Supplements for Gut Healing

My opinion on supplements has evolved over the years. When I first ventured into natural living, I thought supplements were okay. Then, I started feeling like you could get all the nutrition you need from food. Now, I feel like supplements are instrumental in healing and in many cases, needed. We did the GAPS diet for 9 months basically without any supplements at all and we did see healing. But I believe we can see optimal healing when we combine nutrition along with targeted supplements for whatever you may be dealing with. Basically, because of the way our food quality has diminished and the toxins which we are exposed to daily, our bodies often deficient in nutrients that are quickly remedied through a simple supplement. I do not think all supplements should be lifelong "prescriptions." Rather, I think that by eating a properly balanced diet, you can supplement until your body is back in balance and then cease supplementation. Supplements will help your body restore its natural levels and hopefully after a few months, you can rely on food for your nutritional needs. There may be some cases where supplementation needs to be on a long term basis. I also believe that there are some core supplements that everyone should consider taking.

Here are the supplements we are using at this time to help fight the overgrowth of yeast we are experiencing. 

Olive and Maude are taking this herbal supplement for their yeast. It's natural and gentle. They get three dropperfuls in the morning and three in the evening.

This is a powdered multivitamin/mineral supplement made specifically for children on the autistic spectrum. I got it from my doctor. All of the kids get this supplement daily in juice. Store bought juice is not the healthiest but it is the only way I can get this supplement down my kids, as it isn't very yummy tasting. I just put it in a small cup of juice, put a lid on, shake it, and add a straw. I tried adding it to applesauce and smoothies but that didn't go over well at all.

This is the B vitamin supplement I take. You can find a great price on Amazon. I like that it is made from whole foods. I take two per day and feel like it is helping my energy. I am also going to continue getting B complex shots from my doctor as I really feel like the first shot I got made a big difference in my energy.

These are the digestive enzymes we take. Max gets a chewable before meals and I take a capsule before meals (the girls don't get them). This helps the body break down foods and helps the nutrition absorb better.

We take one of these per day to help with immune function. 

This is the current natural antifungal I am using to help kill my yeast overgrowth. Since yeast adapts well and is hard to kill, it's important to rotate supplements. I will use this until it's gone (it's about a 3 week supply), then switch to another supplement.

This is the yeast control pack that I'm using for Max. Each of these is a natural antifungal which you rotate through every five days. 

These are the various probiotics we take. We take them before bed, preferably a couple of hours after eating. We just started the Body Biotics for the kids because I have heard they have worked well with children with autism. So far I haven't noticed anything positive or negative about them. 

Biotin is supposed to be helpful in killing yeast so we also take one of these per day when I remember. We already had this supplement so I figured if it's helpful, we may as well try it.

We are not currently using this, but it's great for killing yeast. I am going to use this next for myself.

This has probably been the best supplement so far! Max started taking these A&I chewables about a week ago and I have noticed that his hives have DRAMATICALLY improved. His skin has been practically clear since beginning this supplement which is an absolute miracle. It contains natural elements to help inflammation and histamine release. I have the capsules for myself and am going to start taking them (but haven't gotten around to it yet). 

This is Medium Chain Triglyceride oil. It is the same fatty oil found in coconut oil, only this is more concentrated. We got this from a naturopath who told us it is really soothing and healing to the gut. I don't remember to use this every day but we try to use it when we remember.

Many kids with autism or similar delays have trouble converting their B vitamins. This is a folate supplement that helps with that because it's in a more easily assimilated form. I haven't started Max on this yet but plan to soon. (I am giving time between starting different supplements so I can see what is and what isn't working).

For awhile we did so well at taking our cod liver oil, then we got lazy. Then, we were testing sensitive to fish so I haven't reintroduced it yet. However, this is so good for everyone and is something every single person should be taking. I plan to start this supplement again soon (in fact, I took my capsules today - I am a wimp when it comes to the liquid). This is so great especially for neurological function.

This is an herbal supplement to help with urinary incontinence. Max, at age 5, has a lot of trouble staying dry at night. I don't remember to use this supplement consistently but I try to use it to see if it will help. Has anyone had success with ways to keep your child dry at night? I know it can be hereditary and I know that I had problems too as a child (it runs in my family, as well). I've heard that it can be linked to constipation but I don't think that's a problem for Max. I have also heard it can be associated with yeast overgrowth so perhaps in treating the yeast, we will see this resolve as well. I'd love any tips that anyone has in this area!

Since we are on a restricted diet, we are also taking this calcium/magnesium supplement. Maude is the only one who takes this well. It has a chalky texture which is difficult for Max.

There are times when we use Melatonin at night to help with sleep issues. This is liquid and the kids take it orally straight into their mouth. 

And ta-da. It sure looks like a lot of supplements! We don't use these all every single day but the most important ones that we never miss are our antifungals, our probiotics, the kids' multivitamin, and Max's allergy chewable. The rest we try to do well with but obviously there are times when I am not as on top of things. So far I have noticed a lot of improvement due to supplementation. 

 I recently found this summary of biomedical treatments for autism that I thought was great. It is really comprehensive. I have said it before but I  know that because of the diet changes we have made and the supplements we've used, our little boy has seen dramatic improvements over the years. I can only hope that we will continue to see more improvements as time goes on!

In fact, I just scheduled an early intervention screening for little Olive because she is showing some potentially significant developmental delays. At nearly 19 months old, she isn't walking and only has one clear word (dada). She also doesn't babble. Her screening is next week and I am just hoping that we can get some therapy services for her to help her develop appropriately (I am confident that she'll receive services, per my phone conversation, if a child is not walking by 18 months they typically qualify). Add it to the list of my worries! Although I am trying not to over-worry, I do get worried when I really let myself think about it. However, because of what we've already faced and the knowledge I've gained, I feel empowered and I know that we can tackle whatever will come along.

Anti Candida Journal - End of Month One, Emotions, and Plans

So today we saw the doctor (Max and I) and I felt like it was a good appointment. I was eager for the appointment and left feeling hopeful.

This post is probably going to be a bit more personal than usual, so I hope that it is well received. Sometimes vulnerability is scary.

We went over Max and his symptoms - what has improved and what hasn't. I mentioned in my last post the things that had/hadn't improved so I won't go over that again. We're going to continue on with a similar diet, but I'm going to be less stringent with him about fruits unless I notice negative reactions. This kid needs some ability to not feel limited in his food choices and I feel good about allowing fruits in. We're continuing with a probiotic, then we will also add in some additional supplements which I'll go over in a future post.

We talked quite a bit about behavior and how much improvement we've seen through diet. We talked a lot about autism. I have thought for some time that Max was on the autistic spectrum but since I've never had a doctor back me up on that, I have hesitated to say it to very many people for fear that they'd think I was making it up or something (silly right? I don't know...). I asked the doctor today point blank, "So do you think that Max is on the autistic spectrum?" His reply comforted me. "Yes, he's hanging on to that spectrum. But continuing on this path, I think we'll find that he jumps off." So was it a diagnosis of autism? I don't really know. But it comforted me and validated my concerns. I have said over and over that Max would be a different child had we not done the things we've done for him (gluten free, then corn free, then NAET, then GAPS, then anticandida, supplements, antifungals, etc). The doctor agreed. His behavior and many of the red flags for autism greatly improved with the GAPS diet. We didn't see as much improvement with the food allergies as I would have hoped, but I can undeniably say that it helped with many of his other behavioral symptoms and even his speech.

I have always felt like I was reading about my own child whenever I'd stumble upon a mother writing a blog post about her son/daughter with autism (why does it seem like there's so many more boys with autism however?). I even remember when Max was just a baby...maybe 7 months old...hearing about autism on the news. My ears perked up with a special interest and I felt really afraid. What would I do if I had a child with autism? Well here we are and you know what? It's fine. It's hard work, to be sure, and many days I feel like I'm failing, but we are surviving and overcoming. Many of you know that I am Christian, more specifically a Mormon. In my church we have something called a Patriarchal Blessing. It is basically a blessing that is given to you to help guide you throughout your life. It is written down and is something that you can read for comfort, guidance, and reassurance. My husband's Patriarchal Blessing says something in it about our children having special needs. It says that we will have to be on our toes to help them reach their potential. When we were first married, we both felt like it must mean that one of our children would have a noticeable disability - perhaps Down Syndrome or the like. But, 5 years later, after having Max, we now know that his blessing was talking about our little boy. Because he does have many special needs. They are not always seen by the naked eye, but we do have to keep on our toes to help him be the best boy he can be. My husband's blessing has given me a lot of comfort throughout the years as we have dealt with the many things in being Max's parents (seizures, food allergies, autistic qualities, speech delay).

I am hopeful for Max. I am so grateful that I have been guided on the path that we've taken. It has not always been an easy path to choose and I have usually met a lot of resistance. But I have been able to trust my intuition and, I believe, have been guided by the Spirit, to know which choices to make for my child. I feel grateful to the many women who have written blogs about their challenges with children with food allergies and/or autism because they have helped me so much. I really feel like we are on the right path and I hope that a few years down the road Max will be just like any other boy his age.

So now onto myself. I was feeling pretty hopeless this past week because my fatigue has been SO bad. It is truly debilitating. I probably only have a few hours in the day (if that) where I feel "good." I don't even know if I can call it good. But, maybe...functional. My depression came back a little bit this past week because I just felt so hopeless and so desperate to feel good again. The thoughts came into my mind, "WHY do I feel so horrible when I eat so well?" "Why can't I just eat like everyone else?" "Why can other people eat junk and not notice?" I was really discouraged. I have to say though...I mentioned before, but my gastrointestinal symptoms are COMPLETELY  better, so obviously my questions were because of my irrational, depressed, emotional state. I have come to the conclusion that it isn't because I'm not eating this or because I'm eating that. I have done SO much with my diet, so I know that there is more to the puzzle.

I talked to the doctor about that today and kind of demanded that we do something about my fatigue. I don't have another few months to wait and see if this diet continues to help my energy. I need something now to help me because I am barely surviving my days as a mother. Since my thyroid ratios look fairly normal, he decided we would try B-12/B-6 shots. Today he gave me one and OUCH! It was honestly pretty painful! Max looked up at me after and said, "Mom, did that hurt?" Yes, yes it sure did hurt! But I think it helped. This afternoon I had a lot more energy than I normally would. I think I am going to continue getting them for awhile to see if they help. In between shots, I am going to add in a good B vitamin supplement.

I was diagnosed today with a sinus infection which explains all of the sinus pressure and headaches I've had. I thought they were spring allergies but turns out it was because my sinuses are infected. So unusual! I have never had a sinus infection before that I can remember...maybe once in high school? I forget. My ear is super painful and I can't hear out of it - again related to the sinus infection.

As far as my diet goes, I am really not sure yet what I'm going to do. I had some fruit on Sunday and again today and I haven't noticed any ill effects. I was planning to keep it out longer but I think I am going to allow myself a little fruit each day if I want. I have been reading so much conflicting information lately on thyroid/adrenal health and the right/wrong diet for helping or hurting it. I am just plain old confused. I think I am going to work really hard on trusting my intuition, listening to my body, and eating what my body tells me I need to eat regardless if it is "right" or "wrong" according to a certain diet. I am also going to continue taking antifungals but will be switching to a natural antifungal rather than Diflucan. I'll also be taking a therapeutic strength probiotic and will add in digestive enzymes as well. My goal for this month is increased energy and stamina! Wish me luck.

Congratulations if you made it to the end of this post :)

Thank you for being here for me through this...I truly appreciate this little outlet more than you know!

xoxo

Anti Candida Journal

Clearly I've been horrible at keeping track of our progress in journal form. The past two weeks have been really, really hard. I haven't been feeling well at all. I was pretty sure it was just detoxification or die off, but then my family also came down with symptoms similar to mine, so I'm pretty sure it was just a cold. In any case, it has really hit me hard and made me really tired. My main symptoms have been exacerbated fatigue, ear pain, seasonal allergies like sneezing/stuffy nose/sinus headache, mild sore throat, and muscle aches. Like I said, it's been lingering for almost two weeks now and I'm getting pretty tired of feeling sick. Thankfully it didn't hit anyone else as hard.

We have just been pressing forward with the diet and things have gone quite well. It seems like Max's hives have lessened although he still gets a few daily. They are not quite as bad but definitely still there. I started the kids on a new probiotic called Body Biotics. I'm just taking a regular multistrain probiotic as well as a saccharomyces boulardii which is good for targeting yeast. Along with the Diflucan, we have also started using 500 mg of Biotin because I've read it's good for killing yeast. 

The kids have enjoyed their one to two servings of fruit per day and I've noticed that they aren't clamoring for it like they usually would (a good sign that the yeast is being killed off...they are not craving the fruit sugar). My cravings are doing better and I even had a small bit of watermelon today for Mother's Day, even though I am technically not at my one month mark yet (almost there though!). 

New foods we've tried: We added in carrots, peppers, and onions and I haven't noticed any reactions with Max. I tried broccoli and cauliflower but it was hard for me to tell if I had any reactions because I have already been feeling so yucky. We also tried eggs. The first time, Max had hives immediately. The second time, he had no hives. And today, he had no hives again. I'm not sure what that means but I think I will allow eggs in rotation for him. I haven't tried giving Olive eggs yet but I have eaten some so we will see if she has any reactions through my breastmilk. Max also had two strawberries today and I didn't notice anything adverse with him when he ate those. 

Since our time on Diflucan is coming to an end (only three pills left for each of us), I have been thinking a lot about how things have gone. Overall, for me, I would say I have greatly improved. I have not had a SINGLE episode of stomach pain/abdominal cramping/diarrhea since starting the diet. That is huge because I have been having severely painful episodes at least 4-5x weekly since Christmas. I have not had the bloating or the gas either. My bowel movements are consistent, daily, and there is no more mucous in them as there was beforehand. Max is doing better - his hives seem to be lessening, like I said, and he's a bit more talkative. He has even started to ask me lots of "why" questions which is completely new! I love it. He has been sleeping well. His bowels are good but he is not eliminating every single day, so we have some more healing to do. Maude got a lot of eczema on her arms all of the sudden which has never been there that badly so I am thinking it was due to die off. It is healing. Her tummy seems to be slightly less bloated and she's been having pretty consistent daily bowel movements. She is sleeping better at night and has stayed in her bed all night many times this month instead of coming and sleeping in our bed (although she is still sleeping in our bed probably half the time). Olive is doing well, as far as I can tell. She's sleeping well and eliminating well. She has added a couple of new words to her vocabulary but is still refusing to walk. She has at least attempted walking this month, however, and will take 2-3 steps before crawling if and when she decides to try.

We have appointments with the doctor on Tuesday and I am really looking forward to it. My fatigue has not improved nearly in the way I would have hoped so I'm really hoping he can help me address that at this appointment. Overall, I am glad we did this and am looking forward to where we will go from here.

Since the gut takes a long time to heal and candida is hard to eradicate, after we finish the Diflucan we will move to a rotation of natural antifungals while keeping up with daily probiotics. We will keep our diet very low in sugar as well, like it is now, but I may add in honey occasionally to see how we do. Herbal tea just tastes soooo much better with honey instead of stevia :)

Here's a look at some of the things we've eaten:

Gluten Free Vegan Seed Bread

When I saw this post on the blog My New Roots, I was ecstatic. I am a bread lover! Gluten free bread is not the best, let's face it. But finally, a recipe that was nourishing and tasty! I made it right away and we fell in love. I've now made it more times than I can count and have changed it to suit our needs. It is now nut free and sugar free, so depending on whether or not you use oats, it can be used on the Anti Candida diet. We are using oats on occasion and love this. It's so fun to have bread again! It has the yummiest texture and a nutty flavor. Hope you enjoy!

Gluten Free Vegan Seed Bread

makes 1 loaf

adapted from My New Roots

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup flax seeds (whole)

1/4 cup chia seeds*

1/4 cup hemp seeds*

1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats

1 cup flaked quinoa

2 tablespoons chia seeds

4 tablespoons psyllium seed husks

1 teaspoon real salt

pinch of stevia

3 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil

1 1/2 cups filtered water

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork. Next add oil and water to the dry ingredients and stir well. The dough will be thick but easy to stir. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (do not skip this step) then pour the bread batter into the pan. Press down with your fingers to smooth out the batter and flatten the top. Let the bread sit on the counter for 2 hours up to overnight. The dough is ready when it retains its shape. Place the loaf pan in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and place it upside down directly on the rack (sitting on the parchment paper if you wish) and bake for another 20 minutes. Flip the bread one more time and continue to bake for 20 additional minutes. The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely before slicing and enjoy!

*Instead of using 1/4 cup chia and 1/4 cup hemp seeds, you can use 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds if you wish.

Anti-candida Journal: Days 1-3

Soup made with homemade beef broth, beans, quinoa, italian spices, yellow squash, garlic, and salt. I made anti-candida legal bread (adapted from My New Roots) and broiled it with olive oil, garlic, salt, and italian spices to make garlic bread. So yummy!

It is reassuring for me to type out our progress and share it, so I hope you'll bear with me as I write about what's happening on the diet so far. First - to be clear - I hate the word diet. This is not a diet to lose weight or anything like that. It is a diet to heal our insides and primarily to help my son's numerous food/environmental allergies and behavioral issues. It is also to help me with my lifelong fatigue, brain fog, low thyroid, depression, anxiety, etc. So. Anyways, so far it is going well! The biggest negative thing I've noticed is that we are all really hungry! We get full at meal time and then are hungry soon after. I know this will level out because it was similar on the GAPS diet.

Me: I have surprisingly had very few sugar cravings. I am actually kind of craving sugar right now and craved it last night but so far it hasn't been overwhelming. My energy has been pretty good, my mood consistent, and I have been eliminating daily (if you know what I mean). No stomach pain at all associated with it! I got really tired today while driving which usually happens. My memory is still horrible. I have had to look at my meal plan at almost every meal because I cannot for the life of me remember what is coming up even though I've looked at it a billion times...BRAIN FOG! It is insane. I can't focus very well and am really forgetful. Overall I have been happy that I am feeling so good. I got my thyroid labs back from the doctor and my T3 labs came back pretty low, but just high enough not to treat. I don't remember the exact values but the doctor treats it when it's at like 7.85 or below and mine was just over 8. 

Max: I am amazed at his mood. He has been so happy! More flexible in transitioning to different activities (ie, transitions are not invoking extreme meltdowns). His mood just seems more consistent, rather than swinging from one extreme to the other. Has not had a BM since Monday so I need to figure out how to make that happen tomorrow...since that is such an important way to get all the yuckiness out. Has taken his medicine without a fight as well as probiotics. Has been eating amazingly well and is not being picky. He even ate leftover soup tonight without complaining, which he would normally complain a lot about. Overall I have been impressed because his mood is so good. I really, really expected it to be horrible so it's a pleasant surprise. Overall, I have noticed a slight improvement in his hives. I haven't noticed any on his torso/stomach at all but have seen a few on his face. They don't seem to be as big or last as long.

Maude: She's doing great too. The first day she was a little whiny but I think it was because she was tired. The second morning she actually threw up a tiny bit and I am pretty sure it was hypoglycemia because Max did the same thing when we began the GAPS diet. After she ate, she felt much better and has been fine since. She has been having daily bowel movements and taking her medicine/probiotics very well. She's also been a wonderful eater, for the most part. Dinner is her worst meal and she is often picky or scared if it looks different than normal. She does really well at breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I don't worry if she doesn't eat a good dinner because I know she will eat if she's hungry. If she doesn't like it, that's fine but she doesn't get other food instead. Overall she is doing well. Her tummy might even look a tad less distended/bloated.

Olive: She is doing great as well. On day 2 of the diet, which was mostly likely a total coincidence, she began to walk independently for the first time!! She is 17 1/2 months old, so that was a really big deal! She was in the family room while I was making dinner and I walked in to see her walking ever so slowly with her hands out steadying her. I was so impressed that she was doing this completely on her own! She didn't try walking at all today but hopefully she will keep it up! Her speech tends to be a bit delayed so I really hope this diet helps with that. She's been having a couple of good bowel movements a day, eating very well, and sleeping great. She is always so happy and calm!

Anti-Candida Diet Meal Plan - Week 1

Succeeding on this new diet to heal us of our allergies and other complaints will take a lot of planning and preparation! I am hoping that I will stay on top of meal planning because I know it will make life so much easier. I thought I'd share what we'll be eating for those who are interested in doing something similar.

We have a lot of foods that have to be avoided at first because of sensitivities - including eggs, onions, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, all cabbages (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts), coconut and nut products, and many other foods. Thus, my meal plan is tailored to our individual needs.

I will have no fruit, honey, or nuts for at least one month. I honestly think it will need to be longer (boo!). The kids will be able to have one to two servings of fruit per day but no honey and no nuts. 

Since we won't have a lot of fats we can add to our diet through dairy, coconut oil, nuts, etc. I am planning to use lots of olive oil, flax oil (unheated), and avocados. Hopefully those things will help keep us satiated and give our bodies the fat we need for healing. 

I am quite nervous - I am especially addicted to sugar in any form lately so I know I am going to have some good detox and strong cravings. I am ready to feel better though so I am eager to start. Wish us luck!!

I don't have every meal figured out yet but when I figure it out, I'll come back in and add it. I am not sure what we will do for snacks - most likely some kind of vegetable, a small serving of fruit for the kids, and perhaps a meat or a Body Ecology legal grain (quinoa, millet, buckwheat, or amaranth). Here we go!

Week 1

Monday

Breakfast: Millet porridge (millet soaked overnight and cooked in water, adding cinnamon, stevia, hemp hearts, chia seeds, and rice milk when done)

Lunch: Homemade sausage patties (with substitutions) and green salad

Dinner: Meatloaf and roasted asparagus

Tuesday

Breakfast: Buckwheat pancakes and a piece of fruit for the kids

Lunch: Organic hot dogs and pickles

Dinner: Italian bean soup (with substitutions) and "bread" (without nuts)

Wednesday

Breakfast: Some sort of quinoa

Lunch: Pasta made with zucchini noodles, olive oil, and some sort of veggie

Dinner: Beef and veggie kabobs, side salad

Thursday

Breakfast: Homemade sausage patties and steamed veggies

Lunch: Pinto beans, green peas, and some sort of meat

Dinner: Big green salad and sweet potatoes

Friday

Breakfast: Hamburger soup with bone broth and black beans (substitutions needed)

Lunch: Falafel and cucumbers wrapped in romaine lettuce

Dinner: Buckwheat pizza crust topped with veggies (no sauce, no cheese) and green salad

Saturday

Breakfast: TBD

Lunch: Meatballs on top of zucchini noodles, olive oil, salt, and garlic

Dinner: Chicken soup made with quinoa (this recipe minus the onions and lime)

Sunday

Breakfast: TBD

Lunch: TBD

Dinner: GAPS Fideo with substitutions (spaghetti squash, olive oil, shredded meat, cumin, garlic, cilantro, zucchini, avocado, salt)