Have you been diagnosed with Crohns Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis, chronic constipation, or another digestive disorder? Are you on medications full of nasty side effects? Would you like some natural help? I also hope you’ll share what has helped you with any digestive problems – collectively we can help a lot of people!
- Did you know that one of the many benefits of raw milk is that it is full of natural probiotics, which are necessary for a healthy digestive system? (Probiotics provide healthy bacteria in our gut, where everything originates inside us – good or bad, so obviously probiotics also strengthen our whole immune system.)
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Healthy probiotic supplements are a MUST: Garden of Life Perfect Food capsules or powder are very good, OR these GAPS recommended probiotics. I have a friend who struggles with constipation and will only go once a week unless she is consistent in taking the Primal Defense or Primal Defense Ultra. - Fermented cod liver oil – The same friend mentioned above takes 1-2 Tablespoons twice a day and this helps keep her regular.
- She also stopped eating oatmeal daily which is difficult to digest. If you’re going to eat oatmeal now and then, you’ll want to make sure it’s ‘soaked’, which is a way to predigest it. Here’s more on that in this post for a yummy baked oatmeal.
- From the post on the Health Benefits of Bone Broth: “The gelatin in homemade bone broth helps the lining of the intestine. Many of us today have leaky gut, diverticulitis, Crohn’s and other intestinal problems. By helping to strengthen the gut walls, this also supports immunity. It also strengthens digestion which helps you absorb more nutrients.Gelatin also helps people digest milk and dairy products.”
- Read how the GAPS Diet can help you if you have digestive diseases (and many other diseases, too, because it strengthens your immune system). When any of the individual remedies mentioned above aren’t cutting it on their own,
you may need the big guns to get to the root of the problem. Get the GAPS book. Start by drastically reducing the grains in your diet! - Have you read the book, The Maker’s Diet, with the story of how Jordan Rubin healed himself of Crohns Disease with diet?
- For buttermilk & yogurt starters or kefir grains - to make your own nutritious probiotic foods, visit my resources page for where to find what you need to begin!
- Kombucha Tea is also a probiotic drink! Find out what it is and 15 tips for making it correctly. Or try this fermented lemonade punch. One more, this one is our favorite: homemade probiotic soda pop!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Anna in the comments below reminded me that I should add a disclaimer…if you have serious intestinal issues, you may want to see a professional for help in implementing some of these natural remedies. Always use common sense.
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m a believer in natural foods to cure the digestive tract, which leads the immune system. I had colitis, along with an immune disorder which led to asthma, chronic pneumonia, headaches. All these problems cleared up when I cleansed my digestive tract through natural foods and cut out refined sugar. It’s been almost two years without any illness – Praise be to God!
The process began with a certified naturopath – after the medical field, with one drug after another, failed me – and continues with a wonderful community of friends who are dedicated to health/wellness – like our host, KELLY
The journey was challenging – especially cutting out sugar! After the physical cravings departed, I had to work on the mental cravings, which I overcame with much prayer and focus on God NOT on what I was missing.
True health involves the mind, body and spirit.
Peace to you.
Amy
Do you have any suggestions for low stomach acid? My husband suffers from this, and was finally diagnosed about a year ago. We tried apple cider vinegar with meals, but he couldn’t handle it, so our next try was Betaine HCL. He takes 1 capsule with every meal, and it has done wonders for him, it’s fantastic. But if you have suggestions for things we can do to get rid of the need for the Betaine HCL, I’d appreciate it!
Kelly, you are a wealth of information, an online encyclopedia, a GPS of wellness! Thanks for sharing this ferris wheel of ideas in today’s Natural Cures blog carnival!
Kimberly
Kimberly Hartke
Useful information, thanks!
For years my husband had struggled with acid reflux and had gotten to the point where the doctors said his only option was surgery. He found a chiropractor who also did a lot of work with nutrition who informed us that when you have acid reflux and heartburn it is actually because your stomach does not have enough acid to break down the food so it then overproduces the acid. My husband went on a strict diet for 3 months of no grains, no dairy and no processed sugars to cleanse out his system and then slowly started adding foods back in. Now, whenever he eats something that may be difficult to digest he has something acidic along with it (orange, grapefruit, pineapple, etc.). The acid from your food then helps break down your other stomach contents. It is barely even an issue for him anymore! And to think the doctors wanted him to have surgery!
Megan, thanks for the info about GERD. My husband suffers from it–it’s not something to take lightly –it can lead to bigger problems. He takes priolosec, but would like to get off of it. I am interested in getting him to try the diet your husband was on to get him on the road to health. Also what you said about the fruit for helping digest certain foods is helpful.
I have had Crohns disease for 37 years–was diagnosed as a child and have been on so many meds. The last 11 years I have been learning and trying natural cures. There have definetely been some flops and things that just didn’t work so I kept trying . I was determined not to go onto meds again. For 18 months now I have been stricly following the specific carbohydrate diet which is the gaps diet too. It is done wonders for me. I still am on a welness journey as there are up and down days–but way more up than down and i am very hopeful. I also started taking oregano oil for a UTI but have felt better and better in my digestive tract as well and am hoping it’s related. supplements still bother me but I sure would like to try the cod liver oil.
My friend was diagnosed with Crohns, and because I have had such great results with my probiotic supplement (Flora Source Multi-Probiotic), I’ll probably recommend it to her. It’s important to note that conditions like Crohns, IBS, Colitis and others warrant doctor’s input before beginning a probiotic.
Katie, Megan’s suggestions look very promising, you could also go to the links at the blog carnival mentioned at the top of the post, I’ll bet you’ll find more good info there.
Tracy, I’m so glad to hear that you’re on the right track!
FYI: I just added a couple more suggestions to the post that I’d forgotten at 1:00 am this morning!
Katie, the GAPS diet recommends another way to increase your stomach acid: eat or drink something lacto-fermented (sauerkraut, beet kvass, kombucha) about 15 minutes before starting to eat. It works pretty well for me, when I actually remember to do it!
HTH!
Laura
Laura
My son (2 yo) was recently diagnosed as sensitive/allergic to raw cow milk (but not goat milk), gluten and eggs. I am reeling from this! I am looking seriously at putting him and I on the GAPS diet as it appears he has candida. Thank goodness for goat kefir and fermented veggies!
Julie
I’ve never been diagnosed with any GI problems, but I had symptoms that were never enough to see a doctor about. In college I used to drink Maalox antacid by the bottle, and kept a bottle stored in my book bag. Later the indigestion and heartburn came and went, interrupting my sleep, etc. I sometimes attributed it to red wine or too much fat, but turns out that wasn’t the cause.
Sugar sweetened low fat yogurt also always gave me a stomach ache, but whole fat yogurt never did. Too much sugar frequently brought on stomach discomfort, too, no matter what the source of sugar.
All the symptoms disappeared about 5 years ago when I dropped my sugar and starch consumption to only very tiny amounts (like the amount a small serving of 70%+ very dark chocolate). Looking back on it, the symptoms were worse when I was eating pasta, especially. I can eat the pasta sauces without pasta without problem, but with pasta, the heartburn returns with a vengeance.
When my husband also dropped the starches at home meals, I realized it wasn’t just me…he no longer needed the warehouse-sized boxes of Alka-Selter, which he had previously been taking quite frequently. It has been years since he asked me to get more A-S for him. He hardly ever “toots” anymore if he stays away from bread. But if he eats bread or pasta when he goes out for dinner, he’s very gassy and sleeps fitfully.
I suspect the gluten in the wheat was the main culprit all those years (though I still keep all starch & sugar low for my BG). Now I make an effort to avoid even small amounts of gluten-containing foods, but sometimes symptoms return if I am slack about things like regular soy sauce (contains wheat), etc.
I now have strange symptoms when I drink kefir every day. I didn’t used to, but now I am having a reaction that feels like I can’t burp because something seems to block the valve to my stomach. After I had surgery (unrelated to this) last year, I began to have this problem. It actually feels like there is a ball or something stuck in the valve that keeps air in my stomach. The acupuncturist says that my idea of hiatal hernia is possible but he doesn’t think that’s it. He says other things can cause you to keep pockets of air just under the breast bone. If I stop taking kefir, the problem goes away. I’m pretty sure I’ve narrowed it down correctly. I think I am having a die-off symptom but nobody I talk to knows for sure. I don’t have a naturopath in the area to find out. I wonder if others have a problem taking kefir regularly. Do you ever get over it? Kombucha gave me similar symptoms with the added oddness of getting hot over my stomach skin about 1/2 hour after drinking 6 oz. I find this pretty weird actually. -Judy
Judy
This was a nice, general post that had some great ideas and comments! I think it’s important to communicate about digestion, so many North American’s suffer from digestive issues.
As someone who has IBS since a child, a very important part of my symptom management is stress. One of the most recommended treatments for IBS by physicians in anti-depressants…. yup. IBS (more so than others) is closely tied to emotion and stress. Expecting to manage the symptoms without managing the cause won’t prove as beneficial. Also- IBS symptoms are extremely variable and can change from person to person- making a cookie-cutter program ineffective.
I have found that there are definitely certain foods that are catastrophic- milk, yogurt, ice cream, smoothies of ANY sort (even good ones!) and raw vegetables. However, if I am stressed it really doesn’t matter what I eat, everything is going to be processed inefficiently and painfully (due to the intestinal peristaltic movements being sporadic and spastic).
So- THE best method of managing my symptoms hasn’t been radical changes to diet… but stress management. I do yoga, I meditate, and I say NO, decreasing amount of personal and professional expectations.
Thank you for opening such an important dialogue
Lisa
Judy,
That IS interesting…I hope someone else will jump in and have some information for you, I have never heard of that. The one thing I have heard about kefir, though, is from someone who couldn’t drink it (don’t remember her symptoms), so she started out drinking VERY small amounts and gradually worked her way up and now she has no problems.
Lisa,
You bring up a good point about how stress affects IBS. Another great thing about the GAPS diet is how it helps with depression and other mental issues – not that stress is the same as a depression, but this diet can heal the problems in the immune system, which can affect how we handle stress AND how we digest our food, instead of just treating the symptoms, as you talked about. If you ever decide to do the GAPS diet, I’d love to hear about your experience.
Please cure my digestive problems! NOTHING WORKS! I have even had a cecal vovulus and I am only 22!
I’m sorry you’ve had such trouble, take a look at the GAPS Diet and see if it sounds like it could help you. No promises of a “miracle cure” – but it has helped many.
Kelly
I have had a long journey trying to sort out my digestive issues. I was diagnosed with IBS years ago but I found that diagnosis highly improbable. I couldn’t figure out what my problem was even though I tried rotation diets, candida diets, low carb diets. There just didn’t seem to be a pattern to my symptoms. Then I finally suspected corn syrup, corn starch or dextrose and cut them all out. My condition improved but not enough so I started doing research. It was then that I found all the hidden corn derivatives in the typical diet. I think that a lot more people may be sensitive but just don’t realize it because it can be so confusing.
Once I thought it was dairy but dairy only gave me a problem because pasteurized dairy is vitamin enriched and most vitamins and medicines start from GMO corn and soy. Not to mention the hefty dose of dry milk powder which is high in free glutamic acid and a source of oxidized cholesterol that is also included. I also thought it was wheat at one time because all our grains (even some whole grains) are enriched with synthetic vitamins. Actually, my main problems were corn, free glutamic acids, and soy.
Anyone that has unexplained digestive issues should try the test diet at Battling the MSG Myth. It will help narrow down the problem by removing all the questionable ingredients that sneak into our food. In my case I started feeling better in a matter of days since free glutamic acid is one of my sensitivities and it just so happens that most is made from GMO corn or soy. That was not the end of my journey but it put me on the right road. Since I went undiagnosed for so long, I developed many other food sensitivities so I am starting the GAPS diet. Right now at least I have the information that I need to avoid symptoms but I want to go even further and try to heal myself and GAPS is designed to do that. Wish me luck!
One other note, the diet that most people at msgmyth.com follow is the typical low fat, high grain diet. I don’t agree with that and try to educate and convert whenever I can but the information on how to avoid free glutamic acids is priceless. Many people there have cured migraines, seizures, IBS, reflux, arrhythmia just by avoiding these harmful additives.
KC,
I’m emailing you…hoping you might consider doing a guest post?!
Kelly – PLEASE help. My son has stomach issues. The dr wants to put him on a strong antacid. Neither my husband nor I want this and want an alternative. ARe there antacids out there that are natural? What does NT say about antacids. Thanks for any help. The dr said we were welcome to do research before deciding how to proceed.
Paula, this is the exact post I’d send you to if you weren’t here already. Did you try any of the above, especially the GAPS diet? I would recommend you find a local practitioner who is knowledgeable about these things and they can help you through this. Start by talking to your local WAP chapter, hopefully they can refer you to someone. I will pray that you find the path to total healing for your son! Please come back here and update us when you can.
Kelly p.s. I found a couple more good links for you: http://www.westonaprice.org/Seven-Tips-to-Enhance-Digestion…And-Get-the-Most-Out-of-the-Food-You-Eat.html and http://www.westonaprice.org/Gastro-Esophageal-Reflux-Disease-GERD.html.
My head is reeling from all the info I am gathering. I am worn out….but in a good way. Without going into tons of details…(my little ones need me)…I am wondering if anyone can point out any good info on Gastroparesis, specifically, if there is anything I can do for my husband who suffers from it. He is unable to eat ANY raw veggies and very few fruits. His diet is sooo limited and unhealthy. He does takes meds, but they are almost useless for his pain and discomfort. Any info would be much appreciated. I am still reeling over raw milk..we have drunk non-fat forever….how will I ever convince my kids? Ah..but that is another topic. I have been on this site for hours today…need time to process all the info. I am excited though!
I know this is long after the post, but an idea for converting low-fat or skimmed pasteurized milk drinkers to raw milk is this: Dilute the raw milk with water. For skimmed milk drinkers, about half & half of each. That way, you still get all the good fats from the raw milk, but its consistency is more like skimmed milk than whole milk. My mom was told this by an ayurvedic doctor a couple of years ago and has been doing it ever since. It also cuts your milk bill in half.
That’s a great suggestion – I’ve said that to people before, too. But I also happened to think that whole raw milk actually *tastes* a lot lighter than pasteurized whole milk anyway. It doesn’t have that heavy-in-your-mouth feel at all in my opinion.
Kelly
I agree. Whole pasteurized milk has a heavy and dead taste and feel to it.
My family, including myself, have always had digestive issues one way or another. Due to this I tend to keep a fairly healthy diet including fresh fruit, veggies, grains, etc…
I have been taking 2 pills per day also from the Dr Max Powers 15 Day Cleanse. One when I wake up and 1 pill about 8 hours later in the afternoon.
My bowel functions have regulated and become easier. I do not feel any nausea upon taking these pills on an empty stomach and the pills do not have a strong taste or after-taste. I have also felt a slight change in energy level. I am usually a bit fatigued and sore due to anemia, but lately I have been feeling less fatigue and a bit more energy. So far there is nothing I do not like about this product and I intend on keeping up with my daily routine.
My son and I have had digestive issues for years. To name a few, a real food diet, raw milk and probiotic has helped take care of all the problems. The only thing I would add to your above suggestions would be castor oil packs at night. My 6yrs old loves doing them and he sleeps better also. I have even used them for elevating asthma issues. There is a good description of how to do them in the book “Herbs of Grace” or I’m sure there is info on the internet. Thanks for providing such a great blog!
I’ve been experimenting with herbs and having fairly good luck.
Kelly,
I take Garden of Life primal defense and just had a complete stool analyses. The results are telling me that I don’t have enough probiotics. I take the pill form. Could it be that primal defense is not working like it should? Any ideas on this?
Or maybe you should be taking more? A natural practitioner could help you figure this out for sure.
Kelly
My intergrative medicine doctor told me to switch brands. I think I read in the GAPS book that SBO’s don’t go all the way down to the colon and that they just do their thing and get out that they don’t populate the intestines. Did you hear this?
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