Here, here, Dr. H! Finding a functional medicine practitioner who can order specific tests for gut flora, food sensitivities, etc. can speed up and pinpoint gut issues quickly, although following an elimination diet is much less expensive. Thanks for your "courses." I've used them to point me in the right direction.

I've had a very mild case of Crohns since the early 60s. I started taking Asacol about 3 years ago but continued to have mild flare ups once or twice a year. I started taking VSL#3 last year & have had no flares ups since that time.

Thank you for your interesting article on digestive problems. I have had digestive problems most of my life. I take probiotics, eat a high fiber diet, and have also went off gluten products. I feel better for a while, then when stress happens, I will get the digestive problems back. I do not know what to do about the stress problem. Does anyone know what to do?
Arlene

Thank-you Dr. Hyman for such a wonderful book. I purchased your book on CD and listen to the entire book one day last week. Last night I went out an purchased your book in hard copy so I had it in print. I couldn't stop listening, because someone is finally listening, and they get it.
I had a holistic doctor tell me how bad the gut drugs were, and I needed to get off of them. I took her advise and haven't looked back. I am much better on the gut thing but not 100%. I am still trying to get on the right track as we started therapy, and she moved out of state.
I wrote my family physician of 31 years, that I even worked with at the hospital....Stating I wished he had given me the information the holistic doctor gave me. And helped me figure out what was going on with me, rather than just treating my symptoms.
I have blood type A- and was wondering,... just curious??? if most of the people you speak of in your book have a negative blood type???? The reason I ask is I have read the blood type diet. And from what you are saying it is pretty close to what they are saying for an A- person. You need to almost be a vegetarian.
In speaking to my Mom she said even as a baby I would spit up every time I ate, and always seemed to have a stomach ache. It has followed me my entire life, I take tons of vitamins, supplements, probiotics, omega-3 fiber, whey protein, wheat grass supplements, have done detoxing, parasite cleanses. And nothing seems to make me feel better. My story sounds allot like the story of many of your featured patients.
Allergies, stomach problems, inflammation of the joints, chronic ear aches, chronic low grade infections..like minor colds that hang on and hang on, achy body 24/7, I don't sleep well, get up still tired, the list goes on and on.
I love to cook and I think I eat really healthy. Example: breakfast a poached egg, with a 1/4 cup of organic cereals mixed with lots of nuts, coconut and dried fruit added, with home made juice from mostly fresh whole fruits, of bananas, blueberries, dried cranberries, frozen red cherries, red grapes, frozen chunks of pineapple, and several apples. Lots of fresh foods, as most of the packaged things have MSG or Natural flavoring and this gives me a really bad head aches, along with the sugar substitutes in chewing gums, the additives in yogurt, and cheeses if I eat good cheese or yogurt two or three days in a row I get a headache you can't even believe.
I use ice bags for headaches, or heating pads for pain when I can, as I am boycotting Tylenol type drugs, as they make my stomach worst. Inflammatory drugs make my Interstitial Cystitis worst. Oh and codeine derivatives they have tried to give me post-op give me head pounding headaches. So I am pretty much on my own when it comes to treating my pain...I avoid all of these totally.
I still haven't figured it all out by myself. I have a very different but very active job, so sitting all day is not me......I also try and walk my two huge dogs several times a week which also gives me a major work out.
I would like some additional guidance, and hope that your videos and book will assist me with this. I am 6 foot tall, a large boned Woman of Irish decent, my weight is the most I have ever weighted 244, I am not fat but a bit on the thick side. I believe I have completed menopause, and am looking for a new start to the second part of my life......
Thank-you so much for listening, and getting the public to get on board, and hopefully more doctors. Thank-you again for finally trying to help all of us who have been trying to help ourselves with everything under the sun at the health food stores. I have always heard you need to take your health care into your own hands, so hopefully you have cracked the secrets of all of this struggling. I am hoping to get on board with your program as soon as possible.
Oh the other thing that probably contributes to some of my problems is I do have many of the silver fillings in my teeth since I was really young due to the dentist convincing my mom to fill in the tops of my molars before I could get a cavity, due to the deep grooves in them.
Oh and something else I learned from your book I live about three miles as the crow flies, from a coal fueled powered plant....I have a huge undertaking huh.... Thank-you again so much and I wish you lived closer so I could be one of your patients....Sincerely Skeeter Age 49 and hoping to be much better by my 50th birthday in July Thanks to you..
P.S. One thing I was still wondering about you had in your book, was drinking R.O. or filtered water. I can see filtered water but I heard R.O. Water has a negative charge when it is ready to drink, and it pulls the vitamins and minerals right from your bones due to the negative charge???? (maybe a reason for all of the osteoporosis???) They even have these very expensive machines that actually removes the negative charge from the R.O. water and then a mineral disk that puts the minerals back in the water???? Just curious why you like the R.O. instead of bottled true spring water.
Sincerely
Skeeter

What is the answer when you hit menopause, moving along well, always fairly thin, then all of a sudden through no change of diet you gain weight, in my case 5 kilos in 6 weeks. The tiredness felt was like no other as the hormones unbalanced themselves. The natural remedies just stopped working. You are too tired for your walks and you see this weight piling on,something you are not use to seeing in the first place. I am searching for other remedies to pick me up but the weight? it is cruel especially when I have always maintained a healthy weight and lifestyle.

Does this mean it is over for us when we hit this age?

I've heard about a food/drink, Kefir, a bacteria-rich yogurt-like food that is supposed to be great for your digestive system because it contains many more bacterial species (about 500) than yogurt. What's your opinion?

I do have digestive problems. After eating a meal I feel bloated and gassey. You make suggestions as to how to eliminate this problem with supplements. My question is how much of these supplements do you take? Do you follow the recommendations on the label and do you take everything at once or spread them out thoughout the day? It's hard to know which brands are better than others. I feel I take too much of one thing and not enough of the other. I wish that I could be given a list of what supplements to take, how many and at what time of day. Can anybody help?

I am interested in parasite cleansing. I am currently undergoing a cleanse which involves taking cloves capsules, wormwood capsules and black walnut hull tincture on a schedule. Do you think this sounds appropriate? How often should one do this cleanse? Thanks

Dr. Hyman,

I am concerned by your endorsement of a prodouct known as solocarbon technology. It appears to be a non-descript amalgamation of scientific fields such as physics, thermodynaics and medical science. When reading on the subject and cross referrencing against the published experts in all fields used by the manufacturers of this product I am struck by several inconsistencies which make their claims seem scientifically void. They claim that hyperthemia induced by FIR technology will "kill cancer cells," when in fact the studies coming out of Germany and France speak of no such "killing power" when being used by oncologists. Also, according to Feyneman the occilatory rates of FIR wave lengths consistently fall between a certain set of parameters- making them FIR; I do not see how with this description and scientific understanding of the technology a manufacturer such as Sun Light Saunas, whom you endorse, could make claims that are tantamount to saying they manipulate the laws of physics to enhance the quality, quanitity, and theraputic effects of the heat produced by FIR wave lengths; when in fact the heat is a secondary benefit of the already constant FIR wave lengths. I would like to have this explained in a manner that makes their claims not out right fraud, and cast them as predators on a public which is largely ignorant about esoteric matters such as cross applied technology and science.

You do not mention the several herbal colon cleansing programs which clean out the old and replenish with new healthy stuff. That in my opinion is the best remedy for ALL 'gut' problems. The colon is the major organ needing to be kept clean and healthy. Use a colon cleansing program primarily to get healthy. Secondarily, follow good eating habits.

Diane, Check out Dr. Richard Schulz at herbdoc.com.

I have Thalasemia Minor, have suffered from chronic constipation all my life & suspect I have an allergy to gluten so have almost eliminated all gluten products from my diet. I eat fruit with yoghurt & almonds for breakfast & eat pretty healthily except I do have a sweet tooth. I developed arthritis in my fingers & toes about 6 or 7 yrs ago & during the last 12 months I have put on about a stone which seems mostly to be around my diaphragm area & hate it. I take Omega 3 & a multi vitamin & mineral without iron, also cal/mag & glucosamine. If you have any suggestions, particularly about my weight I'd appreciate it.

I have suffered with diarrhea for years. I began seeing an acupuncturist and taking a digestive enzyme with every meal. I am now what I consider to be normal...very seldom do I have diarrhrea, and the bloating is greatly diminished.

I have suffered with diarrhea for years. I began seeing an acupuncturist and taking a digestive enzyme with every meal. I am now what I consider to be normal...very seldom do I have diarrhrea, and the bloating is greatly diminished.

I lost my mother to C-diff last year I miss her so much then i lost my grand mother 5 weeks later the stress and pain of my loss is great. Thank God for my mother in law who gave me your book, my Mother and Grand mother who always made healthy meals and feed us vegtable juices and made us aware of our health not by doctors but by what we eat. My grandmother set such a great example she'd say to the doctors do I have to take all these pills!!!! I dont want to get me off of them!!! then she would try a diet or some vitamins and get retested and the doctors would take her off some of the pills. if you have more information on C-Diff I would like to read about it. Nancy

If I stay away from bread, sugar, sodas, sour cream and milk products my stomach feels better. The funny thing is, I can eat cheese if I stay away from those other things and have no stomach problems. If I eat those other things and eat cheese, my stomach bothers me.

I have diverticulitis on the left side (descending colon), and sinus congestion as well as periodontal inflamation on the left side. And I'm sure they are all related.

When, for 3 months, I didn't eat flour, sugar, or dairy, all three got totally better.

Have also diminished sharply my rosacea by adding HCl with pepsin just before , during and after meals.
Got rid of rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatoid factor went down from 76 to 16) by avoiding food allergens -- dairy, eggs, wheat, garlic, etc.
Add enzymes to every meal and it really helps speed digestion. Using glutamine and zinc to heal innards and rebuild immune system.
As a fibromyalgia patient, now in very good recovery, thanks to Dr. Paul Whitcomb, I have noted the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome among my fellow patients. All of us got better under Dr. W's care, and now many of us observe your protocols for rebuilding the gut. But sometimes you have to repair the spinal cord, too! Search out Dr. Whitcomb's book, "Fibromyalgia: solving the mystery." Amazon has it. Then you're not wasting your very good efforts.

Your case sounds like your thyroid is low despite all your efforts. Take your morning temp before you get out of bed (basal) and if it is 98 or below I would suspect there is a thyroid element to your problem. Get the book :
Solved the Riddle of Illness and find a doctor
who will treat because of symptoms instead of a blood test. I dealt with this for 15years until
the internet finally provided enough information for me to diagnose myself. Go to
Mary Shomon's website Thyroid-Info.com to find a good doctor near you
Antibodies against your thyroid or Low t3 is usually a condition conventional doctors don't understand so you will be wasting your time with someone who doesn't understand.
I would be glad to discuss this with you email me at Lovy.Myers@gmail.com
I am 54 and have just finally been properly diagnosed and treated.

Read about hypothyroidism Constipation is the most prevalent symptom and it usually does not respond totally to any treatment except thyroid hormones because the muscle action of the colon is slowed with hypothyroidism and no amount of fiber etc can overcome that. Thyroid would also explain the weight gain. Take your morning temp. If it is 98 or below find a doctor who will treat the thyroid.

I am the mother of four. I am sensitive to many foods I eat. I have eczema in my ears and also I tend to have periods of constipation. I can't eat sugar, dairy, citrus, chocolate, I suspect also wheat, rice and meat. I find it difficult to cut all these foods because there are 5 other people living with me so I have to cook two different meals all the time. I know I have to heal my gut and after I will be able to eat like every one esle but Honestly, I already eat whole foods, I eat organic foods, I take friendly bacteria, I takes omega 3, I exercise, I practice meditation, my environnement is quite non-toxic, I've done many cleansings and I've taken supplements to heal the gut from "Reniew life products", I've done a cure with oil of oregano for yeast ans parasites. I think that maybe the answer for me has to do with food sensitivities. I might be sensitive to more than I think I am, but I find it difficult to do elimination diets to find out what it is I'm sensitive to. I also know that there are many tests to find out which foods I am sensitive to but I live in Quebec Canada and there are no facilities here for such testing and I don't know if distance testing by mail is that good. On top of it I'm not sure of which test is the best, many people claim their test is the best and a few months later we read that another one is so much better. My mom has severe leg pain and arthritis and she eats whole organic foods, no sugar, nothing toxic in her environnement and I don't want to end up like that. Do you have an idea or suggestion for me to find out what irritates my gut?

This is not a comment, but a question. I am wondering what ingredient could be in breath mints (such as Altoids, etc. - NOT SUGARLESS)that could be causing me problems. Everytime I take one I get terrible bloating, and gastric distress. Also, what can I use instead of breath mints???

Thanks!

After more than 20 years of suffering a very nasty colitis, and trying all sorts of pills, I took a colon hydrotherapy (colonic): It changed my life, now I take it 3 to 4 times a year, and colitis is a thing of the past.
I highly recommend it, but... Dr. Hyman what do you think about it?

I started taking antacids for heartburn when I was 16 years old; my heartburn continued and I was diagnosed with GERD in 2000 (at age 46) and began taking Aciphex daily. Sometimes I would still need to take a Ranitidine at night to be able to sleep. In 2000 I was also diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and was prescribed Asacol. On August 1, 2006 I began the detox phase of the Ultrametabolism program and lost 11 pounds in the first 3 weeks. By mid-September, I felt so good that I decided to experiment and stop taking Aciphex and the Asacol; since then I've had no bad effects. As much as losing the weight (30+ pounds), I am all the more amazed that I've changed my digestive health so dramatically by following the Ultrametabolism program. Thank you, Dr. Hyman.

I had gas, bloating, fatigue,and pain. The gastrointerologist did many tests. All normal. It wasn't till a nutrisionist told me to stay away from gluten (tests of the small intestine proved it wasn't celiac) HFCS and milk products that I had complete relief.

How do you know if there is a gut infection or an overgrowth of "bugs"??

I'm a track coach for a youth league in Sherman Oaks. One of my athletes has that terrible eczema all over. Is there a different course of action for Kid? The child is 10 yrs old. It looks painful and the peers can be unkind. Anything I can tell the parents?

thank you for your work-

Cindy Larson

I was just in the hospital for 3days, for sob,wheezing and coughing,many tests,pulminary,cardiac ect.,all were normal.the hospital doc wants me to see a gastro.and I am,so I found this very enlightening! Thanks Pat

I had my whole colon removed in nov. I was having so many stomach problems for years unable to go to the bathroom! Well it is now june and I am having the sam problem bloating not able to have a bowel movement the doctors do not seem to be helping my I am taking probotic and omage 3 i am not having any luck anyone ouot there able to help me or giv eme an name of a doctor that can help me?

I have been told that I had too much yeast in my stool but the Dr. didn't think it was anything important to treat. All this time I have had symptoms of ulcers, chronic diarrhea, fatigue, skin inflamation, chronic migraines and of course over weight. I've been doing the phase 1 diet for a week with no dairy, sugar or gluten but am still experiencing all of my symptoms.I guess I need to get the yeast treated!

Hello I'm 28 years old and live in San Francisco. I have had a high sugar, process food diet all my life until this year. I've never had stomach issues before until I had the stomach flu this past December, and it felt like I never recovered from it.

All of a sudden I became sensitive to everything I ate. Every time I ate breads, pizza, sandwiches. I would get severe stomach cramps and dirreaha. I lost tons of weight, to where I'm only 109lbs, I used to be 120lbs at 5'6 feet tall. I thought I got Gluten allergy from the virus I got in December, which I thought triggered the allergy, so I avoided foods that had Gluten.

But I still didn't feel that good, I still had couldn't gain weight and still had stomach issues. I was severely fatigued, stomach cramps, black bags underneath my eyes, nausea, coudln't gain weight, mood swings, depressed, severe PMS.

Until I saw an allergist he said I tons of intenstinal infections in my large and small intestine, I wasn't sure how I got those. I still kept a pretty high sugar diet. I craved sugar and alcohol all the time. He also said I had Baker's yeast allergy.

What is the difference between Baker's yeast allergy to Brewer's and regular yeast allergy. Also I just found out Probiotics that contain Saccharomyces Bboulardii is bad for people who have yeast allergies, because it contains yeast in it. Is there any other Probiotics that are Non-Dairy that do not carry Saccharomyces boulardii?

Will I ever be able to introduce sugar or deserts again in my diet?

Please help, there is such little information out there for yeast, baker's yeast resources.

Have you checked to see if you have a Yeast allergy. There are a few types like Candida which it sounds like you have, or basic yeast, baker's or even brewer's yeast allergy.

You can take a allergy prick test or blood tests to figure that out.

Anyways Candida is very common with females especially. The only way to remove Candida or Yeast allergies is by a strict diet and antifungal foods.

I see you eat alot of fruit for breakfast. There is tons of sugar in fruit which feeds Yeast, Candida, which makes it worse.

You need to avoid sugar, alcohol, dairy, cheeses, potatoes, preservatives.

Foods to eat, is fresh organic meat that have no Antibiotics in them, fresh greens plenty of them which have Vitamin K that kill's yeast. Lot's of water. Jasmin rice is good.

Avoid Antibiotics. I hope this helps.

Dear Maribel Arellano,
Thank-you so much for your response to my pleads for help. I turn 50 tomorrow 7/20/07 and am still struggling with the stomach thing, and body aches. They are better, but I am still trudging forward with working on feeling better. I get on the right track, with a detoxing, and avoiding certain foods, but fall back to some of the foods I know make me feel bad, during social events with food.
It is becoming easier and easier to leave the bad for me stuff behind. I just haven't mastered all of them yet.
I do have a low thyroid, as I tried what Lovy suggested taking my temperature every morning and I even took it before bedtime and my temp runs 95 degrees or less sometimes even 92 degrees. I have tried a couple of thyroid support supplements but haven't been excited about either of the ones I tried, still looking for a good one.
I probably do have the yeast thingy because I have noticed when I eat sweets, my stomach rebel's almost immediately.
I have found that if I eat raw carrots, a hand full of fresh spinach, or an apple when my stomach acts up it calms it right down. My solution to taking the really bad for you antacids.
I was on the right track and really starting to feel much better and then the spinach scare thingy happened and I couldn't get spinach. I got off track and haven't been able to get back to my daily spinach salads.
I really need to include these back into my meal instead of doctoring myself afterwards, with the carrots, spinach or apple.
As for the milk products I love them all.... Milk, Ice cream, and good cheese. My biggest downfall is I love ice cream, but it doesn't seem to bother me like a gourmet cookie full of sugar and chocolate.
I can eat a couple of squares of dark chocolate 70% or better for a treat after dinner, and it doesn't seem to bother me either.
But if I eat that chocolate chip cookie, they serve with your meal at Paradise Bakery, or the decaf coffee with the hazelnut creamer I get a stomach ache/acid indigestion. I love their soups and salads, but they are missing a spinach salad of spinach on their menu.
The other sweets, cakes, donuts, candies, I don't desire these at all, they don't even look good to me. I know I feel really sick when I eat these so I avoid them. I do really well most of the time.
It is the social eating that is the hardest, it doesn't always have food you should be eating. The most recent was our family reunion I was sick for two weeks after eating family reunion foods. And with so many things I am allergic to, what do you eat when you are sick? It used to be eat soda crackers, chicken noodle soup, vanilla wafers, 7-up, jello, or gatorade?
Where I work we have a staff lunch one day a week, and I have had to quit eating with everyone, because I feel the worst, after eating the food they fix. (Lots of starches) An over cooked or under cooked fatty meat, and lots of desserts. No spinach, fresh carrots, apples, or nuts, but usually a great fruit salad, but missing apples.
So if I am not there, I am not eating all of the bad for me foods, to be social.
I don't drink alcohol unless I am having a special dinner out with my husband which happens maybe five or six times a year for special occasions. Or maybe three times a year I like to have one or two beers in the hot tub, on a day where I am just hanging out in there, with the temperature turned down to 97. I guess beer or wine would be one of the worst drinks for me, if I have the yeast allergy thing. I have noticed most beers give me a headache with just one. If having a beer I drink the ale varieties, they don't give me the headaches like a regular beer.
I catch myself stress eating mindlessly, one of the worst things to do. I have to watch myself for this. When I have an extra stressful day at work and need to complete lots of work and can't slow down for a relaxing lunch, I mindlessly eat more than I should. I ate half of a sleeve of Carr's soda table wafers; I had brought to eat with my chicken noodle soap when I wasn't feeling so great, the last couple of weeks, after the reunion.
I keep baking nuts, walnuts, pecans, or almonds and dried apricots, fresh organic bananas and apples, at my desk. But maybe I need to revamp this, and my breakfast as well. Maybe I need to go back to juicing the green veggies.
I read where dried fruit is hard on you due to the sugar content in it, but they keep saying how good these wonderful dried apricots are for your heart. So how do you get around not eating them if they are one of the top good things for your heart?
I try to get a nice variety of foods. I shop at Wild Oats, and buy organic and gluten free when it is available.
I have fallen in love with the grass fed whole milk, and now you are saying this is not good for me either. I have been less sick, only one virus since I have been drinking it.
I have given up potatoes as they make me feel bad, they are in the nightshade family. I haven't been able to give up tomatoes totally yet. As I love to cook and eat Italian/Mediterranean dishes.
Preservatives I think I have pretty much given up, as I have avoided boxed and packaged items for years, as they have always caused me headaches.
I will see about getting a yeast allergy test. I am hoping finding this out will help my situation.

Thank-you so much for your time and good suggestions.
Sincerely
Skeeter

Digestive problems and their treatment is a huge issue in US. Default treatment for large number of digestive diseases is PPI. It is great for short term symptoms relief but in long term it becomes a problem itself. I had heartburn for several years and went through lots of experiments to get rid of it. I tried lots of conventional and alternative remedies. 90% of them just don't work. So I think treatment should be patient specific and not based on a simple algorithm like (if heartburn than PPI). If anyone is interested I described my path in my Heartburn blog and my Heartburn Relief site.

If you can put blogs on irritable bowel syndrome, it would be nice. Thanks

for more information on irritable bowel syndrome, please visit http://www.imodium.co.uk 

After feeling a "pinching" sensation and an occasional jabbing pain under my left rib cage. I requested an upper endoscopy be done last week at the same time as my  5-year colonoscopy.  I am 63.  The colon scope reported "no polyps seen at this time," and the H. pylori test result was negative.  However, a second pathology report on the endoscopy came back with Barrett's Epithelium, no dysplasia, and "long-standing acid reflux" written by the doctor.  This came as a surprise since I have no symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux, so it must occur while I am sleeping.  I was prescribed 40mg. Nexium for 4 weeks, thereafter 20mg. Prilosec and a f/u with the doctor in 3 weeks.  I have exhausted all the research on BE and have begun all the recommendations for diet and lifestyle, which I am close to anyway. I also have an overactive bladder, and chronic sinus congestion.  I do not have a primary doctor; my gyn gave me samples of Enablex 7.5mg to try for my OAB before my f/u next week for blood work.  I'm not sure what to do next, as there is no cure for Barrett's, and I am stressing over this potentially fatal disease.   Can you offer any advice?

Irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, reflux, gas -- those are issues I can only speak to an <a href="http://www.onlineconsultation.com">online doctor</a> about.

Irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, reflux, gas -- those are issues I can only speak to an <a href="http://www.onlineconsultation.com">online doctor</a> about.