As far as diseases go, bowel disorders are definitely at the bottom of the list (no pun intended)! People will quite openly discuss breast cancer, anemia, arthritis, a sinus infection, the flu, etc., but if you bring up “the runs,” or mention your colon at all, people get uncomfortable.
It’s understandable, really – how do you mention in polite conversation, “Well, I had the runs yesterday, and my colon was spasming so much I actually shat myself in the car because I couldn’t make it home on time?”
What would someone say in response to that, anyway? Another example – try explaining to your boss why it’s not a good idea to have you as the chief presenter at an important client meeting:
“Well, first I’ll be constipated for at least 3 days prior, due to the anticipation of being in the spotlight. Then, about 5 minutes before the meeting starts, I’ll get the runs and spend the next 2 hours excusing myself every 10 – 15 minutes to rush off to the bathroom.” Can you relate??
Although people don’t talk about it much, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread bowel disorder that affects about 50 million Americans – and could easily lead to either of the situations above. However, for an illness with such a high incidence rate, it receives very little discussion and virtually no media attention. Again, we run into the same problem – what news announcer wants to talk about farting and bowel movements on the air, and how exactly would you go about attracting a big corporate sponsor to fund research and awareness?
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are varied and can involve any number and combination of the following symptoms:
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- diarrhea
- abdominal pain & cramping/intestinal spasming
- constipation
- stomach gas/bloating/farting
- heartburn
- excess mucous in stools
- indigestion
- pain upon eating or defecating
- hemorrhoids
- anal fissures (small tears in the anus often caused by frequent bowel movements, or, excessive straining and hard stools)
- And many more than just the above…I’d recommend visiting our home remedies page for any symptoms you may be dealing with, as it is a wealth of information if you are unsure where to begin.
Depending on the severity, combination, and frequency of symptoms, IBS can be a minor annoyance, or, something that really interferes with your quality of life. Unfortunately, the drug treatment protocols for IBS are not very effective in the long-term, and some of them have side-effects that are often worse than the original symptoms. For example, I once took an anti-diarrhea medication that made me bloat like a pelican’s gullet and expel big, loud, smelly farts all day. Honestly, I preferred the diarrhea! If you are looking to see your physician, however, I’d recommend first taking a look at my interview with a Functional Medicine doctor, The Best Medical Tests for Managing IBD or IBS, where I talk with him about which of the medical tests (blood, urine, saliva, stool) give you the biggest bang for your buck – and which ones may be interesting, but won’t really change your course of treatment, or make an impact on your efforts to heal yourself.
The good news is there are many natural treatments for IBS that are very effective and work to heal your body synergistically. However, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with a bowel problem, these remedies will work to heal whatever irregularity you’re experiencing. Here are just a few natural treatments for some of the most pressing symptoms of an irritable bowel:
CONSTIPATION
The easiest remedy for constipation is simply to increase your intake of vitamin C (in ascorbic acid form) and magnesium citrate. Along with that you add a stool bulking and softening agent – taken once or twice a day – my favorite is 1 tbsp. sprouted flax and chia powder, along with 1/2 tsp. bentonite clay.
NOTE: You cannot use these remedies if you are on an exclusively elemental diet – only if you are combining Absorb Plus with regular foods. Vitamin C is an excellent immune booster, with many extensive clinical trials showing large doses to be quite safe. About 40% of Americans are deficient in magnesium, so this is a mineral you probably will only benefit from – the only side-effect of too much Vitamin C or magnesium can be diarrhea.
Start at 2000 mg vitamin C and 250 mg magnesium citrate per day. You can increase up to 6000 mg of vitamin C and 1000 mg of magnesium. For maintenance, eat lots of fresh fruit and ‘non-scratchy’ complex carbohydrates (zucchini, carrots, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, etc.) and drink at least 8 – 10 glasses of spring or filtered water per day, along with one or two doses of the flax/chia seed powder + bentonite combo.
It’s important to note that this is a quick-fix remedy that will alleviate the symptom and stimulate a bowel movement, but it will not provide long-term healing. To heal the root cause of constipation, you need to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms (like bad bacteria, yeast, fungi, etc.) with an intestinal broom (like wild oregano oil or olive leaf) and then re-populate the bowel with good bacteria using probiotics. Lots more information on how to do this in my book, Listen To Your IBS, and throughout my blog.
DIARRHEA
An amino acid called L-Glutamine is the best remedy I’ve come across for diarrhea, and it works very quickly (usually within 2 – 3 days). It’s virtually tasteless and dissolves easily in water. L-Glutamine directly nourishes and heals the mucosal lining of the intestine and causes the bowel to re-absorb the water in your stool, thus reducing the number and frequency of bowel movements. Do not use if you have any liver or kidney disease.
The flax/chia seed powder + bentonite combo is also an excellent product for absorbing water and producing bulkier stools, and it seems to be well-tolerated by most people. As I mentioned above, for long-term healing of your diarrhea, you need to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms (like bad bacteria, yeast, fungi, etc.) and then re-populate the bowel with good bacteria.
Avoid foods that cause diarrhea such as refined sugar, refined flour (white, bleached), hydrogenated fats, caffeine, and acidic, tomato-based foods like spaghetti sauce and pizza. Most people find coffee (regular or decaffeinated) highly irritating as well. Anyone with irritable bowel syndrome should automatically avoid processed foods, luncheon meats or hot dogs, and foods with artificial flavor/color, preservatives or msg. Colonic massage is also an excellent way to reduce frequent bowel movements, as the massage helps move all the separate little stool deposits around the colon and out at once, rather than in many separate bowel movements:
MIND/BODY HEALING
As with any illness or disorder of the body, full healing can only be effected when the emotional and mental components are also addressed. Anger, fear and anxiety are emotions that are typically stored and expressed in the gut. This is clearly evidenced in our language – how often have you heard expressions like, ‘his guts were churning with anxiety’, or, ‘the bile rose in her throat whenever she thought about what he’d done’, or, ‘her stomach clenched in fear?’ In fact, what do people do when faced with extreme violence or fear? They often urinate or defecate uncontrollably.
Any bodywork therapies that utilize somato-emotional release will be very healing to people with IBS. Somato (body)-emotional release is based on the premise that emotional trauma is actually stored in the physical tissues of the body – not just in the mind or soul. When you release the event, or memory, or feeling at this level, the catharsis is particularly effective and healing. Therapies like craniosacral, EFT, matrix reimprinting and other forms of energy healing can all facilitate somato-emotional release. It’s best to look for a therapist that specifically lists somato-emotional release as part of their practice. Choose your practitioner the same way you’d choose a counselor – make sure it’s someone with legitimate qualifications that you feel comfortable and safe with.
I once went to a craniosacral therapist who specialized in somato-emotional release. We started first with my neck and he began by just holding it as I lay on my back (fully clothed). Then, as I relaxed, he slowly began to rotate my head gently to the left and up a bit. Much to my surprise, I immediately experienced a technicolor memory of being beaten as a child. Even more surprising, I re-experienced the fear and anger I had felt then and tears began streaming down my face. When he sensed the emotion was getting a bit much for me, he gently moved my head back to its former position and the memory, the feelings, and the tears disappeared instantly! I was back to the jolly self I was when I originally walked in there, and I lay there laughing over how bizarre that was as I wiped the tears away. He waited for me to relax again and then moved my head back to the same position – and immediately I was back in the memory crying away again. He continued this process until I had worked through the memory and released it, then he moved on to work with other parts of my body.
A friend of mine would experience visions, and she would feel as though she left her body during certain acupuncture sessions. Another friend re-experienced and released a memory of childhood sexual abuse when the craniosacral therapist began working on her arm. You wouldn’t think a sexual abuse memory would be stored in someone’s arm, but the memory began with her being forcefully grabbed at the elbow and marched up the stairs, so that’s where her body stored it. Another woman I know feels distinctly linked with her inner child whenever her energy healer works on her colon. She cries throughout the session and sometimes for a while afterwards, but for the next few days experiences no symptoms of bowel distress whatsoever. Going beyond the psychological, talk-therapy approach and into the body itself can be a very profound and deeply healing experience.
There are many routes to healing and each person has to find their own particular path. Just try to keep in mind that the easiest treatment protocol (for example, popping a pill) is not always the best for your body long-term. Experience teaches us it’s best to seek out ways of healing that work holistically and heal the whole body in an integrated, long-lasting manner. You can find the mind/body/spirit section of my blog here, and I encourage you to take a look around and see what you find there.
There are many more effective treatments for common symptoms of IBS available in my book, LISTEN TO YOUR IBS, including heartburn (acid reflux), spastic colon, abdominal pain and cramping, joint swelling, etc. You can also find additional information in my home remedies section.
Original post June 2012. Most recently updated February 2020.
In 2009 I saw an alternative doctor who told me to do a coffee enema everyday, even though I had been doing colonics every week for the past year. The reason he told me to do enemas is because he was doing a lot of things to detox me such as ozone therapy, supplements, chelation therapy, etc and I was constipated. Soon he put me on a raw food diet and I was so bloated that I began to do colonics 2 times a week, and then 3 times a week, all the while continuing with the coffee enemas everday. In 2010 I stopped colonics. I tried to stop the enemas for 4 months, and had very few bowel movements that were just pellets. From so much pushing I had bright red blood once. At the end, when I started enemas again I could barely even get those to work. Finally I got those to work and now continue to do enemas everyday. If I don’t do them everyday I get very bloated. Also, my body has gotten used to the enemas as a way to get rid of a lot of toxins and if I don’t do them I feel toxic as well.
I’m wondering if in addition to having the enema dependency, that I could maybe have a stricture or fissure that is preventing the stool from moving. When I do the enemas it feels like the stool has to pass through something narrow. When I’ve waited 2 days without an enema I get very very bloated and sometimes can have a very thin bowel movement. I think that this is because the amount of bloating approximates the feeling of an enema for my colon.
Everyone is trying to force me to have an exploratory medical procedure but I don’t want to. How do you know if you have a stricture or fissure? Any other advice would be very helpful. Thank You.
It’s amazing how many raw foodists suffer from constipation. And then yes, they often tell you the solution is to “clean” the body by using regular enemas and colonics. However, does this sound “natural”? Did any other group of humans at any stage of history regularly flush the bowel with water or other substances? As you’ve found, this is a sure recipe for long-term bowel malfunction.
If you are still a raw foodist, I would encourage you to start adding some gently cooked foods back into your diet and to encourage stool motility you need to get some animal fats in there and possibly some animal protein too. You will need to experiment and see what your body likes. If you need to stay raw, then add in raw butter and raw cheddar. Then raw beef (carpaccio, steak tartare) and raw eggs (always add an extra yolk) which can be whipped up with coconut milk and are indectectable. Fish oils (especially cod liver oil) are also key.
HIGH dose probiotic supplementation is also key for someone in your condition, both orally and via a Probiotic Retention Enema.
I have more detailed instructions for all the above in my Listen To Your Colon book, specifically for constipation:
http://www.HealConstipation.com
Regarding the suspected stricture (narrowing, check out this post:
http://www.listen2yourgut.com/blog/natural-remedy-for-anal-stenosis-and-stricture/
For Fissures, I have a product specifically for that:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/shop-by-fissureheal/
For internal hemorrhoids (another possible cause), check out this post:
http://www.listen2yourgut.com/blog/how-to-heal-internal-and-external-hemorrhoids/
hope that helps!
Thank you, Jini. I suffered a lot from constipation before starting raw foods. I have a lot of health problems which led me to the alternative doctor, who then exacerbated the problems and caused this additional problem of the colon. I stopped the raw food diet in 2010, so I was on it for about a year. Since then I have tried eating every way under the sun. Pureed food seems to reduce gas, bloating, etc, but I still need enemas to get anything out. It seems that the pureed food probably helps because it’s not provoking a bowel movement, and then so the colon is not as frustrated by the blockage.
The problem with fats is that I find that any fat great heightens my colon symptoms of cramping and pain. If I do have stenosis constipation and/or anal stricture I wonder if it’s the fat causing the bowels to want to move and then the blockage keeps it from doing so. I am severely allergic to dairy, in that one teaspoon of yogurt causes a severe reaction.
I have many times thought of doing the protocol for stricture, fissure, or hemorrhoids. I’m still not sure how one knows that they have these or which one they have. I refuse to subject myself to a colonoscopy.
Okay, so two things. First, PLEASE go here, watch the vid, download the meditation and your body will tell you what you need to do:
http://www.listen2yourgut.com/blog/synergistic-healing-meditation-prana-eft/
Next, use the 20% formula for Rectal StrictureHeal and that will automatically clear up any internal hemorrhoids you might have. So there’s really no downside!
Then you need to do the probiotic regimen combined with Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil protocol – details for both are in any/all of my books.
Hi Jini, thank you. One time I waited 3 days without doing any enemas and did have close to a normal bowel movement. The problem was by the time I waited the 3 days I was so bloated that I could barely leave the bed or eat. If the stool was a normal width, does that mean I do not have blockages or strictures? Other times when I have gotten extremely bloated, not from waiting 3 days without an enema, but from eating something like bean sprouts, I have produced pencil thin stools after waiting a couple days before doing an enema. There have been times in the past when I waited several days without doing an enema, and nothing happened.
I spoke with a practitioner who specializes in the colon who said that I should start doing only 3 enemas a week, and after to use lugol’s iodine in the enema with apple cider vinegar. The lugol’s purpose would be to restore the potassium and the the ACV to kill the pathogens. My question is: what if I do have a stricture? wouldn’t i need to do the dmso protocol first? on the other hand, it could be that lack of potassium is causing the spasm of the colon, in which case, it seems like this plan would be wiser.
also, i’m working with a different practitioner who suggested eating leafy greens but steaming them and then pureeing them in a vitamix, along with pureeing my grains such as quinoa together with the vegetables. are cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens not a good idea for my situation pureed or not?
thanks
sorry just to correct, the lugol’s and ACV is just in a small amount of water and is a retention enema
Anon – If you have passed normal width stools, then that means there is no STRUCTURAL impediment. Stress, food sensitivities and excess gas (bloating) can all cause a narrowing of the internal anal sphincter and result in ‘pencil stools’.
I can also tell from your questions that you have not done the meditation or Dialoguing With Your Body yet. So please do that (as I posted above) and then re-post if you still have questions. Your body REALLY does know better than me (or your brain) what is the best course of action for you.
Jini,
at the time of the question I had not tried the meditation, but I have done it now twice. I am still unsure, but will do it again.
something i’m unclear on, can the dmso protocol help anal stenosis even if there is no structural problem?
thank you.
Anon – That’s a really good question, because we just don’t know. We know that it works to dissolve scar tissue, but there’s also some good evidence emerging that it calms inflammation too. But as it is still in the experimental stage, we just can’t say anything for sure.
I just posted a new video that may be helpful for you – because sometimes what you think is narrowing is actually just a rectal canal that is not straight, or is outpouching into the vaginal wall. Straightening the rectum and applying counter-pressure can then work like a charm if this is the real, underlying issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP858-ME7Lg
Jini-wow! I think I just had a revelation here. I think you got it exactly. I think I do have rectal prolapse. No doubt all of the colonics and enemas caused that. I remember now when I try to defecate I feel something coming out of my rectum that’s a part of my body. I remember thinking…hmmm I don’t remember this feeling. I’ve been depending on enemas for so long that I literally forgot what feels normal, yet I remember that this feeling that something is coming out is not normal.
In the past 3 years I have had maybe 2 normal bowel movements. One ironically was on a plane where I did have to squat. I had been on a trip so I hadn’t done an enema for three days. I think that in combination with the squatting produced the stool. The other time was a few months ago and it seems to be by some miracle. Recently I tried withholding enemas and was able to produce pencil thin stools only.
I don’t have the squatty-potty. I have another foot elevator thing for the toilet. I don’t find it helpful…I actually feel like my rectum is going to tear when I use it. Now that I think of it, it’s probably the feeling that the rectum is coming out. This foot stand for the toilet that I have allows me to only do the half-squat, not the full squat. Could the full squat help me more? My toilet is high also and the 9 inch won’t be high enough. I don’t have a handyman dad.
I tried putting the counter-pressure to the vagina and that didn’t seem to help. Next I will try working on the rectal area as you mentioned.
I ordered the dmso protocol. I don’t guess that can help with rectal prolapse?
Jini-I just wanted to add a link to the current platform that I’m using. It’s about 9 inches high but it’s not sturdy enough to put all of your weight on. It’s meant for you to sit on the toilet and just put your feet on this.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Welles-Step-Easier-Defecation/dp/B000Z03SHM
ANON – if you can get into a full squat, that allows you easier access to the perineum and levator ani muscles (and vaginal canal) to apply the counter-pressure. However, you can do this to a lesser degree using a child’s stepping stool that just elevates your knees.
If you are flexible, then try raising the toilet seat and squatting right on the ceramic bowl of the toilet – I show you how in the Rectal Prolapse video.
I think Squatty Potty is thinking about making a higher stool – why don’t you contact them and see if they can custom-make one for you? It shouldn’t be too big of a deal. Otherwise, buy the highest one in wood and then pay a local handyman to add 2 inches to it. You want to use the wood one as the MDF or plastic will likely split if you screw into them. Seriously, it will change your life.
You can also look for a specialist bodywork therapist in your area (sorry I don’t know of any outside of Vanc. and L.A.). But contact a local Physical Therapist association and get a listing of therapists who specialize in:
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Incontinence/Prolapse
Pelvic and Uro-genital Pain
For example, I typed “pelvic prolapse therapist new york” into Google and came up with this woman who looks great:
http://physiodynamics.net/about/donata.htm
You can also contact this woman who posted underneath my video as she likely has some good contacts:
“This is an excellent tutorial Jini. As a women’s pelvic floor health advocate, I’m continually looking for insights of benefit to women with different types of pelvic organ prolapse. I’ll be in contact soon.”
Sherrie Palm, Founder/CEO
Association for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support
Her channel (where you can post a msg to her) is:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sherriepalm
Let us know how it goes….
Thank you so much Jini. I just contacted the squatty potty and actually they said that it is quite a bit of trouble because they have a pattern and size programmed into a machine. They are going to check on it for me, but asked me how high I want it. I know you said 2 inches added on the tallest model. However, I’m not sure how high your toilet is compared to mine. I was trying to gage from your video how high the squatty potty was compared to your toilet. Is it O.K. if the squatty potty is even with the toilet or should it be slightly lower?
My altered squatty potty is now about 1.5″ lower than the rim of my toilet and that is fine to achieve a squat. If it was even with the rim of the toilet bowl, that would also be just fine.
Hi Jini, I recently had an epiphane of sorts while attempting to assist a relative with Crohn’s. I had not kept up with the research and was still under the impression that Crohn’s was similar to an autoimmune disorder rather than an immunodeficiency. I had noted that those I knew who had Crohn’s tended to be more vulnerable to certain types of bacterial infections, but had assumed that this is due to the drugs they are on. However, after looking into the matter – it seems that a faulty immune system is actually an inherent characteristic of the condition. Is this something that you have noticed with those you help? It seems quite a tight walk to expose oneself to “good bacteria” and trusting the immune system to respond appropriately. I want to suggest this route (i.e. the probiotic route), but given the tendency to pathogenesis to organisms that would normally not be problematic for most others – I don’t want to add fuel to the fire.
ASHLEY – Aaaargh, it’s so frustrating that Dr. Silvio Najt MD does not have his book out yet, since he has interesting things say about this exact issue. I’ll see if I can get him to comment here.
But anyway, this is not new, it is just becoming more prolific in the literature. Here are some excerpts from Listen To Your Gut (2006) where I talk about factors pertaining to this. BUT at the end of the day, research results can swing all over the place, but the bottom line is WHAT WORKS? Hence I keep stressing to people that you have to use a multi-pronged approach (see the 8 steps on my homepage) to get the best results. Anyway, here’s the stuff from LTYG:
It’s also important to ingest the right strain of each probiotic species. Different strains of acidophilus (for example) can produce completely different results. Out of 200 different strains of acidophilus, only 13 have potent antibiotic and antiviral capabilities. If you have IBS or IBD, you need to ingest potent strains that are capable of wiping out the bad bacteria in your gut, strong enough to protect against re-infection, and capable of restoring your mucosal lining and helping to balance your immune system.
…
Some species that are routinely included in commercial probiotic blends simply do not have a long-term record of human safety and not enough is known about their actions/ramification in the gut under varying conditions. For example, a study on immunodeficient mice found that supplementing with a certain strain of L. reuteri (used in many probiotic blends) caused some of the mice to die, leading the researchers to recommend “the need to proceed cautiously when using high doses of this strain in neonatal, immunocompromised hosts.”(10) Therefore, you only want to purchase a probiotic supplement that contains species and strains with a proven, long-term record of human safety.
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So, you need to be very careful when choosing a probiotic brand to supplement with as the field of misinformation in this arena is vast. In my opinion, probiotics are so powerful, they should be stringently regulated and undergo routine, independent testing. Swallowing live microorganisms, which are highly adaptive, intelligent beings, should be undertaken with great caution and safety should always be paramount. Unfortunately, currently probiotics are not regulated at all, and many probiotic manufacturers do not even comply with labeling guidelines. In addition, when I refer to ‘probiotics’ I’m referring to food-cultured beneficial bacteria only.
…
When I first began recommending Natren probiotics to my readers, I did so for one reason only; they worked. At that time, I knew a fraction of what I know now about probiotic strain selection, manufacturing, storage, and other factors effecting potency and efficacy. I had experimented with different brands of probiotics off and on for seven years and each time I tried supplementing, my symptoms (gas, bloating, bleeding) worsened. Although the science behind probiotics and why they should benefit me seemed sound, my experience proved contrary. When I was nearly ready to give up on the whole subject, my naturopathic physician Dr. David Wang, convinced me to try Natren brand probiotics. He insisted they were the best brand he knew of and that I would see good results from them. I started with just Natren’s Bifido Factor powder (Bifidobacterium bifidum Malyoth strain) and for the first time, experienced an improvement as a result.
Prior to taking Natren’s B. bifidum, the only thing that had worked to stem my chronic diarrhea was L-Glutamine (on an empty stomach only). However, within three doses of Natren’s bifidobacteria, my stools began to firm up and excess water was reabsorbed. I tried Natren’s Megadophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1) next but did not tolerate that as well as the bifidum. In searching for reasons why, I came across this bit of research that showed that in states of inflammation the overall tolerance to bacterial flora is greatly reduced:
“It is possible that the products of the commensal flora promote inflammation in the presence of an impaired mucosal barrier or injury to the mucosa… These results indicate that, in health, there is tolerance to autologous [your own] but not allogeneic [foreign source] intestinal flora, and tolerance is lost during inflammation. Evidence also exists that animals are tolerant to their own flora in health but not after colitis develops.”(13)
Unfortunately, this bit of research doesn’t specify which species of bacteria the body loses tolerance for, and which strains of which species – perhaps all of them? Nevertheless, it provided me with a clue by which to proceed, and I stayed on just the B. bifidum bacteria for another three months before trying the L. acidophilus again and I then tolerated it well. By that time (I surmise) the B. bifidum and other supplements I was taking had healed my intestine to the point where it was able to tolerate – and benefit from – additional probiotic supplementation. About a month after that, I added Natren’s L. bulgaricus and tolerated that successfully as well. I have since continued to recommend the same conservative course of action to my readers.
However, in March 2005, Gastroenterology journal published results of a human trial on 75 people with IBS, supplementing with 10 billion cfu of B. infantis, once per day in a malted milk drink. Now, Bifidobacterium infantis is, as the title suggests, a strain typically used for infants. But as Dr. Quigley and his colleagues note in their paper, the symptom relief achieved with B. infantis in the trial was comparable to that seen with Zelnorm (tegaserod) and Lotronex (alosetron) – two drugs used in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.(14)
B. Infantis is the predominant bacteria found in the bowel of healthy breastfed infants. As the infant begins to eat solid foods, the more ‘adult’ strains like B. bifidum come to dominate. However, what if you never had a healthy bacterial flora as an infant? Then maybe it would be best for you to start with what was missing from the very beginning and work up from there? This approach makes sense to me both logically and intuitively. Interestingly, I had a bottle of Natren’s Life Start (B. infantis) in my fridge (that I had given to my daughter) and about six months before this research came out I had begun taking it myself (along with the three adult species/strains) just because I intuitively felt like trying it.
In light of this research, you may want to consider beginning probiotic supplementation with B. infantis, especially if you try B. bifidum and can’t tolerate it. And just to confuse you even more, I have talked with readers who couldn’t tolerate B. bifidum at first, but could tolerate L. acidophilus. So, essentially, I’ve provided you with a guideline, but within that you may need to experiment and find what works best for your particular body and gut environment. The only thing I can tell you for sure is: Don’t give up! You do need to establish a healthy bacterial flora (consisting of all three species) to enjoy long-term, lasting health.
I know many people have experienced good results from more aggressive supplementation and also from beginning supplementation immediately (with ulceration and bleeding still present). Feedback from hundreds of readers has confirmed the effectiveness of the slower approach (as outlined above), but it certainly does take more time to see results since you’re proceeding so slowly. However, if your gut is really toxic, proceeding slowly helps minimize the die-off effect (Herxheimer Reaction), so while it takes longer to see any results, at least you don’t have the nausea, bloating, headaches, etc. that can result from a rapid die-off of pathogens in the gut. As in all things, please follow your own gut instinct first. If you feel you should pursue aggressive supplementation, then please do so. I know of a colon clinic in Sydney, Australia that treats people with active, bleeding Crohn’s with high doses of Natren brand probiotics orally and also via retention enemas and they have had good success with this approach.
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One more thing Ashley, we have also found that people get the BEST results from starting with Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol (which has you taking wild oregano all day and then one dose of probiotics before bed). And then from there transitioning onto high dose oral probiotic supplementation. Some also do Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema too at that point. If your friend is interested in just those protocols (without the rest of the book), we sell the eBook here:
http://www.listen2yourgut.com/blog/probiotic-retention-enema/
I can’t thank you enough for all that information, Jini. Knowledge is the most precious thing we have, and the amount you share with everyone really reveals the richness of your character. I have often wiped my hands of trying to help this relative of mine – as his poor decisions regarding his own health seemed to be attention-seeking tactics as everytime he landed in the hospital he would make sure everyone would know about his dire circumstances and would blame it for his poor performance in other aspects of his life. However, this time he really did himself a number as he somehow developed bacterial growths in clots in his arm – which came following another gut emergency for which he had been put on steroids on top of his other immunsuppressants. Perhaps he is growing tired of this routine and will decide he will try the path to wellness you offer.
Take some deep breaths Ashley, whilst tapping with your fingertips on the side of your hand (where you would karate chop someone) and let it all go. I know you know this.
I have a number of relatives with these diseases who won’t use my protocols – even though other family members have urged them repeatedly. A friend of mine not only read my books, but sold them to her clients, but her own daughter would not use the natural methods and died from her colitis.
We can’t take that on and we must leave others free to determine their own path; even if we think it’s ludicrous. All we can do is take care of ourselves, so that we can remain compassionate and available (should they ask) but detached. Because it is their story, not ours.
Yes, I know you live the reality of living amongst horses that refuse to satisfy their thirst with the water you offer, and I have bought myself a plaque of the serenty prayer that sits prominently on my wall. I just have a difficult time watching someone self-destruct without flinching a few times along the process. Thanks for your wisdom.
That’s a great way of putting it:
“I just have a difficult time watching someone self-destruct without flinching a few times along the process.”
amen to that sister!
Dear Jini,
I’m jumping back here to return to my original comment, sorry to interrupt 🙂 So wow now that I’m realizing the whole “prolapse” idea I am just beside myself. I’ve been suffering for 10 years. I have examined myself inside my vagina (accidentally because I was applying the mixture of oregano oil and olive oil to combat fungus) and there is something HUGE protruding into there. I have Interstitial Cystitis and when I try to push on it it stings in my bladder. So I guess it’s bladder prolapse. However, how do you separate these things? With all of my bowel symptoms it would seem to point to rectal prolapse. Could it be both? Could it be that the bladder is protruding so bad that it’s affecting the bowel? I have just ordered all of your products for rectal prolapse but maybe that’s not even what I have.
thanks.
anon – It’s impossible to tell without being examined by a pelvic floor specialist. Perhaps you should wait on treatment until you have been examined.
Or (I’m assuming you ordered the products for Rectal StrictureHeal?) you could start by using the dropper to apply to both rectum and vagina. Add 7 drops wild oregano to the total solution for applying to vagina and it will help with fungus too. Applying to both means the solution will also migrate to the bladder somewhat, so may help with things there.
Jini,
thank you. i actually do have the products for rectal strictureheal and have tried them once on my rectum. so the rectal strictureheal products can help with prolapse?
actually i’m starting to finally get it that things actually reach my bladder if i apply them to my vagina and rectum much better than anything i take orally. the reason is that i think a lot of the complication of my Interstitial Cystitis and why I haven’t had any progress all of these years is the bladder prolapse. the part of the bladder that has sunk into the vagina is the part that always feels irritated. i always said to myself that i hurt in the “back of my bladder”, never understanding what was wrong. therefore, i feel much more relief from the pain coming from that area (which is most if not all my bladder pain) when I try to get to it from the other way. so I love your idea, it’s great. thank you. my concern is that if dmso transports everything through the tissues, can’t it transport the fecal waste into the bladder or vagina then?
also, if i do this at night, would the dmso smell go away by the morning?
sorry forgot this part: what i meant by the products that i ordered is the products you mentioned in your “rectal prolapse” ebook such as the magnesium citrate, potassium citrate, metacleanse. i didn’t realize that the strictureheal products could help with rectal prolapse.
i felt around pretty good and i have a feeling i have both the rectal prolapse and the bladder prolapse. the rectal because i felt a small part of my rectum come out of my anus and bladder because all of the symptoms completely point to that.
Jini,
I tried putting the rectal strictureheal formula into the vagina. Naturally, I forgot to mix the oregano oil and ended up mixing the oregano oil instead into the bottle that I have for the rectal strictureheal that i use on the rectum. I used that on the rectum and i used the regular strictureheal formula on the vagina. i’ll have to try it again the right way. regardless, it made my bladder very much relax for the first time in years i think. finally it didn’t feel so tied into a knot. i realize that much of what is going on now is the unending severe spasm of my bladder and bowel, they feel tied in a knot. i guess that could be causing the prolapse of both of them. of course, by morning (i put it on at night) the good feeling was gone and the spasm was back.
anon – I really don’t know what to say… you’re in new territory here and I really have no idea how the strictureheal formula will affect you. I guess all you can do is test. Because what if chronic infection is what’s underlying your prolapses? In that case, it would benefit you. But if the underlying reason is structural, then you really need to see a pelvic floor specialist for manipulation or therapy.
Hi jini
I recently purchased your book IBD Remission Diet. I have been on a liquid diet, but losing weight. I am contemplating trying the absorb plus. I have what is thought as severe IBS at the moment. But I have been dx crohn’s in the past. But it has been in remission for some time. I think I am headed into a flare. I was wondering if you know of any MD’s that specifically work with an elemental type diet? I am curious as well, as to why the Absorb plus is low in Calcium? And one more question, I ordered the ibd remission diet. WIll that be enough to walk me through the elemental diet and subsequent reintro of foods? Or so I need LTYG as well? I cannot afford to buy everything if I am going to do the fast on the shakes, and so am hoping the one book will be enough.
Thank you and I’m glad to see people out there making a difference. Seems like you are one of those people.
Yes, we do have an MD who used The IBD Remission Diet for his own daughter:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/private-health-consults/
The calcium is low in Absorb Plus, because research is showing that excess calcium (which cannot be excreted) is lining arteries and causing the spike in heart disease in women. So we prefer to use nanoparticle calcium instead – which is 100% absorbed. You can read more about it here:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/nanoparticle-minerals-heal-tooth-decay-and-osteoporosis/
Lastly, yes the IBD Remission Diet is designed to be a complete how-to guide and most people follow it without any other assistance. I also recently put together this Short Sheet which gives you final step-by-step instructions for the Diet (this is the download link):
http://signups2.s3.amazonaws.com/ibd-remission-shortsheet.pdf
Soar higher!
I’m curious how long the absorb plus has been low in calcium? I am concerened about that aspect, as I cannot take a supplement in pill form. When was the change made? Also, from what I recal about the studies is that they were done with people using poorly tolerated forms of calcium, like carbonate. From my understanding, this does not occur with easier forms such as gluconate, and orotate…
I am current;y on an elemental diet, vivonex. It is terrible lol. I am wanting to switch to absorb plus. I have one of the samples coming. I would like ot gain weight as well. I am not bleeding currently, but think I almost got there. Would the elemental diet still work if I only do a week on just the shakes and then intro solid foods, and continue with the shakes as snacks?
What foods are typically added in first?
I have given up on the vivonex, and am trying low res diet again, but am not doing very well on it. Hoping the absorb plus works out…
AKKI – do you have my IBD Remission Diet book? All your questions are answered there:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/healing-resources/5/the-ibd-remission-diet-achieving-long-term-health-with-an-elemental-diet-and-natural-supplementation-plan.html
You can also download ch. 1, get a free eBook, and a colonoscopy eBook (sign up in the purple box on the left hand side) and you can get the complete book as a free eBook, plus a discount sample here:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/absorb-plus.html
You MUST find a fiber supplement that is made from “functional” fibers, which is fiber that is isolated or extracted from plants or animals, with health benefits in humans. Psyllium is obviously the most effective in treating constipation and the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. I have tried the Lady Soma Fiber Cleanse (which has these “Function fibers”), and I completely love it. I use a bottle about every 1-2 months, and there are no side effects, and the price is amazing. Good luck hon!
Hi, Jini
I have read every thing on your webside and it is so interesting. I have IBS with ulcera in the anus and rectus . do you think that with your therapy, oregano oil in the anus, it will help me?
Can you explain me please , which is the different between take oregano oil or put in the anus as you recommend in you book listen to your gut?
Hi Jackelin,
Jini’s protocols are described in detail in each of her eBooks so it would really depend on what condition you are trying to heal. A good place to start to learn more about wild oregano oil would be at this blog post:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/where-can-i-find-out-more-about-wild-oregano-oil/
You can also visit Jini’s symptom pages to sign up for more information. If you visit the one below, you can sign up for a free eBook Jini wrote about Wild Oregano Oil in the pink box on the left side of the page:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/25/proctitis-or-rectal-infection.html
Regarding your IBS, here’s a link to Jini’s symptom page for that (this one has a free quick start guide you can sign up for in the pink box):
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/15/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs.html
We wish you all the best on your healing journey!
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
High doses of probiotics make me worse.
Hi Natasha,
Did you try all three Natren strains at once? If so, you may want to consider Jini’s cautious/sensitive approach that she outlines on page 175 of Listen to Your Gut where you start with one strain and work your way into the other two.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I have been diagnosed with sibo, I was wondering if it were you, how would you deal with it? I hear so many different opinions, oh and the diets people recommend contradict each other such as specific carbohydrate diet and the fodmap diet.
Thank you, Susan
Hi Susan,
Jini’s wild oregano protocol is one thing she recommends to combat SIBO and we’ve received good feedback from people going on an elemental diet using Absorb Plus (unsweetened flavor only) in conjunction with the wild oregano protocol. For more details, check out the links below:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/maltodextrin-and-crohns-gut-biofilm/
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/quad-synergy-pathogen-parasite-protocol/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Hello jini,am having stomach tumbling and after the rumbling farting will follow, what do you think can be responsible for that?or is something wrong with me. Thanks
Hi Teewhy,
Gas is a normal part of the digestive process but if it is making you uncomfortable or you just want learn how to minimize it, check out the link below to Jini’s symptom page for that:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/22/gas-and-bloating.html
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
About a year ago I was diagnosed with IBS and had a couple perianal abscesses. Thanks to this site and Jini’s awesome book I took control of all these issues. I had an attack of sorts today that I have not had in years. I would say this has happened to me about 5-7 times in the past 15 years total. The strong pain hits my center upper abdomen/near the chest, along with loud gas moving through my gut, diarrhea, and sometimes vomiting. Once I get everything out the pain subsides within 15-30 minutes. Doctors think I’m nuts when I describe these attacks. The pain can be so bad that I just want to call 911 but I know better because once everything is out I’m come right back to normal. Have any of you ever experienced this or heared of such a thing? Thank you in advance for any insight on this seeming strange issue.
Is colostrum worth a try for gut issues like IBS, IBD, Chrons or SIBO?
Hi Karen,
Jini mentions colostrum in the comments at this post:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/i-am-ashamed-we-need-a-better-dairy/
The short answer is, we don’t have enough info to recommend it and Jini has not done any testing with it, personally.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care