Gut Bacteria Could Help With Diagnosis/Influence Treatment

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:25 pm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 143620.htm

I've been dealing with some sort of flu-like thing accompanied by major fatigue which I think can be attributed not only a nasty cold but accidental soy exposure. It is insidious!!! This has definitely jaundiced my outlook on life at the moment, so reading this article just made me think: "Great--go to the doctor and he says, 'Congratulations, your gut microbia say there is nothing we can do for you. You are going to die tomorrow. Go home and put your affairs in order.'"

Post by **tex** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:13 pm

Call me a pessimist, but someone is always predicting the future, and they are almost never right. As little as is actually known about gut bacteria population profiles, and how they interact with our immune systems, and our well-being in general, it will be a long, long time before medicine will be able to use that information effectively. By then, a thousand other "new" concepts will have grabbed their attention, and they will have likely forgotten about the importance of gut bacteria.

OK, since I just made a prediction for the future, you know how unlikely I am to be right.

Thanks for the link. I hope you'll be feeling much better, soon. Also, I hope you're boosting your vitamin D level, so that you can avoid such issues in the future. Since I've been taking plenty of supplemental vitamin D, (by plenty, I mean more than adequate, not just what many people feel is adequate), I haven't had any virus issues at all. I can't even remember when I last had a cold - it's been a long time.

Tex

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:23 pm

But the scientists did find for example, that the guts of older people appear to have more microbial genes involved in breaking down carbohydrates than those of youngsters, possibly because as we age we become less efficient at processing those nutrients, so in order to survive in the human gut, bacteria have to take up the task.

This is pretty fascinating and I'm wondering if it gives a little insight into why predisposition to MC increases as we age. Perhaps our gut bacteria doesn't rise up to the task. Also, could it explain an increase in type II diabetes as we age?

Tex wrote:Since I've been taking plenty of supplemental vitamin D, (by plenty, I mean more than adequate, not just what many people feel is adequate), I haven't had any virus issues at all. I can't even remember when I last had a cold - it's been a long time.

I've had the same experience. DH and all of our grandchildren had colds this winter, but I didn't catch it. Now if I could just figure out how to stop getting pneumonia...

Gloria

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:39 pm

I take 5,000 IU of Vit D consistently every day. Until two years ago, I rarely got sick. I suspect my IgA went south as the same time as my MC showed its ugly head. I'm waiting for the MD to get back to me on the tests I want to take and when I can take them.

On the bright side, I think my thyroid is more stable because of the increased Vit D.

hoosier1 · Post by **hoosier1** » Sun May 01, 2011 12:05 pm

Get better soon, Marliss!

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Sun May 01, 2011 4:51 pm

Marliss, I truly hope you feel better soon. (And I'm sure you triple-checked your Vitamin D & other supplements for soy & other suspect ingredients, but I did feel better when I changed my Vit. D, so felt compelled to mention.)

Tex, you are funny as well as wise ;) I feel as though this is one of those areas of research where what they've really figured out is "hey, there's something up here!" - and their actual conclusions and predictions, other than "let's keep looking," haven't halfway caught up.

Gloria - your theory about MC catching up with us as we age is interesting. I had a different theory about that - namely that gluten sensitivity is cumulative, and we build up an increasing level of damage - influenced by other specifics of diet, our genes, and the luck of what health events and pathogens we encounter on our way. And then, after a lifetime of trying to cope with the toxin (and trying to get our attention with other little symptoms), the system just can't process it any more. By that time, depending on many of those same factors, we may have accumulated many other sensitivities. (Or since one of those factors is luck, maybe just a few... so far, no medical tests for luckiness.)

I have a bad knee today - I had something in a restaurant 2 days ago that wasn't right. I'm composing a very nice email telling them what I ordered and what I *think * I can't eat, to figure out whether that was a misunderstanding, or some other thing I need to avoid... I believe that before MC caught up with me, I might have felt a minor ache but not a "bad" knee kind of pain. I'm pretty sure I'm right about the origin, because I went back on dietary lockdown and it's already improving, more than an injury likely would.

Love,
Sara

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Mon May 02, 2011 11:24 pm

Thanks, all, I do feel better.

I am delighted to say that except for a couple of days post-soy exposure, Norman has been my friend like he hasn't been for some months, perhaps a year or two. Apparently the extreme fatigue was simply the cold. So strange to be saying that. Can you imagine walking up to someone not familiar with MC and saying, "I was wiped out, but I was only sick, praise the Lord!" What might they think about that?

Sara, thanks for mentioning that about your Vit D.

You are a sweetheart. I can't wait until you post a pic for your avatar, hint, hint.

The big culprit for me was my Vit E supplement, but I found one without soy. It's expensive, but c'est la vie. I've been checking into soy-free alternatives for soap, etc.--I posted something about Mrs. Meyer's products--but since Norman is sticking around, I'm not as concerned about absorbing soy through my skin as I was. I wonder if you are sensitive to nightshades? I've gotten to the point that I rarely eat tomato because of the hassle of the sore knees (and skin rash) over the next few days.

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Tue May 03, 2011 1:17 pm

Marliss,

How lovely you are - I will find a picture somewhere, or talk my husband into taking one. You may be right about the nightshades. The new Enterolab panel includes potatoes, which will be interesting. When I told my husband I wondered about nightshades, he pointed out that I don't really like potatoes (that was pre-MC - now I love anything that loves me back), nor eggplant, bell peppers... I have been avoiding tomatoes, but should have the Enterolab results before they're ripe again here. If the results are borderline, I'll approach with caution.

I'm so glad you're feeling better. I know what you mean - "only sick" is a cakewalk compared to flaring.

Stay well!

Love,
Sara