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RA-leaky gut - diet issues
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FightingRA posted:
One of the theories behind what causes RA is that it may be caused by a "leaky gut"...perhaps you had severe diarrhea, colitis, ulcers, parasites, or surgery that negatively affected the health of your colon, large and/or small. If the "good bacteria", which gradually die off over the years because of the medications we take, illnesses, etc., have left your colon walls susceptible, the food waste bacteria will come in contact with the colon in such a way that it can penetrate the wall and get into your bloodstream. That theory fits my history to a T (I had sudden loose stools, lasted a full year, drs said it was stress or lactose allergies...colonoscopy finally determined the presence of GIARDIA. After a year of this issue, I started having joint flares, and voila...here I am with RA now. The Giardia have been killed off, the damage to the intestines -scarring in multiple locations - cannot be repaired. So I take probiotics to help replenish the "good bacteria", but my dr. told me that I will have to take the supplements and yogurt etc. for the rest of my life, because the replenished bacteria do not STAY in the gut permanently, like the original colony did.). ANYHOW, regarding FOODS...one thing I figured out quickly once the RA diagnosis was confirmed was that certain foods triggered strong flares. My particular poisons are pork, peanuts, popcorn, tomatoes, bell peppers, sunflower seeds, strawberries, among others. I am not a chemist, but I am thinking there is something about those foods that makes them more likely to easily penetrate the colon walls. Funny that many of those foods are ones that lots of people are allergic to. I happen to take antibiotics to control my RA...minocin. And I am 99% symptom free about 90% of the time. Recently I had some minor surgery to remove a kidneystone, and after the surgery was given an antibiotic to prevent infection. I became extremely ill from that antibiotic (I had suspended my daily 100 mg of minocin) and was bedridden for 4 days, sick as a dog from taking those meds for just one day. Once I revived, and felt healthy again, I started having RA flares. So I had to double up on the dosage for several weeks, and now am back down to my normal dosage. During those weeks, I again had to be very careful to avoid the flare-triggering foods. I discovered that gluten was also one that caused flares. (I can tell that a food causes a flare, because the flare will start 2 hours or so after eating that food). Once I get totally re-stabilized (giving it another month with restricted diet) I will be able to eat any food (in moderation) without difficulty. But yes indeed, different foods will definitely have an impact on RA flares and the intensity of flares. see my blog at ra-fighter.blogspot.com for more information about my journey...now 6 years of RA

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3 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:RA-leaky gut - diet issuesOne of the theories behind what causes RA is that it may be caused by a "leaky gut"...perhaps you had severe diarrhea, colitis, ulcers, parasites, or surgery that negatively affected the health of your colon, large and/or small. If the "good bacteria", which gradually die off over the years because of the medications we take, illnesses, etc., have left your colon walls susceptible, the food waste bacteria will come in contact with the colon in such a way that it can penetrate the wall and get into your bloodstream. That theory fits my history to a T (I had sudden loose stools, lasted a full year, drs said it was stress or lactose allergies...colonoscopy finally determined the presence of GIARDIA. After a year of this issue, I started having joint flares, and voila...here I am with RA now. The Giardia have been killed off, the damage to the intestines -scarring in multiple locations - cannot be repaired. So I take probiotics to help replenish the "good bacteria", but my dr. told me that I will have to take the supplements and yogurt etc. for the rest of my life, because the replenished bacteria do not STAY in the gut permanently, like the original colony did.). ANYHOW, regarding FOODS...one thing I figured out quickly once the RA diagnosis was confirmed was that certain foods triggered strong flares. My particular poisons are pork, peanuts, popcorn, tomatoes, bell peppers, sunflower seeds, strawberries, among others. I am not a chemist, but I am thinking there is something about those foods that makes them more likely to easily penetrate the colon walls. Funny that many of those foods are ones that lots of people are allergic to. I happen to take antibiotics to control my RA...minocin. And I am 99% symptom free about 90% of the time. Recently I had some minor surgery to remove a kidneystone, and after the surgery was given an antibiotic to prevent infection. I became extremely ill from that antibiotic (I had suspended my daily 100 mg of minocin) and was bedridden for 4 days, sick as a dog from taking those meds for just one day. Once I revived, and felt healthy again, I started having RA flares. So I had to double up on the dosage for several weeks, and now am back down to my normal dosage. During those weeks, I again had to be very careful to avoid the flare-triggering foods. I discovered that gluten was also one that caused flares. (I can tell that a food causes a flare, because the flare will start 2 hours or so after eating that food). Once I get totally re-stabilized (giving it another month with restricted diet) I will be able to eat any food (in moderation) without difficulty. But yes indeed, different foods will definitely have an impact on RA flares and the intensity of flares. see my blog at ra-fighter.blogspot.com for more information about my journey...now 6 years of RA
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sfonseca7 responded:
Antibiotic protocol is used for Lyme paitents, Am I off in thinking there is a corrilation to both? Auto immun system is effected by both.
Report This| Share this:RA-leaky gut - diet issuesAntibiotic protocol is used for Lyme paitents, Am I off in thinking there is a corrilation to both? Auto immun system is effected by both.
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FightingRA responded:
For those who wish to learn more about the use of antibiotics for treating RA, instead of using chemotherapy (toxic) and biological (holy cow, the possible side effects are CANCER, LEUKEMIA, etc etc...are you kidding me? PAY FOR THAT??) please go to the Road Back Foundation website. They have a complete discussion of the DOZENS AND DOZENS of highly successful and totally documented FDA approved CLINICAL TRIALS that have been done over the past 5 decades on the use of antibiotics (specifically MINOCIN) to treat RA. The total remission rate averages around 30%, as I recall, based on all those trials. MOST, by a WIDE MARGIN, get a great deal of relief from flares, if not total remission. There is a book by HENRY SCAMMELL (and no, I am not a publisher, and I do not get any sort of reward, monetarily or in any other way, for promoting his book) that reviews the early trials and studies done by Dr Brown, as well as updated trials. The book is called THE NEW ARTHRITIS BREAKTHROUGH and was the best $20 I ever spent in my life. I am LIVING PROOF that this system works. The toxicity level of MINOCIN compared to ANY OTHER STANDARD RA TREATMENT is incredible. Unlike many antibiotics, Minocin, a member of the tetracycline family, does NOT create antibiotic-resistant bugs. It has to do with the way the tetracyclines work to kill bacteria. So there are no strong negatives against taking this. (Worst side effect seems to be that after several years you may see some greying of your teeth and skin. I have not seen this, but I have been alternating Vibramycin with Minocin monthly, and take a very minimal dose of each when I am in steady remission. Please read my blog....start at the beginning, see what I have been thru....ra-fighter.blogspot.com . So far, at least one person who contacted me nearly a year ago after having serious liver issues from Methotrexate, was able to convince her Dr to let her try the antibiotic protocol. As of the last communication, she says she has steadily and slowly improved, is feeling the best she has felt since the whole RA thing started, and was getting ready to go do some gardening, something she had been unable to do for a couple years. I am thrilled that at least one person has found this treatment due to my efforts to spread the word online. My rheumatologist for the past 6 years has been just shaking his head saying how remarkable this is, (I get complete blood tests done at least once a year to make sure there are no negative issues cropping up, and all has been wonderful, with no problems). Yet I have not been able to convince him to even SUGGEST this treatment to any of his patients. TSK TSK TSK. He even knows Henry Scammell and has had discussions with him about this! Maybe EVENTUALLY (just how long does it take?) he will see that this is something that should at LEAST be TRIED in order to allow a patient the option of a non toxic treatment that COULD WORK for them!! If any of you do try this, please let me know. I want to start a MOVEMENT here. I feel as tho I have found a cure for cancer and no one will listen!!
Report This| Share this:RA-leaky gut - diet issuesFor those who wish to learn more about the use of antibiotics for treating RA, instead of using chemotherapy (toxic) and biological (holy cow, the possible side effects are CANCER, LEUKEMIA, etc etc...are you kidding me? PAY FOR THAT??) please go to the Road Back Foundation website. They have a complete discussion of the DOZENS AND DOZENS of highly successful and totally documented FDA approved CLINICAL TRIALS that have been done over the past 5 decades on the use of antibiotics (specifically MINOCIN) to treat RA. The total remission rate averages around 30%, as I recall, based on all those trials. MOST, by a WIDE MARGIN, get a great deal of relief from flares, if not total remission. There is a book by HENRY SCAMMELL (and no, I am not a publisher, and I do not get any sort of reward, monetarily or in any other way, for promoting his book) that reviews the early trials and studies done by Dr Brown, as well as updated trials. The book is called THE NEW ARTHRITIS BREAKTHROUGH and was the best $20 I ever spent in my life. I am LIVING PROOF that this system works. The toxicity level of MINOCIN compared to ANY OTHER STANDARD RA TREATMENT is incredible. Unlike many antibiotics, Minocin, a member of the tetracycline family, does NOT create antibiotic-resistant bugs. It has to do with the way the tetracyclines work to kill bacteria. So there are no strong negatives against taking this. (Worst side effect seems to be that after several years you may see some greying of your teeth and skin. I have not seen this, but I have been alternating Vibramycin with Minocin monthly, and take a very minimal dose of each when I am in steady remission. Please read my blog....start at the beginning, see what I have been thru....ra-fighter.blogspot.com . So far, at least one person who contacted me nearly a year ago after having serious liver issues from Methotrexate, was able to convince her Dr to let her try the antibiotic protocol. As of the last communication, she says she has steadily and slowly improved, is feeling the best she has felt since the whole RA thing started, and was getting ready to go do some gardening, something she had been unable to do for a couple years. I am thrilled that at least one person has found this treatment due to my efforts to spread the word online. My rheumatologist for the past 6 years has been just shaking his head saying how remarkable this is, (I get complete blood tests done at least once a year to make sure there are no negative issues cropping up, and all has been wonderful, with no problems). Yet I have not been able to convince him to even SUGGEST this treatment to any of his patients. TSK TSK TSK. He even knows Henry Scammell and has had discussions with him about this! Maybe EVENTUALLY (just how long does it take?) he will see that this is something that should at LEAST be TRIED in order to allow a patient the option of a non toxic treatment that COULD WORK for them!! If any of you do try this, please let me know. I want to start a MOVEMENT here. I feel as tho I have found a cure for cancer and no one will listen!!
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FightingRA replied to sfonseca7's response:
Interestingly enough, I had Lyme disease back in 1996 (ten years before I got RA). There was (and still is) no definitive test for Lyme, but I had a dog that got totally covered with ticks (ran into a nest while we were out in some fields). I spent a long time pulling them off, then later dipping the dog. Apparenly one had crawled up my pant leg and bit my thigh. A few weeks later I found a little red circle, the size of a nickle, on my thigh. Very pale, did not itch. I put cortizone on it and it stung like crazy! As the weeks went by, I started having strange flares in my thumbs. And the nickle sized spot had grown to over 2" in diameter, still very pale. I saw a rheumatologist, and blood tests came back with nothing conclusive. He had no treatment, just take Motrin and see if it goes away - he said sometimes these things occurr randomly. I was sure it was Lyme disease. I was able to get a hold of some Tetracycline (for fish, available online without a prescription, and per a close friend who is a vet, the exact same product that you get with a prescription). I started taking the tetracycline. I took it for several months, the red spot faded and disappeared, and the flares in my thumbs stopped. Never to return. So yes, there is a definite similarity, especially since the RA treatment Minocin is of the tetracycline family. (Minocin is able to REALLY get into the joints. Most generic minocyclines are not as good at that penetration, which is needed to get to where the issue is with RA...and tetracycline is also not good enough to really penetrate into the joints. I think it has to do with the size of the molecules that carry the medication - the INERT ingredients - which are not that important for treating SOME diseases, but are CRITICAL in treating RA. A chemist/lab pharmacy specialist would have to back me up on that, it is just what I have experienced, by trial and error, and my medical history.)
Report This| Share this:RA-leaky gut - diet issuesInterestingly enough, I had Lyme disease back in 1996 (ten years before I got RA). There was (and still is) no definitive test for Lyme, but I had a dog that got totally covered with ticks (ran into a nest while we were out in some fields). I spent a long time pulling them off, then later dipping the dog. Apparenly one had crawled up my pant leg and bit my thigh. A few weeks later I found a little red circle, the size of a nickle, on my thigh. Very pale, did not itch. I put cortizone on it and it stung like crazy! As the weeks went by, I started having strange flares in my thumbs. And the nickle sized spot had grown to over 2" in diameter, still very pale. I saw a rheumatologist, and blood tests came back with nothing conclusive. He had no treatment, just take Motrin and see if it goes away - he said sometimes these things occurr randomly. I was sure it was Lyme disease. I was able to get a hold of some Tetracycline (for fish, available online without a prescription, and per a close friend who is a vet, the exact same product that you get with a prescription). I started taking the tetracycline. I took it for several months, the red spot faded and disappeared, and the flares in my thumbs stopped. Never to return. So yes, there is a definite similarity, especially since the RA treatment Minocin is of the tetracycline family. (Minocin is able to REALLY get into the joints. Most generic minocyclines are not as good at that penetration, which is needed to get to where the issue is with RA...and tetracycline is also not good enough to really penetrate into the joints. I think it has to do with the size of the molecules that carry the medication - the INERT ingredients - which are not that important for treating SOME diseases, but are CRITICAL in treating RA. A chemist/lab pharmacy specialist would have to back me up on that, it is just what I have experienced, by trial and error, and my medical history.)
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