Naturally Immune For Life

Gut Fix 101

by Mary Ferrari

Common supplements and natural foods.

Slippery elm and marshmallow root capsules

Slippery elm and marshmallow root help soothe the gut lining. Slippery elm and marshmallow root soothe gut inflammation mainly by forming a gel-like protective coating over irritated tissue, reinforcing the mucus barrier, and potentially reducing inflammatory signaling. Use these as you begin to restore your gut health naturally with food and eventually eliminate. Some immediate relief should be felt. You can learn more in the sources below. Follow directions on package.

Slippery elm:

Once ingested, this gel:

• Coats the esophagus, stomach, and intestines

• Acts as a physical barrier against stomach acid, digestive enzymes, and irritants

• Reduces friction in inflamed tissue

This is especially helpful in conditions involving irritation such as gastritis, reflux, or inflammatory bowel irritation.

Marshmallow root 

Marshmallow root works very similarly but is often considered even more mucilage-rich.

SIBO recipe

SIBO Recipe works in part by reversing inflammatory macrophages in the gut to anti inflammatory macrophages. Some immediate relief should be experienced. Don’t use over two weeks. You can find it here.

Florastor

Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745, marketed widely under the brand name Florastor, is one of the most researched probiotic yeasts in the world. Unlike typical probiotic bacteria, Saccharomyces boulardii is a non-pathogenic yeast with unique properties that make it effective for supporting digestive health. It is found in fruit peels.

Florastor became the commercial name for this strain and remains a leader in probiotic yeast supplementation today. Its key benefits include supporting gut flora balance, preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and reducing symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Consult your doctor for an appropriate length of treatment. You can use this to help eliminate bad bacteria and yeasts in the gut prior to introducing beneficial bacteria and friendly yeasts. Saccharomyces boulardii is not colony forming yeast, it must be re- supplied.

Bovine Colostrum, Yogurt and Kefir

Bovine colostrum, yogurt and kefir are natural foods for digestive health. They are well tolerated. Add as much bovine colostrum powder to yogurt as you like and can tolerate well, stir. Combine with kefir to make a milkshake like drink. Drink daily for at least 4-6 months. Bovine colostrum is a potent food product to help eliminate bad bacteria in infant mammals. Start with 1 tsp. if necessary. Colostrum followed by breast feeding is a natural first food to help the human infant mammal develop proper gut, brain and immune health. You can learn more here.

Whole fat mammal milk

Whole fat mammal milk is necessary for providing food for good bacteria to thrive. Begin with at least 250 ml. in your colostrum/yogurt/kefir shake. Add more periodically if well tolerated. Most people in the world can consume at least 250 ml. per day. Do not introduce to infants unless under doctor supervision. Infants should be breast fed until whole fat mammal milk is introduced at the proper time. Regular pasteurized whole fat mammal milk that is available to most people is fine. Avoid UHT milk products.

Supporting Ingredients: probiotic capsules

Find a brand suitable for you. Choose CFU’s in the billions not millions, add to your daily drink. The number of beneficial bacteria and yeasts in natural foods like home made yogurt or kefir comparatively to probiotic capsules is in the trillions, not billions. You can add more strains over time. Probiotics sold OTC are generally regarded as safe and combine the right strains to benefit the most people. Be sure they include bifido strains. Probiotics aren’t necessary and by using naturally fermented foods you can introduce beneficial bacteria and friendly yeasts over time. Most people find probiotic capsules helpful but only when consumed with whole fat mammal milk as these synergistic partners are the most well studied and well tolerated. Every introduction of a new strain of probiotic or friendly yeast may cause a reaction, stick to OTC products in the beginning. Bacteria and yeasts are both local and global.

Diet and additional supplements

Consume well cooked and well tolerated foods. If you have food intolerances, add foods slowly to retrain your digestive system to create the enzymes necessary for digestion. Seek medical help or professional nutritional guidance if necessary. If your food intolerances are caused by moving to a new country and introducing new or unfamiliar foods they generally resolve over time. Cod liver oil and omega 3 oils like fish oil and salmon oil will help provide vitamin support. Oils can impact gut health immediately. Choose an appropriate oil for cooking. Some oils can be dangerous and cause intestinal bleeding if over consumed. Do not take oils for health benefits without intensive research or without doctor supervision. Fish, salmon, cod liver, olive and avocado oils are generally considered safe, beneficial and well tolerated. Avoid trans fats. Eventually add more fiber to your diet when it is well tolerated. Consume naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi as often as possible if well tolerated. You might find other fermented beverages like kombucha  are not well tolerated in the beginning. As long as you are achieving a healthy balance of foods without suffering nutritional deficiencies quality matters more than quantity or variety. Avoid diet extremes like veganism. Avoid fad diets. Avoid processed foods and empty calories. Avoid both carbohydrate and protein malnutrition. Humans consumed and acquired the ability to adapt to their local food culture in times of feast or famine. Give your body time to naturally digest. Do not graze, snack or consume beverages all day, especially sugary ones including fruit juice. Follow strict sugar consumption guidelines. Digesting requires fasting and detoxification and autophagy will not begin without it, including chewing gum. Only water does not interfere with digestion in humans.

Conclusion

These are the most widely used and well tolerated supplements and foods to enhance gut health based on current research. Symptoms may be widespread, affect whole body systems and are generally hard to pinpoint but they can include pain, rashes or mood and sleep disorders in addition to obvious digestive issues and immune disorders. Don’t hyper focus, provide symptom relief as necessary.  The minimum reported time frame to restore healthy gut balance is at least 4-6 months based on averages although it must be noted these mirror time frames for proper infant gut, brain and immune development that occurs via breastfeeding (4 months – 2 years, 4 years in countries where parasitism is high). You can find more information throughout this site including the library to learn why. References are always included. You may find it necessary to follow these guidelines for up to two years to find further nutritional and health benefits and then maintain for life (at least once or twice per week) to ensure your gut remains healthy and to help provide basic minimal nutrition. If you weren’t breast fed or are elderly that is most definitely so. These food guidelines were common practice for the world  population before the introduction and over reliance on processed foods like infant formula and the introduction of anti biotics which destroy natural bacterial and friendly yeast balance. This also includes stronger drugs like chemo and injections which may affect natural bacteria and immune function status as well. Clean water, quality foods, avoiding too much sugar and exercise are also a necessity.

As always consult your health care professional or nutritionist.