - gallbladder
Yellow - pancreas
Pink - Duodenum (Partially digested food from the stomach goes through it to the top of the small intestine. The gallbladder and pancreas pour their digestive juices into it.
These are all AFTER and OUTSIDE the stomach or they would neutralise stomach acid before it had done its job.
Common Problems of the Gallbladder
Excessive thickening of the bile prior to forming gallstones. This can prevent it flowing properly.
Gallstones: Hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can block bile ducts, causing pain and other symptoms.
Cholecystitis: Inflammation of the gallbladder, often due to gallstones blocking the bile ducts.
Chronic Gallbladder Disease: Long-term inflammation and scarring, often associated with gallstones.
Near-Natural Ways to Deal with Gallbladder Problems
Dietary Adjustments: Focus on a diet rich in fibre, healthy fats, and low in refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats.
Regular Exercise: Helps maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of gallstones.
Gradual Weight Loss: Avoid rapid weight loss to prevent gallstone formation.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water with electrolytes to help maintain bile fluidity and prevent gallstones.
Supplements: Beet Flow is specifically made from beet leaves (not the root) to help free up the gallbladder. Some find relief with natural remedies like turmeric and milk thistle. TUDCA is mentioned and seems to be successful often, but a warning! It has been implicated in worsening some types of existing cancers.
THE PANCREAS
LEAKY GUT
A single layer of cells separates the gut contents from your bloodstream. All the cells have links pulling each close to the next so nothing can get between them. Those links are called Tight Junctions - those three little stripes in this diagram to the right. The bacteria and other microorganisms (the green and yellow do-dads in the diagram) can’t get through. Nor can partially digested food particles (the purple hexagons and yellow dots). But when you lose stomach acid, that all goes out the window.
Normal Gut
Then the undigested food and pathogenic microorganisms break down the tight junctions opening cracks and holes between that thin single layer of cells, and they squeeze through, contaminating our blood with things that should be there. Hence the term “Leaky Gut”. That wreaks havoc with our immune system, frequently causing autoimmune diseases. The immune system goes into overdrive fighting all that incoming rubbish, and soon it can’t distinguish between your cells and the invaders,
Leaky Gut
The top ten symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome, listed in order of frequency:
Digestive issues (bloating, gas, diarrhea, IBS)
Food allergies or intolerances
Brain fog, difficulty concentrating
Mood imbalances (anxiety, depression)
Skin problems (acne, eczema, rosacea)
Chronic fatigue
Autoimmune diseases
Hormonal imbalances
Joint pain
Seasonal allergies or asthma
The top ten relatively natural ways to address Leaky Gut Syndrome:
Fix both low stomach acid and poor bile flow
Modify diet: Eliminate inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, sugar, and processed foods
Increase consumption of prebiotic fiber-rich foods
Regular exercise
Improve sleep quality and quantity
Stress reduction techniques (e.g., meditation, yoga)
Limit antibiotic use
Quit smoking & Reduce alcohol consumption
Consume probiotic-rich foods or supplements to support gut microbiota
Avoid GMOs and opt for organic foods when possible
The most common causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome include:
A lack of stomach acid allowing bacteria and undigested food particles down into the lower gut.
Poor diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats
Chronic stress.
Exposure to environmental toxins and contaminants
Certain health conditions like HIV/AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and celiac disease
Chemotherapy or radiation therapy that damages the intestinal mucosa
Food allergies or sensitivities.
Excessive alcohol consumption
Overuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen
Prolonged antibiotic use causing Dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance in the gut)
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
The most common causes of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) include:
Low stomach acid: This can be due to medications like antacids and proton pump inhibitors, infections like H. pylori, or gastric bypass surgery.
Slow-moving digestion (impaired motility): This can result from problems with nerves and muscles, often after illness, injury, or surgery. Low thyroid hormone levels can also contribute.
Structural problems in the small intestine: These can include scar tissue or partial blockages from surgery, or diverticulosis.
Medication overuse: Antibiotics and narcotics can disrupt the normal balance of gut bacteria.
Dysfunctional immune system: This can lead to microbiome imbalances, especially if established early in life.
Stress: This can affect various digestive processes and contribute to SIBO.
Migrating Motor Complex (MMC) dysfunction: This affects the wave-like movements in the digestive tract.
Altered bile flow and enzyme production: These are important for maintaining proper bacterial balance.
Certain medical conditions: These include diabetes, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), pancreatitis, and liver disease.
Age: Older individuals are at higher risk due to more medical conditions and medication use.
It's important to note that SIBO often results from a combination of these factors, and addressing the underlying cause(s) is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of recurrence
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) cont.
Top Ten Symptoms of SIBO:
It’s commonly associated with acid reflux or heartburn symptoms, but these come from the stomach, not SIBO.
Bloating and abdominal distension
Abdominal pain or discomfort
Diarrhea or constipation (or alternating between the two)
Excessive gas (flatulence and belching)
Nausea and indigestion
A feeling of fullness, especially after eating
Fatigue and weakness
Unintended weight loss
Malnutrition or nutrient deficiencies
Top Ten Natural Ways to Address SIBO:
Fix your stomach acid and bile flow.
Follow a low FODMAP diet See further down the thread).
Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Avoid gluten, and probably dairy especially if you have celiac disease
Increase dietary fibre intake gradually
Stay hydrated to support digestive function (that’s water and electrolytes).
Manage stress through relaxation techniques or meditation
Exercise regularly to promote gut motility
Consider probiotics (though effectiveness is debated) and food-based prebiotics (not from pills).
10. Antimicrobial Treatment: Utilizing herbal antimicrobials like Allimax (garlic extract) and/or berberine is crucial for treating SIBO. These antimicrobials should be used for 6 weeks, with consideration for rotating herbs every 2-3 weeks if both hydrogen and methane levels are high.
11. Restoring Depleted Nutrients: After the antimicrobial phase, it is crucial to focus on restoring depleted nutrients like B12, Folate, Magnesium, and iron. Replenishing these nutrients post-treatment helps reduce deficiencies caused by malabsorption over time. (Blood tests first to establish the need).
Candida and Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth (SIFO).
Small Intestinal Fungal (incl. Yeast) Overgrowth (SIFO) and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) are both conditions involving excessive growth of microorganisms in the small intestine, but they differ in the type of organism involved. SIBO is characterized by an overgrowth of bacteria, while SIFO involves an overgrowth of fungi, primarily yeast such as Candida.
Differences Between SIFO and SIBO
Organism Type: SIBO is caused by bacterial overgrowth, whereas SIFO is due to fungal (yeast) overgrowth. Candida species (a type of yeast) are the most common culprit, accounting for approximately 97% of the cases.
Symptoms: Both conditions share similar digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas, and abdominal pain. However, SIFO can also cause symptoms like oral thrush, chronic fatigue, and skin issues, which are less common in SIBO.
Diagnosis: SIBO is typically diagnosed using a breath test, while SIFO diagnosis often requires endoscopy and culture of duodenal juice, as there is no simple breath test for fungal overgrowth.
Common Causes of SIFO
Low stomach acid which allows fungi to get past the stomach.
Immune System Status: Individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with underlying diseases or who are immunocompromised, are more susceptible to SIFO.
Use of Medications: The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and antibiotics can disrupt the normal gut flora, promoting fungal overgrowth.
Genetic Factors: Certain genetic traits, such as being a non-secretor of blood group antigens, can increase susceptibility to Candida overgrowth.
Commonly Associated with Type II Diabetes.
Click/tap the pic to watch the video.
Near-Natural Ways to Manage SIFO
Dietary Changes: Reducing sugar and refined carbohydrates can help limit the growth of Candida, as these fungi thrive on sugar.
Probiotics: Introducing beneficial bacteria through probiotics can help restore the balance of the gut microbiome. Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast, is often recommended to combat Candida overgrowth.
Herbal Antifungals: Natural antifungal agents like garlic, oregano oil, undecenoic acid, and caprylic acid can be used to reduce fungal populations.
Digestive Support: Ensuring adequate stomach acid and maybe using digestive enzymes can improve digestion and reduce fungal overgrowth.
The FODMAP Diet
This TEMPORARY diet can be very useful in getting a handle on what’s causing your problems. It’s usually started very strictly for a few months and then missing good foods added back in one at a time slowly to see if they cause a problem.
FODMAPs are Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.
These are types of carbohydrates that can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine, potentially causing digestive issues for some people, particularly those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) & Leaky Gut. Here are the most common FODMAP foods in the Western diet. So stop eating them for a while and then introduce them, only one at a time and see if they make a difference.
Wheat: This is one of the biggest contributors of FODMAPs in Western diets, found in bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, biscuits, and pastries.
Dairy products: Many dairy foods are high in lactose, a FODMAP sugar. This includes milk, soft cheeses, yogurt, and ice cream.
Onions: A concentrated source of FODMAPs, onions are widely used in cooking and food processing.
Garlic: Like onions, garlic is highly concentrated in FODMAPs and is commonly used in various dishes and as a flavouring agent.
Apples: These fruits are high in excess fructose and sorbitol, making them a significant FODMAP source.
Legumes and pulses: Foods like chickpeas, lentils, and beans are rich in galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), a type of FODMAP.
Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and mannitol, often found in sugar-free products, are polyols (a type of FODMAP).
Rye: This grain contains nearly twice the amount of FODMAPs as wheat.
Honey: A common sweetener that's high in fructose, making it a high FODMAP food.
Cauliflower: This vegetable is particularly rich in mannitol, a type of FODMAP.
It's important to note that while these foods are high in FODMAPs, they're not inherently unhealthy. In fact, many of them have significant nutritional benefits. The low FODMAP diet is primarily used as a short-term intervention for people with IBS to identify trigger foods, and it's not recommended as a permanent diet for most people.
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