Chronic Diarrhea

There.  I said it.  It is VERY hard to talk about.  Very hard.  Embarrassing.  But, I have had chronic diarrhea for over a year.  And, I am FINALLY healing.

I have been consulting with my Naturopathic doctor, my Chiropractor and my Primary Care Doctor about all of my symptoms over the past year.  I have also been reading like crazy, trying to care for myself in between caring for my ailing father and the rest of my family.  I really "kicked it into high gear" when my youngest son was also experiencing chronic diarrhea for a few months.  I asked a LOT of questions and I read a LOT of books and articles.  I chose not to take the time and expense of seeing a Gastroenterologist because I know that I have to do much of the "trial and error".  I also wanted to educate myself.  I may see one in the future.

It is hard for me to say; but, the constant stress of caring for my father hasn't helped.

It all started with probiotics.  I am serious. It could have been a coincidence.  But, I am guessing I caused an imbalance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in my gut and started a "perfect storm" chain of events.  I was taking probiotics last year and withstood what I thought was a "cleanse" of sorts (diarrhea) while I (stupidly) continued taking the probiotics.  I switched types and brands and nothing helped.  I tried to stop taking probiotics.  That also did not help.  During this time, I was still nursing my youngest.

I took on a volunteer leadership responsibility that took me away from my children for the first time ever.  That was immensely stressful.  The healing that I had started (based on recommendations from my doctors) went out the window.  The inflammation in my gut was clearly exacerbated by stress and my condition worsened.

Throughout these months, I was trying to identify the foods that were "triggers".  I tried many things; but, I had figured out that onions (lifetime allergy to raw, possibly also cooked, more on that later), garlic (not my garlic!), cow's milk and gluten (which I was already avoiding from previous possibly related reactions) were huge triggers.  I also found out that the nightshade vegetable family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, tomatillos and peppers) also really bothered me.

Very soon after I stopped nursing my youngest, he also started having problems with chronic diarrhea.  My guess is that he was comfort nursing and whatever enzymes and nutrients my breast milk provided balanced out his gut.  Now, we had to figure out how to replicate that.

He started on probiotics and a supplement from the chiropractor (containing calcium, minerals and herbs that targets healing in the gut).  When that alone did not work, our chiropractor tested him (and me!) for parasites and found them elevated (when your gut stops working right, parasites build up).  So, following a mild parasite cleanse (black radish supplement for us both), my son was better!  He has some flare-ups now (possible food allergens) that are easily tamed by probiotics.  We are pretty sure he is also allergic to nightshade vegetables (he was affected by these even when his only food was breast milk).

I felt a little better; but, stress has often caused setbacks.  I tried a colon cleanse.  I had previously tried a parasite cleanse without much change.

Then, I was reading an article in "Living Without" magazine (from 2013; but, I don't recall the issue) about a "radical" diet Australian doctors were using to help IBS sufferers (eating low FODMAP foods).  I had not been diagnosed yet; but, everything they were talking about lined up for me (onions, garlic, lactose and gluten are the BIGGEST triggers!).

So, I decided it could help me.  At first, I just had a list of foods to avoid.  I soon noticed definite improvement in the "activity" in my gut. 

Then, I got the book, "Meals that Heal Inflammation" by Julie Daniluk, that describes the process for following the low FODMAP diet.  It also describes WHY people have problems and HOW to address them.  I am "eating it up"!  So excited!

It is VERY possible that I have always been allergic to onions (in all forms, not just raw) and the constant barrage on my gut had taken a toll.  One thing I have learned is that it is hard to tell what comes first because gut inflammation can CAUSE allergies.

I am positive that the stress I have been under the last two years also played a role.  I also have a cross-bite (my teeth don't meet).  And, I sometimes eat fast and don't chew my food enough.  It is probable that also played a role.  I have also had gut problems my whole life (on and off).  Doctors never found anything "wrong".

I am now avoiding nuts and seeds (that is the hardest one yet!) and other foods (for now) on my journey to a healthy gut.  I am also chewing longer (this is hard, too).  I look forward to adding foods back to my diet, discovering new recipes and new ways to ensure my family and I are healthy for life!  I also recently found out about an easy (albeit expensive) way to correct my cross bite.  And, we are moving my dad to a facility next Monday.

All of these things, I believe, have already begun to create the "perfect storm" for healing.  Finally.