Help me get dd21 healthy again!

[dirty ethel rackham]

For the last 5 months, Dd21 has had a rough time health-wise.  Last semester, she had strep 3 times (tested for covid per school protocol each time and negative each time.)  She is allergic to penicillin so she had to take azithromycin.  She would finish the abx, test negative, and attempt to return to normal activities.  Then a week later, she would be really sick again, test positive for strep, be flattened, finish the meds, etc.  Rinse repeat.  She likely had azithromycin resistant strep so it kept coming back. Basically, she was sick from Halloween until mid-December.  I DoorDashed some healthy meals for her and she had friends go grocery shopping and laundry for her.  She struggled with school, had to triage which classes she could attend because she just didn't have the energy to do a full day of classes plus homework. She was finally somewhat healthy during finals week and was starting to get her energy back.  When she got home, she got sick again (not strep, not covid, just a bad cold.)  She had a few weeks of decent health but still very tired with limited energy reserves. She had a check up with the doctor to see if she had any underlying issues that would cause her extreme fatigue and her blood work came back normal for all the usual things.  She plans to investigate more when she returns home after graduation in May.  

When she returned to school, she still felt like she was only about 70% her former self, which was concerning.  She was falling behind on her schoolwork.  Then came major roommate drama (they had all been best friends and had been roommates the prior year with no issues) and one roommate ended up moving out.  This impacted her entire friend group.  My normally composed kid broke down crying in her professor's office (she's pretty close with this prof, having TA'd for him in the past and he's an advisor to the club where dd is president.) While she was dealing with this, she got covid (was fully vaxxed and boosted and wore masks at school.)  This just flattened her.

So, she is out of isolation and back in classes.  But she still is so tired.  And she has a ton of work to catch up on.  I'm looking for ideas on how to help her restore her health and energy.  She eats pretty well, but doesn't have the energy to exercise right now.  Just going to class is taking so much out of her.  She has to nap every day. She was pretty athletic until all this hit (yoga, strength training, rock climbing, some running.)  I think she's a bit underweight right now.  

Ideas? advice?  Things I can send her would be helpful.  

[prairiewindmomma]

Vitamin D3which is an immunomodulator, choose a version which also contains K.

B spectrum vitamin, choose a methylated version if you have the budget for it

anti-inflammatories (inflammation causes fatigue): quality fish oil, tumeric (with the highly concentrated compound) NAC 

iron: Floradix makes a tablet now. Have her take it with some orange juice to help bioavailability

magnesium if she has body aches

and, probably most importantly, a quality probiotic like Florastor

 

[Green Bean]

At her age, the same thing happened to me. I had my tonsils removed and that took care of it.

[footballmom]

DH went through a spell like this and his doctor did some test that showed he literally had no immunity from strep.  He would test negative on the rapid and came back positive from the send out.  It was really hard because our kids were in a very part time preschool program and strep was as prevalent as snack time.  He just had to focus on immune system support - high quality meals, lots of rest, etc.  It took a long time to rebuild.  Hopefully your daughter can work out a plan with her professors to bring down some stress. 

[GailV]

This sounds  almost exactly like my DD last semester.  Christmas seemed to break the constant rounds of strep. So far this semester she's had swollen tonsils once but throat cultures came back negative for strep or any other virus or bacteria. In the meantime her boyfriend came down with mono, but she hasn't caught that. 

I'm concerned about DD's zinc levels. She takes a multivitamin and probiotics. DH used to get IV vitamin C to knock out any viruses, and we discussed that possibility with DD, but she isn't interested in IV vitamins.

Older DD went through a similar phase, and once she graduated and moved away it all cleared up. I do wonder if allergies played a part in the inflammatory response.

Edited to add: OP Is this the one in St Louis? This is another allergy-prone area, I swear. The air here is stagnant.

Edited March 12, 2022 by GailV

[matrips]

Does she have a good air purifier in her room?

[Dianthus]

Was she checked for mono? I had strep constantly my first year of college and also had mono. It did last a year. I was so tired.

[Ausmumof3]

I would do vit D and an elderberry zinc combo. Also b vitamins for energy levels unless that was ruled out via blood test. I’m probably testing the obvious but chuck out all the toothbrush heads and replace after strep infection. 

[Ausmumof3]

Also if there’s any time of day that’s warm enough and manageable to be outside she should get out. She doesn’t have to exercise unless she wants to, just get some sunshine and fresh air. Amazing for lowering stress levels

[Lawyer&Mom]

Given her preexisting health issues I would be very concerned about the possibility of LongCovid.  I would advise her to aggressively rest.  This includes cognitive exertion.  Everything everyone else has recommended plus lots and lots of rest and sunbathing.  (The red light seems to help with my energy levels.) 

[kristin0713]

Are you sure she finally got rid of the strep? It’s a tricky beast. Did they eventually give her a different antibiotic? I would get blood work done. (PANS mom here.) 

[Carol in Cal.]

I had those symptoms in college and it was mono that led to repeated strep.  The mono was not detected until the 4th test over a period of several months.  The only real cure for mono is an insane amount of rest for a period of weeks or even months.  Exercise is actually harmful.  

[ikslo]

This may sound weird, but the year I got strep multiple times (5!), I had been working out and using a water bottle with one of those push/pull tops. Strep was lurking in there and despite boiling the top multiple times, it lingered. Once I threw out the water bottle, I was finally able to get healthy again.  Any idea if she uses a reusable water bottle?
 

It could have been correlation and not causation. However, this was also in the early years of our homeschooling. I found out it (or something!) was still in the cap by running cultures on various things as a science experiment with DS. The water bottle one exploded. It was gross. And far worse than the toilet bowl culture. 
 

Okay, that’s my $0.02. I hope your DD starts feeling better soon! 

Edited March 12, 2022 by ikslo
Grammar

[ScoutTN]

Echoing the concern about mono. It wiped me out for a whole semester of college. 
 

Echoing on the supplements! 
 

What are her summer plans? Can a course or two be punted with an incomplete this semester to allow her more time to rest and recover? 

[Ali in OR]

Different virus, but my dd had a similar experience two years ago, her sophomore year. She kept getting tonsilitis--the first round she ended up in the hospital for several days with bacteria in her bloodstream (a bacteria normally found in the mouth--probably got in through ravaged tonsils). She was sick off and on all winter--then the Covid shutdown hit. She was sick once more back home with us and we were ready to yank the tonsils. The doctor she saw here said the virus was probably not fully cleared from her body. And that was the last attack--I think the complete boredom of shutdown, the chance to catch up on sleep at home, and the change of seasons helped her to heal. We did nothing other than that.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Thank you all for your input!  This is helpful.  Replying one at a time.  

[dirty ethel rackham]

13 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Vitamin D3which is an immunomodulator, choose a version which also contains K.

B spectrum vitamin, choose a methylated version if you have the budget for it

anti-inflammatories (inflammation causes fatigue): quality fish oil, tumeric (with the highly concentrated compound) NAC 

iron: Floradix makes a tablet now. Have her take it with some orange juice to help bioavailability

magnesium if she has body aches

and, probably most importantly, a quality probiotic like Florastor

 

This is exactly what I'm looking for.  Do you know what she should take when?  What things should be with food and what shouldn't be taken with other things?  I think I may do an Amazon package and include a pill organizer with instructions.  

[dirty ethel rackham]

13 hours ago, Green Bean said:

At her age, the same thing happened to me. I had my tonsils removed and that took care of it.

So far, they're not looking into tonsils.  She's had several negative tests (both rapid and longer cultures) since mid-December.

[dirty ethel rackham]

13 hours ago, footballmom said:

DH went through a spell like this and his doctor did some test that showed he literally had no immunity from strep.  He would test negative on the rapid and came back positive from the send out.  It was really hard because our kids were in a very part time preschool program and strep was as prevalent as snack time.  He just had to focus on immune system support - high quality meals, lots of rest, etc.  It took a long time to rebuild.  Hopefully your daughter can work out a plan with her professors to bring down some stress. 

Her professors have been great.  Her cohort is small so she has lots of professor interaction and they have been working with her.  She just told me that she is caught up from Covid, but she does have an incomplete from last semester that she needs to finish and she is hating it (independent study - she does best with classmates and structure.)  

9 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Also if there’s any time of day that’s warm enough and manageable to be outside she should get out. She doesn’t have to exercise unless she wants to, just get some sunshine and fresh air. Amazing for lowering stress levels

She has been going for short walks as she is able (she used to hike for hours.)  But she has been too tired to walk very long.  Right now, she is heading for a very chill, relaxing spring break to South Carolina at a friend's family vacation house.  They all are going to relax and just hang out.  These friends have been there for her both last semester and during Covid.  She told me that 

9 hours ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

Given her preexisting health issues I would be very concerned about the possibility of LongCovid.  I would advise her to aggressively rest.  This includes cognitive exertion.  Everything everyone else has recommended plus lots and lots of rest and sunbathing.  (The red light seems to help with my energy levels.) 

That is concerning to me as well.  Her beach vacation should help with that.  No responsibilies.  

15 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

Echoing the concern about mono. It wiped me out for a whole semester of college. 
 

Echoing on the supplements! 
 

What are her summer plans? Can a course or two be punted with an incomplete this semester to allow her more time to rest and recover? 

and @Spirea
Mono was a concern as well, but her test results at the time showed a past infection, but not a then current infection.  We think she may have had mono when she went to Spain in Jan 2020.  She was really sick and then exhausted for the first few weeks.  None of her roommates got it nor did anyone in the host family so it wasn't undiagnosed Covid.  

She is confident that she can graduate on time.  This semester is much easier than last year.  She is trying to get out of the class she took an incomplete from last semester.  She realized that she won't really use it in her career.  

[Clemsondana]

I've got a couple of thoughts - it could be any or none or all of them, alas. 

-Sun, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium, and maybe elderberry are all things that I use/have used

-after multiple rounds of antibiotics, maybe a probiotic would help

-strep takes a lot out of you if you're an adult, so she may just need rest, and often the same with covid - fatigue from any infection, not just these 2, can last a while

-student housing is often a little dicey - I now know that some of my extreme exhaustion in grad school was likely due to mold problems in my housing causing allergies - exhaustion is actually a primary symptom for me - this is easy to test since antihistamines either will help or they won't (allegra is non-drowsy but also not as strong - she could use it or try benedryl at night and either she'll wake up feeling a bit better, if perhaps groggy, or it will make no difference, or do both, or try childrens doeses of benedryl, whatever combo makes sense)  Once I got my allergies treated (unfortunatly, I was nearly 40), I basically quit getting colds and strep, to the point that I now wonder how often I was actually sick with those and how often it was just really bad allergies - my dr said that they could cause inflammation and would explain my aches.  

-I'm assuming that her dr has checked for anemia or other possible fatigue-causing issues?  Any chance that there is some depression/SAD on top of illness?  My husband, bless him, has installed extra lights every time that we update a part of the house so that I can make it really bright during the day in winter, and student housing is often a little dim.

-Is she getting enough protein?  If she's fatigued and has lost weight, maybe adding protein and fat (like eggs, fatty fish, meat - whatever she'll eat) would help?  Would she do quick and hearty things like tuna or egg salad or scrambled eggs?  

Good luck - I had a couple of rough stretches in college and grad school, and she has my sympathies. 

[ScoutTN]

Hooray for a relaxing SB in the south! Hoping her week is fun and restorative!

[Harriet Vane]

Some other, off-the-wall ideas. 

To deepen the quality of her sleep, you can try magnesium. 

Similarly, valerian will definitely bring longer, deeper sleep. 

Magnesium all by itself does magnificent things for sleep quality, too.

I have had a lot of luck with a combination that includes magnesium, zinc, gaba, and inositol. BUT both valerian and gaba will make it harder to concentrate or get any work done--when I took this regularly, I was rested and really happy but I couldn't write worth anything. The words simply didn't come and I had a tougher time making logical connections. Take that with a grain of salt, though, because I tend to over-react to lots of medications. I tend to take child-sized doses of things, and there's a whole list of medications I avoid because the reaction is so much harder than the ailment I am trying to cure.

If she is fighting repeated infection, consider routinely using plain saline nasal spray and also plain , warm, salt water gargling just to keep sanitizing the area gently. This would be just for a couple months to focus on infection. 

[dirty ethel rackham]

12 hours ago, GailV said:

This sounds  almost exactly like my DD last semester.  Christmas seemed to break the constant rounds of strep. So far this semester she's had swollen tonsils once but throat cultures came back negative for strep or any other virus or bacteria. In the meantime her boyfriend came down with mono, but she hasn't caught that. 

I'm concerned about DD's zinc levels. She takes a multivitamin and probiotics. DH used to get IV vitamin C to knock out any viruses, and we discussed that possibility with DD, but she isn't interested in IV vitamins.

Older DD went through a similar phase, and once she graduated and moved away it all cleared up. I do wonder if allergies played a part in the inflammatory response.

Edited to add: OP Is this the one in St Louis? This is another allergy-prone area, I swear. The air here is stagnant.

Yes, she is in St. Louis.  Typically, she has only had allergy reactions during spring and fall seasons.  

and @matrips

I think an air purifier may be needed.  Her apartment is a converted loft in an old building.  Super cool space with gorgeous views and light, but I'm concerned about air quality.  Adding that to my Amazon list.  

[dirty ethel rackham]

49 minutes ago, ikslo said:

This may sound weird, but the year I got strep multiple times (5!), I had been working out and using a water bottle with one of those push/pull tops. Strep was lurking in there and despite boiling the top multiple times, it lingered. Once I threw out the water bottle, I was finally able to get healthy again.  Any idea if she uses a reusable water bottle?
 

It could of been correlation and not causation. However, this was also in the early years of our homeschooling. I found out it (or something!) was still in the cap by running cultures on various things as a science experiment with DS. The water bottle one exploded. It was gross. And far worse than the toilet bowl culture. 
 

Okay, that’s my $0.02. I hope your DD starts feeling better soon! 

Ooh, this may be something to investigate.  She tends to be attached to her favorite water bottles.  But she hasn't had strep since December and has used her fav bottle.  

26 minutes ago, Ali in OR said:

Different virus, but my dd had a similar experience two years ago, her sophomore year. She kept getting tonsilitis--the first round she ended up in the hospital for several days with bacteria in her bloodstream (a bacteria normally found in the mouth--probably got in through ravaged tonsils). She was sick off and on all winter--then the Covid shutdown hit. She was sick once more back home with us and we were ready to yank the tonsils. The doctor she saw here said the virus was probably not fully cleared from her body. And that was the last attack--I think the complete boredom of shutdown, the chance to catch up on sleep at home, and the change of seasons helped her to heal. We did nothing other than that.

Fortunately, she hasn't been hospitalized, but I was pretty close to going down there and taking her myself if she didn't get better.  Other than Covid, she had been on the upswing, but it was taking time.  

[dirty ethel rackham]

8 minutes ago, Clemsondana said:

I've got a couple of thoughts - it could be any or none or all of them, alas. 

-Sun, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium, and maybe elderberry are all things that I use/have used

-after multiple rounds of antibiotics, maybe a probiotic would help

-strep takes a lot out of you if you're an adult, so she may just need rest, and often the same with covid - fatigue from any infection, not just these 2, can last a while

-student housing is often a little dicey - I now know that some of my extreme exhaustion in grad school was likely due to mold problems in my housing causing allergies - exhaustion is actually a primary symptom for me - this is easy to test since antihistamines either will help or they won't (allegra is non-drowsy but also not as strong - she could use it or try benedryl at night and either she'll wake up feeling a bit better, if perhaps groggy, or it will make no difference, or do both, or try childrens doeses of benedryl, whatever combo makes sense)  Once I got my allergies treated (unfortunatly, I was nearly 40), I basically quit getting colds and strep, to the point that I now wonder how often I was actually sick with those and how often it was just really bad allergies - my dr said that they could cause inflammation and would explain my aches.  

-I'm assuming that her dr has checked for anemia or other possible fatigue-causing issues?  Any chance that there is some depression/SAD on top of illness?  My husband, bless him, has installed extra lights every time that we update a part of the house so that I can make it really bright during the day in winter, and student housing is often a little dim.

-Is she getting enough protein?  If she's fatigued and has lost weight, maybe adding protein and fat (like eggs, fatty fish, meat - whatever she'll eat) would help?  Would she do quick and hearty things like tuna or egg salad or scrambled eggs?  

Good luck - I had a couple of rough stretches in college and grad school, and she has my sympathies. 

Thanks for the input.  

I am somewhat concerned about her apartment.  There was some water seepage from a huge rainstorm - it is a fairly recent converted loft but there are some old parts still present.  

I've been encouraging more protein.  It's hard since I'm not there.  She came home for the weekend last week (partially to rest and partially to get a break from the roommate drama.)  I sent her back with some food.  They loaded up on some healthy food for this beach vacation.  

I am concerned about depression as well.  She has been under a tremendous amount of stress ... anticipatory grief about most her friends being scattered around the country in a few months, having to give an answer on a job offer when she hasn't had the time/energy to pursue other opportunities, the roommate drama.  She has also been processing some issues regarding her sibling with mental illness.  As much as I tried to shield her from it (starting when she was 13), I'm learning more about how impacted she was and she is just beginning to let herself feel all of this. 

She had been calling me every few days crying.  Now that the roommate has moved out, she made a decision on the job offer, and she is caught up on assignments, her stress levels have gone down considerably.  

[dirty ethel rackham]

18 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

Some other, off-the-wall ideas. 

To deepen the quality of her sleep, you can try magnesium. 

Similarly, valerian will definitely bring longer, deeper sleep. 

Magnesium all by itself does magnificent things for sleep quality, too.

I have had a lot of luck with a combination that includes magnesium, zinc, gaba, and inositol. BUT both valerian and gaba will make it harder to concentrate or get any work done--when I took this regularly, I was rested and really happy but I couldn't write worth anything. The words simply didn't come and I had a tougher time making logical connections. Take that with a grain of salt, though, because I tend to over-react to lots of medications. I tend to take child-sized doses of things, and there's a whole list of medications I avoid because the reaction is so much harder than the ailment I am trying to cure.

If she is fighting repeated infection, consider routinely using plain saline nasal spray and also plain , warm, salt water gargling just to keep sanitizing the area gently. This would be just for a couple months to focus on infection. 

Thanks for the info.  I will definitely add magnesium and saline spray to my cart.  I don't think she'd want to add valerian due to needing to concentrate for school.  And I'll encourage her to do some gargling.  

[GailV]

1 hour ago, ikslo said:

This may sound weird, but the year I got strep multiple times (5!), I had been working out and using a water bottle with one of those push/pull tops. Strep was lurking in there and despite boiling the top multiple times, it lingered. Once I threw out the water bottle, I was finally able to get healthy again.  Any idea if she uses a reusable water bottle?
 

 

When DD went through multiple strep infections we discovered many stories like this -- strep lurking in odd places that need to be eliminated. I even saw a website that noted a person could be an asymptomatic strep carrier ... and DD's strep episodes coincided with starting to date someone. That person got tested and cleared. And eventually came down with mono (we joke that their relationship seems to be built around being sick and taking each other to healthcare).

[Lawyer&Mom]

If you can afford it, I would recommend a naturopath or functional medicine doctor.  They are the practitioners most suited to puzzling out chronic conditions and working with supplements.  Before LongCovid I assumed naturopaths were all about healing crystals and vibes, but I was getting absolutely nowhere with my regular doctor and willing to try anything.  I’m sure some are more crunchy than others, but my naturopath is super knowledgeable, evidence based, obsessed with the latest research, always ordering bloodwork, and has a deep knowledge of how the supplements impact body chemistry.  Total game changer for me. 

[dirty ethel rackham]

14 minutes ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

If you can afford it, I would recommend a naturopath or functional medicine doctor.  They are the practitioners most suited to puzzling out chronic conditions and working with supplements.  Before LongCovid I assumed naturopaths were all about healing crystals and vibes, but I was getting absolutely nowhere with my regular doctor and willing to try anything.  I’m sure some are more crunchy than others, but my naturopath is super knowledgeable, evidence based, obsessed with the latest research, always ordering bloodwork, and has a deep knowledge of how the supplements impact body chemistry.  Total game changer for me. 

We will definitely look into this.  Right now, it is difficult with her being away at school and not having a car.  

[Lawyer&Mom]

1 hour ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

We will definitely look into this.  Right now, it is difficult with her being away at school and not having a car.  

Just FYI, I’ve worked with my naturopath for the past year completely via Telehealth.  She would send me the order and I would get blood drawn at LabCorp, but I’ve never met her in person.  I’m not sure how common this is, but it must be more common now than ever. 

[Selkie]

Here's an article that may be helpful - a G.I. doc explains how to restore the good bacteria in the gut after taking antibiotics.

https://www.wellandgood.com/restoring-gut-flora/

There are times when antibiotics are absolutely necessary and the most effective way to treat an infection. But Dr. Bulsiewicz says that in the process of killing the harmful bacteria that can make someone sick, antibiotics can wipe out the good bacteria, too. "When you take an antibiotic, you're knocking down the whole damn thing," he says. So after you're finished your course of treatment, it's important to start building the gut back up again.

While most people think the most effective way to restore gut flora is doubling down on probiotic supplements, capsules containing bacteria strains linked to promoting good gut health, Dr. Bulsiewicz actually warns against it. "Scientific studies have actually showed this is a less effective way to help with restoring gut flora because when you take a probiotic, you're introducing outside foreign species of bacteria that's not truly meant to be part of a balanced community inside of you. They're good, but they don't colonize," he says, adding that the bacteria in probiotic supplements don't stick around, the same way bacteria from foods does. "You have to rebuild your gut using food," he says.

5 foods that help with restoring gut flora

1. plants, lots of plants

The best thing you can do to help rebuild your gut according to Dr. Bulsiewicz: fill your diet with a wide range of plant-based foods. "The single greatest predictor of a healthy gut microbiome is the diversity of plants in your diet," he says. If you aren't used to eating a lot of plants—including veggies, lentils, beans, fruit, and herbs—Dr. Bulsiewicz's big tip is to go slow, building up how much you eat over time and not just going from zero to 100 overnight. It's good advice to follow for the other foods on this list, too.

2. whole grains

There's a reason why Dr. Bulsiewicz wrote a whole book about fiber: It's the biggest ally of good bacteria in the gut. It's why plants rank number one on his list of foods for restoring gut flora (all plants have fiber) and also why whole grains (which are naturally high in fiber, too) ranks high as well. Dr. Bulsiewicz says it's crucial to get fiber from food as much as possible, not a supplement. "All the research on the benefits of fiber on the gut focus on fiber-rich foods, not fiber supplements," he says.

3. berries, nuts, and soy

Why single out these types of plants in particular? They are three foods that are particularly high in polyphenols, aka organic plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammitory properties, which Dr. Bulsiewicz says have a powerful effect on the gut. "Polyphenols behave as a prebiotic. They're consumed by the healthy microbes that live inside of us," he explains. But he emphasizes that in order to reap the benefits of polyphenols, you need a healthy gut to activate their benefits, so it's important to not ignore the other foods on this list, too.

4. prebiotic supplement

When it comes to probiotics, Dr. Bulsiewicz strongly advocates using food, not supplements, for restoring gut flora, but he is into the idea of taking a prebiotic, aka food for the bacteria living in the gut. "A prebiotic supplement can be helpful because it's not outside bacteria; it's just fuel for existing bacteria," he says. "So what you're doing when you take a prebiotic is you're bringing the good guys back as quickly as you can."

5. fermented foods

Because fermented foods (such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi) have naturally-occurring probiotics, they land a spot on Dr. Bulsiewicz's list, but he says there's no need to get too obsessive about eating them. "There aren't great studies saying that fermented foods are good at restoring gut flora," he says. "There is evidence that they are good for the gut when you eat them on a regular basis, but there aren't studies saying loading up on them to heal the gut works."

 

[dirty ethel rackham]

11 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Here's an article that may be helpful - a G.I. doc explains how to restore the good bacteria in the gut after taking antibiotics.

https://www.wellandgood.com/restoring-gut-flora/

There are times when antibiotics are absolutely necessary and the most effective way to treat an infection. But Dr. Bulsiewicz says that in the process of killing the harmful bacteria that can make someone sick, antibiotics can wipe out the good bacteria, too. "When you take an antibiotic, you're knocking down the whole damn thing," he says. So after you're finished your course of treatment, it's important to start building the gut back up again.

While most people think the most effective way to restore gut flora is doubling down on probiotic supplements, capsules containing bacteria strains linked to promoting good gut health, Dr. Bulsiewicz actually warns against it. "Scientific studies have actually showed this is a less effective way to help with restoring gut flora because when you take a probiotic, you're introducing outside foreign species of bacteria that's not truly meant to be part of a balanced community inside of you. They're good, but they don't colonize," he says, adding that the bacteria in probiotic supplements don't stick around, the same way bacteria from foods does. "You have to rebuild your gut using food," he says.

5 foods that help with restoring gut flora

1. plants, lots of plants

The best thing you can do to help rebuild your gut according to Dr. Bulsiewicz: fill your diet with a wide range of plant-based foods. "The single greatest predictor of a healthy gut microbiome is the diversity of plants in your diet," he says. If you aren't used to eating a lot of plants—including veggies, lentils, beans, fruit, and herbs—Dr. Bulsiewicz's big tip is to go slow, building up how much you eat over time and not just going from zero to 100 overnight. It's good advice to follow for the other foods on this list, too.

2. whole grains

There's a reason why Dr. Bulsiewicz wrote a whole book about fiber: It's the biggest ally of good bacteria in the gut. It's why plants rank number one on his list of foods for restoring gut flora (all plants have fiber) and also why whole grains (which are naturally high in fiber, too) ranks high as well. Dr. Bulsiewicz says it's crucial to get fiber from food as much as possible, not a supplement. "All the research on the benefits of fiber on the gut focus on fiber-rich foods, not fiber supplements," he says.

3. berries, nuts, and soy

Why single out these types of plants in particular? They are three foods that are particularly high in polyphenols, aka organic plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammitory properties, which Dr. Bulsiewicz says have a powerful effect on the gut. "Polyphenols behave as a prebiotic. They're consumed by the healthy microbes that live inside of us," he explains. But he emphasizes that in order to reap the benefits of polyphenols, you need a healthy gut to activate their benefits, so it's important to not ignore the other foods on this list, too.

4. prebiotic supplement

When it comes to probiotics, Dr. Bulsiewicz strongly advocates using food, not supplements, for restoring gut flora, but he is into the idea of taking a prebiotic, aka food for the bacteria living in the gut. "A prebiotic supplement can be helpful because it's not outside bacteria; it's just fuel for existing bacteria," he says. "So what you're doing when you take a prebiotic is you're bringing the good guys back as quickly as you can."

5. fermented foods

Because fermented foods (such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi) have naturally-occurring probiotics, they land a spot on Dr. Bulsiewicz's list, but he says there's no need to get too obsessive about eating them. "There aren't great studies saying that fermented foods are good at restoring gut flora," he says. "There is evidence that they are good for the gut when you eat them on a regular basis, but there aren't studies saying loading up on them to heal the gut works."

 

She already does this for the most part.  She grew up with a whole foods diet and tries to eat healthy at school.

[lmrich]

When is spring break? Lots of rest and sunshine and to be surrounded by people who love her and maybe a pet to cuddle with up, too. Otherwise, you have been great advice above. 

I had mono freshman year, and it wiped me out for 10 months. I got everything else that was lurking in the dorm after that. Just know that it will take it time.

[prairiewindmomma]

4 hours ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

This is exactly what I'm looking for.  Do you know what she should take when?  What things should be with food and what shouldn't be taken with other things?  I think I may do an Amazon package and include a pill organizer with instructions.  

Vitamin D3 with K: best after a meal, but ok without food

B spectrum vitamin: water soluble, ok with or without food; if her regular multivitamin is quite good and budget is an issue, this is one to scratch off the list. Personally, though, I do feel a huge energy boost when I take a b spectrum vitamin. 

fish oil: with water, during a meal. Buy quality here. 

tumeric: I hear mixed things on this. Some say with fat. Some say only with water, between meals. I have no idea who to believe. I do, however, strongly feel you should buy a brand with the patented BCM-95 compound. I usually buy Doctor's Best or Jarrow brand; if you need soy free, look for Thorne.

NAC--amazon no longer carries this due to a kerfuffle with FDA because of covid stuff (supplement versus drug controversy). You can find it elsewhere, notably on iHerb and on Thorne's direct website.

magnesium--Doctor's Best brand works best for me, or any version of magnesium glycinate. The mag oxide is cheaper but not nearly as bioavailable. This supplement is a priority for me in the list of stuff I take. I do it with food, at supper or bedtime.

iron--Floradix is my friend, or any ferrous gluconate with C and B spectrum vitamins. Best on an empty stomach, with a juice containing vitamin C

 

[katilac]

On 3/12/2022 at 9:56 AM, dirty ethel rackham said:

 I think an air purifier may be needed.  Her apartment is a converted loft in an old building.  Super cool space with gorgeous views and light, but I'm concerned about air quality.  Adding that to my Amazon list.  

I added two (small) air purifiers to our house several months ago, and my allergies have noticeably improved. 

8 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

 tumeric: I hear mixed things on this. Some say with fat. Some say only with water, between meals. I have no idea who to believe. I do, however, strongly feel you should buy a brand with the patented BCM-95 compound. I usually buy Doctor's Best or Jarrow brand; if you need soy free, look for Thorne.

 

We've had good results with turmeric for inflammation. We take it with no regard to time of day or food consumption, lol. 

Also, OP, she needs to replace her toothbrush if she hasn't already. She may want a package of cheap ones to just keep tossing them for a while; I'd boil everyday and toss every few days. And I know you said she's testing negative, but I'd still ditch the reusable water bottle AND consider using paper plates and cups for a short period of time. When there are lots of things going on, and things keep cropping up, I like to eliminate as many factors as possible. Yes, it hurts my environmental soul, but additional medical care will use far more resources than some paper plates. 

The exhaustion from Covid is no joke all on its own. She has a lot going on! 

[kbutton]

On 3/12/2022 at 11:40 AM, GailV said:

When DD went through multiple strep infections we discovered many stories like this -- strep lurking in odd places that need to be eliminated. I even saw a website that noted a person could be an asymptomatic strep carrier ... and DD's strep episodes coincided with starting to date someone. That person got tested and cleared. And eventually came down with mono (we joke that their relationship seems to be built around being sick and taking each other to healthcare).

In that vein--any asthma inhalers, nebulizer tubing, or spacers can harbor it. I had a friend in college who was re-infecting herself with asthma supplies for a while.

Be creative in looking for objects that could harbor it--even something like mouthing a writing implement when she's jostling things in her hands.

[kbutton]

Oh, bone broth might be something that helps restore gut health.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Thanks for all the advice.  She is enjoying a relaxing vacation in South Carolina right now and has several packages awaiting her when she gets back to school. 

Just to be clear, she has not had strep since late November 2021.  She just hasn't fully recovered her normal energy and pep from the repeated strep and abx and then getting Covid on top of all that really devastated her.  

[ScoutTN]

On 3/15/2022 at 12:33 PM, kbutton said:

Oh, bone broth might be something that helps restore gut health.

Yes!!