Re: IBS - can it be reversed?

 I've predominantly had IBS-C for the last 10 years and for the last year I've had alternating bouts of diarrhea due to adrenal fatigue / copper toxicity. I did not have adrenal fatigue 10 years ago.

Major symptoms are painful stomach cramps, infrequent bowel movement causing intestinal overload which then leads to overflow diarrhea, bloating, gas, alternating constipation and diarrhea.

IBS has been linked to a lack of intestinal flora.  This increases the risk of pathogen overgrowth leading to the diarrhea and bloating and a decrease of intestinal serotonin leading to the constipation.

One symptom that might sound strange but it's the only reason I can think of since it happened at the onset of my IBS is pimples (whiteheads) in my scalp and mostly around the mouth. My hygiene is fine. The pimples occur much more in the summer months, again mostly around the mouth and nose area and scalp.

Another role of the flora is to break down hormonal metabolites that can otherwise reabsorb and increase the androgen load that causes the breakouts.

I've just ordered some rice bran and canned artichoke hearts and will be orderin organic sauerkraut (in a jar, is this ok or will they contain no live cultures?) to increase and feed the intestinal flora. Is that sufficient?

The bran is good, but the canned good would not have live cultures since they use heat in the sterilizing and canning/jarring process to force out air.  Look for fresh sauerkraut.

How much sauerkraut should I eat in a day and when should it be eaten?

4 or 5 ounces a couple of times daily would be good.  The prebiotic fibers are actually going to be much more important in the lung run to feed the other flora strains not being replaced.

These are the brands I can get locally, are they ok?

http://www.dawtona.pl/produkty/marynaty_i_przetwory_owocowe/salatki_warzywne.html/110/Kapusta-kwaszona/


http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=23_40&products_id=103900

http://www.germandeli.com/sauerkraut2.html

These are all jarred, so the cultures would be dead.  After the sauerkraut is jarred the lids are put on and the jars put in boiling water forcing the air out, but the heat is also going to kill the cultures.  Again, look for fresh cultured foods.

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