How to Heal Your Gut

[Jean in Newcastle]

I have been gluten free for five years or so.  Celiac level gluten free (though I actually tested negative for celiac but I was already off of gluten at that point so the test was invalid . . . )  Anyway,. . . in the last year I have allowed gluten a couple of times because I just could not see any way to maintain gluten free in the social situation I was in.  One of those times was at my mom's funeral supper.  Another was just at Christmas when we ate at someone's home and they were so gracious in inviting us but also a bit freaked out about being dairy free for our sake that adding gluten free was not something that I could do to them.  So. . .  now my gut is an inflamed mess (it's gotten a bit better since Christmas but little things will cause inflammation again).  So how do I heal my gut?  I normally eat low carb but even things like salad greens are proving to be rather harsh on my stomach at the moment so I might have to relax the low carb thing just while I can get things to calm down in there. 

[TechWife]

Talk to your doctor, follow his/her recommendation. 

[ScoutTN]

So sorry, Jean!

Can you tolerate cooked veggies? 
 

Eggs?

Homemade stock is yummy and easy on the stomach. Do you have access to some beef or chx bones and veggies? A few hours simmering on the stove or all day in the crock pot. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

4 minutes ago, TechWife said:

Talk to your doctor, follow his/her recommendation. 

My allopathic doctor is useless for this sort of thing.  He does not have the training.  (He is an excellent doctor for the things in which he has training.)

I  do have an appointment coming up with my naturopathic doc who is much more equipped for this sort of thing but I do have to eat between then and now. 

[Catwoman]

I wish I had some advice for you, Jean, but I don't. I just wanted to say I'm so sorry you're feeling lousy. You work so hard to stay as healthy as you can, and it must be so frustrating for you to have this happen to you after only one "less careful" meal. 😞 

I hope there is a way for you to turn this around quickly. Is it at all helpful for you to just let your gut rest for a few days by mainly sticking with easy-to-digest broths and very light food choices, like maybe just a little rice in the broth to help fill you up a bit? (I don't know if it would work; it helped me after food poisoning, so that's why I'm suggesting it, even though I know my situation was totally different.) 

[Pawz4me]

It very likely depends on what type of problem(s) you're having, but you might want to take a look at the low FODMAP diet and consider avoiding (or at least minimizing) most of those foods until things calm down. Supposedly a lot of people who think they're intolerant to gluten really have problems with FODMAPs. I have IBS and have to minimize several of the FODMAPs, but gluten doesn't bother me at all.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Pawz4me

[prairiewindmomma]

I’d look at the paleo autoimmune protocol and work your way through the steps.

I have found when my body is in an overreactive state that I will react to things I can normally tolerate. I would guess you are regularly consuming something you have a slight sensitivity to in normal times that is causing a bigger reaction now.

[katilac]

9 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

So how do I heal my gut?  I normally eat low carb but even things like salad greens are proving to be rather harsh on my stomach at the moment so I might have to relax the low carb thing just while I can get things to calm down in there. 

Turmeric (in capsules) can be helpful for gut inflammation. 

Salad greens and raw vegetables in general are more work for the digestive system, so it makes sense to avoid them in their regular form for a bit. You could still get a lot of vegetables in the form of soup! Cooked and pureed will be easier to handle and let your system rest. Soups and low-carb, gluten free bread would be fine nutritionally for a few days. 

Green smoothies as well, although I'd probably not start with them right away if salad greens have proven harsh. Maybe give the soups & bread a couple of days. 

Turmeric is good for inflammation of all kinds (I'm thinking of capsules, but you could also add a bit to soups if you like it). 

 

6 minutes ago, TechWife said:

Talk to your doctor, follow his/her recommendation. 

Very few doctors have much training or interest in nutrition (no shade, they can't know everything). They usually give extremely generic information (eat simple foods till you feel better) and aren't great at specifics. 

[Pawz4me]

Also, when my IBS is flaring I find IBgard extremely helpful. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

16 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

It very likely depends on what type of problem(s) you're having, but you might want to take a look at the low FODMAP diet and consider avoiding (or at least minimizing) most of those foods until things calm down. Supposedly a lot of people who think they're intolerant to gluten really have problems with FODMAPs. I have IBS and have to minimize several of the FODMAPs, but gluten doesn't bother me at all.

My daughter is celiac (confirmed with biopsy) so I have a higher chance of actually being celiac myself.  (Not that this negates this advice though!) 

[alysee]

When I have accidentally glutened myself(doesnt happen anymore) I would stick to a low FODMAP diet, drink plenty of water, probiotics, take B12, Vitamin D. 

[Slache]

I know you're on probiotics, but are you on prebiotics? I was told I need both but haven't taken the prebiotic plunge yet.

You can't fast, right?

If I was in your shoes I would pick like 4 really safe foods and eat only those for a few days.

When do you see the doctor?

[Pawz4me]

13 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

My daughter is celiac (confirmed with biopsy) so I have a higher chance of actually being celiac myself.  (Not that this negates this advice though!) 

I was thinking along the lines of (1) avoiding anything that might add to the irritation and (2) unfortunately, having one thing doesn’t mean you can’t or don’t also have another (life sure isn’t fair in that regard). 

[Spryte]

I was (presumably) glutened over the holidays, and am paying a heavy price now. It’s been pretty miserable, so I’m following along for any extra advice.

Normally, I do a low carb, high fat diet, but when my gut is angry like this, my GI doc has me do a low residue, low fat diet until things calm significantly, then slowly work back to my regular diet. I sometimes back all the way down to broth, then work up through soup and so on to regular foods as my gut calms down.

I take Visbiome (this is helpful if things are very, ummm, loose), and I take Florastor. All of my regular supplements.

My integrative meds doc has other suggestions, in addition to the above, and there are some supplements specific to gut inflammation that I know she used to have me take. Unfortunately, I can’t recall what they are, and haven’t seen her as often during Covid times, so for now I’m going with the GI specialist’s recommendations.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Jean in Newcastle]

10 minutes ago, Slache said:

I know you're on probiotics, but are you on prebiotics? I was told I need both but haven't taken the prebiotic plunge yet.

You can't fast, right?

If I was in your shoes I would pick like 4 really safe foods and eat only those for a few days.

When do you see the doctor?

Allopathic doc is tomorrow.  (And despite my saying earlier that he will be useless, I will still mention this to him.  But he will give the generic advice of "eating bland foods" or something like that.)

I have to look on the naturopathic doc.  I'm a bit discombobulated right now with regards to my schedule. 

[Catwoman]

10 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Allopathic doc is tomorrow.  (And despite my saying earlier that he will be useless, I will still mention this to him.  But he will give the generic advice of "eating bland foods" or something like that.)

I have to look on the naturopathic doc.  I'm a bit discombobulated right now with regards to my schedule. 

"Just eat some boiled chicken and rice every day for the rest of your life, and you'll be FINE." 

Ugh.

[Caraway]

8 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

"Just eat some boiled chicken and rice every day for the rest of your life, and you'll be FINE." 

Ugh.

Me:  I can only tolerate 5 foods including salt.  I need help.

Doctor: Perhaps there is another food you can eliminate?

  🤯

[AngelaGT]

I keep grains, legumes, spices, rich creams and sauces, dairy, gluten, alcohol, raw vegetables, and caffeine very limited when my inflammation flares.

Probiotics, turmeric, meditation, yoga, walking, massage, sleep, and herbal teas help.

Limit frequency of eating and portion sizes.

Edited January 2, 2022 by AngelaGT

[Catwoman]

2 minutes ago, Caraway said:

Me:  I can only tolerate 5 foods including salt.  I need help.

Doctor: Perhaps there is another food you can eliminate?

  🤯

"Yes, and while you're at it, why not try eliminating breathing as well?"

Sometimes I think the only answer is to find a doctor who has the exact same gut issues, because maybe he or she would actually understand what it's like!

[Harriet Vane]

Collagen supplements

Bone broth

Probiotics

Ginger—can make a tea w honey, too

Fermented, gentle foods (I would avoid kimchi bc heat and focus more on miso or sauerkraut)

Personally I found turmeric made my gut system unhappy so would tend to avoid.

[Kanin]

I wish I knew. We've been trying to heal DH's gut for years now. 

Things are slightly better at the moment after years of it being really bad. A few years ago, we did the Autoimmune Protocol for about a year. That was a long year! Then we started to add back in the "gut superfoods" from the creator of that same diet (lentils, chocolate, mushrooms, and more) and that has gone well. DH still reckons that grains and nightshades bother him quite a bit. Recently I started making homemade stock again, and I think that's helping, too. We've started to add more fermented things (pickles, sauerkraut, miso). Previously, anything high-histamine would really bother him but it seems to be better now, yay!

If I were in your situation, I'd probably make a big pot of chicken stock and then make a big pot of chicken soup, with really thoroughly cooked veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes/butternut squash, zucchini. Like, really cook them to death. (In fact I'm making this right now 🙂

Sorry this is happening! Gut issues are the absolute worst. 

[popmom]

Are you familiar with Heather’s Tummy products? The fennel tea is supposed to be good. I have the prebiotic powder, but I don’t remember to use it lately.

Heather's Tummy Fiber Organic Acacia Senegal for IBS, 16 Ounce Canister https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009XFYSG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_PM043S3KDKEA18G4KBB3

[Jean in Newcastle]

6 hours ago, Slache said:

I know you're on probiotics, but are you on prebiotics? I was told I need both but haven't taken the prebiotic plunge yet.

You can't fast, right?

If I was in your shoes I would pick like 4 really safe foods and eat only those for a few days.

When do you see the doctor?

I wanted to quote you again to address the prebiotic question. I eat prebiotic foods like flaxseeds every day. Is that what you mean?  

[Slache]

5 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

I wanted to quote you again to address the prebiotic question. I eat prebiotic foods like flaxseeds every day. Is that what you mean?  

No, I mean another pill. I met my first IRL lupus person and she said I needed it. I was going to talk to you and other people I know that know that stuff, but apparently you don't know. I don't know either. My note says "prebiotic, vegetable based"

[Jean in Newcastle]

4 minutes ago, Slache said:

No, I mean another pill. I met my first IRL lupus person and she said I needed it. I was going to talk to you and other people I know that know that stuff, but apparently you don't know. I don't know either. My note says "prebiotic, vegetable based"

Well I knew that pills existed but I figured that eating actual prebiotic foods was better. 😉

[Slache]

Just now, Jean in Newcastle said:

Well I knew that pills existed but I figured that eating actual prebiotic foods was better. 😉

We say "A better life through pharmaceuticals". So not my philosophy, but it's become my reality. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

12 minutes ago, Slache said:

We say "A better life through pharmaceuticals". So not my philosophy, but it's become my reality. 

You can also say “food is medicine “. 😉

[Junie]

When I've been in a similar situation of being glutened, I have found that the best thing for me is to go on a liquid diet for several days.  I add in food slowly and if I can't tolerate it I go back to liquid for a few more days.

I hope you feel better soon.

[fraidycat]

Bone broth, cooked everything (veggies, fruit, etc.) brothy soups with just a little bit of meat/veg for substance of you need it. Probiotics, sauerkraut if you can handle it - but it may be too "heavy" for the first little bit. Maybe yogurt if you can handle dairy - low or no sugar if possible. IME cold foods/drinks can be irritating when my guts are inflamed, so YMMV.

Getting glutened is tough! I'm sorry you are experiencing this. It's amazing to me how long it can take to "bounce back" from a glutening. 🥲

[fraidycat]

1 hour ago, Slache said:

We say "A better life through pharmaceuticals". So not my philosophy, but it's become my reality. 

Cooking, cooling, then consuming a white potato is also pre-biotic. Must be cooled/refrigerated for it to work though, if I am remembering correctly.

Edited January 3, 2022 by fraidycat

[Ausmumof3]

Way not an expert on this stuff but I find cooked vegetables much better than raw when I’m having issues.

[katilac]

If you like grits, they are gluten free and easy to digest. 

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Well I knew that pills existed but I figured that eating actual prebiotic foods was better. 😉

Not always. I can consume boatloads of potassium rich foods to no avail but take two potassium pills with far less potassium and get the result I need. I don’t know why.

If you start a supplement (often a powder), go slow or you might add gassy tummy to the list of problems.

3 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Way not an expert on this stuff but I find cooked vegetables much better than raw when I’m having issues.

Agreed. I would avoid nightshades.

I also tolerate meat pretty much anytime. 

Not to scold, but other people need to learn to not be upset or miffed about your needs. It’s not in your control to just wish them away or fudge things. You shouldn’t been prioritized at a family funeral, and I am sorry you weren’t.

It’s not impolite to let a hostess know your needs. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

10 minutes ago, kbutton said:

Not always. I can consume boatloads of potassium rich foods to no avail but take two potassium pills with far less potassium and get the result I need. I don’t know why.

If you start a supplement (often a powder), go slow or you might add gassy tummy to the list of problems.

Agreed. I would avoid nightshades.

I also tolerate meat pretty much anytime. 

Not to scold, but other people need to learn to not be upset or miffed about your needs. It’s not in your control to just wish them away or fudge things. You shouldn’t been prioritized at a family funeral, and I am sorry you weren’t.

It’s not impolite to let a hostess know your needs. 

I am having laryngeal spasms when I have nightshades so they are definitely off the list. 
 

 

[kbutton]

18 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

I am having laryngeal spasms when I have nightshades so they are definitely off the list. 
 

 

What are they like? I have wondered if I have them sometimes. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Just now, kbutton said:

What are they like? I have wondered if I have them sometimes. 

Extremely painful cramps of the esophagus-  if high enough (ie by the larynx) I can’t breathe for up to a minute before it releases. Other times it’s technically an esophageal spasm- still can’t swallow- even water. I don’t know if this is typical but I have a lot of mucus with it- so perhaps part of an allergic reaction. 
 

(I have had scans and scopes etc. No identifiable cause at this point. What is frustrating is that food that I have had with no problem will suddenly be accompanied by a spasm and food that’s caused it can be absolutely  fine the next time I eat it. ). 

[kbutton]

9 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Extremely painful cramps of the esophagus-  if high enough (ie by the larynx) I can’t breathe for up to a minute before it releases. Other times it’s technically an esophageal spasm- still can’t swallow- even water. I don’t know if this is typical but I have a lot of mucus with it- so perhaps part of an allergic reaction. 
 

(I have had scans and scopes etc. No identifiable cause at this point. What is frustrating is that food that I have had with no problem will suddenly be accompanied by a spasm and food that’s caused it can be absolutely  fine the next time I eat it. ). 

This sounds terribly unpleasant! I have had weird stuff like this but not consistently. I have also had mucous—once it was like it was raining in my throat (coconut seems to have done it).

I hope you are able to avoid the foods that cause it.