Thanks everyone for all the info in this thread! Has anyone heard of Australian Clinical Labs for Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis testing? I have candida overgrowth for over a year now and not much is helping so I think I should do some testing.

Here’s the link – I’m just not sure if they’re reputable/ experienced?
https://www.clinicallabs.com.au/shop/gastrointestinal-tract-git-tests/complete-digestive-stool-analysis-cdsa-level-4/

Keen to hear experience with this company, and if not who else you’d recommend.
Also do you think CDSA is the way to go or would microbiome testing be better?
Thanks!!

From Australia, I have searched high and low on the internet today looking for christensenella tablets, which in the book page 58 says you can purchase on the internet.
I’d like to know where we can purchase these tablets.
Would they be under another name perhaps?
Any help? Thanks 🙏

I am not mad about dates. Can I make the granola with dried apricots instead?

Two weeks in and I find the potato starch is giving me a better nights sleep. Able to fall back to sleep after waking to go to the loo in the middle of the night. I finish work at different times and sometimes quite late but find that no matter what time I get home, I take about a teaspoon in lukewarm water and it helps. Very relieved.

Butter or Nut butter is good for health. Nut butter is rich in protein, fiber ,fat and vitamins. It supports the brain health and cardiovascular system. Me and my family member daily use almond butter. I brought this butter from butternut company. Hope it useful… Try it…

Is stevia erythriol (as in Pure Via) safe to take for my gut??
Can anyone help about this??
many thanks

Thanks Firefox for the helpful advice.Ishould have said I sprinkle the cocoa powder over my chia pot breakfast using1 full tsp. I doubt that the quality is up to much so I bought some Green and Blacks organic cocoa hoping this contains all the good things.According to the label the beans are harvested at the perfect point of ripeness then carefully fermented and dried.There is no mention of being raw or roasted so Im not sure about that.
again many thanks

Hi Romany Girl
Thanks so much – I only had a lead for a lab in Germany but cost I was given today was prohibitively expensive so really grateful to hear about Atlas. Will contact them.

Would be great to hear how you get on and I will report back too 🙂

No probs!
I’ve been researching it for a while and actually saw an ad on Facebook and then Googled them.
This is what it says:
The Atlas Microbiome Test analyses the types of bacteria present and their proportion in the overall microbiome. It provides information about the various functions of your gut bacteria, like the extent to which they protect you against certain diseases and inflammation, as well as what vitamins they synthesise. You will also get recommendations to improve and maintain the balance of your microbiome by adding specific foods to your diet.
Atlas uses advanced technology to analyse the DNA of your gut bacteria. Unlike conventional laboratory analysis, the Atlas Microbiome Test not only qualitatively determines the composition of bacteria, but also calculates the proportion of the different types of bacteria in the microbiome.The 16S rRNA sequencing that is used for the Atlas test is more sensitive: it can detect bacteria that cannot be cultivated in Petri dishes (the method routinely employed by laboratories for stool sample analysis).

Check them out 🙂

Romany Girl – thanks – that is very helpful – how did you find them? Do they test and also give you a complete individual gut profile and advice e.g. which type of probiotic would be suitable for your individual gut needs? Hope you don’t mind my asking?!

Really appreciate you posting this info 🙂

Hi Lizzie, I’m a newbie here too – saw your question and it was exactly what I came on here to ask about. I have just found a company called Atlas Biomed Group that do the tests – costs £139 +shipping. I’ve just ordered a kit, so will be back in 5-6 weeks to let you know how it goes! I don’t think we can put links on here, so just do a search for them.

Hope that helps.

Graham
If you could post which labs you recommend that would great?
Many thanks
Lizzie

I thought it must but that’s good news, fast and easy 😊

Hi GrahamSPhillips
Thanks so much for reply. Yes please would you tell me which 2-3 testing labs you would recommend? How do you know about them?
As I said, the British Gut project isn’t something I’m interested in as they don’t offer detailed info and personal analysis which I think I need. If you could let me know which companies you recommend that would be great.
Many thanks
Lizzie53 🙂

My advice? Take the anti-biotics. Thereafter really concentrate on your microbiome by following the CleverGuts recommendations. Tim Spector’s “Diet Myth” is another highly-recommended “must read”

YES!

Hi Lizzie53 yes as above I’m happy to advise but you won’t find anything below £100. I recommend 2-3 different testing labs but it all depends on budget and outcome. You need to budget around £400 for testing plus advice. British Gut is excellent and cheap but its research and you won’t get any interpretation nor any detail. You broadly speaking get what you pay for I’m afraid. Graham

I’m new to the forum – did anyone give advice re: microbiome testing in the UK? The British Gut project doesn’t give analysis BTW so not an avenue I want to pursue. Currently using probiotic but no improvement to IBS with constipation and severe stomach bloating. Feeling quite desperate – have tried so many things to no avail. I’m thinking if I got my individual gut flora tested I’d have a chance in improving things. Been suffering for over 3 years now and tests and advice from Guy’s in London haven’t helped or solved my problem.

If anyone can recommend a UK company that doesn’t charge a fortune and is reliable that would be a good start for me.

Hi there Jpouchgut – my sympathies for what you have been through – it takes a bit of getting used to BUT it’s good to feel well isn’t it! I had Ulcerative Colitis, which resulted in a total pan-colectomy / ileostomy 27 years ago, but have never looked back. I have found my body has adapted with time – I still take a little more salt, without overdoing it, and drink more water, apart from that I eat just about anything except really raw hard vegetables (ie broccoli stalks, hard pineapple etc.). Start with cooking all of your vegies well, eat lots of starchy vegies which will help control the output – I find yams/ sweet potatoes etc. are marvellous at thickening things up a bit – assuming you are taking gastro stop as you get diarrhoea? What I have found from my research over many years is that I was probably a coeliac, or if not had a huge sensitivity to gluten, but didn’t realise it, and definitely a sensitivity to cows milk, like millions of others! When it does go very runny it’s because something has disagreed with me, so it might be worth having a food sensitivity test if you haven’t already. When I avoid gluten and cows dairy EVERYTHING settles down and works more smoothly, and I eat just about every vegetable under the sun. – hopefully you can gradually transition to things like stir fries and higher residue diets.. Eating naturally is the best.. I hope this helps a little..

I’ve read the Clever Guts diet book and I feel EVERYONE should read it, not just people with gut issues. In the book Michael talks about IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s briefly but I want to know how the diet relates to someone with no large bowel. I had a Total Colectomy and Ileostomly in 2015, then a Jpouch in 2016. I’m part of a support group and find everyone seems to be different. I basically stick with a low residue diet, taking 6 Gastro stop a day as well as 2 teaspoons of psylium after each meal, ie 3 times a day. I’d like to be able to eat more veg and cut out the Gastro stop.

Having read that cooking and then freezing pasta and rice and then re heating it turns it into ‘resistant startch’ , does the same apply to bought frozen jacket potatoes?

Hi Abby,
I have had an amazing consultation with Amanda Whitewood (her web site is Absolute Nutrition ) and she has explained precisely why I have been getting recurrence of diverticulitis – and if like me you too have been following the good guts diet then we have inadvertently aggravated the condition. Unfortunately the high fibre non-soluble type that is prevalent in this diet is like a scouring pad on our gut and causes rather than defuses the inflammation. I want to avoid surgery at all costs and it shouldn’t be necessary if I follow the prescribed diet (which does include getting in good pro and pre biotics like the good guts diet suggests) and also the supplements to aids healing. I could tell you all she told me and give you the prescribed do’s and don’t’s as to what to eat – but I think you should consult her yourself as your body will be different to mine and there may be something else that needs to be supported for you. She did my consultation via FaceTime as she was in Spain at the time and I was desperate – I know that she would be willing to do the same for other people. Anyhow – I trust her -she isn’t a gung ho knife wielding surgeon but a highly qualified science based nutritionist who has worked in the field of medicine (oncology and women’s issues) for many years and lectures around the world. Since following her advise my pain has gone (touch wood) and I am feeling so much better. I do trust Michael Mosley’s research and advise and my family are following it all, but what people with diverticular issues have to do is avoid some of the things he recommends as we cannot tolerate it.
I wish he’d look into diverticulitis and try and help the millions who suffer from it and who end up having surgery when it could be avoided. Amanda’s email is amandawhitewood@googlemail.co if you want to email her and ask her anything about how she can help you and / or you can go to her website.
Keep in touch – I am going back to the hospital on Wednesday for a check up and consultation about surgery … I’ll let you know.

Hey Tanya
Yes, the CDD at Five Dock are exceptional. I’ve seen Anthony Wettstein, Gastroenterologist, there for over 10 years. He also practices at St Vincent’s in the city. The CDD are world renowned for their ground breaking work. I was diagnosed with parasites (discovered via a biopsy during my regular colonoscopy). The protocol was a mixture of prescribed antibiotics and also a compounding formula that only the CDD’s pharmacy could manufacture. Anthony advised that there was only a 75% the protocol would succeed. I’m thankful to say that it did! We retested via stool sample 6 weeks later and the little buggers had been obliterated! The Centre is very popular, but well run and clean. I regularly have endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures (a day procedure) every 2 years (my uncle had bowel cancer). I would highly recommend them.

To all those people looking for the best olive oil:

the very best pure & unadulterated xvoo is Cobram in Australia….but unfortunately for all those in the UK or elsewhere
probably unattainable overseas. I used to buy Italian, presuming it would be the best….not no! It was right here in my own backyard.

jillB

Hi Genioz There isn’t an obvious answer isthere? Half my family think I should take the antibiotics, half don’t. My GP literally showed me the door when I said I wasn’t sure about the prescribed remedy. So I saw a different one who was a bit more polite and agreed that it’s a tricky one. Like yours she said it was up to me in the end.
For the time being I am doing nothing about it. The use by date on my antibiotics is Feb 2019 so I’m putting off the decision until then. If not indefinitely 🙂 A gastroscopy might be useful to check for inflammation of my stomach lining but I don’t really want that either.
Catch 22 eh. Wishing you well and hope you find an answer. Best regards

Depends on the brand/ processing/ quality of the cocoa products, your individual response to dairy products and the amount of cocoa in each serving. Do note that milk naturally contains the sugar lactose that some people are intolerant to.

Dark chocolate can be low in added sugar: 85% cocoa is widely available, 100% cocoa isn’t even that difficult to find. This cocoa content is a a combination of cocoa butter/ fat and cocoa powder/ granules. Creamier or silkier textured dark chocolate will have relatively more cocoa butter and thus less of the powder/ granules.

The beneficial micronutrients in cocoa powder/ granules include the fibre, minerals (esp. magnesium) and antioxidants. Fibre and minerals should not be much altered during processing but the antioxidants are. The more bitter the cocoa product the more likely it is to contain higher levels of antioxidants. Raw cocoa products may also have higher levels of antioxidants than roasted cocoa products.

Cocoa nibs (crunchy like chopped nuts) are available and have no added sugar, they work well as a topper for breakfast or a healthy dessert.

HTH!

Singlet see the link to the Which testing

Me too Stiglet. Can’t find anything useful as yrt

Hi I’m new here, reading the kindle version of the clever guts book, it says to come here for a list of which are the olive oils we can trust…but I can’t find anything on here, and it seems I’m not alone in the search…

Can anyone help? I’m in the UK and wanted to check the oils I’m using are not blended with canola etc.
If the info is on here somewhere, I’d sure appreciate directions to it…
Many thanks, Stiglet 🙂

Hi there am I the same predicament!
Have been treated twice for helicobacter pylori. Had a breath test and have still got it. Antibiotics prescribed again and I don’t want to take them. I Rarely get reflux and feel fine. My doctor says it is up to me whether I treat it again as lots of people have HP and don’t get treated.
I feel worse when I have the treatment and get candida which takes ages to cure.
Would love to hear from the medical profession what happens if I choose not to treat again. I know there is a risk of stomach ulcers and cancer but I would prefer to give the Clever Guts diet a real go with apple cider vinegar etc rather than take those nasty antibiotics.
Anyone got any other ideas?
Regard Genioz

Which brands of olive oil and extra virgin olive oil can I trust? I live in the UK.

Your story is resonating with me. I too have tried everything- including a faecal transplant. I have found inulin helpful occasionally and Ayurvedic cleansing diet- lots of rice, lentils and vegetable. Its quite prohibitive and not very sustainable but did help in the short term. I do think keffir and komucha work sometimes but not always.

I resort to taking laxatives most of the time, particularly Epsom Salts (magnesium sulphate) and lactulose (sugar that is broken down in the gut) but still looking for a minor miracle. You might find peppermint either as oil (encapsulated) or as tea good for gas.
Good luck

Yes let’s keep in touch, I am yet to have a follow up appointment with the doctor from the hospital, I think he is a surgeon so will see what he recommends.
I’m very worried I will end up in hospital again with two children one just 5 months old it isn’t an ideal situation.
I hope you can get home from hospital soon.
Here’s to a quick recovery .
Ps i’m Currently taking BioCeuticals SB Floractiv
Abby

Hi I have it for some time but this is the first hospitalisation. I have done a great deal of research into this and recent studies show that one shouldn’t be given antibiotics and that apparently it is okay to eat seeds and nuts etc – A really good web site I found listed the 11 most important food to avoid in order to prevent it being inflamed again as these foods antagonise the condition. These foods are:spicy food, broccoli, beans, cabbage, corn, dairy, peppers, fermented foods, onions and garlic, lentils, whole grains and chick peas. You also need a good probiotic to replace the damaged and destroyed good bacteria that the antibiotics kill off. Following the sloppy food after an attack you need to eat starchy bland food and no skins for a while. This of course goes against all we now know that we need to eat for good guts – but as I understand it one can gradually introduce high fibre via foods that are not on the list above. I am speaking with my nutritionist on Thursday who is pretty expert in this field so will get back to you if I get any better information. It is a minefield out there of what to do and what not to do. I’m trying to avoid surgery as the surgeon in the hospital has suggested that I have elective surgery to cut out the bad part of the bowel that contains the defected pockets. That in itself is an horrific idea! So I am doing all I can to avoid that scenario. I hope you are feeling better now – as far as nuts and seeds are concerned I think it is your body that will tell you what you can tolerate. I know that I get a flair up in the strawberry season and they have very tiny little seeds – so no more stars for me. But I’m not so sure that nuts a re a problem and they are very good for you too.

could anyone tell me is cocoa powder used in milk drinks the same as that in dark chocolate giving it the same benefits and cutting out sugar

Hi there, i’m Sorry to hear you were hospitalised, was this the first hospital visit you have had?
How long have you been living with Diverticulitis?
Well on sat it will have been two weeks of baby food or slop as you very well described and i’m Scarily going to start to introduce my original diet back into my life, my dietitian has advised to eat high fibre consisting of seeds nuts ect and I shouldn’t have to exclude anything I’ve eaten before..
But speaking to a friend who also suffers from it says NO WAY and reeled of a long list of foods to avoid..
I’m confused and like you I would really like to know what’s best..
how are you feeling now?
Abby

Have been completing the detailed food and symptom diary (p.187 + p.266-267)? Has this been analysed by an approriate healthcare professional (eg. doctor/ registered dietician)? The more food groups or food types that are eliminated the easier it is for the diet to be poorly balanced and varied, and for there to be chronic nutrient deficiencies/ insufficiencies.

Daily anxiety is debilitating and should be addressed. Consider your physical activity levels, sleep quality/ quantity/ sleep hygeine/ patterns, relaxation techniques, intake of foods rich in magnesium (certain seeds/ cocoa/ brans), long chain omega-3s (oily fish), B group vitamins, vitamin D (oily fish again). Your food and symptom diary can be used to track all of these.

HTH!

Rather than a naturopath, I would suggest having your detailed food and symptom diary analysed/ supplements recommended by someone with an honours degree or masters degree in dietetics or nutrition from a mainstream university. Whether you see an NHS dietician or a private dietician/ nutritionist is your call. Even privately you may well save money by not being ‘prescribed’ an arsenal of pills and potions! Your urologist or other consultant doctor might be able to recommend a colleague who has the appropriate qualifications and experience?

I have been suffering with symptoms of IBS for > 2years, eliminated glutens, grains, dairy but still seemed to be slammed about once a month with severe symptoms! Last episode I just happened to notice symptom onset after vegetable heavy dinner with spaghetti squash! Looking back doing the detective thing I ran across an article on salicylates and the puzzle started coming together. My flare ups always seemed to increase the healthier I tried to eat! After eliminating all of the above, who would have ever thought those very healthy foods were the culprits! What really solved the puzzle was I had eaten new cassava flour tortillas with CHIA seeds! Spotted an article that CHIA seeds are like taking an aspirin. Puzzle coming together because I already knew aspirin and NSAIDS caused GI problems. My history of asthma/usually perfume related (here’s those salicylates again) tied right in with every article & books I have read Elimination diets are challenging but for the first time in 2 years I feel like I can finally get this under control. Seems like all the foods I love are on the very high salicylate lists! Fresh greens, organic berries, all those fresh herbs I grow and cook with, coconut & olive oil, the list was staggering. Started by focusing on the things I can have and am now 3 weeks in and after 2 weeks of excruciating detox I can now say I think I can do this. Key is prebiotics, good digestive enzymes, I’m using fish oil supplements and calcium:magnesium for detox. Most effective relief seems to be deep epsom salt soaks every other day. Once my gut has a chance to heal may try to add back small amounts of foods that were eliminated before the salicylate puzzle clicked!

I don’t have problems falling asleep but when I wake up for any reason through the night, I have trouble falling asleep again. No cramps or pain, just can’t sleep. Not particularly stressed about anything but aware of digestive system working. Will try the potato starch to see how it goes.

Hi
I have a 5 year old who has had a lot of surgeries and antibiotics. Really wanting to try and repair his biome but equally not sure what is safe and not safe for kids. Has anyone tried Bimuno with their kids? What about Apple Cider Vinegar? I’ve read the vinegar can be bad for teeth enamel and he has some issues with that also. Just scared of trying something out and making things worse so if anyone has any tips please let me know! Thanks

Hello, I have been religiously following the good guts diet and making my on sauerkraut etc. Unfortunately it does not agree with the diverticulitis I have discovered much to my horror as I was really enjoying it and felt better – but the fact is I ended up in hospital again with the threat of having a major operation to cut out the bad bit of my gut that is infected. I don’t want to do this and so I am trying hard to find the right foods and ways of introducing good bacteria into my gut as well as eating healthily. I was hoping that there might be someone who is doing some trials on how to help people like us but am not sure how to go about finding them. I do empathise with you. It was a shock to read of the 11 most foods to avoid which included a lot of foods that are ‘good’ for us. I still feed my family the good guts diet but at present on slops myself until I get over this latest bout.

Hello there
I have always been pretty healthy and fit, but have had chronic constipation since childhood. No-one has ever been able to cure it or take me seriously for that matter and i also have chronic gas. All day long, every day. I have tried everything including a complete diet over haul. I have given up sugar for the last two years, stopped eating dairy, stopped wheat gluten and most other glutens, i eat lots of fresh veggies, drink lots of water (lots of water does nothing), I eat very limited fruit and separately from everything else, follow the basic FODMAP guidelines. I’ve read and followed the Clever Guts diet.
I have also tried the “Separation diet” where you separate proteins from carbs for two weeks.
My serious bloating has abated with the elimination of gluten and less carbs.
Slippery elm is the only thing that i have come across that minutely helps a bowel motion.
But there is absolutely nothing that makes me have a natural bowel movement except my anxiety. I have small episodes of anxiety on most mornings before work, and this makes me rush to the toilet. If I am on holiday and totally relaxed, i will not have a bowel motion, at all. I can go for weeks without having one.
Since I have tried everything and no matter what i eat, drink or eliminate I still have continuous gas and bloating, I am thinking it may be SIBO. Im wondering if someone can help please.
Thanks very much for listening.
Still searching

I have been making delicious Greek style yoghurt with organic long life milk, milk powder and culture and keeping it in an Easiyo insulated flask for 8 hours or so. It is very easy and doesn’t require heating the milk to a certain temperature. Is this method ok for the clever guts diet?

Hi @kinemeperut, I understand it must have been so distressing and painful to lose your baby. As a psychologist who treats people with substance use disorder, I would like to encourage you to seek professional help as research shows marijuana doesn’t cure depression or anxiety but ultimately makes the symptoms worse and creates other health problems. Most people develop a tolerance for the amount they are using and have to keep using more and more to obtain the same results. Many people smoke marijuana mixed with tobacco and this has well-known impacts on your health. There is also the risk of drug-induced psychosis. Your GP can refer you to a service to help you with your substance use, grief, depression and anxiety. Good luck.

Hello,
Has anyone had any experience with Centre for Digestive Diseases in Sydney? They seem to do testing but whether it covers all the things that Day Two does, I don’t know. Also, it seems that you have to have a standard digestive medical problem (IBS, Crohns, etc) to be referred and want to be tested. I have some neurological issues and general health concerns and I am not sure if they might think I’m on a fishing expedition and that this is less valid than a person who has a chronic digestive illness. I heard Dr Mosley on ABC radio just last week saying we should all just be tested by sending off a sample to the US and it is a bit frustrating that he says this but it is still not possible.

Dear Firefox, Thanks for the reply.
My Functiional practitioners credentials are Diploma in Nutritional Therapy from College of Naturapathic Medicine, London.and Is a certified FM Practitioner of only 15 in UK.
The supplements she prescribes are only obtainable from certain outlets that will only supply with practitioner permission. Most I cannot obtain. Often sourced from USA.
I definitely havebacterial cystitis. I am under a fantastic consultant in Urology who practices in a London teaching hospital but I see him privately as his NHS list is full. He checks my urine under the microscope . He is very cynical about testing methods for UTI and believes too many false negatives . He has just published research to support his theories.
The antihistamines definitely dampen down or remove the symptoms which are hives, breathlessness, rash, burning, and low blood pressure.These symptoms are greatly reduced or absent when no infection or antibiotics. So, not sure if it is the antibiotics or the infection which is the trigger. The symptoms occur after a few days of therapy.
I was seen by a NHS allergy clinic and had oral challenge to Cefradine. this was negative to IGe mediated. They gave me no alternative explanation.I had no infection at the time.
I am seeing my GP today and would like to be seen by a immunologist to exclude Mast cell involvement. I have noticed that I get gut problems immediately before a UTI….possible that the infection causes irritation before I get symptoms. I understand that the bowel and bladder have a lot of mast cells.
I will also ask to be seen by a dietician but I understand the NHS is cynical about SIBO and Histamine intolerance. I would just like a diagnosis/ explanation. The FMP believes the mast cells cause immflammation that then causes UTI. My urologist believes that short term antibiotics cause an embedded BioFilm infection that causes UTI (as layers of bladder lining are shed).

Thanks for your interest.

Hi All
I’d go with Terry Wahls on this one- she’s far more knowledgable on MS than Michael Mosley. Have you seen her TED talk which is incredibly inspiring? MS? I’d definitely have detailed microbiome analysis and follow the Wahls protocol

Lots of questions …

What are the credentials of your alternative practitioner? Are they qualified to diagnose medical conditions and/ or to prescribe drugs or supplements? Are they registered/ licensed to practice by a recognised regulatory body (eg. General Medical Council, Health & Care Professions Council)?

Are you certain you have bacterial cystitis and not interstitial cystitis? Are urine samples being sent to microbiology each time? Have you been referred to a urology specialist?

Do antihistamines allow you to eat a more varied diet? Has a medical doctor or registered dietician analysed your detailed food and symptom diary?

Supplements should be just that: supplement a properly balanced and varied diet, not a substitute for wholefoods. They are fine in moderation, where there are medically diagnosed nutrient deficiencies/ insufficiencies, food allergies/ intolerances for example. But the only people who should be ‘prescribing’ are medical specialists or registered dieticians.

HTH.

Hi
I would like some advice on supplements. I have been told that I have Histamine Intolerance by a Functional Medical Practitioner.The theory is that Mast Cells are causing inflammation and that causes me to have recurrent urinary infections. These are treated with long term antibiotics. My symptoms are relieved by antihistamines and so I do believe histamine is involved. I also have apparently got SIBO…the breath test came back very high, due to the amount of antibiotics. Gut wise I have constipation and bloating.
I would like to know anyone’s opinions an supplements for SIBO. I have already spent a lot of money on these and have just been prescribed many more. I follow a low histamine diet but would love to get more variety of food in my diet. It is very restrictive .
Am I just wasting my money And time ? Should I just boost my health with healthy diet. My symptoms of Histamine intolerance are absent when not taking antibiotics. I have just finished a course of
Does SIBO exist? What are opinions on Histamine intolerance.