Are you suffering

My Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Experience

My first taste of joint pain was shortly after I started a job in road construction. I couldn’t stand in one place for more than a few minutes. The pain in my knees & lower back was excruciating, almost brought me to tears. At the time, I thought it was from working long shifts where I was standing for 12-14 hours. In grade 11 I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis (slippage of vertebrae) so thought this pain could be related.  The pain persisted for 3 months and my only recourse was taking pain killers or having a few drinks. Eventually, I went to the doctor and he said you likely suffer from some form of arthritis. My joint issues took a backseat as I experienced new symptoms: blood in my poop, night sweats, and unformed bowel movements.  I was referred to a GI Doc and this was the beginning of a diagnosis of severe Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis. I experienced flare up of my gut symptoms and other times it was my joints. My GP sent me for more tests in regards to the joint pain. When the tests came back he concluded that I suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Now, I could say I suffered from 3 autoimmune conditions.. that’s 1 more than my grandma who had UC & RA. With all these initials I felt like a real professional CD, UC, & now RA. Gratefully I was able to overcome all 3 of these issues.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA is an autoimmune condition where the body (immune system) attacks the tissue in the joints. It affects the hands and feet, but can affect any joint in the body. It’s considered to be a long term degenerative condition. The typical symptoms are: swelling, stiffness, redness, burning, fever, and fatigue.

• About 1.5 million people in the US suffer from RA+ &  300,000 Canadians +
• RA usually begins between ages 30-60 in men

• 3 times more women suffer from RA compared to men
• Increased odds in getting RA if you have a family member that also suffers from it

Underlying Root Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

There might not be one specific thing that causes this condition. With that said, we definitely have a few strong contenders like:

• Gluten (Inflammatory food & contribute towards leaky gut)
• Infections (Dysbiosis & Candida)
• Mold or Mycotoxins (Can injure GI tract + )
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Excess Carbohydrates
• Lectins +

How to Cure Rheumatoid Arthritis: Naturally & Permanently

For all intensive purpose we’re not going to use the cure word. Instead we will focus on reversing this autoimmune condition using strategies that have worked for others. There might not be a cure, but if you can achieve long term remission who cares what label is used.  Many of the RA root causes are linked to causing or contributing to Leaky Gut. Any lifestyle change that works to heal Leaky Gut will result in less RA symptoms. If you’re looking for a permanent solution then be ready to make a commitment to achieving your goal.

The Connection: Gut Health & RA Joint Pain

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune condition. There are strong correlations between gut health and autoimmune symptoms. It’s likely you’ve heard of a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome.

What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome

This is when the gut wall (gut lining) becomes leaky with holes. The role of the gut wall is to act as the security guard between what you eat and your immune system. If the gut is leaky food particles and other proteins slip through into the bloodstream. The immune system sees these proteins as foreign invaders. So it sounds the alarm and sends out the troops to attack. This response can’t differentiate between your tissue and foreign tissue. So it attacks them both like in autoimmune disease.

Common Leaky Gut Symptoms:

• Excess Inflammation (inflammatory conditions)
• Allergies
• Brain Fog, ADHD
• Depression & Anxiety
• Skin Issues
• Joint Problems
• Gut & Digestive Issues

Heal your Leaky Gut and Heal your Arthritis

Intestinal Dysbiosis is a precursor to Leaky Gut Syndrome and is linked to RA +. Research is beginning to support the idea that the onset of autoimmunity is linked to the GI tract & composition of the microbiome. In essence our gut bacteria controls our immune system + whether directly or indirectly. In a previous article I stated Autoimmune Disease and Leaky Gut are the same process. Regardless of what autoimmune condition you have, they’re interrelated. I’ve found if my gut was off, then so were my joints, eczema broke out, got eye floaters, cold hands & feet (Raynauds), and others. Manifestation of symptoms can be different depending on the severity of my leaky gut & dysbiosis. So if your looking to reverse your RA then healing leaky gut should be your primary focus. As you heal the gut you’ll see your RA and other autoimmune issues subside. This doesn’t have to be complicated: heal your gut and overcome your Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Role of Diet in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Does Food Matter

During my diagnosis doctors said it didn’t matter what I ate. I think we’ve come a long way in 12+ years: common sense and science are prevailing. I know it’s confusing with disinformation and too many choices. We will combine science with anecdotal experiences. We can start off by looking at the foods & factors that negatively affect RA.

RA Trigger Foods & Factors:

• Dietary Lectins +
• Gluten +
• Sugar +
• Obesity is associated with RA+
• 2/3 of people with RA are obese or overweight +

What is the Best Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis

We know some of the main triggers, causes, and factors so we can reverse engineer a basic solution. Starting with diet, we can find an approach that removes gluten, sugar, and lectins. the best diet for RA is any diet that works to correct dysbiosis and heal Leaky Gut Syndrome. The most successful RA diets I’ve seen are low carb in nature.

Low Carb Diets for RA

It’s been shown that Low Carb diets provide relief from arthritis +. Let’s also consider that some of the main triggers and causes for RA Symptoms are carb rich and processed foods.  Too much sugar can increase uric acid levels which can trigger inflammation and insulin resistance. These factors contribute towards Obesity & Leaky Gut Syndrome + both factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Bottom line: Low Carb Diets work to reduce inflammation and naturally heal autoimmune conditions like RA. I won’t cover every option but here are a few of them.

 Successful Low Carb Options for RA:

• Carnivore Diet
• Ketogenic Diet
• Weston Price Principles
• GAPS
• PALEO & Primal
• SCD

There are a variety of low carb approaches but my personal favorites are Carnivore & Keto. I like them because they are simple and easy to follow.  I’ve tried too many diets to count. These ones are the most effective and easiest to incorporate into your lifestyle.

 What is Keto (Ketogenic Diet)

A ketogenic diet is a low carb high fat diet approach (LCHF). Typical Keto diet is one where carbohydrates are restricted to 30-50 grams per day. This is a high fat diet with 75% of daily calories coming from FAT. The reduction of carbohydrates puts your body into a state of nutritional ketosis. This is when your body metabolizes fat instead of glucose for energy. This process happens in the liver as fat is broken down into ketones. Normal macronutrient ratios for a ketogenic diet are as follows:

• 75% Fat
• 20% Protein
• 5% Carbohydrates

These numbers can be adjusted slightly and still be considered a ketogenic diet. Ketosis is controlled by the absence of carbohydrates. No matter how complicated people make this process seem.

 Why Keto Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Keto diet is an awesome tool to manage your RA symptoms with Diet. Here are a few reasons why this diet is so successful in reversing RA:

• Improves metabolic and inflammatory markers (CRP) +
• Reduces Inflammation
• Improves Insulin Resistance
• Reduces Obesity (as promotes breakdown of excess fat stores)

I enjoy the keto diet but I believe there’s a better option initially to heal RA. This diet approach is known as the Carnivore Diet. I like Carnivore because it’s basic and removes known culprits such as lectins, nightshades, nuts, and nut products from the diet.

Carnivore Diet: What is it

It’s a whole food animal based diet where you eat meat, eggs, and other foods derived from animals. The diet is also referred to as The Zero Carb Diet because it’s ultra low carb. Because of the low carb amounts you also get all the benefits of a Ketogenic Diet. The Carnivore approach is my favorite starting place to reverse autoimmune issues. It’s  simple to follow and satiates your hunger. Fat is vital to making you feel satisfied during a meal. Don’t believe me try eating your fav carbs without fat and you’ll find they’re boring and unsatisfying. This is why the food industry laces most foods with oils, and additional fats. We crave fat so we eat these processed carbs to get more fat. In natural whole foods, high carb and high fat do not exist together. Sounds crazy but go look it up. You’ll find that most foods are either high fat or high carb but not both.  Only breast milk has both because it’s main purpose is to make you grow fast. 

Can Carnivore Diet Heal Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Carnivore Diet is one of the best approaches to naturally cure or heal arthritis. It’s taboo to say the word cure, but by definition cure means: to relieve ones symptoms from a disease or condition. Try not to get caught up in irrational terminology. Carnivore does a great job at relieving RA symptoms.  I know your main goal is to get rid of the pain and get back to enjoying life.

What Triggers Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Ups:

It’s not known for certain the exact factors that lead to an RA flare up.  But we can show some of the foods and factors that contribute to these flare ups such as:

• Large Load of Carbs
• Excess Gluten +
• Excess Sugar +
• Beer
• Dairy
• Stress & Worry are linked to RA+

In my experience RA flare ups are directly related to the state of the gut. When the gut is a war zone (aka complete dysbiosis) or leakiness, autoimmune symptoms will be active.  The things mentioned above promote inflammation. They cause most autoimmune conditions to flare up.

Best Foods For Rheumatoid Arthritis

These are some of the most nutrient dense and healthy foods you can consume. They also just happen to be low in carbohydrates.

• Meat
• Eggs
• Fish
• Healthy Fats (olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, butter, lard, and tallow)
• Avocados
• Green Veggies (if you can consume them without pain or issues, this depends on the condition of your gut)

How to Stop Arthritis Flare Ups: What Helps

For starters, we can stop consuming the things that trigger RA symptoms and including the best foods for RA. This involves adopting a low carb diet with my favorites being Carnivore followed by Keto. Most RA symptoms are caused by things going in the body (INPUT).  If we can reduce the toxins going in we will reduce the symptoms. Another awesome tool is to use an intermittent fasting (IF) routine like 16:8. This means that you would stop eating after 8pm, go to sleep, skip breakfast, and eat your first meal at 12pm. You can consume 1-2 coffees with stevia or sweetener and a little bit of cream if you tolerate it. The goal is to reduce the stuff going in so that your body can focus on healing and less time reacting. I’ve done Intermittent Fasting for 6+ years and it’s been nothing short of awesome. I noticed early in my healing journey if I didn’t eat I had minimal symptoms. This was an Aha moment when I knew what we put in our bodies directly affects our bodies. 

In Disbelief: A Whole Food Animal Diet can Change your Life?

I know where your coming from. I went from a Veganish experiment that led me to Keto then to Carnivore. With lots of trial and error I’ve become an intuitive eater. One who knows how foods affect my body. The simple secret to eating intuitively is to start simple and slowly progress. This means to start with 1-2 foods until you feel minimal to no symptoms. Once your at this point you can add 1 food per week or two and see how you feel. You will begin to vividly notice how each addition makes you feel. Using this approach is easier then doing 10-15 foods and guessing which one is causing you issues. The closer I stay to Carnivore the better I feel. More energy, better performance, lean physique, cognitive clarity, and minimal to zero inflammation. 

Full disclosure: I love eating junk food and carbs! Whether fruits, chips, cookies, apple pies, pasta, crusty buns, you name it. But I know there is no comparison to how I feel eating these foods vs eating a more primal diet like Carnivore or Keto. The goal is to sustain a diet that allows you to feel awesome.  Strategically using few structured cheat meals once your established will keep you in the zone. Most people fail with diet approaches because the go from one extreme to another. They give up every pleasure food until they eventually snap and fall off the wagon aka yo-yo dieting. Remember your friend who grinded to look awesome only to find themselves looking like a tub of goo a year later. I’m guilty of this a few times in my life.

LIFESTYLE is the Key to Beating Your Rheumatoid Arthritis

I know this is a easier said than done. Most of us know what we have to do but have a hard time committing to things over the long run. The key to overcoming your RA is to adopt healthy habits that eventually become part of your lifestyle. Chances are that you’ll fall off the wagon a few times but who cares get back up and keep on going. Be okay with small failures knowing that their a part of the process. Before you know it these habits will be ingrained in your routine. A few healthy habits can completely change your life.

My life changed when I took personal responsibility for my health. I can’t change my genes or better put my genetic susceptibility. But I can affect how my genes are expressed by controlling what goes into my body (nutrients & toxins). I can do more of the things that promote wellness and less things that promote sickness. fortunately for me this approach worked awesomely and I’ve enjoyed great health for over a decade.

I believe passionately that you can overcome your Rheumatoid Arthritis. You might be in a rough place right now but this is only temporary. I’ve watched many others reclaim their lives from autoimmune conditions, so can you!  Your body knows how to heal, its built in. Your body is a marvelous self healing and self regulating machine. Remove the toxins, give it nutrients, and let the body do its thing.

You got this!

Also, if you try Carnivore or Keto and it makes a difference please let me know about your experience. Feel free to reach out anytime.

The post How I Reversed Rheumatoid Arthritis with Keto & Carnivore Diet appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

The post How To Get Pregnant with Autoimmune Disease: Reverse Infertility appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

The average person in today’s world tends to over consume complex carbs and processed foods. The majority of our calories come from carbohydrates like wheat, flour, sugar, potato chips, candy bars, and soda pop. Today, there are no shortage of obese people or people who suffer from a variety of diseases, and other health ailments. The majority of these diseases are the result of lifestyle + whether diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and Autoimmune conditions. Very few diseases are caused solely due to genetics + or genetic predisposition.

It turns out that some of the main culprits of disease are: excessive carbohydrates, processed foods, sugar, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. This lifestyle over time can lead to insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction (sugar burning vs fat burning), gut dysbiosis, candida issues, Leaky Gut Syndrome, nutrient deficiency and overall toxicity. We don’t know the exact process of how people get sick, but we do know that metabolic function and gut health are imperative pieces of the puzzle.

What is a Carnivore Diet?

A Carnivore Diet (CD) approach is one where you eat mostly animal products. I guess you could refer to it as a whole food animal based diet. This includes meat, eggs, fish, and fats that come from animals. They’re are different levels of Carnivore like Freshman, Junior, Varsity etc. Many may start doing beef, eggs, and bacon then add organ meats, and some even choose to eat raw meat. I’ve yet to consume raw meat as it’s not that appealing but who knows what the future holds. Regardless there is a version of Carnivore that will fit anyone’s lifestyle, unless your a vegan. You can read about the CD in more detail.

Why The Carnivore Diet Improves Gut Health

Carnivore improves gut health for many people for a few key reasons:

• It’s a calorie rich Elimination Diet
• It Removes many toxins and triggers such as gluten, and sugar
• Removes Lectins which are plants silent weapons against their seeds being eaten
• Reduces excess carbs that can feed the bad guys (opportunistic organisms) in dysbiosis
• Optimizes Cholesterol function in the body (cholesterol is used to create hormones +)

Carnivore Diet for Candida, and Leaky Gut Syndrome

We know that Candida thrives when high carbohydrate diets are consumed. When you drop the consumption of daily carbs, autoimmune symptoms are usually reduced. This comes down to the fact that Candida is a yeast + that feeds and multiplies in the presence of sugar and other complex carbs.

Carnivore Diet is great for Leaky Gut Syndrome because:

• It reduces and or halts the growth of Candida & Pathogenic Organisms that contribute to causing it.
• It removes most Lectins which are known to be plants usually seeds/nuts silent weapons against being digested. (Plants want to procreate.. have new plant babies)
• Provides the body with much needed building materials like (gelatin, collagen) to repair the gut lining (epithelial)

What is a Leaky Gut?

I’m guessing that if you’re reading this article you’re probably familiar with the concept of a intestinal permeability also known as Leaky Gut Syndrome. But just in case this is when the gut wall also known as the epithelial lining is broken down or filled with holes. The main function of our gut wall is to act like border control (control the movement in and out). On one side you have digested food particles, and on the other side your immune system.  If the border is not secure, food particles and toxins can pass straight through into your bloodstream. In response your immune system mounts an attack against these foreign invaders. If this condition persists you end up with a host of symptoms and eventually autoimmune conditions.

The Main Symptoms of a Leaky Gut are:

• Skin issues like eczema or acne
• Digestive issues: gas,bloating, diarrhea, IBS, and others
• Chronic Fatigue (always tired and exhausted)
• Allergies +
• Brain fog & ADHD +
• Depression and Anxiety +

Autoimmune disease is linked to leaky gut syndrome +. This means if you’ve been diagnosed with an Autoimmune condition chances are that you also suffer from a Leaky Gut.

What Causes a Leaky Gut?

We could say that one of the primary causes of a leaky gut is something called dysbiosis. Assuming you’re a healthy person your gut bacteria would exist in ratios of 80% beneficial bacteria and 20% pathogenic/opportunistic bacteria, protozoa and other organisms. Dysbiosis is when this ratio becomes inverted: 80% pathogenic and 20% beneficial. When this happens your health usually declines rapidly.

Things that cause Dysbiosis:

• Modern SAD Diet (processed, high carb, high sugar) +
• Antibiotics, Birth Control, and some medications like PPI’s used for heartburn +
• Chronic Stress +

Although Dysbiosis is usually a precursor to Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autoimmune issues, it’s not the only thing that causes permeability.

Other causes for Gut Permeability:

• Gluten +
• Lectins (plants silent weapons)+
• Glyphosates +
• Candida Albicans (when in hyphal form that invade tissues +)
• Toxins

How Carnivore Diet Affects your Microbiome & Gut Bacteria

Your Microbiome is the equivalent of a 2-3 lbs of bacteria that exists in your gut. You can find out more about your microbiome.

The Carnivore Approach helps correct dysbiosis by starving off many of the bad guys. This is a huge step in returning your gut to a state of homeostasis (balance).

Since a strict Carnivore approach is low in dietary fiber your gut will not cultivate certain kinds of bacteria that thrive on dietary fiber. Say what now? I thought we need fiber in our diets? Remember that dysbiosis is when the ratios are flipped so the added fiber may only increase this imbalance. For people who have bad ratios of bacteria (dysbiosis) avoiding dietary fiber can be very beneficial. There is a lot of fiber confusion in the world so I wrote more about how fiber works.

Should I use an ALL Meat Diet to Improve Gut Health

I know on the surface you might be thinking this sounds crazy. We’ve been taught over the years that meat is bad for us, especially red meat, we need fiber, and other facts from so called experts. But one must ask if all these experts know everything, why are we suffering from disease in record numbers. New diseases and conditions are popping up every day. Treatment options usually limited to drugs and surgery.

I think most us intuitively know that meat is not bad for us!  We enjoy the taste of meat and it satiates our hunger. Put 1-2 rib-eye steaks on my plate and I’ll be completely satisfied. I’ll feel good, and not thrown into a food coma from an insulin spike. Yet compare a snack of chips, cereal, chocolate bar, and a soda pop. I can easily consume all this food and I’ll still be craving more.  Afterwards I feel the onset of the food coma, then I feel crappy and lethargic. I like most people enjoy eating processed junk food and I know exactly how I’ll feel afterwards. This doesn’t stop me from enjoying my temporary bliss.

Can You Survive on a Carnivore Diet

Human beings are built to adapt and survive. It would be safe to say that human beings have survived and thrived on a multitude of diets over the milenia. There might not be 1 best diet… sorry to disappoint any tribe out there… so let’s focus on some of the common denominators:

• People ate REAL Food “Whole Foods” whether animal or plant based
• People would hunt & fish, and eat their catch
• Most diets included some form of animal fat (lard, butter, talo, ghee)
• Milk wasn’t consumed world wide, and definitely not in its dead modern form. Most the world’s population doesn’t tolerate milk+
• Dairy was usually consumed in fermented or raw form
• People didn’t consume processed and hydrogenated vegetable oils
• Most calories didn’t come from processed carbohydrates
• Sugar in its “processed form” was rare+
• People ate according to the growing season: meaning that they didn’t stuff their face with carbs 24-7
• If a diet was high carb is wasn’t usually high fat as well.

In nature High FAT and High CARB don’t usually exist together

BOOM!…my mind was blown when I found this out..don’t believe me search any whole food you can think of. The main one you will find is breast milk because its main function is to help the baby grow quickly. Consider that babies can triple their birth weight in 12 months, absolute craziness!  Just like the baby combining these macronutrients frequently will increase fat mass, and eventually lead to obesity.

So can you survive on a Carnivore Diet?.. HECK YES!!! Not only can you survive on it, I think that you’re likely to thrive on it. I’m not saying that you have to go Carnivore forever but instead consider using it as a tool. A month of the Carnivore Diet isn’t going to kill you. If you’ve been led to believe meat is going to kill you via high cholesterol heart disease hypothesis + then you’ve been hoaxed. The data shows no correlation between diet and high blood serum cholesterol levels +. This was ultimately a ploy to sell more low fat products like margarine and crisco. This low fat high carb dogma is purely bogus.

For the Record, Carbs Are Not The Enemy

It seems like a lot of tribal groups like Keto, Paleo, Primal, and Carnivore are really hating the carbs these days. Almost demonizing people when they consume carbs like omg no you didn’t! you’re no longer in our tribe… you’re not keto enough, or carnivore enough, and so on. This is why I choose not to clan up lol . I’m not against these movements as they do a lot of good, but I think it’s imperative that you stay open minded. The goal is to learn to eat intuitively depending on how you feel, and adjust accordingly.

Ok back to CARBS……Let’s be honest here we live in the real world and CARBS are amazing! Human Beings are instinctively “primed” to over consume carbs when they’re available. This is a survival mechanism. For much of history food has been scarce… this is why we would binge eat the fruit on the tree to pack the fat on for winter. Don’t be so hard on yourself for binge eating the chips, cookies, or cereal… we’ve all been there! or perhaps I’m the only dude that can’t take a handful of chips without eating the whole bag.  Never have so many carbs been this accessible, or in our faces at all times.

We don’t have nature to keep us in check so we need to learn to control our hunger for these carbs. Perhaps a time lock safe that only opens up for 2 days a week (weekends)… no joke I’d buy this!

Most people would agree that carbs that come from processed foods, junk food, and sugar are the main culprits to be avoided. The carbs that come from unprocessed fruits and most vegetables can be tolerated in moderation. Also keep in mind that having periods during the year where you consume no carbs might be beneficial to your health. It actually helps reset your metabolic function ( helping you run on fat and carbs more efficiently)

Autoimmune Disease is Leaky Gut Syndrome

I believe Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autoimmune disease are one and the same. this might sound crazy on the surface but consider my thought process… We label each diagnosis with a different name based on a subset of manifested symptoms. Like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hashimotos, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and others. In most cases your diagnosis is based on your initial and primary symptoms. Most autoimmune conditions are degenerative in nature meaning that they get worse with time. Not only do they get worse, you often find that people develop multiple autoimmune conditions simultaneously. I was diagnosed with severe Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis, and then shortly after with Rheumatoid Arthritis…. a TRIFECTA of awesomeness!

You’ll find that most people regardless of their autoimmune diagnosis suffer from many of the same symptoms.  I suffered with horrible joint pain for years but my primary issues were gut related so that’s what they tested me for. In addition to these issues I suffered from a host of other issues: eye problems: cataracts, floaters, severe eczema, asthma, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, body aches, low sex drive, cold hands and feet, borderline diabetic, and the list goes on. I likely could have been diagnosed with Hashimotos, Chronic Fatigue, Raynauds, and others.

FIX Leaky Gut and Beat Autoimmune Disease

I’ve spoken with a few thousand people over the last decade who suffered from autoimmune conditions and their experiences were similar. This has lead me to believe that Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autoimmune Disease are one and the same +. The primary symptoms may vary due to genetic and/or tissue susceptibility but they’re more the same than different. This is why successful diets and protocols that work for Rheumatoid Arthritis tend to also improve Lupus, MS, Eczema, and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Consider these testimonials on the site meat heals or check out the many Carnivore experiences on Reddit.

Try a 30 Day Carnivore Experiment

I encourage you to try getting rid of the carbs for 30 days. For 30 days try living on a simple version of carnivore diet:

• hamburger patties homemade or buy the ones at costco
• steak and eggs (organic & grass fed if possible as egg whites of non organic eggs can give people issues)
• use salt and pepper for taste
• FAT content is key to being satisfied no need for extra lean ground beef, and you can add butter to your meat (trust me so delicious)
• Also keep in mind that if you can afford to go grass fed organic then do it. But if the budget is tight then don’t sweat it…only with the eggs!
• Drink Water

Hamburger patties for people with autoimmune conditions if you’re experiencing lots of  symptoms (flare state), otherwise do it how you see fit.

One month of Carnivore won’t kill you and if your like many others it’s likely to improve your health, and reduce your autoimmune symptoms. Consider using The Carnivore Diet for gut health and you’ll find out that meat is good for the gut. So what do you have to lose?

If you’re looking to overcome autoimmune disease then fixing your leaky gut should be your main objective.  Any dietary approach that works to improve a leaky gut will improve your autoimmune symptoms.

The post Carnivore Diet for Gut Health appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

A diet created by Dr Sidney Haas but popularized by Elaine Gottschell.

Brief Background on SCD DIET

When Elaine’s 4yr old daughter Judy became very ill she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.Elaine was frustrated by the failure of multiple medications that were not working and the doctors saying food had nothing to do with her illness. She was faced with a tough decision. To put her daughter through an operation that would remove her colon, or her daughter would get worse. She refused to accept this doctors opinion.

She heard of the success of a specialist named Dr Haas and decided to pay him a visit in New York. He immediately asked what Judy was eating. This was the first time a doctor ever asked about the food her daughter was eating. He instructed her to implement his diet regimen. She did this promptly. Judy began to improve quickly and within 2 years she was symptom free. By this time Dr Haas passed away, Elaine knew at this point his legacy would stop with his death.She decided to get involved by getting dr Hass’ message out to other people that were suffering.She went back to school and began educating herself earning degrees in biology, biochemistry, and cellular biology.

She began helping people and eventually self published the book called Breaking the Vicious Cycle… and the rest is history

What is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD DIET) ?

The SCD DIET is one limits the use of complex carbs specifically (disaccharides + polysaccharides) and monosaccharides are allowed.*

In simple terms you are not allow

ed to eat double sugars like..sucrose and lactose (sugar and milk)….. but simple single chain sugar like honey, and sugar from fruit is allowed.

The diet is gluten free and eliminates many processed carbs, flours, wheat, oats, barley, rice, sugar, potatoes, also removes lactose.. milk, commercial yogurts etc The diet is organized by having legal foods and illegal foods.

SCD Diet Food List (Allowed foods)

You can find an awesome list of illegal and legal foods using this link. It goes to the Elaine’s personal website.

SCD Diet for Crohn’s and Colitis?

A healing diet for people who suffer from Inflammatory bowel diseases like: Crohns Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac , (IBS) , and Diverticulitis.This diet has also been used successfully for people who suffer from autism.

Does the SCD DIET work?

that’s what you really want to know…..

It has worked for many people… whether it was the initial diet they started or the one they came back to if symptoms returned. You will find many testimonials of people who overcame their autoimmune diseases like Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis using this diet. You will also find a few studies showing the success rate of the diet.I think adopting a healing diet like SCD Diet is integral to overcoming your shitty diseases. It along with some game changing supplements can truly change your life.

If your considering a diet to help you overcome your Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) this should be one of your top contenders. Simply do a google search or search in YouTube and review peoples experiences. The proof is in the pudding let see what you find.

WHY Choose SCD DIET Lifestyle

• Program is clear with Legal (allowed) and Illegal food list (this is awesome if you need structure)
• One of the first healing diets so lots of information and resources available
• There are a few smaller studies backing it up
• The SCD Community is awesome. People are truly supportive and willing to help you while your adhering to the diet.
• It has worked to help people live normal lives with minimal to no IBD symptoms

Cons, Problems, Issues With The SCD DIET

Although I’m grateful for this approach as it started my healing journey, it’s not perfect. Here are a few reasons:

• Many people go from SAD diet to SAD version of SCD DIET (way too much honey, nuts, and baked nut flour products
• Very strict with illegal and legal foods (if you don’t like structure)
• Can cause Flare Scare when you eat an illegal food. Making you scared every time you eat out and something “might” be on the illegal list. For many people this can push them into a flare state.
• Since Elaine has passed away her research has concluded and the diet can no-longer adapt to new research or experiences.
• The mindset of the community can be closed minded and not open to new things outside the scd box (most likely due to Elaine’s passing)

The SCD Diet helped me overcome most symptoms but I eventually hit a plateau. When I started trying things outside the SCD box the community was not supportive. Regardless of rational explanations or evidence as that’s not what Elaine said in the book. I might have not agreed with them but I  understood where they were coming from.

Whatever healing approach you choose I urge you to stay open minded. Trust your god given critical mind and what makes sense on a practical level. There is not only 1 solution to any given problem so do not lock yourself in a box. This is especially true if you are NOT seeing results. You need to do what feels right for you, trust your gut feeling!

Is SCD DIET The Best Diet program for Crohn’s and Colitis

Over a decade of speaking with people and I don’t believe it’s the best diet for healing Crohns and Colitis. Yes I it’s awesome and it works. But there are a few other options and tweaks that can significantly improve your results.  I have mentioned many of these things in my guide below.

Check out my free GUIDE I urge you to check it out as it offers lots of free advice, tweaks, and hacks that actually work.

Also if you are very interested in trying the SCD DIET and want more information about how to start the diet I urge you to check out one of the following resources:

1. SCD Lifestyle (Jordan & Steve) 2 awesome dudes who thrived on this approach and have created content to help others. They provide topnotch stuff!
2. BTVC (Elaines official Website)
3. Basic guide from Stanford School

Thanks for tuning in. I wish you the best in overcoming your digestive issues.

The post REAL TALK: What is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD DIET) -Breaking the Vicious Cycle diet for IBD’s appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

How To Cure Autoimmune Disease Naturally

Are you sick, tired, frustrated, and wondering how to cure autoimmune disease naturally? There are more than 100 different autoimmune conditions affecting millions of people. We are in the middle of an autoimmune epidemic* as the disease rates have tripled in the last 30-40 years*. Sixty years ago autoimmune conditions were almost unheard of. What happened?

Autoimmune diseases suck, and I know this because my life was flipped upside-down when I was diagnosed with 3 autoimmune diseases.  I went from being young and healthy to a sick and hopeless. I was fortunate enough to change my lifestyle, tweak along the way until I achieved remission. As a result all my symptoms of each condition disappeared and I got my life back. Not only did I get my life back but I’ve been in great health for almost a decade. Now I make content to share strategies to help people heal and cure autoimmune disease naturally.

What CAUSES Autoimmune Disease?

Autoimmunity involves a process where the body ultimately attacks its own tissues*, but why? There’s a lot of speculation in regards to the exact cause of these conditions. But experts say some of the leading culprits are as follows:

• Genetically Modified Foods (Glyphosate and BT toxin)
• Gluten
• Lectins*
• Use of Antibiotics (prescription or diet)
• Gut Dysbiosis (Bad guys taken over.. rain-forest turned into a ghetto)
• Systemic Candida Infection
• Leaky Gut Syndrome*

The potential causes are important, but there may be more value in asking the following question:

What’s changed in the last 60 years? …We now…

• Eat lots of processed garbage
• Consume high carbohydrate diets (preparing for the winter that never comes)
• Waged a war against FAT (the myth fat causes heart disease)
• Get less sun exposure, believe the sun is our enemy (therefore less Vitamin D)
• Get less sleep (quantity and quality)
• Move less (less physical work and technology vampires)
• Watch 4-6 hours of television every night
• Experience less bonding and feeling of belonging (breakdown of the family unit,  not as many close friends)
• Get tons of instant gratification (via social media and adult videos)
• Constantly feel Inadequate (comparing ourselves to people and their fake perfect lives)

How to Cure Autoimmune Disease or REVERSE them

You can call it remission, cure, reverse, beat, or healing the choice is yours. I know that only thing that matters is that you get rid of your symptoms and get back to enjoying your life. The great news is that it’s possible to naturally cure autoimmune disease and your seeing  evidence with peoples healing testimonials. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re stuck suffering with no options.

Back to the question of how to cure autoimmune disease naturally? The simple answer: do the opposite of what we’ve doing the last 60 years. No, I don’t mean give up all your technology and move back to the farm. Unless that feels right to you. But for starters you could try some of the following:

• Reduce amount of processed foods you eat
• Minimize or remove sugar from your diet
• Dramatically decrease your starchy carbohydrate intake
• Try and eat REAL food closer to nature (meats, veggies, fruits)
• Eat healthy fats from animals, some nuts, avocados, healthy oils
• Spend time in the sun without sunscreen… plants and animals aren’t putting that stuff on
• Try and sleep 7-8 hours per night, at regular times, and without electronic devices
• Get outside and go for a walk 20-30 min per day (stretch your cells and increase oxygen)
• Embrace your creative muse.. draw, sing, build (do things that matter to you)
• Spend quality time with people that matter, create meaningful relationships
• Cutback on the social media binging, set rules for your attention (30 minute intervals)
• Stop comparing yourself to fake people with perfect bodies, jobs, partners and their perfect lives. Life is real it has ups, and downs but ultimately we’re lucky to be here experiencing it.
• Use and enhance the placebo effect by proving to yourself that you can cure your autoimmune disease naturally because other people like you are doing it. If you get one thing from this video let it be: if you really believe that you can and will heal, you will exponentially improve your odds.

How to Cure Autoimmune Disease with Diet

A little more detail on this topic as it’s probably one of the most important factors to improving your condition. It all comes down to INPUT = OUTPUT or Garbage In = Garbage Out. These are some of the diet related tweaks and strategies that allowed for people naturally reverse their autoimmune diseases:

• Low Carb Diets (72 grams and under)
• Eat lots of healthy fats
• Avoid Processed veggie oils (canola, margarine)
• Removing Lectin containing foods
• Just eating real food (No processed garbage)
• Remove or dramatically reduce sugar
• Intermittent fasting (simply skip breakfast)

As I mentioned earlier I overcame 3 autoimmune conditions by changing my lifestyle which included diet modifications. My diet was strict in the beginning but it changed as my gut healed. Now I can eat anything I want but I use a balanced approach. I eat 5 days using the principles mentioned in this video and 2 days I eat what I want.  I’m not worried about every little toxin or ingredient. I do the right things the majority of the time which allows for some delicious pleasures.

Healing Seems Complicated and Impossible

It can be overwhelming with everyone telling you what you should and shouldn’t do. Many experts dice up healing making it seem so complex and virtually impossible without their help. There are many knowledgeable people with great products and services that can help you out if you can afford them. If not don’t worry because you can apply the principles in this video and they can change your life.

Ultimately, healing is a do it yourself project where it’s up to you to stay the course and play the long game. You’re in control! You’re responsible and accountable for your health. Are you going to cure autoimmune disease in 30 days probably not but you can dramatically improve from where you are right now. 

My Autoimmune Disease was a Blessing in Disguise

I stand behind this statement with all my heart. I grew up poor meaning we lived on cheap garbage foods like: cereal, kraft dinner, hamburger helper, pizza pops, chips, and soda pop. Looking back at this now I realize it was a sure recipe for disease and very similar to the SAD Diet aka Standard American Diet.

Only when I was sick and almost dead did I finally start caring about my health. I had no options except getting better because there was nobody to take care of me. It was upto me to pay my mortgage, bills, and cook my food. These conditions forced me to pick up a book, research, reach out to people, question my beliefs, experiment, change my habits, and tweak until I achieved remission. I’ve been in remission for almost a decade and I would never take back my diagnosis and experience. My life has been changed by this process, my character has been improved, I’ve learned new passions, and most importantly found purpose in helping other people.

If you are suffering from an Autoimmune Disease know that there are so many awesome tools that you can use to get your life back. You don’t have to be a victim, you can take your life back.  There is a huge difference between barely surviving and feeling completely awesome every day.

I know you can do this! Thanks a million for tuning in and feel free reach out anytime.

If your looking for help to overcome your autoimmune and gut issues feel free to check out my free guide.

The post REAL TALK: How To Cure Autoimmune Disease Naturally appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

This is a great film about Inflammatory Bowel Diseases called Wanted: Crohn’s End by director Reid Kimball. This video showcases some of the things that people used to overcome their conditions or keep them under control. This is a great documentary about Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. He covers peoples stories along with some of the following topics:

• THC Oil (Rick Simpson)
• Fecal Transplants (FMT)
• HMT’s (Helminthic worms)
• Colloidal Silver
• GAPS Diet
• SCD Diet

Reid sent me a message saying you can watch the film free of charge.  You can check out the trailer below and if it peaks your interest you can watch the full version.

The Privilege of meeting Reid from Wanted: Crohn’s End

I met Reid back in 2010 when he interviewed me for the documentary and he’s an awesome dude. He flew out and we spent a few days hanging out. I had a great time getting to know Reid and I can tell you he was very committed to sharing peoples success stories with the world.  I encourage you to watch the full documentary as it worth the watch.

The post Documentary about Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

Every time you look at the news there is a new reason why you should avoid foods like sugar, gluten, dairy, and now lectin. Can a Lectin free diet for Autoimmune Disease make a difference? The experts say things are good one day and bad the next. Sometimes it’s rather confusing as if everything is bad for us. Hopefully we can dive into the topic of Lectins and Autoimmune Diseases like Lupus, Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and to see if they make sense at a practical level. We will cover the following topics:

• What are Lectins are
• Are they bad for you
• Which foods contains lectin and which ones don’t
• Can you remove lectins from foods
• Should you remove lectins from your diet if you have an autoimmune condition

So what are Lectins? (A plants secret weapon)

Lectins are a protein that comes from plants. Plants are like human beings in the sense that they want to thrive and survive. They want to enjoy their life and have babies. Unlike human beings they can’t physically protect themselves so they need to use other means. Where plants are strong is that they are great chemists. They created the compound which we call Lectin to prevent animals from eating them. Some plants want us to eat them and actually get us to do their bidding. Consider that when a fruit is ripe it usually falls to the ground to be eaten by animals. The animals eat the fruit and enjoy the nutrients. They later poop out the indigestible fibre (seeds) which results in new plant babies. The magic and intelligence of nature is truly surreal.

Are Lectins Bad or toxic? (missiles that cause Leaky Gut and Autoimmune issues)

Lectins when consumed they act as guided missiles that are sent to the gut. They ride in on Chylomicrons and pry open the lining of the gut wall(*).They do this by releasing a compound called Zonulin which flips the switch or opens the gate (tight junctions). Once the gate is open invaders can slip in causing havoc on your system. The Immune System (border control) sounds the alarm that their is an invasion and calls all hands on deck. Border control tells its troops to shoot to kill everything that is foreign and doesn’t belong. Over time this contributes to a Leaky Gut and leads to autoimmune conditions.

What foods Contain Lectins

• Grains (Gluten)
  

  

• Rice
• Potato chips
• Corn
• Maltodextrin
• Legumes, peas, lentils, sugar snap peas,
• Pea protein
• Peanuts (the world’s most popular nut is not actually a nut)
• Nightshade veggies: potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes
• Chia seeds
• Cashews
• Sugar
• Diet drinks
• Vegetable oils (PUFA’s): corn, peanut, sunflower, canola, and safflower
• Melons

For a full list of foods that contain Lectin see this list

What is the Lectin Free Diet for Autoimmune Disease: The Plant Paradox or Low Lectin Diet

This is a diet approach created by Dr Gundry who is the author of: The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain. He has been interviewed many times explaining his findings and approach to helping people with disease. He is a board certified Cardiologist that has done thousands of operations until he finally started asking more questions. Why are my patients getting sick? how do some of them get better? I must say that Dr Gundry’s info makes sense on a practical level. The dude knows his stuff. His knowledge is not only on lectin theory but he also has a great understanding of the microbiome and totality. I think you should keep an open mind and consider his findings. I urge you to check out some of his interviews or read his book The Plant Paradox.

So what foods can I eat on a Lectin Free Diet

• Avocado
• leafy green veggies
• meats and preferably pasture raised and avoid corn fed animals
• Garlic and onions
• Cruciferous veggies, brussel sprouts and broccoli
• Celery
• Mushrooms
• Coconut oil, MCT oil, avocado oil, olive oil
• Nut flours: almond, coconut
• Dairy: cheese, yogurt, and butter

Can you remove Lectins from your food?

There are a few ways that you can dramatically reduce the lectin levels in your foods. Here are some of the ways that are suppose to reduce or remove the lectin content in your food:

• Pressure Cooking
• Soaking
• Fermenting
• Peeling and Deseeding

Many ancient cultures and tribes utilized these methods on their foods. Compare this to our fast food processed nation where we rush food processing at every stage to increase profits.

Should you DITCH the Lectins? and go on a Lectin Free Diet to Cure or Reverse Autoimmune Disease

If you are visiting my channel or site than there is a good chance that you are suffering from some kind of autoimmune condition. Should you try a Lectin free diet, Lectin avoidance, or low lectin diet for Autoimmune Disease? It may be impossible to avoid or remove all lectins, but can you reduce them. If you are experiencing flare up symptoms of your disease then it couldn’t hurt to try removing them. This is especially true if you are doing a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet and are still experiencing symptoms. A few small tweaks to your healing program can dramatically change your results. This is true for people utilizing diets like: Keto, Carnivore, GAPS, SCD, Paleo, Primal, and other Ancestral based diets.

Removing or minimizing Lectins may help heal Autoimmune Disease (Crohn’s and Colitis)

I have found people who utilized a lectin-free diet and experienced awesome results. You can see their stories below this post. I urge you to Look for peoples testimonials and try experimenting yourself. Fail forward and tweak along the way!  Do your own research and come to your own conclusions.

I kindly ask if you try removing the Lectins from your diet please share your results with me. This is ultimately a healing collaboration!

If your looking for help to overcome your autoimmune and gut issues feel free to check out my free guide.

The post What does Lectin have to do with Autoimmune Disease appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

Have you been experiencing issues with your eyes? Do you also suffer from an Inflammatory Bowel Disease? This is not a coincidence as eye inflammation is very common with gut diseases. I experienced a lot of eye issues when I was first diagnosed with Crohns Colitis. My eyes were sore, dry, and always bloodshot. As my disease progressed new symptoms appeared which included cataracts, and floaters.

Some of the eye problems and complications related to Crohns and  Ulcerative Colitis  are as follows:

• Dry Eyes
• Floaters
• Uveitis -inflammation to uvea (middle layer of eye) may notice pain
• Blurred vision
• Cataracts
• Eye Styes

Crohns disease is an inflammatory condition which can cause inflammation of the eye. I noticed that when my Crohns Disease symptoms were bad then so were my eyes. This was very evident when I ate too much sugar, starchy carbs, or processed foods. I also experienced very red eyes when I was doing cleansing protocols, and carb reduction periods. When candida dies off and toxins are released it’s common to experience red eyes.

Crohn’s Eye Floaters

The floaters are like having a piece of dirt on your camera lense which appears in all the pictures. Everytime I moved my eyes the little spots were in my field of vision. I found the floaters to be a very scary crohn’s symptom. Floaters are a very common eye issue when you suffer from Ulcerative Colitis or Crohns.

The Good News

You can heal and reverse your IBD eye problems. You do this by healing yourself through adopting a healing approach. As your body heals the symptoms will disappear or rather slowly reverse. I noticed as I healed my eyes became less sore, less red, and my vision improved. The floaters slowly faded and eventually disappeared.

I know these eye symptoms can be very scary when you are not used to them. It’s important to realize that as you heal they will go away. Keep your attention on healing yourself and achieving remission. As you get in “the healing zone” many of the more serious IBD symptoms will start reversing. This is why it’s important to stay the path and remain consistent in the zone. The more time in the zone the more long term healing you will experience.

If your looking for help to overcome your gut issues feel free to check out my free guide.

The post Crohn’s Disease Eyes : Can Crohn’s Disease affect your eyes? appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

If you are looking to heal your crohn’s disease,  ulcerative colitis, or other autoimmune diseases naturally you need to avoid dogmatics. There is “NOT” only one approach to healing gut diseases. It seems like many people on YouTube believe and say that “My approach is the ONLY way to naturally heal Crohns and Colitis” Although I commend their desire to help people, this mindset is complete nonsense.

Over the years I’ve spoken with many people that have beat their autoimmune diseases naturally using a variety of diet strategies:

• GAPS
• SCD
• VEGAN/RAW
• KETO
• Weston Price (PPNF) guidelines approach
• CA,
• Gerson Therapy
• Life Without Bread
• Paleo

These people are passionate, and sincere about how their approach changed their life. I have no doubt that their diet approach, supplements, and stress management strategies lead them to remission. Rationally, looking at this it’s not possible that there is only 1 approach to heal naturally from Autoimmune Diseases.

The BETTER QUESTION would be: “WHAT” do all these approaches have in COMMON ?

I usually refer to these things as healing common denominators, what they minimize, reduce, add, or include such as:

• Encourage eating REAL FOOD
• Decrease toxic load
• Help correct nutrient deficiency
• Less processed foods
• Reduce or remove gluten
• Decrease sugar intake (sucrose)
• Less “starchy” carb consumption
• Lower Insulin & Improve insulin sensitivity
• Have cleansing properties
• Minimize or eliminate “processed/dead” DAIRY
• Improve food combination habits
• Remove or minimize GMO products (glyphosate exposure)
• Increase healthy fat consumption
• Advocate getting vitamin D through supplementation or sun exposure
• Achieve nutritional ketosis through fasting, low carb or utilizing a ketogenic diet

LIFE LESSONS

I do not know everything! I use to be addicted to being right , but now I’m addicted to learning. I’m open to the fact that I might be wrong. I listen to alternative viewpoints, and enjoy discussions with people who think differently. I’ve been successful helping others because my Healing Mindset  has adapted with new and refined research.  I’ve realized truth is truth regardless of the source.

Common Sense is ultimately more Valuable than Intelligence

We live in an era of confirmation bias. You can search almost anything and the results will confirm your search term. This is good for you, this is bad for you, this diet works, and this one doesn’t.  Science spits out “evidence” in conflicting directions making everything so confusing. When this happens we end up believing whatever information is the loudest or most popular among our social groups.  Since your goal is to heal naturally from autoimmune disease you must apply common sense.

What did our ancestors do? Not just ancient but 3-5 generations ago.

Did they consume processed foods, processed sugar, eat fruit all year round, hydrogenated vegetable oil, eat 5-10 times per day, consume foods in processed forms or how they appear in nature as whole foods, did they take multiple doses of antibiotics, did they spend time in the sun getting vitamin D, spend 6 hrs every night watching TV, did they get involved with community to help out, did they have stronger family units, did they get exercise through work, and many other possibilities.

When you start answering some of these questions it becomes obvious why we’ve become sick. The easiest way to overcome our diseases is to follow approaches that pass the common sense litmus test not just “so called “research. Research does us no good if it doesn’t serve our purpose on a basic level. That is to help heal our autoimmune diseases!

I Commend your efforts

Its truly awesome that you’re looking outside the box for healing strategies. I urge you stay open minded, consider alternative viewpoints, and consider at time that you might be wrong. Become addicted to learning!

When you become addicted to learning and failing forward it’s only a matter of time until you achieve your goals. 

If your looking for help to overcome your gut issues feel free to check out my free guide.

The post My approach is the ONLY way to naturally heal Crohns and Colitis appeared first on The GUT NINJA.

The first time I noticed and issue I was 17 yrs old and noticed I had a painful bump by my anus. I worked out so I thought it was hemorrhoid from overdoing it. How I drained my fistula..? After a few weeks of not going away I decided to get a mirror and attempt to pop it. I don’t recommend this and had no idea what I was doing at the time. I used a pin to make a hole then squeezed it as hard as I could. It busted open and spewed a cup or more of mucus, a little gross. I officially had 2 but holes. It healed a little bit but still leaked for a few months until finally closing.

Looking back I remember experiencing many of the symptoms mentioned below. After it closed my symptoms did not return for another 4-5 years. When I was officially diagnosed the doctor confirmed that it was indeed a healed up fistula.  A few days after this appointment I had my first severe flare up and shortly after this the fistula reopened.

What is a Perianal Abscess and Fistula (How and Why do they form)

The perianal abscess is a collection of pus located under the skin near the anus. In contrast, an anal fistula is a small tunnel that develops from your anus to your bowel.  Simply put fistulas are like drainage holes that are connected to a channel that is used to remove pus from your body. As gross as it might seem it’s pretty astonishing in the body’s ability to adapt. It will do what it needs in order to survive, like creating a hole through its own tissue to remove toxins.

What are the Symptoms

They will be very similar to many of the symptoms that people with IBD’s experience such as:

• May experience a swollen tender anus (buttocks)
• Drainage outlet by the anus that leaks puss
• Fever and night sweats
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Pain during bowel movements

What CAUSES Abscesses & Fistulas with Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis

They are usually formed as the result of a chronic infection. The body is doing the same thing it does when you have a sliver. It sends mucus to the spot of the toxin and tries to force it out so that it can heal.

Do you need SURGERY for Perianal Abscess or Fistulas or can a perianal abscess HEAL on its own

This is up to you as it’s your body and you need to do what feels right. It the abscess is still closed and inflamed it might be a good idea to have the fistula drained by a professional*. A surgery to close the opening will not fix the underlying condition which is the infection. I have spoken with a few people who successfully had their fistulas operated using kshar sutra*.

Natural treatments of Perianal Fistula for Crohns and Colitis?

When I took care of the infection using natural antifungals the puss eventually stopped leaking and the cavity healed.  I used grapefruit seed oil, and oil of oregano both orally and topically. Orally I would just add 5-8 drops to some water and drink it quickly, doing it 3-5 times per day. When using topically I mixed a few drop with some additional olive oil to minimize the burning feeling. I also made sure I was consuming a quality probiotic capsule every night before bed.

How long will it take to heal a fistula?

Healing a fistula or perianal fistula will take some time so be patient. Remember that exists to help your body rid itself of toxins. Get your body into balance and beat the infection and it will have no purpose to exist. With no purpose it will close up and heal.

Living with a Fistula with Crohn’s and Colitis

I wrote this post to share my fistula experience and what I went through.  For me it was very embarrassing especially when it came to my love life. My fistula was probably the most scary symptom of my autoimmune disease. I wanted to shed some light so you are not too scared.

I understand that it can be hard for anyone to live with a fistula or abscess for many years. But I don’t believe you are stuck with them forever.  My fistula symptoms were always closely aligned to the active state of my disease. If I was in a flare it was open and leaking like a faucet. For most cases you will find as you heal they will go away. Like any autoimmune disease as you heal your gut the majority of symptoms disappear. For me that was:

• Fistula (anal abscess)
• Blood in my stool
• Eye floaters
• Joint Pain
• Sore back
• Low Sex drive
• Mental fogginess

The further you get into your healing journey you become this new healthy person. My health is better now than before I was diagnosed. It’s a blessing to feel awesome, have energy, and not be stuck with never ending pain.

I know how hard it is to live with an anal abscess fistula so if you have questions or want to reach out do so anytime. I create content like this because I care and want to pay it forward wherever I can.

If your looking for help to overcome your gut issues feel free to check out my free guide.

The post How I healed my Perianal Abscess Fistula with Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis appeared first on The GUT NINJA.