Latest forum posts

  • posted by  Kajsa on Yogurt makers?
    on in Probiotics
    permalink

    Lakeland yogurt maker is HALF price at the moment at Lakeland!! ยฃ10 for it with 3 year warranty!!! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ˜„

  • I was diagnosed as having Rosacea by my GP about 7 years ago. She prescribed antibiotics and various lotions & creams. The latter did not seem to help and I was very unenthusiastic about long term antibiotics. I read about sugar free diet for Rosacea on an American rosacea online forum, name of which I have forgotten. It made a huge difference and I have kept my sugar intake very low over the years since diagnosis, as well as avoiding high glycaemic foods since then. Occasionally I have been tempted by my great love of chocolates and very quickly I pay the price with the appearance of nasty pustules. A return to the straight and narrow of sugar free diet always succeeds for me. I hope that Tree top can find a dietary solution because it is a very unpleasant condition to have.

  • Try as I might, I can not find any of the information that, according to the book, I am supposed to be able to read up on on this website.

    Be it further research, recommendations ECT
    I think Olive Oils was one of them but many other mentions too.
    Am I just being blind??

  • Thank you Firefox, that’s such interesting information. I think it sounds like Rosacea, from your description and a look on the NHS website. I’m delighted to hear about potential dietary links and a book on the topic. As it is apparent from just a quick look online, this is a common issue and a very sensitive one. I hope you find the diet answer which works for you, and I’ll investigate further too. Perhaps Dr Moseley might write his next programme on our largest organ – the skin… :0)

  • I have papulopustular rosacea: short lasting ‘pimples’ on bulb of nose and/ or inner cheeks under eyes, intermittent flushing on nose/ inner cheeks/ chin/ rarely ears. NO chunky blackheads in rosacea, as in regular acne. I had NO idea how often I flushed until after diagnosis so ask friends and family!

    If this may fit you consider your oral/ dental health – bacteria in the mouth cause inflammation in the face, and can get into the body via swallowing, via bleeding gums or small cavities.

    Lastly consider your past intake of oily fish for omega-3s and vitamin D. Your gut issues starting in winter may signify deficiencies.

    HTH!

  • Without a diagnosis for your skin or gut issues it will be very difficult to identify a single cause, BUT it is unlikely to harm to try an anti-inflammatory, gut friendly, *balanced and varied* wholefood diet.

    In ‘Feed Your Face’ Dermatologist Jessica Wu advocates just such a diet for various skin issues.

    Rosacea has been linked to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Histamine Intolerance, both of which can be treated with diet. Coeliac Disease and Leaky Gut Syndrome may present as dermatitis.

  • The skin and gut are similar: both organs, both semi-permeable barriers, both coated in a layer of good (and bad) microbes. Diet absolutely affects both: efficacy of barrier, balance of microbes, nutrient deficiencies, inflammatory diet and lifestyle, allergies and intolerances (can develop at any time).

  • Thanks for your reply. My GP is busy trying to investigate my gut problem so hasn’t spent much time looking at my skin, unfortunately. I had assumed it was acne, related to something (toxins?) being produced by / not processed by my stomach since January; interestingly it’s almost entirely on my cheeks, so it feels as if there is a link to one particular cause. A friend said to recently me spots in the t-zone of the face are due to hormones, but on the cheeks they are caused by diet. This made me wonder! The facial skin is such an obvious part of the body, linked to self confidence etc, I’m interested in seeing if I can find a dietary answer here, which might also help others.

  • posted by  Firefox7275 on Cholesterol
    on in Mediterranean diet
    permalink

    Oily fish is the only rich source of *long chain* polyunsaturates omega-3s, which balances out omega-6s (from most nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, grains). The vast majority of westerners eat way too much o-6 and way too little o-3. Dr Mosley recommends a variety and balance of foods, inc. fatty ones.

  • posted by  Firefox7275 on Cholesterol
    on in Mediterranean diet
    permalink

    Balance/ type of fat is key in healthy blood cholesterol, as well as quantity. Coconut oil is rich in *short chain* saturates which have different effects to *long chain* saturates from hard animal fats. Butter is surprisingly rich in the same monounsaturate as olive oil! If from grass fed cattle can be a source of omega-3s and CLA (polyunsaturates with anti-inflammatory effects).

  • posted by  Firefox7275 on Vegan advice for clever guts diet
    on in Welcome
    permalink

    Difficult to balance fats, since most nuts seeds and soy are rich in omega-6 and obviously no omega-3/ vitamin D rich fish or eggs. Might be worth consulting a registered dietician about supplements?

  • posted by  Firefox7275 on Vegan advice for clever guts diet
    on in Welcome
    permalink

    Wholefood vegans have a running start on prebiotic fibre! ๐Ÿ˜‰ But challenging to make complete proteins in the initial phase (avoid gluten grains/ pulses).

  • Hi, Very many thanks for both of these responses. They are very encouraging about the glucose monitoring.
    With regards to Omega 3 I have read that most supplements of omega 3 are not worth taking as they take such a long time to get processed that most are rancid and so not healthy to ingest. I try to eat wild salmon and mackerel twice per week for that reason. How do you take omega 3, how often do you get blood tests to ensure your AA/EPA remains in that range and I don’t understand that >18.0 is not in the range that you detail? Thank you for sharing.

  • posted by  Firefox7275 on Which cider vinegar?
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    I buy Biona Organic ‘with the mother’ from Amazon UK. I use it as a meal ingredient (primarily in salad dressings) not as a standalone dietary supplement.

  • posted by  Firefox7275 on Proper Cheese …
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    Many European PDO (defines method, origin, name) cheeses are made from unpasteurised milk or are mould-aged or rind-washed. In the UK these are widely available in grocery stores.

    HTH!

  • posted by  Firefox7275 on Proper Cheese …
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    Cheeses made from unpasteurised milk, mould-aged or rind-washed should contain probiotics. There are published studies on Roquefort and Pecorino Romano (both from unpasteurised ewe’s milk).

  • posted by  tokyo14 on When to start, having a colonoscopy
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    hi i am having the capsule endoscope tomorrow and spent a day today having bowel prep!!! would be interested to see what michael says about starting the diet
    would be good for some advice

  • posted by  Lovemyguts on Which live yoghurt?
    on in Probiotics
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    We make our yoghurt using 750 ml of A2 milk and 2 to 3 tbsp Woodland organic sheep milk yoghurt* (bought at Waitrose). * Contains lactobacillus acidophilus and bulgaricus, streptococcus thermophilus. I can’t find listed products on the website.

  • Reading about this research in the clever Guts book filled me with excitement that my family and I could perhaps learn more about how our own individual bodies work and get the key to finding out what foods work best for each of us.
    Alas, on the website where you can potentially get your faeces tested and the answer to this question they tell me that this service is not available to UK citizens.
    I then watched a you tube from one of the doctors

    At the end he suggests that people could discover for themselves what effect different foods have on their system by monitoring their own blood sugar after different foods. So…
    Although none of my family are diabetic, I am contemplating buying a freestyle libre glucose monitor so that we can test for glucose spikes after different foods to learn which foods suit who.
    Has anyone else tried this and if so did you find a useful list of foods to test and did it work? I think we would have to eat each food in isolation, maybe 1 or 2 hours apart so that just testing a bowl of mixed fruit would take a day! I’d love to hear what anyone else thinks about this or if they’ve done it.

  • posted by  SueC on New to fermenting
    on in Fermenting
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    Hi
    Iโ€™d just like to say that I bought some milk kefir grains a couple of months ago from E bay for less than ยฃ3 and have been fermenting them ever since in any old glass containers covered with a kitchen towel and drinking the kefir every day and sharing extra grains with my family & friends. I have twice successfully taken them on holiday in 100mm bottles where they have thrived in the warmer weather & allowed us to maintain our new healthy habit.
    Both my husband and I have experienced a huge improvement in our digestive health. I try to eat healthily but felt unable to digest several foods that gave me sleepless nights of indigestion. Now, after the kefir I find to my delight that I can eat garlic, onions, coleslaw, beans and pulses for dinner and sleep like a baby with no stomach pains at all. My husband has also enjoyed a huge improvement with the hemorrhoid problem that has dogged him for several years and sleeps much better than prior to drinking daily kefir.
    I find it incredibly easy to ferment kefir and feel more healthy and happy than I have done for years.

  • posted by  maidyju on New to fermenting
    on in Fermenting
    permalink

    *waves* Hi all, hope no one minds me joining in. I’ve just read the Clever Guts book (and I’m halfway through BSD), and ran out to buy Kefir (I found some ready-to-drink kefir in the “Yakult/Actimel” section at my local Sainsbury’s this morning) and sauerkraut ingredients.

    Just a heads up, I found a Kefir making kit in Lakeland (yay!), and forgot size of preserving jar needed for purple sauerkraut recipe, so bought a 2L Kilner one (oops)!! Doubled/tripled up on the sauerkraut recipe so it fits the jar. I’ll keep you guys posted on how both these go ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  Clong on Which live yoghurt?
    on in Probiotics
    permalink

    I’d like to know what we should look for when buying yoghurt. I don’t recognise the brands in this thread – I live in Australia so that may be why. I buy “organic” yoghurt but after reading the book wondering if that label is enough.

  • posted by  Efalump on Hypothyroid
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    Thank you for replies all Hypothyroid sufferers. I’ve spent the last 17 years, since diagnosis, trying to keep weight off. I liked the 5:2 diet; whilst I didn’t lose any weight, at least none was added!. Perhaps now I’ve dropped calorie intake too low, I have since gone on one of those VLCD regimes, with a ‘lightweight’ meal in the evening -still hoping to be smaller.

  • posted by  Phoebe12 on Red Wine – Migraine
    on in Sensitivities
    permalink

    Not sure if this is helpful, but I used to get migraines from red wine until I was through the menopause, when it stopped happening. If this is a long way in the future for you, perhaps drinking the wine diluted with fizzy water, as a kind of spritzer, might help?

  • posted by  Barbara 123 on Effect of laxatives on microbiome / gut health
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    Hi, POL that’s an interesting study, thanks. If macrogol can affect it short term I assume that long term use might well have an effect. I might try gradually cutting it down, replacing it with Dorsetcream’s linseeds. (Thanks Dorsetcream.). I’d much prefer to use something natural. Good luck all. ๐Ÿ˜€

  • posted by  Kefirlady on Kefir and my husband
    on in Probiotics
    permalink

    Hello, lots of companies seem to be rushing to sell kefir. The stuff that’s just a starter is probably a waste of money as you have to keep buying it. If you have grains you don’t need a big container, a glass or a mug will do, or a large washed out jar, like a mayonnaise jar. As the grains grow you can freeze them or park them in the fridge.
    I’ve got plenty of grains for sale , or you can get from Amazon or eBay.

  • posted by  ourstuff on IBS with Oestrogen Dominance
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    I’ve had mild IBS ever since I can remember. Around 2-3 years ago I started showing symptoms of perimenopause, mainly Oestrogen Dominance and excessive weight gain. After years of head scratching and research I found that changing my diet would have a drastic effect on my weight. I lost 10.5lbs in 10 days!! I subsequently put the weight back on as I thought it would be easy to lose it again. No. The amount of cruciferous fruit and veg I was eating was not making a difference any more. I then found that Calcium D-Glucarate and Indole-3-Carbinol, which is basically a ton of cruciferous veg in a capsule and also promotes the detoxification of excess oestrogen from your body. Together with a healthy diet and exercise (which wasn’t working before) with the supplements helped me lose the weight again.

    My problem now is, after suffering for the past 9 months with stress and anxiety, my IBS symptoms are exacerbated. So much so I was worried so I went to the doctor for numerous tests, only to confirm it is just IBS symptoms magnified. He told me the only way I can ‘manage’ my symptoms is to start the FODMap eating plan. This basically cuts out all the foods that irritate my tummy and create the gas, bloating etc.. You guessed it. All the cruciferous veg and the supplements contain the exact same veg that make my IBS symptoms 100 x worse ๐Ÿ™

    My question is, is anyone else suffering the double whammy? I can’t take the tablets to get rid of my Oestrogen dominance which is preventing my weight lose and water retention because they cause my IBS symptoms which intern causes excess bloating!!

    Would be great to find some help..

  • posted by  AnnElizabeth on The Biome and Gastro-oesophogial Reflux Disease
    on in Welcome
    permalink

    Hi…I was suffering exactly the same things that you describe. 3 years ago I went to the Centre for Digestive Diseases in Sydney and had lots of tests etc and after a short course of 2 types of antibiotics to eliminate a huge overgrowth of Candida both my constipation and GERD ended.!!! After taking PPI’s for 15 years I have not needed them since. I have started to drink Apple Cider vinegar if I get a slight burn which happens occasionally. PPI’s gave me Osteoporosis but since coming off them my Dexa scans are showing improvement in bone density instead of depletion.

  • posted by  Jaygo on Red Wine – Migraine
    on in Sensitivities
    permalink

    Hi,
    I used to suffer from headaches and could never get to the cause. I ended up being referred for an intolerance test (I did an Imupro test) and when I spoke to them they mentioned I might have a histamine intolerance. I did both the food intolerance test and the histamine intolerance test and found that I had a histamine intolerance as well as food intolerances. After modifying my diet I am happy to say that I rarely get headaches any more…( I did have to cut down on histamine rich foods and that made a huge difference.

  • posted by  Hayls on Red Wine – Migraine
    on in Sensitivities
    permalink

    Hi all,

    I would very much like to incorporate a red wine into my diet here and there, however it gives me terrible migraines – does anyone know if there is anything I can do to stop this from happening?

  • posted by  June1767 on Sourdough Bread
    on in Fermenting
    permalink

    Well I’ve made lots different kinds bread but never sourdough.
    There’s plenty info out there but would like to hear from those of you who regularly make it.
    .Advice on starters. Recipes etc Foolproof if possible lol x

  • posted by  Phoebe12 on A note from Michael on the book
    on in Welcome
    permalink

    I wonder if you have seen the item in Food Unwrapped about probiotics which was on Channel 4 last night. In a lab trial four different probiotics were tested for survival in the same strength and type of acid as stomach acid to see which survived in the greatest numbers. Plain, unsweetened, natural, full fat yoghurt was the best, with sauerkraut having absolutely nothing surviving. It seems that the fat protected the probiotics from the acid. I know what I’ll be buying in future!

  • posted by  Melissa Jane on Seaweed?
    on in Prebiotics
    permalink

    Hi Pia, I don’t know if you will ever be doing any studies along this line but my husband suffers from psoriasis AND psoriatic arthritis. I just wanted to make contact with you so you had my contact if you ever wanted recruitments. Thanks for your hard work ๐Ÿ™‚

  • posted by  Kajsa on Yogurt makers?
    on in Probiotics
    permalink

    Sorry to be dim, but what make did you buy?
    Heave Read a few are using a slow cooker as well to make yogurt!!

  • posted by  Toddy67 on Welcome to Clever Guts!
    on in Welcome
    permalink

    Hi. I have just completed a week on this diet and have lost 6 pounds! I am so thrilled. I have not been hungry or bogged down with calorie counting and have made some amazing food. My 14 year old son loved the hoummous ( U am still in shock) and I made yoghurt in my slow cooker. The goan curry was amazing and the aubergine brownies are a revelation. Am combining with the 5.2 diet. I have 6 stone to lose to be at a healthy weight and am thrilled with this first week!

  • posted by  Baxters Mum on Remove and repair meal planner
    on in Newbies
    permalink

    Hi there

    Does anyone know if there is a downloadable version of the remove and repair meal planner from phase 1 of the diet. It’s on page 262/3 of the book.

    Thanks

  • posted by  June1767 on Yogurt makers?
    on in Probiotics
    permalink

    Fir those looking for dried culture have a nosy at this one one eBay. Very same type I bought.
    Ebay number.. 112415265875

    Read item description for more info x