leaky gut syndrome - a major cause of autoimmune diseases?

[pmoreno]

Hello all,

As usual I have been reading voraciously about anything that might be connected with or explain the reason that some of our kids get PANDAS in the first place. There are probably a lot of different factors involved, but I was wondering about this leaky gut syndrome which can be caused by an overgrowth of yeast, which then causes damage to the immune system. The cause for this syndrome could be frequent antibiotic use in the earlier years of life, or it could be heavy metals in the body which can also cause problems with yeast. Anyway, I found a website which explains it pretty well and I'm thinking that if we give natural support to their bodies (instead of using a lot of drugs or extra supplements), just use things like fresh garlic (which is supposed to be the most potent anti-fungal and also anti-viral/anti-bacterial food, also oregano vulgares (not sure if that's spelled right), GFS extract for short term use, and coconut oil which is supposed to be a strong anti-viral. My thought is that along with preventing or curing leaky gut, overgrowth of yeast and other basic parasites, it will further protect against common colds, herpes (cold sores) and other viruses that they can pick up at school and be extra supportive if they're on long term antibiotics for the PANDAS. Here is the site: healthychristianliving.com/leaky_gut_syndrome.htm see what you think about this - Pat

[New to PANDAS]

Hi Pat -

 

I definitely agree with you that there is a connection. I recall reading early on when my son first got PANDAS that the strep actually lives in the stomach (who knew!) and that contributed to the leaky gut syndrome. As you mentioned, the antibiotics also contribute to the leaky gut. I believe then that the leaky gut syndrome is what causes the salicylate sensitivity in many of the PANDAS kids, which results in behavior issues. So, then the hard question becomes - what is causing behavior changes/issues - the leaky gut/salicylates or the PANDAS??

 

Personally, I had no idea prior to PANDAS that the stomach and brain were so connected. As I read on some website - "Heal the gut, heal the brain!" - and that is so true. We are using the daily coconut use instead of antibiotics, along with giving my son Kidzyme to help heal his gut. We are watching his salicylate intake. So far so good. We'll see how this holds up over time.

 

Interesting stuff!

Karen

 

 

Hello all,

As usual I have been reading voraciously about anything that might be connected with or explain the reason that some of our kids get PANDAS in the first place. There are probably a lot of different factors involved, but I was wondering about this leaky gut syndrome which can be caused by an overgrowth of yeast, which then causes damage to the immune system. The cause for this syndrome could be frequent antibiotic use in the earlier years of life, or it could be heavy metals in the body which can also cause problems with yeast. Anyway, I found a website which explains it pretty well and I'm thinking that if we give natural support to their bodies (instead of using a lot of drugs or extra supplements), just use things like fresh garlic (which is supposed to be the most potent anti-fungal and also anti-viral/anti-bacterial food, also oregano vulgares (not sure if that's spelled right), GFS extract for short term use, and coconut oil which is supposed to be a strong anti-viral. My thought is that along with preventing or curing leaky gut, overgrowth of yeast and other basic parasites, it will further protect against common colds, herpes (cold sores) and other viruses that they can pick up at school and be extra supportive if they're on long term antibiotics for the PANDAS. Here is the site: healthychristianliving.com/leaky_gut_syndrome.htm see what you think about this - Pat

[Indigo]

I've been contemplating using garlic this week with dd...glad to read that today! It helps me so much to stay well and I was feeling it might help her....I'm unsure of how PANDAS flares for colds and viruses, as well as for strep. Can you explain this to me?

[pmoreno]

I've been contemplating using garlic this week with dd...glad to read that today! It helps me so much to stay well and I was feeling it might help her....I'm unsure of how PANDAS flares for colds and viruses, as well as for strep. Can you explain this to me?

 

 

From what I understand, once the immune system is damaged to the point where it over-reacts to strep, it can also over-react to other triggers like viruses and fungus (yeast in the gut). In other words anything that produces an immune response will set the antibodies off and since they don't have sufficient T-regulatory cells (which are supposed to suppress the antibodies when they've done their job), it just keeps everything flared up and inflamed. This is why, I suppose, that even kids on continuous antibiotics can still have flares because if they're exposed to viruses or fungus, these things are not covered by antibiotics. At the onset of Gaby's PANDAS last year she had very definite strep like symptoms, although she tested negative. I'll never know if she actually had strep at that time, but she did have it at least 2 times after that which was diagnosed and treated with abx. However, at that period of onset, along with the strep-like symptoms, she had developed (for the very first time) herpes simplex - or cold sores all over her mouth, tongue, gums, lips. Since that first time, she would have at least one cold sore on her lip about every other month. Now as soon as she complains of any itching, tingling or burning on her lip, I immediately put a drop of abreve (kind of expensive - about $17 for a small bottle), but wonderful stuff - if you catch it right away and apply it once or twice a day, it goes away within 2 or 3 days, versus hanging on for a week or longer. Another odd thing is that a couple of months before the onset, she had re-occuring warts on her toes (which is also a virus).

 

I have read that garlic (more efficient if fresh - not capsules or previously crushed) is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It is supposed to be equally as good as nystatin in taking care of gut yeast overgrowth. I started using it yesterday - so we'll see. This morning I fried up a large piece in coconut oil (also supposed to be anti-viral) and then added a scrambled egg. She ate the whole thing without a problem. I also made spaghetti and added a few pieces to that. I'm just planning on adding it to almost anything I can in order that she will get it at least once or twice a day. In addition I put 1 or 2 drops of grapefruit seed extract in her spoon of fish oil in the morning. Sometimes I even give her a whole spoonful of fresh lemon juice (without sugar) although you can sweeten it with xylitol which is supposed to not only be a good natural sweetener, but inhibits yeast, as well. In that respect, its supposed to be even better than stevia which is another good natural sweetener. I'm amazed how easy it has been to avoid white sugar - I don't bake cookies anymore or buy them either. When she wants peanut butter and jelly (right now since I'm not sure if she has yeast due to the abx I'm staying away from anything that promotes yeast) so even peanut butter is out of the question for a while since it is considered to be a food high in mold content. Therefore I give her sunflower seed butter or almond butter and to sweeten it instead of jelly, I put natural raw unprocessed honey which is allowed on some yeast free diets. I've been adding and subtracting foods little by little every day so it hasn't really been that big of a deal. I won't follow any of the real strict yeast free diets because they're harsh and can make a child lose way too much weight. So I've just been watching it so that she stays away from sugar, white flour (I've been giving her sprouted bread -which doesn't taste too bad-just like wholewheat) I give her fruit juices that are mixed with vegetables juices and aren't overly sweet. I definitely don't give her orange juice or even apple or grape juice right now. I buy coconut juice and add it to any regular juice that I give her. I've also heard that its preferable to cook or season with sea salt instead of the white iodized salt. I've started

doing that too. The powdered probiotics in the cold case are supposed to be best, so I mix a teaspoonful with any juice I give her. Besides that I do the fish oil, good multi-vitamin, chewable vitamin C, zinc, vitamin E. I heard that red palm oil is a much better source of vitamin E than a pill form, but our health food store is out of it right now - seems that its very much in demand lately. So when I do get it, I intend to start cooking alternately with coconut oil and the palm oil. Anyway, even if all this effort does nothing for the PANDAS, its got to make her immune system a little healthier and should help to prevent colds and flus this season. Pat

[pmoreno]

Hi Pat -

 

I definitely agree with you that there is a connection. I recall reading early on when my son first got PANDAS that the strep actually lives in the stomach (who knew!) and that contributed to the leaky gut syndrome. As you mentioned, the antibiotics also contribute to the leaky gut. I believe then that the leaky gut syndrome is what causes the salicylate sensitivity in many of the PANDAS kids, which results in behavior issues. So, then the hard question becomes - what is causing behavior changes/issues - the leaky gut/salicylates or the PANDAS??

 

Personally, I had no idea prior to PANDAS that the stomach and brain were so connected. As I read on some website - "Heal the gut, heal the brain!" - and that is so true. We are using the daily coconut use instead of antibiotics, along with giving my son Kidzyme to help heal his gut. We are watching his salicylate intake. So far so good. We'll see how this holds up over time.

 

Interesting stuff!

Karen

 

 

Hello all,

As usual I have been reading voraciously about anything that might be connected with or explain the reason that some of our kids get PANDAS in the first place. There are probably a lot of different factors involved, but I was wondering about this leaky gut syndrome which can be caused by an overgrowth of yeast, which then causes damage to the immune system. The cause for this syndrome could be frequent antibiotic use in the earlier years of life, or it could be heavy metals in the body which can also cause problems with yeast. Anyway, I found a website which explains it pretty well and I'm thinking that if we give natural support to their bodies (instead of using a lot of drugs or extra supplements), just use things like fresh garlic (which is supposed to be the most potent anti-fungal and also anti-viral/anti-bacterial food, also oregano vulgares (not sure if that's spelled right), GFS extract for short term use, and coconut oil which is supposed to be a strong anti-viral. My thought is that along with preventing or curing leaky gut, overgrowth of yeast and other basic parasites, it will further protect against common colds, herpes (cold sores) and other viruses that they can pick up at school and be extra supportive if they're on long term antibiotics for the PANDAS. Here is the site: healthychristianliving.com/leaky_gut_syndrome.htm see what you think about this - Pat

 

 

Hi Karen,

Yes, that's what's so frustrating - not knowing what is the cause, but I think if you are smart about the diet and supplements, a lot of them will help a number of issues (like leaky gut, yeast and possibly salicylates) Sometimes it seems that there are so many things that you have to avoid - it's like - what is there left to be able to eat. I try to use common sense and avoid what I can and minimize other things rather than cutting everything out. You mention the coconut - are you using oil or giving coconut milk? I now cook with the oil, and add the coconut milk (or juice) to other juices. It's most convenient to buy it in cans, but sometimes I buy the young coconut and punch a hole in it, drain the juice. Have enzymes worked? I think I may have tried once in the past and it gave her diarrhea. Pat

[New to PANDAS]

Hi Pat -

 

I definitely agree with you that there is a connection. I recall reading early on when my son first got PANDAS that the strep actually lives in the stomach (who knew!) and that contributed to the leaky gut syndrome. As you mentioned, the antibiotics also contribute to the leaky gut. I believe then that the leaky gut syndrome is what causes the salicylate sensitivity in many of the PANDAS kids, which results in behavior issues. So, then the hard question becomes - what is causing behavior changes/issues - the leaky gut/salicylates or the PANDAS??

 

Personally, I had no idea prior to PANDAS that the stomach and brain were so connected. As I read on some website - "Heal the gut, heal the brain!" - and that is so true. We are using the daily coconut use instead of antibiotics, along with giving my son Kidzyme to help heal his gut. We are watching his salicylate intake. So far so good. We'll see how this holds up over time.

 

Interesting stuff!

Karen

 

 

Hello all,

As usual I have been reading voraciously about anything that might be connected with or explain the reason that some of our kids get PANDAS in the first place. There are probably a lot of different factors involved, but I was wondering about this leaky gut syndrome which can be caused by an overgrowth of yeast, which then causes damage to the immune system. The cause for this syndrome could be frequent antibiotic use in the earlier years of life, or it could be heavy metals in the body which can also cause problems with yeast. Anyway, I found a website which explains it pretty well and I'm thinking that if we give natural support to their bodies (instead of using a lot of drugs or extra supplements), just use things like fresh garlic (which is supposed to be the most potent anti-fungal and also anti-viral/anti-bacterial food, also oregano vulgares (not sure if that's spelled right), GFS extract for short term use, and coconut oil which is supposed to be a strong anti-viral. My thought is that along with preventing or curing leaky gut, overgrowth of yeast and other basic parasites, it will further protect against common colds, herpes (cold sores) and other viruses that they can pick up at school and be extra supportive if they're on long term antibiotics for the PANDAS. Here is the site: healthychristianliving.com/leaky_gut_syndrome.htm see what you think about this - Pat

 

 

Hi Karen,

Yes, that's what's so frustrating - not knowing what is the cause, but I think if you are smart about the diet and supplements, a lot of them will help a number of issues (like leaky gut, yeast and possibly salicylates) Sometimes it seems that there are so many things that you have to avoid - it's like - what is there left to be able to eat. I try to use common sense and avoid what I can and minimize other things rather than cutting everything out. You mention the coconut - are you using oil or giving coconut milk? I now cook with the oil, and add the coconut milk (or juice) to other juices. It's most convenient to buy it in cans, but sometimes I buy the young coconut and punch a hole in it, drain the juice. Have enzymes worked? I think I may have tried once in the past and it gave her diarrhea. Pat

 

Hi Pat -

 

We are actually using laurcidin (http://www.lauricidin.com/). I give my son some granules in the morning and in the evening. As for the enzymes, I believe there has been some improvement in his food sensitivituies. I'm not entirely sure about the KidZyme product - I believe I read that probiotics and enzymes shouldn't be given together. After the holidays, I want to investigate this and possibly change to giving him a separate probiotic and separate enzyme product.

 

The enzymes may have given him diarrhea because perhaps he had too much at the beginning? Just a thought. I know with the KidZyme, I started very slow and built up over two weeks to the recommended dose.

 

Karen