it’s a bile salt so I do like TUDCA when the liver is struggling to produce enough bile salts to help with emulsification of fats and detoxification of toxins.

I share many other options for liver/gallbladder support with an explanation of when each is warranted towards the end of the Gut Health Masterclass. Have you seen that yet?

 finally some answers! It’s interesting that in some people with appendicitis, especially children, the other classic symptoms of pain, fever and abdominal swelling don’t typically appear and can go amiss!

Before I chime in with some thoughts about appendicitis, what is the doctor suggesting for treatment? Have they confirmed this diagnosis to be the cause of his nausea and loss of appetite?

 ok, please keep us posted. And the GI map shows elastase which is a marker pointing to pancreatic health, not the appendix.

If it is truly his appendix that is inflamed, the same recommendations provided during the case study review will still apply.

A little about the appendix…

Conventional medicine often views the appendix as perhaps being a “superfluous” or unnecessary gland. I think this philosophy  is one of the reasons why it is so often removed without regard to downstream circumstances (the same is true of the gallbladder and the tonsils, by the way).  Research is starting to show that perhaps the appendix provides a “safe house” where our endemic beneficial bacterial balance can “hide out” when we take a course of antibiotics, in order to allow more effective and restorative re-population after the antibiotic wipes out both the good and the potentially harmful bacteria.  It is also well understood that the appendix is a lymphoid vessel that houses large numbers of white blood cells which help us to fight infection in the gut (the same as the tonsils, by the way).  This may be of interest to you: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/your-appendix-could-save-your-life/.
Of course, when tissue is inflamed, it means there is a localized, inflammatory process at play. It is also more likely to happen when a body part is over-worked but is doing its job.

If it is caught early enough, it may be possible to recover from appendicitis through the use of antibiotics paired with antifungals, enemas, fasting from solid food (to give the gut a break), high intake of bone broth, and use of gut-healing supplements (ex. Designs for Health “G.I. Revive” and probiotics).  
Other colleagues of mine have had success with their clients using Dr. Schulze’s Colon Cleanse and then Liver/Gallbladder cleanse (each, a five-day intense regimen, also involving fasting (fresh veggie juice only) and intense detoxification support).

In terms of potential, natural healing, I think you will find this physician video to be inspiring and informative (it’s Pt. 1 – which will roll over to Pt.2 which is another ~3 min.). Politics aside, this covers many key concepts that both of these people used to allow full healing.
There are many things we do routinely in modern society that cause inflammation in the GI tract. I think any and all of these could easily be at play in eventually causing any type of GI disease, especially with many of them at play at once over a long period of time – in the appendix and otherwise:
• Constipation causes tissue in the GI tract to be in contact with a wide array of toxins for extended periods of time.
• Eating conventional (vs. organic) food that is produced with a variety of toxic herbicides, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.
• Using artificial sweeteners, especially sucralose (which presents a tiny dose of chlorine with every use). Witness that pretty much every brand of regular, sweetened chewing gum now also includes one or more artificial sweeteners in order to give their product an “over the top” level of sweetness.
• High intake of sugars and refined carbohydrates which feed specific types of microbes preferentially – especially when paired with low intake of vegetables fibers/starches which feed others.
• Ongoing use of various drugs that imbalance gut microbes and can also damage the protective mucosal lining throughout the GI tract (e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin, OCP, SSRIs, hormones, alcohol)
• Absorption of heavy metal toxins such as mercury that can impair the immune system (e.g. silver amalgam fillings, contaminated fish, vaccines, high fructose corn syrup).

To avoid future GI issues, ongoing lifestyle change is necessary! Daily use of probiotics and a few months of gut healing as described above (ex. GI Revive) is beneficial. Check Vitamin D, Vitamin A, and RBC Zinc to gauge sufficiency for immune system strength if not done already.

 I’m also relieved for all of you. It was likely missed all of these years because he didn’t present with the “classic” symptoms of appendicitis – which can happen with children. And no, elastase will not be directly affected by the appendix as far as I’m aware.

 just wanted to follow up to see how your son is doing. Any updates from the surgeon on the way forward for him?

 I’m relieved to hear his doctors aren’t quick to use the knife. I also mentioned that he wasn’t presenting with the usual appendix symptoms, but it’s more common in children for it to be missed. Hopefully the pancreatic glandular will help. Please do keep us posted on his progress. I feel you’re zooming in closer to the issue and will help him find relief soon hopefully.

@KK I suggest you begin by watching these 2 videos from the Blood Sugar Regulation course for a better understanding of blood sugar regulation:

Meet The Players: the PAALS

How Blood Sugar Regulation Works

The connection is that the Pancreas plays a role in both digestion and blood sugar regulation. So if blood sugar regulation is affected, the body prioritizes that over digestion which can compromise digestive enzyme release.

Please share his blood sugar results if you have them just to make sure it’s not being overlooked. Fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HbA1C.

Creon contains pancrelipase, a replacement for low digestive enzyme production. I explain the many different digestive enzyme options HERE in the Gut Health Masterclass and the different enzymes for different needs. If you’re looking for a stronger pancreatin enzyme, then Thorne Dipan-9 and Metagenics SpetraZyme Pan 9X ES can be considered.

Did your son end up trying the baking soda challenge?