[Daniel]

, there are still several options possible. Here are some other options you could investigate yourself and discuss with your doctor:
• Intestinal diverticulosis (a bulge in the intestine) can describe your pain. Usually, pain caused by diverticulosis gets aggravated after having a meal. Eating more fibre can help. If you are already eating a lot of vegetables, fibre is usually richer in grains (a lot). A low whole grain diet can by accident lead to low fibre diets.
• Pain that gets relieved with warmth applications like a hot shower or a hot pack can be more indicative that the problem is muscular.

Once you have a better diagnosis it would be easier to help you! 

[Daniel]

Hey !

Good question! And maybe not so easy to answer. It depends a little bit on what was in the clay, to begin with, and the problem is: it can vary because sources of clay can vary.

Glazed clay however can reduce the number of materials coming from the clay getting into your food. For example, in this study, they showed that a glazed clay pot prevented the arsenic that was present in the pots leached out into foods.

I am mentioning this because according to the UK’s Foods Standard Agency arsenic (a heavy metal) is not uncommon in clay. On this page, they are assessing clay drinks, not kitchenware. But I think the quality control on clay drinks is tougher than on clay pots & pans.

Some companies use third-party testing to see what is in their clay products. They could give you a report. If the report looks ‘clean’, clay pots & pans can be good choices. But this is the only way to be really sure if your clay products are healthy. My guess is that your clay pots & pan may not have such a report, so it’s hard to tell.

If your food starts tasting like clay because they were in the kitchenware, then that is a sign that your kitchenware is giving off material. In this specific case, I would personally not use this for food.

I hope you found this helpful!

[Daniel]

Hey 

You’re providing us with great details, thanks! I think focussing on the basics until it is clear on what is playing is the best approach.

I in addition would like to know how you would describe your pain. Is it for example:

A) A left sides chest pain, a feeling of pressure under the chest
B) Does the pain worsen when you lie down?
C) Is the pain intense, under the ribcage and radiating to the back?
D) Does the pain worsen with breathing, coughing or sneezing? Do you have difficulty breathing with that, experience shortness of breath or are there even fever-like symptoms?
E) With kidney stones there can be a deep back pain radiating to the front and upwards to the ribs. I guess it might not be this type of pain,  since you already had experience with that.
F) Is the pain sharp in nature? 

Or would you describe the pain differently?

[Daniel]

Hi ,

It would help us to get a little bit more insight into your lifestyle. For example, can you share with us what your diet looks like? Do you exercise? How are your stress levels? Do you consume alcohol or do you have a history of smoking? Just some general questions that could help us point you the right way!

If you could share your labs, it could give us a better understanding of what is at play as well. But let me share with you some suggestions based on what you have shared.

High Hematocrit
Hematocrit as you maybe know is a simple blood test that measures the percentage of red blood cells in your body. Finding out the root cause of your elevation is important since it determines how to approach that.

The reasons why hematocrit can be elevated can vary from dehydration, b vitamin deficiencies to scarring on the lung tissues (could be caused by for example asthma, emphysema, maybe COVID or smoking). Usually, hematocrit isn’t evaluated alone. Haemoglobin, MCV, Reb Bloodcell Count(RBC), vitamin B12, folate and serum ferritin would provide us with some extra insight.

hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) connections
Low iron could definitely be caused by hypochlorhydria. And hypochlorhydria can be caused by an H. pylori infection. The soda baking test in the morning is a cheap way that could confirm low stomach acid as well. Just remember, low stomach acid can be caused by other things like
• zinc & magnesium deficiencies 
• stress (especially eating in a stressed state)
• hiatal hernia, 
• long-term use of medications like antacids & PPIs

Addressing stress, and supplementing with zinc & magnesium would definitely be something you can do in addition to addressing H. pylori and taking a B vitamin…

…talking about B vitamins
Congratulations, you are thinking in the right way! Low stomach acid could cause low vitamin B12 for example. B vitamins also play a role in keeping homocysteïne at the right levels. A deficiency in bioavailable B vitamins could cause elevations in homocysteine.

But make sure your brand uses the bio-available B vitamins. Choose:
• “methylcobalamin” over “cyanocobalamin” for B12
• “methyl folate” over “folic acid” for B9
• “P-5-P (or pyridoxal-5-phosphate)” over “pyridoxine HCl” for B6.

Elevated CRP
You posted recently about a UTI. Although there can be several reasons why CRP elevates, bacterial infections can be one of them. A UTI would do the trick. Addressing the root cause and retesting CRP can confirm that your CRP has been elevated by a UTI. 

Pain under the right rib
A sudden sharp pain under the right rib could be evidence of gallstones. Gallstones are usually made of cholesterol. D-limonene is a potent cholesterol solvent. You could use that. But a discussion with your doctor could provide more insight since there are different types of pain as well.

I’m quite sure Bernadette has some input as well, but it would help us if you could provide us with some extra information!

[Daniel]

 I agree with  . Elevated LDL cholesterol to me is a symptom. My first step would be finding out why your cholesterol is elevated. A good discussion with your doctor can open doors. If you prepare the discussion, your doctor might draw more labs which can provide you with a deeper insight into your health.

You could ask your doctor if he could examine your liver, kidney & thyroid health. Insulin resistance can also cause elevated LDL cholesterol. Keep in mind that chronic stress can elevate LDL cholesterol as well.

If you feel pain in the upper right quadrant of your body gallstones (which are made of cholesterol) can block the exit of your bile flow. Cholesterol leaves the body through your bile. In this case, the supplement d-limonene could be helpful. It is a cholesterol solvent.

If you are using drugs, some of them can raise LDL Cholesterol as well (progestins, corticosteroids (used with allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, and many more), and anabolic steroids (for example with testosterone replacement therapy)).

When your doctor suspects familial hypercholesterolemia (FH in short) it means he thinks it is genetics. Usually, you can find clues in your family history as well. Do heart problems run in the family? Anyway, here in ‘The Netherlands’ where I come from, doctors can do a genetic test to be sure, but you will have to actively ask the question.

Why I personally don’t recommend niacin as a first-line intervention
Although niacin can raise HDL and lower ApoB and thus LDL Cholesterol, the dosages used in research are really high. On a daily base, we estimate that we need 15 mg of niacin. The dosage used in research is between 500-2000 mg a few times a day.

Those types of dosages come with their own risks, like something that is called a niacin flush, damage to the liver and bleeding in the GI tract.

If you are going to use niacin, I would also discuss this with your doctor/practitioner.

Addressing LDL cholesterol is important
If you do use niacin (or a low-dose statin) as a temporary solution, it can help you prevent plaque from forming. But it doesn’t necessarily address the root cause! 
So to summarize: first find out the root cause, then address the root cause!

Your best approach is still living a healthy inflammation-avoiding lifestyle. Remember: damage in blood vessels is the true root cause of plaque forming.
• Focus on fibre-rich food. 
• Make sure your carbs are low glycemic, don’t avoid them but eat them in moderation. 
• Moderate alcohol (also the organic biodynamic alcohol). 
• Moderate saturated fats, remove transfats & focus on omega 3 fats from fish and algae products. Choose a good quality olive oil. (We have done a post on that here in the general tips section)
• Ideally, incorporate a mix of cardio and strength training into your daily routine.
• Sleep, wake up with energy, reduce stress & do things that make you smile!

In general, the last three tips will move the needle the most!

[Daniel]

 I don’t know exactly why your doctor prescribed Lipitor. There are a variety of reasons possible why LDL cholesterol is elevated. Do you know your reason?

For most (if not all) statins there is a small risk of liver damage. It might be that your doctor is checking your liver enzymes, just to be careful.

As a personal trainer I would like to add, that if you are just trying to exercise, you are doing so much more than most people. And trust me, I sucked big time at exercising myself! But the benefits of even doing just something are so much better than doing nothing. I could write a book about it (if I had the time!)

You don’t need to become a professional athlete to get the health benefits from exercise!

[Daniel]

Hi !

My name is Daniel and I’m in Bernadette’s team as well! Welcome to the platform – and hi from Holland!

There is a lot of content to explore here already. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them in the ‘Ask Your Question’ section! We love questions and there is a big chance that your question will help someone else as well

Enjoy the program!

[Daniel]

Hey ,

Did you use this link? The link will bring you to the videos in the ‘Monthly Courses’ folder.

If this link doesn’t work, let us know!

[Daniel]

I personally consider my food choices presents for my future self. I have a little ritual, just like some people pray and are thankful for every meal. 

I express my gratitude as well, but I reversed the process. I trained myself in asking myself the question: is this something my future self is thankful for.

Another thought that helps me is the next thought. If I want to become ninety without (more) health problems, my current body is the more younger and more ‘health-flexible’version of that older body.

All choices from today on will either tax my body (and mind) and jeopardize a health problem free future. Or my choices wil contribute to keeping my organs as young as possible and will keep my health in the best version as possible.

For me this makes choosing what to do with my food and lifestyle choices much more easy.

[Daniel]

 I think a lot of people can relate to that! I myself included from time to time . What helps me personally (it might not help you, but I will share my experience anyway) is asking myself if the pleasure is worth the pain.

Let’s make this personal. For example, if I eat too much, I can feel really bloated for 3 days. So when the temptation is there, I ask myself in advance: is it worth the 3 days of feeling like crap?  Is this the price I am willing to pay?

When I am asking myself these questions, I usually make better choices. And that’s the whole point. Not aiming for perfection, but aiming for better choices. I for example in restaurants will avoid hyper-palatable food choices so I can stay in control.

Another thought that really helps me: I consider food as a ‘present’ to my future self. This present can be either positive: (support for the activities I want to do, feeling good, etc) or negative (discomfort, guilt trips, contributing to a body with lesser resilience, etc)

By considering food as a present, I usually fall off the wagon much shorter. My new meal is my next opportunity to give myself a present.

I hope this helps a little bit!

[Daniel]

I can’t wait till I have seen it! I think this course’s topic is important for almost every aspect of a healthy life!

 , I love the red ‘paint’ stripe in the design! 

Whoever draws that blood sugar value in your picture needs your course badly by the way!

[Daniel]

Hey Sarah,

First of all: welcome to the community! My name is Daniel and I’m here to help as well. you know B since you were 10? You must have some interesting stories to share about B! One day you should share some!

Anyway, what piques my interest is you sharing you could never stick with your routine. (And trust me, most people if not everyone in the community can relate to that). I was wondering: what problems do you run into?

I hope you will find some relief through the material here on B-better!

[Daniel]

 I know how overwhelming it can be when you learn about the dysfunctions in your body. A SIBO diet (or low FODMAP diet) as a remedie for a SIBO can feel like a lot of rules to remember. Here is a strategy I use with my clients. It consists of 2 parts:

Part 1: Focus on what happens in the stomach first. It influences what happens downstream in the GI tract.
1. The microbiome is like a garden

The garden’s terrain (or microbiome in this analogy) determines what plants (or bacteria) can grow there. If you start to reduce the H. Pylori overgrowth, and you are optimising stomach acid you are going to influence the terrain of the microbiome.

When the chyme leaves the body, you want it initially to be really sour. The pancreatic enzymes neutralize the sourness of the chyme. But the same enzymes help protein & fat digestion. If stomach acid isn’t sour, it will influence the number of pancreatic enzymes that are secreted.

2. Change to a lower carb/higher fat diet
Why? Because to digest fats, we need bile and bile is really cool. It is your body’s solution to ‘anti-biotics’. Bile contains ‘bactericides’ which disinfect. In the garden analogy, you could compare bile with the manure of the soil. It basically keeps the ‘soil’ of the intestines optimal for a balanced bacterial culture.

The main take-home message so far: by optimizing the upper part of the digestion will influence what happens to the lower parts of the digestion!

Part 2: Build up a low FODMAP diet the easy way:

Perhaps I should explain first what FODMAPs are. FODMAP is an abbreviation for a lot of expensive words. But basically, it is food for the gut microbiome. Take this food away, and you are on a low FODMAP diet.

3. Consider a carnivore diet for a few months instead of a SIBO diet (or FODMAP diet as it is called often)
A carnivore diet is not for everyone. It is for you to determine if this would fit you. Things you need to consider are not only if you feel well with the idea. But if you feel a protein-heavy diet like this isn’t working because you feel protein digestion is impaired, a SIBO diet might be a better choice for now. I am just mentioning this as an option because the rules of this diet are so much easier to remember.

It may take away a part of your overwhelm.

When it comes to removing FODMAPs: a carnivore diet is the lowest in FODMAPs of all diets. Do add in a good quality multivitamin here if you choose to use this strategy.

4. How to learn a low FODMAP diet the easy way:

Divide your health journey into steps that you can oversee and are comfortable enough with. This is personally how I would start with the SIBO diet:

1. Start carnivore (without the milk products of course)
2. If you don’t see doing yourself a carnivore diet, add in a few favourite vegetables that are low in FODMAPs.
3. Add in more low FODMAP vegetables as soon as you have familiarised yourself with the vegetables of the previous step.

Extra tip
When you want to be on a SIBO/low FODMAP diet, consider eating more bitter vegetables.

Bitter herbs/vegetables can stimulate the production of stomach acid. Here is a list of bitter vegetables that are low FODMAP:
• Endives
• Arugula
• Mustard
• Swiss Chard
• Dark chocolate/cacao powder
• Kale 
• Watercress
• Dandelion (inclusive dandelion thee)

Here is something I wouldn’t recommend:
• Coffee is bitter & low in FODMAP but still can irritate the intestines. I wouldn’t advise it personally

I hope this answer will take away a part of your overwhelm!

[Daniel]

Hi Dara,

First of all: Welcome to the forum! 

Because it is difficult to get a complete picture of your unique situation, it is difficult to give personal advice via the forum.

That said, anemia can certainly be a cause of fatigue. The size or shape of the red blood cells makes it impossible to deliver oxygen efficiently. There are different types of anemia:
1. In macrocytic anemia, the red blood cells are too large, so they no longer fit into the thinnest capillaries. A B12 deficiency can be the cause, but vitamin B9 and/or B6 deficiency can cause the same dis-ease.
2. In microcytic anemia, the red blood cells are too small. The protein that transports oxygen is missing, called hemoglobin, which is highly dependent on the micronutrient iron.

Especially if people do not feel any relief after 1 or 2 months with B12 injections and the anemia persists, I recommend that the next step is to determine vitamins B9 and B6, iron, ferritin (the storage form of iron in the body) and haemoglobin at the doctor’s office.

Finally, fatigue can arise in many different ways. Throughout the course you will find different reasons. But here are some other common reasons for fatigue.
• Good sleep hygiene is critical (this is discussed in detail in the course material). 
• The vitamins have to be in the food to be absorbed. In a vegetarian diet nutrient deficiencies like B12 and iron can happen.
• You need good quality stomach acid to absorb minerals and vitamins like iron & vitamin B12. Stomach acid production can be influenced by several reasons like stress and bad eating hygiene. This is also discussed in detail in the course material.

Hopefully I gave you some tools to move forward!

[Daniel]

That’s a nice idea! Especially for people who like to learn the basics of meditation☺️