I too would like to sign up for the potato starch study but can’t see how to – or find the protocol.

4:3 should be fine. Dr Krista Varady, whose scientific research on intermittent fasting was one of the inspirations for the 5:2 diet, uses every other day fasting. Dr MM devised 5:2 as a trade off between practicality and effectiveness, thinking it more sustainable.

When I first went on this (5:2 and occasional 4:3), I also lowered my carb intake to between 50 and 100 grams per day and raised fats to compensate. I found I was more alert and at first it was harder to get to sleep. After a couple of weeks it all seemed to re-balance.

Hi. You might find this useful:

http://www.5spokecreamery.com/raw-milk-cheese-a-natural-source-of-probiotics/

This is an American cheese company but there are loads of fab raw milk cheeses made in the UK that are sold in delis. (American artisan cheesecakes use our traditional cheesemaking methods!). Try looking at The Guild of Fine Food website for your nearest one.

Some of my faves…Quickes Cheddar, Montgomery’s Cheddar, Appleby’s Cheshire, Kirkham’s Lancashire, Tunworth, Stichelton, Colston Bassett Stilton….I could go on all day!!

Hi
I suffer from severe GORD(GERD if you’re American) and take a high dose of PPI every day. I would like to get off the PPI’s and still live a normal eating life. Does anyone have any experience of this and use of the clever gut diet to cure it. I dont have helicobacter, hiatus hernia or Barretts Oesophogus or any other obivous cause of my GORD but I suspect Lower esophogial Sphincter Dismotility. Unfortunately my GP has not been able to help me with this, continuously fobbing me off with PPI’s so I am now looking at diet and lifestyle to try and get me off the tablets but was wondering if anyone has any knowledge about the connection to gut bacteria.
Dr Mosley? Any thoughts?

Sign me up!

I used to get a great nights sleep every so often with Rohypnal; sadly that devoid of-day-after-fog sleeping pill is now illegal. I’d like to be part of your potato starch study.

Could be blood sugar fluctuation from the starch. It will cause a high then a low. Try adding a protein to the salad e.g., a bit of chicken or a a sardine or a hard boiled egg which would slow the uptake. Also a little olive oil would slow things.

I agree with Kalm on the foods but I would not juice, rather eat the veg lightly cooked with a bit of butter or as a salad, as you then feel more full and the will power doesn’t have to work so hard! I find that egg helps fullness too, so hard boiled on salad or poached on cooked veg or stirred into broth before serving all help fullness. Juices go through the gut very fast I find and leave me feeling hungry.

I too have been hunting info on collagen. Basically you get it from bones, either animal or fish, hence the bone broth recipe in the book. Also, fish stews using the whole fish with its bones or cooking fish bones separately as a stock to return to the fish soup will give collagen. Thus the collagen powders come from different sources, either beef or fish. Looking down the list of brands when you google it, some guarantee they are from grass fed beef, some are organic and some are fish, including wild fish. My choices are heading towards organic meat based (organic are usually grass fed as well) or fish based. I’ve not made my mind up yet between the two types, still researching. But meanwhile I’m also buying whole chicken, then making soup broth out of the carcass, removing the breast, leg and thigh joints to eat separately.

You can make your own soft cheese by draining yogurt. If its live yogurt it will be live cheese. Use muslin in a seive drain for 12 hours in the fridge. Add salt and maybe herbs then drain some more; you can tie the muslin into a ball and suspend it using a chopstick or just continue in seive. Drain in fridge until it is as firm as you like it. A threadbare teatowel works if you dont have muslin or cheese cloth. Might need a couple of layers of muslin or cheesecloth.

Also looking for the good quality probiotics list

I’m puzzled by this too, but have come to the conclusion that it’s a proof-reading error. ‘Live or active cultures’ surely refers to yoghurt, not cheeses, which are normally described as made with pasteurised or unpasteurised milk. Perhaps Michael could enlighten us?

Thanks for your suggestions, Msara. I’ll certainly give kefir a try – I tasted some a few weeks ago when a friend gave me some from a Polish shop she knows. Loved the taste, it reminded me of buttermilk.

Not found most of the lists mentioned in the book so far, I’m afraid. I’ve stuck to Kefir for probiotics and inulin powder in green tea for prebiotics since they were recommended on the Michael Moseley programmes.

Hi Phoebe
I have found taking Kefir in the mornings over the past 2-3 weeks has helped me feel better intestinally, after a meal and during the day and night. In fact, yesterday I ate something that really disagreed with me, but within the hour the symptoms dissipated. I was amazed as it usually takes longer.

I also take the prebiotic inulin in green tea an hour before bed. My sense of smell has returned, too.

I have also taken tablet forms of probiotics over the years, which i am sure have helped me, but none as noticeably as the Kefir and inulin.

I found taking kefir at lunchtime or tea time wasn’t so good as i awoke at 4 am feeling very empty and needed to have a soothing warm drink to get back to sleep again.
Hope it helps you, too.
Madeleine

Hi Tokyo
Sorry to hear about your symptoms and surgeries.
I find the worst thing for night sweats and hot flushes is refined sugars and carbs. It also brings on terrible back pain, acne and dysmenorrhea to name just a few symptoms. Cutting sugars out has certainly transformed my gut in terms of those symptoms.
When I cut them out the symptoms pretty much disappear, but when I lapse they start coming back. I treat myself usually to only 1 square of 74% dark chocolate when i need some chocolate and that doesn’t seem to bring on the symptoms.
I have also found taking Kefir in the mornings has helped me feel better intestinally after eating. In fact, yesterday I ate something that really disagreed with me, but within the hour the symptoms dissipated. I was amazed as it usually takes longer. I also take inulin prebiotic an hour before bed.
Hope this helps you, too.
Madeleine

Hi Yes the things mentioned in the book are hard to find here, like the olive oil best products list, which I still haven’t located.

However, the symptoms diary is located here: https://cleverguts.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/05/cleverguts-foodsymptoms-diary.pdf

via Get Started – Reboot your biome-re-introductions.

The CG Diet books says I can download a daily food and symptoms diary in table form from this website but I haven’t located it. Any pointers most welcome. Thanks

Me too. As an insomniac I keen to try things other than sleeping pills.

Has anyone tried any prebiotics which they would recommend?

Hi all, just joined you and am delighted to find other Old Gits on this site. I’m 72 and have had IBS since my late teens, but wasn’t diagnosed until 3 years ago by my GP. I just thought I’d eaten that had upset me each time it flared up. Well, I had, but not in the way I thought. I don’t have any problems with wheat or dairy and I can easily avoid shellfish, which I know I’m allergic to, so I’m trying to decide what to do next. Just read Michael’s book, which was very interesting and informative. I’m thinking of trying something gentle like some fermented foods, to see if they help. I’ve tried prebiotics, but they make me nauseous after a couple of weeks. I’d like to know if anyone else has had the same problem?

Hi Micheal
I want to start the repair diet in the back of the book. (Which incidentally I was obsessed with and couldn’t put it down until I had finished it) if I replace meat with vegan/vegetarian alternatives will the diet still be effective?
I will use natural products such as chick peas, beans and pulses but I’m concerned it won’t have the same effect.
Thank you in advance for your help

I use this one – I’ve no idea if it’s well thought of though.

Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate Unflavored Beef Kosher Gelatin, 16 oz. – … https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01947XDNK/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_FbKmzb5QMR03B

Hi to those that are interested in the capsules – we are very excited to see the interest and are just completing our second part of the clinical study at the University of Wollongong, Australia, to look at reconfirming the effect we saw on some of the psoriasis type skin sufferers in our first study. We hadn’t recruited people specifically for that type of disorder in the first study, but simply on risk factors for pre-diabetes (see https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=369364&isReview=true).
We should have the results published from that first study very shortly and will keep you alerted here, and also an update on the BioBelly trial II which will recruit shortly.
If you would like email alerts on the progress and availability of the capsules then you can sign up for email alerts and indicate that you are interested in the limited edition access to the first capsules at : https://www.phyco.com.au/contact
Looking forward to this global network bringing a shift to the global health status through better gut conditioning. It is great that people can be empowered to take their basic health status into their own hands through diet – it is a lifelong and rewarding investment.

I’d like lots of information promised in the book.
I LOVE the book, but I’d really like:
1) The list of good probiotics
2) The information about the collagen (The side note in the book mentions Pure Gold Collagen, which might be from gold-collagen.com. Tanya’s Leaky Gut Healing Smoothie is by Tanya Borowski, and her website is http://www.nutritionalvalues.co.uk/ although at first glance I can’t see anything about collagen powder)
3) The flavonoids list
4) Which olive oils to avoid and which to trust

I’ve bookmarked a few other things to look up on the website, as directed by the book, but so far I’ve found nothing.
Please help Michael!
PS
However I was EXTREMELY excited to finally get my hands on his turmeric latte recipe, which I’ve been searching for ever since he gave some to Jeremy Vine to try many months ago.
Great work!

Not sure this is the right place for this query , but what affects will all the full fat , butter and coconut oil have on cholesterol levels ?

The ‘clever guts diet’ book lacks a good diagram. Can anyone suggest a good, easy-2-read diagram to buy to enable me to B more aware of the gut processes? Thanks.

This particular antacid doesn’t have good reviews from some medics, see Dr James le Fanue in the Daily Telegraph.

I find that not eating 2 hours prior to laying down stops any reflux – hiatus hernia is ‘common’ in ladies approaching menopause – as oestrogen levels drop off so muscles may become lax = aches and pains including the wretched heartburn scenario. I find that over-the-counter preparations such as ‘Rennies’ are enough to ease symptoms, though I do need to chew 2/3 tablets sometimes.

Eating little and often can also ease heartburn symptoms. It really can be difficult to find what suits each individual.

My Mum swears by Apple Cider vinegar for various ailments – she is 90 and doesn’t take any medication other than Paracetamol occasionally.

Are you generally well?

My DH eats lots of these weekly. He chops them to add to morning porridge as well as munching them in the afternoons along with an apple.

Hello, does anyone here suffer from inflammatory bowel disease IBD (ulcerative colitis(UC) or crohns disease) rather than IBS? My daughter-in -law has UC and is currently in hospital again. I feel that the key to her staying well is through maintaining a healthy gut microbiome but does anyone know if the clever guts diet is suitable for her? She is only 23 and was diagnosed about 10 months ago and this is her 3rd flare up already. I would really like to help her.

Your are most welcome, Kelnic.

The Deliciously Ella cookbooks and website have some great recipe ideas, all healthy natural stuff, including treats and snacks, too.
Madeleine

Brilliant thank you for all the advice madeleine certainly helping xx

I’m also interested in buying the seaweed capsules in the UK

I’m also looking for the probiotic list.

My stomach (IBS) has gone ballistic over the last few years. Going to a Gastroenterologist …. The book is giving me hope

Hi can anyone tell me how panadol osteo affects biome and what can be done to counteract it?

I too am having a colonoscopy and endoscopy next Thursday and I assume it will wipe all biomes. I wonder what would best thing to do with a totally empty gut for rapid recovery??

That’s great, thank you.

I’ve started taking kefir and already my sense of smell is better again. I’m hopeful it will help with hayfever too. I have sneezed a few times, but no major symptoms otherwise

Yes however prunes are on the ‘avoid list’ for FODMAP. So if you react to those tyoes of food they are best avoided. Medjool dates are a good alternative natural sweetener.

Hi Charlotte
I remember once eating a vegetarian cashew nut stir fry, which gave me a humming head and I couldn’t get to sleep. Also using computer, tablet smartphone just before bed but again that stopped me getting to sleep, rather than waking up with racing head. I believe decaffeinated coffee can have that effect, too. So it could be something like that, perhaps.
Good luck with the inulin
BW
Madeleine

Hi Madeleine,
Thank you, I will look into trying inulin! I’ve always slept like a log so this is unusual for me. On the other hand, I haven’t felt especially tired with it, just frustrating!
BW
Charlotte

Hi Fi
That sounds good. Yes feeling fuller for longer is important.
The 5:2 diet says 500 calories for women and 600 for men on fast days, but you can go over that slightly, wihotu being too rigid.
Some days I’ve decided to have a low calorie day, instead, where i consume no more than 700 calories and I often still lose the 1lb per fast day, which is good.

Thinking off the top of my head- One tip is keep yourself occupied as the more you think about food, the hungrier you can feel and of course as diets are all about food then it’s going to be on your mind. Another piece of advice is to eat more slowly, as this tells your gut you are full.

Eating chunks of vegetables with skins on takes longer for the body to digest, so you feel fuller. Green veg have considerably fewer calories, so lots of lettuce, spinach and kale etc. will fill you up. grating raw veg including squash and sweet potato for salads also helps. crunchy veg is more filling than cooked soft veg.
Sweet potatoes. Beans, lentils and peas and chickpeas added to salads.

Porridge oats and Chia seeds are good bulkers especially if added to smoothies. Raw, unblanched almonds and hazelnuts are a good snack, as the body only consumes half of their calories.

Soup and water fill you up, as does redbush, green tea. My favourites are Green tea with peach and cherry blossom and Rooibos with vanilla.

Apparently cinnamon helps feeling fuller for longer; Greek yoghurt or Kefir especially if you add uncooked oats, blueberries and raspberries; avocados or apples with cinnamon and a little honey.

Although snacking is discouraged in the clever guts diet book, if you’re out and about, almonds plus some dried apricots is a great go-to emergency snack to stop those cake/ pastry cravings.

If you are tired, you tend to crave sweet things.
Eat your evening meal early, so that you are fasting between 7pm – 7am or 8pm – 8am helps, too.

You may know some of this already, but I hope this helps.
Madeleine

Yes I guess so. 5 lbs is good. I think they say weigh yourself on three days at same time of day to get an average then I guess you’ll know if it’s fluid or weight loss. Good luck.
Madeleine

Hi Pia. I was interested in the section in Michael’s book which refers to the trial you carried out which included a psoriasis sufferer (I have it mildly). It would be great to know what type of seaweed I should be looking for? You mention in an earlier post that Kombu contains too much iodine to be consumed every day but the link on Michael’s website takes me to Kombu (Emerald Isle Seaweed). If you have time, any information would be great. Many thanks.

I have read the book, undoubtedly full of very good sense. However, as I live on a West Indian island with scant resources, it would be very difficult indeed to get all the necessary ingredients. Furthermore, I have yet to see any recipe that doesn’t make me want to gag!!! If 2 hrs tv watching (which I don’t do) takes 13 minutes off your life, what does a sedentary job do?. When I’ve been in the Mediterranean I’ve been offered loads of meat as well as the sainted fish. Since seeing at the age of five, a catch landed from a trawler dying slowly and horribly from suffocation, I do not have the fashionable attitude towards fish. Cattle, sheep and pigs enjoy a great deal better life than chickens so white meat doesn’t have a halo for me either. At 71, I am horribly tempted to carry on enjoying my life as it is. Oh yes, I do eat fish and chicken (I didn’t say I’m not a hypocrite but at least I’m aware of it). Oh, and I find vast quantities of vegetables, however varied and tarted up, extremely dull. Please is there anyone out there who can change my mind?!!

Hello. I’m a newbie! In Michael’s book recipe section, there is a recipe for Tanya’s Leaky Gut Healing Smoothie. Can anyone recommend a reliable source of organic collagen powder. Have made bone broth but not sure I’ll be able to do that all the time!
Any information would be great. Thanks all.

So it’s basically the Mediterranean diet but dairy & gluten free?? I’ve being doing it since Tuesday not fasting just not eating refined carbs or snacking and I actually weigh 5lb lighter already I know it’s fluid but still feels good so I will be keeping it up 100%. Xx

Thanks Madeleine!

Very inspiring to read I’ve read through twice now and went out and did a big healthy shop, cleaned the fridge out of all temptations and feeling positive.
I’ve started both myself and husband off today with a gentle start so not necessarily to the letter or fasting but had gut friendly smoothie for brekky and the phyto salad for lunch! Feeling good.

Main issue I think will be getting enough calories into my hubby so he doesn’t lose weight or feel faint which often happens to him when not eating enough 🤣🤣!

What are some good snack ideas?
Thanks Fi