The importance of functional testing?

[Yas]

Re: The importance of functional testing!

Although I think that all this information is indeed VERY interesting and useful, I agree with Chu with the fact that it might not be THE answer for everyone.

I know a person who has had a similar test done and had incredible levels of clostridia and she surely had mental issues too, so she did a protocol and it helped temporarily, yet, her whole personality had been so conditioned already because of the many issues she had in life that many of her emotional issues remained until she had a major crisis that prompted her to do an intensive psychological therapy. After some years, she is much better... she still deals with some autoimmune-related symptoms and a thyroid condition, but she is much better psychologically speaking.

For me, this is an example of how different things work differently for different people... and how there are many factors to be attended when trying to heal our minds and bodies. The wrong pychological "help" can make a mess too, no doubt, but for some people it seems to be crucial when they manage to find a good therapist or clinic. I think that doing protocols that deal with the physical issues can be very helpful so that the psychological "battle" then is possible, even. I think it was Dr. Mark Hyman who wrote something along these lines too.

So, IMO, we must always seek to find the multiple factors that might be causing imbalances in many different areas of ourselves. That's something I appreciate a lot from Chinese medicine or Homeopathy, that they take into account so many aspects or our being that aren't normally considered such as the emotions related to some types of dis-eases or symptoms and the types of personalities that are often related to these emotions, dis-eases and symptoms.

So, as much as taking specific supplements might benefit you for a while, what makes the "good critters" stay and win on a more constant basis? How can you make it sure that you will "win the war", so to say, if the real root of the problem is not treated (and very often, that root is basically unknown and/or multi-factorial).

This is precisely what I've been thinking lately. This doesn't mean that the protocols don't help, they do!! But the critters will certainly come back if the root issue(s) aren't treated as you said. For some, clostridia might be the root issue, but if this is a very chronic issue that comes and goes, how did the intestinal imbalance happen in the first place? What allows the bad critters to take over again and again? Maybe we can find the root issue(s) by answering to those questions.. and I know that's not an easy endeavor sometimes, but it's important, I think.

 

[luc]

Re: The importance of functional testing!

FWIW, I think it's important not to fall too much into reductionist thinking; this is a hallmark and dogma of science, unfourtunately, but it is clearly wrong. Ruppert Sheldrake's "Science Delusion" is a very illuminating read in that regard. There is a lot more going on - organisms must be looked as whole, having properties as a whole; there are purposes, goals, and things it interacts with that are outside of what we perceive as "material". Heck, we don't even know how organisms develop from genes in the first place; it seems it is more a matter of "gravitational pull from the future" rather than just parts interacting with each other. I really recommend Sheldrake's book (there's a thread) for more on all that!

That is not to say that materialist science isn't important, it clearly is and this shouldn't be an excuse to ignore reductionist science! But it's just one side of the coin so to speak. And maybe for some people, problems can be better resolved on that level, while for others, there are completely different levels to consider, and oftentimes we need to consider both and how they relate to each other, osit.

 

[Keyhole]

Re: The importance of functional testing!

FWIW I just want to clarify that I didn't start this thread to make the case that clostridia bacteria are the root cause of all psychiatric/physiological issues. I apologise if I gave anyone the impression that I support this notion. I want to make clear that I do not think this is a singular issue, and I understand that this is multi factorial.

It seems to me that the explanation is a bit too simple: It's not the first time we hear that one thing (in this case the Clostridia bacteria) is possibly the major cause for autism and schizophrenia, for example. Not that it may not be involved, but basically it seems that science knows hardly anything about it. And then, what if it is a frequent issue with those two, but also with many other problems that never get tested for the same bacteria, and basically it's a more generalized issue, not a causative factor?

I can't speak for Dr William Shaw, but from all of my reading into his work and his 30+ years clinical expertise, I don't believe he is claiming that clostridia are the cause for autism or schizophrenia, but I see how this can be misinterpreted. What he seems to be saying is that clostridia metabolites are usually one of the primary mediators of neuronal excitotoxicity that accompanies autism. Whatever the cause of autism actually is (with out a doubt, it is multifactorial), it seems that opportunistic pathogens swiftly populate the gut when the gut immunity becomes compromised. It is practically undisputed that a large majority of autistic kids have serious gut dysbiosis, and from the thousands of lab tests Dr Shaw's company has analysed, there seems to be a clear correlation between autism and clostridia overpopulation. Getting rid of clostridia helps the kids significantly, so I think it was fair for him to make the correlation between the two, and then to try to explain it via physiological processes.

In response to your question, I tend to think it is a more generalized issue and a symptom of overall failure of the system (for whatever reason). But in a case where pathogenic anaerobic bacteria have populated the gut, I believe it is very difficult to overcome this purely with diet & lifestyle. It seems that the abnormal conditions we live in these days require that we take abnormal measures to meet the challenges. So, whether the bacteria are a cause or a symptom (I believe they are a symptom), they need to be dealt with, because they're probably not going anywhere otherwise ;D. If it was simply a case of changing diet and lifestyle, then a lot of people here would have likely sorted their issues out. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case... so I think for those people testing might be a useful adjunct to gathering data overall. Because what is there to lose?

And what about people whose concentration of Clostridia is high as well, but who don't present any of the typical traits of autistic or schizophrenic people?

Well, symptoms of autism and schizophrenia are really severe ends of the spectrum. I get the impression from looking at the case study reports that the overwhelming majority of people tend to simply display IBS-like symptoms etc. For people who are ordinarily healthy, then no problems. I have experience of significant normalisation of stool/digestion when embarking of antimicrobial protocols in the past, so I knew for sure there was a dysbiosis issue. The problem was being able to target it, and this is why I saw it necessary to test.

More seriously though (and this is without having watched the videos you shared, so apologies if it's too simplistic), what bothers me a bit about this is that it seems to be focused on solving one issue only. Depending on your diet, your environment, etc., your gut flora can change a lot, as far as I understand. So, as much as taking specific supplements might benefit you for a while, what makes the "good critters" stay and win on a more constant basis? How can you make it sure that you will "win the war", so to say, if the real root of the problem is not treated (and very often, that root is basically unknown and/or multi-factorial).

Damn, that's a good question. I could talk about this specific question with you for hours On a purely physiological basis, optimising stomach acid and gut motility seems to be obvious route. The two main things involved in that (that usually go wrong) seem to be thyroid function and methylation. Anyhow, this is why I am testing - to investigate the route cause of this stuff. The plan is target the clostridia, observe symptoms, retest at the end of the protocol, and then retest again 6 months after that. If symptoms disappear, then I will know that it was the pathogenic bacterial load causing my digestive troubles.

If the symptoms persist, I will aim for doing a DMSA provocation test and later probably a mycotoxin panel. I hope it doesn't come the that, but I will stop at nothing to sort my digestive issues out!

Then again, it could all be psychological... but I tend to think this is not the case. The benefits I saw from previous protocols in the past do not support this conclusion.

I don't know. But every time they start talking about this or that substance inhibiting this or another substance, I get a bit suspicious, FWIW. Because we know how chemicals work all together, and the little that is known about them in terms of information theory and even genetics, for example. IMO, it needs to be taken case by case, and with careful observation when one tries a new thing, whether there is a test like this or not (and there could also be a monetary interest in these labs),

Anyway, I don't mean to discourage you if you want to try it. It does sound interesting. Let us know how your experiment goes, and take care!

All good points. Thanks for the reminder not to get caught up in overly-reductionistic ways of viewing the way the human body works. I guess experiment is the only way to see if this is correct, so I will continue to report back in the near future to provide results!
[/quote]

 

[Keyhole]

Re: The importance of functional testing!

Although I think that all this information is indeed VERY interesting and useful, I agree with Chu with the fact that it might not be THE answer for everyone.

Just to clarify, I don't think that clostridia is applicable for everyone. The reason my posts were focused on clostridia is because I have it, and that learning this was totally awesome because it gave me answers, which I have been searching for.

On the other hand, I do believe that running an organic acids panel can be useful for a person who suffers from any kind of health issue that is chronic. This is pretty obvious though, simply because getting a snapshot of what is happening with your biochemistry can help to identify root causes/other metabolic defects in a lot of cases. We have two possibilities - 1. guess what is the problem, or 2. make an informed decision based on more data than guesswork.

Testing seems like the rational option of the two choices in my opinion.

I know a person who has had a similar test done and had incredible levels of clostridia and she surely had mental issues too, so she did a protocol and it helped temporarily, yet, her whole personality had been so conditioned already because of the many issues she had in life that many of her emotional issues remained until she had a major crisis that prompted her to do an intensive psychological therapy. After some years, she is much better... she still deals with some autoimmune-related symptoms and a thyroid condition, but she is much better psychologically speaking.

That is great to hear she ran this test. If she is in a better place psychologically, it seems it was worth it :D

For me, this is an example of how different things work differently for different people... and how there are many factors to be attended when trying to heal our minds and bodies. The wrong pychological "help" can make a mess too, no doubt, but for some people it seems to be crucial when they manage to find a good therapist or clinic. I think that doing protocols that deal with the physical issues can be very helpful so that the psychological "battle" then is possible, even. I think it was Dr. Mark Hyman who wrote something along these lines too.

Yeah, I totally agree. I notice that when I am feeling up to speed physically, my ability to focus, exert willpower, and remain emotionally stable is massively improved. On the other hand, feeling like crap physically usually predisposes me excessive dissociation, irritability, and poor brain power. Hence, dealing with physical issues is a great way forward, and some people need testing to deal with those issues - me being one of them. This is not to replace psychological work, but to help support it.

So, IMO, we must always seek to find the multiple factors that might be causing imbalances in many different areas of ourselves. That's something I appreciate a lot from Chinese medicine or Homeopathy, that they take into account so many aspects or our being that aren't normally considered such as the emotions related to some types of dis-eases or symptoms and the types of personalities that are often related to these emotions, dis-eases and symptoms.

Yeah I also agree here. But sometimes I think the emotions are byproducts of physical imbalances. Therefore, it is important to rule out those things while simultaneously working to understand the psychological stuff.

This is precisely what I've been thinking lately. This doesn't mean that the protocols don't help, they do!! But the critters will certainly come back if the root issue(s) aren't treated as you said. For some, clostridia might be the root issue, but if this is a very chronic issue that comes and goes, how did the intestinal imbalance happen in the first place? What allows the bad critters to take over again and again? Maybe we can find the root issue(s) by answering to those questions.. and I know that's not an easy endeavor sometimes, but it's important, I think.

Without a doubt. Again, I don't think clostridia is the root cause. For me, it was an opportunistic infection which got in when my defences were low (probably in India after eating food contaminated with faecal matter or taking a dip in the Ganges river - a stupid thing to do). Sometimes I think clearing up the mess can help.

 

[Keyhole]

Re: The importance of functional testing!

FWIW, I think it's important not to fall too much into reductionist thinking; this is a hallmark and dogma of science, unfourtunately, but it is clearly wrong. Ruppert Sheldrake's "Science Delusion" is a very illuminating read in that regard. There is a lot more going on - organisms must be looked as whole, having properties as a whole; there are purposes, goals, and things it interacts with that are outside of what we perceive as "material". Heck, we don't even know how organisms develop from genes in the first place; it seems it is more a matter of "gravitational pull from the future" rather than just parts interacting with each other. I really recommend Sheldrake's book (there's a thread) for more on all that!

That is not to say that materialist science isn't important, it clearly is and this shouldn't be an excuse to ignore reductionist science! But it's just one side of the coin so to speak. And maybe for some people, problems can be better resolved on that level, while for others, there are completely different levels to consider, and oftentimes we need to consider both and how they relate to each other, osit.

That stuff is all very interesting, Luc. But from a practical standpoint, testing for inflammation, abnormal chemistry and dysbiosis is a useful clinical tool. I wanted to share it with people because I have gained insight into my own issues from it. I'm not sure how this is anymore reductionist than any of the info shared by Laura and others on Iodine thread or on the "Autoimmune Conditions caused by INFECTION" thread. It is just more data, albeit on an individualised and personal level.

 

[Gaby]

Re: The importance of functional testing!

I think it is important to be aware that the Lab Industry in functional medicine is the equivalent of Big Pharma in mainstream medicine. It can shape the way it is done due to inherent biases. If you are aware of this, you can use lab tests as a tool without missing the forest for the trees. But it is by no means the "answer" because ultimately, connecting the dots on several levels based on experience, research and networking, and applying those principles in your life might be more important to heal your body, mind and soul.

 

[Scottie]

Re: The importance of functional testing!

I'm interested to see where this all leads, so I hope you'll continue to update us all on the progress of your experiment, Keyhole.

As for the comments about how maybe this isn't the Magic Solution to Everything, well, join the club!

I think we're all guilty of getting a BIT too excited about some new discovery regarding health and wellness, especially when it's potentially the answer to a long-standing health issue that has taxed either ourselves or someone we love.

Those of you who've been around long enough are certainly aware that the title of the thread about the keto diet changed recently. Yeah, I guess we got a bit excited about it. That doesn't mean that keto is useless - far from it!

I will note on a personal front that I discovered after being mostly-keto for a couple of years that I can no longer tolerate my spoonful of salted lard for lunch. It just really upsets my stomach - even at a lower dose. After I thought about it, it seemed kind of obvious: the world is changing, I am changing, everything is changing. There will probably never be One Solution to Rule Them All.

So, we need to not be too attached to any one treatment or technique, because that will most likely mean ignoring what our body is saying. For example, I could easily have narrated away my upset stomach - because of course it couldn't POSSIBLY be the glorious lard, right? It's fat! Fat is magic! Well, no, not anymore apparently - at least for me!

Now, optimal for me seems to be keto breakfast, paleo lunch (EEK!) and dinner. Eating lunch again is kind of weird, frankly.

I reckon that for a period, keto-ish was very useful in terms of repair or whatever, but maybe now my gears have shifted and I need something else? Like I said, everything is changing and in a state of chaos lately, so why should my innards be any different? ;D

In any case, I think it's all fairly useful because it isn't just about physical health. Naturally, there are emotional components to health, energetic components, etc. We don't know how it all fits together.

But clearly, one of the emotional components is attachment to "My Precious", which is the new-fangled treatment/solution. So, not only is there a potential emotional element to the illness or health issue, but then on top of that we toss in attachment that is less-than-rational. That kind of compounds the problem if it's not kept in check. In the short term, I imagine it wouldn't cause much harm.

In the end, it seems to be like everything else: maintaining a balance between the rational and the emotional. I don't think there's a problem with being enthusiastic about something new to try, but that new thing should not become The Thing for everyone, no matter what. FWIW, I didn't get the impression Keyhole was saying, "Everyone needs to do this! It's the solution for everything!" Naturally, yes, he's excited about it and his brain is going at Warp 9. It's not the first time, and he's not the only one that does this.

That's one of the primary reasons we stress "experiment" and "do the reading". Even then, historically, there are important details we ALL have missed. So, it ain't simple - no matter how cut and dried things may seem at first. And as I said, things are changing at warp speed lately!

So, are you bit attached to your discovery, Keyhole? Well, yeah, probably. I would be too. But will the world end as a result? Well, no, probably not - at least not for that reason. There are plenty of other things going on right now that may take care of that! :P

Even if this whole thing only helps one or two group members, it still helped. And in the future, it may be exactly what someone else needs to discover the missing key to unlock one of their problems. Who knows?

Like I said: Keep us posted!

 

[Laura]

As Scottie has said above, in our search for answers to the health issues of ourselves or group members, we sometimes stumble on something that we think everybody ought to try. The keto diet is a case in point. After long experimentation, we realized that it may not be for everybody; in fact, it may be only for a subset of people with particular problems. But it does seem to be useful as an occasional alternative to balance the body chemistry.

I've had rafts of tests done over the years and, while they are helpful to a limited extent, they have never given "the answer" to what is wrong. All of them taken together seem to converge on a number of systems, but it's still hit or miss as to how to solve the issue. Probably one of the best things I've tried recently was a sort of Chinese medicine set of tests. This included taking several pulses and doing some movements that identify systems that are out of whack. The prescription was a few little stick on semi-acupuncture thingies and a Chinese herbal combination. The stick on thingies were quite remarkable in giving results almost immediately. I'm still taking the herbs and will report later.

There is another little experiment we are currently trying that seems really promising but I'm not going to talk about it until the experiment is completed.

I will say, at this point, that the Near infrared light has done more than I ever expected and is probably one of the things that goes to the top of the list of very beneficial therapies for about everything.

 

[theos]

Good points, Scottie and all.

Nothing is static. Everything is in flux. What worked for you at one time may not work at a different time. Seasons, light, temperature, emotional state, aging, environment...the list could go on and on as to what influences health. There are so many factors that play into it one can never be 100% certain that an experiment will work. Or if it does work for a time, it may not work forever. And this is just on an individual level. Extrapolate things out for multiple people or populations and it makes getting to the bottom of things damn near impossible!

It's easy and common to get super excited about some new health discovery then the excitement wears off and the experiment becomes just that; something you tried that did or didn't work and then it's on too the next thing to get super excited about. I figure as long as one doesn't become too attached to any particular outcome (or devastated if the experiment 'fails'), recognizes the roller coaster, up and down aspect of it all and learns something valuable in the process (either about themselves or health in general) it's all good.

I hope your experiment provides you with some relief, Keyhole.

 

[Seamus]

Thanks for sharing information about functional medicine and your test results Keyhole. I like what I've read about functional medicine because it seems to take the patient's whole system into account and it individualizes the treatment strategy for each patient. I also like that it places body chemistry and digestion at the forefront of chronic disease treatment. This approach really mirrors Chinese medicine's philosophy in many ways. I don't want to hijack this thread but I would like to offer my perspective coming from Chinese medicine, so I'm going to start another thread for that.

I think you might be interested in Dr. Omar Amin's Parasitology Center in Arizona. They offer a number of tests and look for organisms that mainstream medicine does not consider pathogenic. They also sell a "one size fits all" parasite cleanse called "Freedom Cleanse Restore". If your homegrown treatment protocol doesn't do the trick I think FCR is worth a try, I know of at least half a dozen of my classmates and 3-4 patients who were helped tremendously by taking it.

...doing some movements that identify systems that are out of whack. The prescription was a few little stick on semi-acupuncture thingies and a Chinese herbal combination. The stick on thingies were quite remarkable in giving results almost immediately.

FWIW this diagnosis and treatment system is called M-Test (Dr. Mukaino's book: The Meridian Test and its Applications and website: https://www.mtestusa.com/) and the little stickers are called "intradermal needles", specifically Seirin Pyonex (http://www.pyonex.info/).

 

[luc]

Scottie, thanks for the great post! We are changing, the environment is changing, so our requirements to stay/get healthy may change as well - duh! This means in turn that we have no choice except experimenting, learning and observing to find out what works for us individually, right now, in the situation we are in. It's our responsibility.

 

[Aliana]

I've had rafts of tests done over the years and, while they are helpful to a limited extent, they have never given "the answer" to what is wrong. All of them taken together seem to converge on a number of systems, but it's still hit or miss as to how to solve the issue. Probably one of the best things I've tried recently was a sort of Chinese medicine set of tests. This included taking several pulses and doing some movements that identify systems that are out of whack. The prescription was a few little stick on semi-acupuncture thingies and a Chinese herbal combination. The stick on thingies were quite remarkable in giving results almost immediately. I'm still taking the herbs and will report later.

There is another little experiment we are currently trying that seems really promising but I'm not going to talk about it until the experiment is completed.

Interesting that you mentioned Chinese medicine. After listening to the H&W shows on Acupuncture, I just decided to give it a go – had my first treatment yesterday. I too have been trying one thing after another – have worked with a nutritionist and spent untold $$ on testing and supplements, yet still have a few issues that are causing some concern ( i.e. sky high cholesterol, indications of kidney problems and now aggravations with teeth).

I brought in my most recent lab results, but he also checked my pulses and used some electronic thingy to test points in my hand. The doctor has given me some herbs in addition to the acupuncture and plans to do cupping next time to facilitate detoxification. Some of the herbs are for digestion, to clear up suspected gut dysbiosis - amazing how those issues seem to be at the forefront of a lot of problems!! Also prescribed an herbal combination for relaxation and a Urinary Support formula.

He also recommends slow deep breathing and a form of Chi gong where you focus on moving your energy up the back and down the front while you visualize or ask your body to be receptive to healing. The treatment was VERY relaxing, will report back after a few more treatments when I can see if there are real results. It’s a continual process!!

Really looking forward to hearing about the promising new experiment!!

 

[Keyhole]

Thanks all for the feedback.

Honestly, I am pretty attached to the idea that these test results can solve my gut issues. We all know that I get especially excited about each new discovery, come to the forum about it, and then you guys help me put it into perspective. So I thank you all for that. It is encouraging to know that others also feel like this about new and cool sounding stuff. I guess that is a natural process that we all tend to go through.

I will try to take everything on board and not become fixated on any particular outcome. Although, I am fairly confident that this little bacteria does hold some answers! We will have to wait and see. In the name of experimentation - there is a lot of work to do.

As I said before, I will make sure to keep everyone updated on the progress.

[quote author=Scottie]Now, optimal for me seems to be keto breakfast, paleo lunch (EEK!) and dinner. Eating lunch again is kind of weird, frankly.[/quote]
What works for you, works for you! The past couple of weeks I have been practically living off of brown rice spaghetti as my main carb source - breakfast lunch and dinner Somehow, it just works for me better than "whole foods" like sweet potato etc. My digestion is significantly better on spaghetti than it is with those other things - lectins and all! It just shows that these dietary strategies need to be individualised to the needs of each person, and should not be followed strictly in all cases.

[quote author=Seamus] I like what I've read about functional medicine because it seems to take the patient's whole system into account and it individualizes the treatment strategy for each patient. I also like that it places body chemistry and digestion at the forefront of chronic disease treatment. This approach really mirrors Chinese medicine's philosophy in many ways. [/quote]
That was my impression as well and was really what stood out for me. I see functional medicine as a tool that can be used to help unite traditional health-related philosophy (CM, ayurveda, naturopathy) with modern-biochemical understanding of how the body actually functions. Yeah, there is a lot that is unknown, but it is a step in the right direction.

As Gaby said though, I think I need to keep in mind that there are also financial interests involved here with the lab recommendations etc.
I can't safely say that the test results are worth it, because I haven't seen hundreds of patients and treated them based on labs yet. If it works for me, I will start running labs with people I see in practice when I set up next year. Then only time will tell as to whether they are useful or not.

[quote author=Laura]There is another little experiment we are currently trying that seems really promising but I'm not going to talk about it until the experiment is completed. [/quote]
Any hints? I am excited to here what this experiment is!

 

[Keyhole]

It has been three months since starting this thread, so I thought I would write an update.

The protocol I followed was two weeks of biocidin liquid three times per day, in conjunction with Saccharomyces Bouladi and Mercola brand probiotics at night time. This was followed by two months of cyclical biocidin liquid, where I followed the standard dose in for format of one day on, two days off, one day on, two days off etc.

I then moved onto another protocol just to "clear things out" fully, consisting of FC Cidal, ADP, and Dysbiocide by Biotics research - again on a cyclical dose which I am currently doing. I have also been taking a product called MegasporeBiotic twice a day for about a month.

Aside from that, I started megadosing glycine at around 20-30 grams per day split in three doses before meals, and also started taking creatine in the mornings.

My diet is mostly paleo with potato and a tonne of broth and collagen and glycine. I have been eating a lot of green vegetables. I also like to eat kiwi fruit!

Results

- Digestion is not perfect everyday, but probably around 3-5x better than before.
- Bloating - practically non-existent now if I do not overeat
- Gas - still occurs when I either overeat in one meal, or eat certain resistant starchy fruit like banana. Other than that it is not much of a problem, although it does it come back every now and then which suggests there is some dysbiosis still.
- I can now tolerate potato
- Stool is solid and well formed on most days. Some days it is perfect, other days it is not.
- Skin = seriously improved after the MegasporeBiotic and Glycine. I can't pinpoint which one made the difference, but i am guessing both of them. My thoughts are that both worked synergistically to reduce endotoxin and slow down glucose uptake into circulation. It used to be oily all of the time after eating carbs, and subsequently spotty or I would get blackheads. It is still not perfect, but much better.
- Concentration seems to have improved, which I suspect may be due to the reduction of clostridia overgrowth

Overall, there have been serious improvements, and I feel a bit more like a "normal" person now. However, I have noticed a problem which I think I have had for a while, and seems to be getting worse. It is the venous pooling in my heads, and less so in my feet. There is excessive dilation of the veins in my arms and hands, where it seems that my blood is having a hard time returning back up to the heart. In the cold weather, my hands become blue/purple, and in the warm they become bright red. If I hold them down at my side for too long, sometimes I can feel them pulsing and become red. Then when I lift my arm up above my head, the blood rushes out within seconds and the veins also normalise.

I have checked out the symptoms and it appears to me to be related to autonomic nervous dysfunction, possibly a Raynaud's type condition, or even peripheral vascular disease or something else cardiovascular related. I am going to book an appointment in with the GP this week to check it out.

Last night I was reading around the subject of cholesterol sulfate deficiency and Dr Stephanie Senneffs work, and I came across some fascinating pieces of information, which then further led me to connect some dots in my own head. I asked myself the question: Is my body purposefully and intelligently selecting for "dysbiotic" pro-inflammatory bacteria because they help me in some way?

I remembered Chu's feedback here:

So, as much as taking specific supplements might benefit you for a while, what makes the "good critters" stay and win on a more constant basis? How can you make it sure that you will "win the war", so to say, if the real root of the problem is not treated (and very often, that root is basically unknown and/or multi-factorial).

I think it is possible that recurrent and untreatable cases of "gut dysbiosis" or "small intestinal bacterial overgrowth" are actually protective adaptations made by the body to some mitigate the detrimental effects of some deeper, more fundamental issue. FWIW, I am speculating here. It is based on 1. My gut feeling, 2. Naturopathic philosophy makes sense to me in many ways, and 3. A little bit of data from various different places.

I am going to put together the material in the next post.

 

[RedFox]

Thanks for the update Keyhole

Last night I was reading around the subject of cholesterol sulfate deficiency and Dr Stephanie Senneffs work, and I came across some fascinating pieces of information, which then further led me to connect some dots in my own head. I asked myself the question: Is my body purposefully and intelligently selecting for "dysbiotic" pro-inflammatory bacteria because they help me in some way?

I remembered Chu's feedback here:

So, as much as taking specific supplements might benefit you for a while, what makes the "good critters" stay and win on a more constant basis? How can you make it sure that you will "win the war", so to say, if the real root of the problem is not treated (and very often, that root is basically unknown and/or multi-factorial).

I think it is possible that recurrent and untreatable cases of "gut dysbiosis" or "small intestinal bacterial overgrowth" are actually protective adaptations made by the body to some mitigate the detrimental effects of some deeper, more fundamental issue. FWIW, I am speculating here. It is based on 1. My gut feeling, 2. Naturopathic philosophy makes sense to me in many ways, and 3. A little bit of data from various different places.

I am going to put together the material in the next post.

On that note, have you been following the NeuroFeedback and Healing Developmental Trauma threads?
My thinking is that the emotional/nervous state of the body is selecting for these types of bacteria (and the bacteria is reinforcing/sustaining the emotional/nervous state).
I was reading the NeuroFeedback thread before this one, and wondering if (because of the gut/brain connection) things like gut bacteria would change as a result of changing the brains set state?
The NeurOptimal system looks quite promising based on peoples feedback so far. fwiw