Monday, May 4, 2015

I'm Leaking (Are You?)

Question (a serious one): how do you trust your gut if you're pretty sure you have a "leaky gut" and probably shouldn't listen to a thing it says?
Because--you guessed it--I am pretty sure I have a "leaky gut." And no, it is never good to think you have a malady that you can't write, let alone say out loud without using douche quotes. "Leaky gut." The very phrase sounds made up. Like maybe I have Dropsy or Lockjaw. I am not sure what either of those things are except I know they are real, and growing up I was irrationally afraid of Lockjaw ever since I read a book about a girl who had it. Something about a rusty metal bed and how she couldn't move, but when I Googled "lockjaw girl rusty metal bed" a bunch of porn came up, so no. That's not the Lockjaw I read about when I was little.
Anyhoo. If you haven't already heard, "leaky gut" is the new black. As in everything from fatigue to depression and anxiety to autoimmune diseases may be connected to the intestinal wall. In particular to my own health, researchers are studying the connection between inflammation in the gut to progression of MS. I'm telling you, everywhere I look these days I see headlines of mucous membranes and body cavities. While part of me just wants to change my reading material, another part of me likes to be trendy. So if my possibly floppy, loose intestinal wall being too permeable is suddenly 'in,' I will totally leak my gut right down the runway. I mean, I just traveled around the world to reset my immune system. I'm thinking I should maybe go to a holistic nutritionist to run a few tests?

Thoughts? Advice? Over/under on the chances of me ever truly quitting sugar and bread?

In other news (though honestly, I've read so much on "leaky gut" now that I wouldn't be surprised if this was somehow related): I have started wearing ear plugs at night because Bryan snores so freaking loudly that I want to sucker punch him between the hours of 11pm and 6am. Unfortunately, the cats like to play with the foam ear plugs, eat them and then throw them up strategically right were I might step upon first waking, so I have to keep them (the ear plugs, not the cats) locked in my bedside table drawer. Late last night, I was woken up by Ike nibbling gently at my head trying to stealthily steal the plug from right out of my ear. Let me just say that Ike would suck at playing Operation.
Either this has nothing to do with anything and this is a real shit blog post, or it's all connected and we can give this post the holistic stamp of approval. Can you tell which way I'm leaning?

Happy Monday,
S

p.s. There is an even realer possibility that I have used these images before years ago, but I love them, the moment before disaster. Let's pretend it's the first time. For everything. Today.

9 comments:

katie said...

Dear Susannah,

I read you religiously..... I await your missives...I thank you for your brilliant words.

I hope you're feeling OK today!

A few weeks or so ago I sent you an email about something re,lated to MS but I never heard back. As time wore on I realized that I had been the typical jerk, the one who has "advice" for the very ill --unsolicited advice, just plain out-there advice.

You had recently returned from Israel and of course were probably just focusing on the results of that adventure.

But now that you write about the leaky gut, and you say thoughts? advice? my urge is to connect again.

There are many many articles I'd share with you, from the most obtuse science papers to the chatty misspelled blogs. Pulling this one up at random because I could find "leaky gut" and "MS" in the same piece. http://sciencenotes.ucsc.edu/2014/pages/hookworm/hookworm.html

Seriously, if you want to learn more I have some resources I can share with you. I'm the person who wrote to you about using this for my asthma. (I'm in month 5 and it's going well.) It's all connected: the gut biome, auto immune malfunction, etc.

Love to you
Katie

Petunia Face said...

Katie! Shoot. I am so sorry I didn't reply to your email.

You were not the typical jerk. I am.

When I got back from Israel I had so many wonderful people contact me with support--both people I know in real life and people who I wish I knew in real life. I'm afraid I lost control of my email and didn't reply to all of them.

I will go back and re-read your email and check out the link you sent.

Thank you so, so much!
S

Anonymous said...

Hi Susannah,

I just read this post on my friend Camille's blog last night, and it might be just the thing for you as well - she is all about natural immunity and health. Here's a link to one post that might interest you regarding building up your immune system: http://www.thisamericangirl.com/2014/11/26/travel-world-never-get-food-poisoning/

Good luck! xx

katie said...

Dear Susannah again,

I have some exciting reading for you....when you're ready. You can reach me at my email katie.getchell@gmail.com or find me on FB.

xo K

Anonymous said...

Hm, I think this is a side effect of your radiation therapy along with medication you're taking. Perhaps your physician can change the medication?
I'd consult a holistic or homeopathic practitioner and see what approach they use.

Amy said...

Hi Susannah,

I'm with Katie- I didn't want to be the typical jerk offering unsolicited input. Especially where it comes to health. But YES- lots of people have leaky guts. Birth control pills, antibiotics, Standard American Diet, etc. all create a shit storm in the gut and something like 70% of our immune system is affected by the "micro biome" and the balance of good/bad bacteria. Gut healing is quite the journey, but there is certainly a lot you can accomplish by taking the steps to address a potentially leaky gut. I read the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) by Natasha Campbell McBride to understand more about leaky gut (how, why, etc.) and read a lot of articles on Paleo Mom when I was first starting out. I'm glad to offer more reading too if you need more. Sounds like Katie probably has you off to a good start. Regardless, sending much love and healing vibes your way! I've been reading for a loooong time and wish you all the best.

old neighbor kirsten said...

This is a lot of what I do for a living. I work with people who want to take down systemic inflammation, heal the gut, and control autoimmune issues. My interest came from addressing mood disorders but it turns out the approach is a lot of the same things. You may enjoy Sarah Ballentyne's Autoimmune Protocol books. They're encyclopedic bUT very good. Please message me if I can help you.

Mr. X said...

http://www.amymyersmd.com/2015/04/the-autoimmune-solution-supplements/

http://www.cleanprogram.com/media/files/clean-gut-supplements.pdf

http://draxe.com/tag/heal-leaky-gut/

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