I told you that since nothing changes if nothing changes, I’d provide solutions.

Today begins this information with Solution: Cleaning Out the Gut Part I.

Cleaning out the gut is actually about a 100-day series. I promise! There are hundreds of pieces and parts that go into this. I’m going to skim the basics today and tomorrow (but no, even though I’m skimming these 2 posts don’t fall under the art of condensed blog post).

Cleaning out the gut is part of my major change right now. It’s not only important, but it’s critical. I cannot emphasize this enough <– and yes, I’m talking to myself, too:)

My Colitis is in major flare up mode, but I’m smart. This is not a surprise to me. I know exactly how it happend. I know exactly what made it continue to thrive. And I know exactly how to get rid of it.

Bottom line: My gut flora is all out of whack. I have leaky gut. And as a final reaction – Colitis flares.

A little background on abnormal gut flora from a woman I respect, admire and am constantly reading about and learning from, Dr. Natasha Campbell.

Here are the 2 main reasons people develop abnormal gut flora:

1. Antibiotics
2. Other Drugs

These factors can then also have an effect on the gut flora:

1. Diet
2. Disease
3. Stress
4. “Other”

Growing up, we all use antibiotics. We get sick, our parents want us better, we go to the doctor and more often than not we were given an antibiotic. And then it came about that the entire year before my tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy, I was chronically sick. Tonsillitis – pharyngitis – strep. Each time I would go in, an antibiotic was prescribed. The antibiotic would clear it up, but typically very temporarily. Shortly thereafter, I was sick as a dog again – and you guessed it – back on antibiotics.

Dr. Natasha states, “The damage is worse when antibiotics are administered orally and when the course of antibiotic is a lengthy one on a low dose, like the one prescribed for acne, chronic cystitis, chronic ear infection and other chronic infections.” She continues to say, “Even when the course of antibiotic is short and the dose is low, it takes different beneficial bacteria in the gut a long time to recover.”

Antibiotics have just become a “normal” part of the Western life. But with each new “course” of antibiotic I (we) took/take, the immune system actually becomes more damaged. The antibiotics “have a devastating effect on beneficial bacteria in the human body, not only in the gut but in other organs and tissues as well.”

I believe that my 20+ years of improper diet also contributed to my GAPS. While the antibiotics and tonsillectomy stress may have been the main cause of gut “teardown,” improper diet certainly did not help.” “Too many sugary foods and processed carbohydrates increase numbers of different fungi, Candida species in particular, Streptococci, Staphylococci, some Clostridia species, Bacteriods and some aerobic opportunistic bacteria. Processed and sugary carbohydrates (white bread, cakes, biscuits, pastries and pasta) also promote population of the gut with worms and other parasites.”

 I know what most people are thinking right now, “Yeah right – you eat so healthy.” Two points I will make about that:

1.  Growing up, I ate sugar, carbs, cakes and anything else consistently! I never once thought about food, until just a few short years ago.
2. Even when I did think about food, “healthy” to me was fat free, sugar free. However, typically that meant 100-calorie packs of Oreos. And what that means is fake, artificial, preservatives.

“Healthy eating” is not simply fat free, sugar free or the like. Dr. Natasha says, “Generally, when gut dysbiosis is caused exclusively by poor diet it is usually fairly mild and can be corrected by better eating habits. Unfortunately, in our modern world it is rare not to be exposed to other factors which would also damage your gut flora, antibiotics for example.”Fast-forward to me today, sitting here – writing this.

I only touched on only a couple of the abnormal-gut factors. I did so for a reason.

Those are the 2 main ones that have contributed to my current massive Colitis flare.

These contributors are the why to my current problem.

Tomorrow in cleaning out the gut part II, I’ll tell you how I’m doing this (food, supplements, lifestyle, etc.).

For today, I’m just excited for all that I’ve put into practice already! And I’m excited for this inspired information overload….

Love your guts,
SKH