Gut Dysbiosis and H. Pylori – Gut Health

“All disease begins in the gut”

~Hippocrates

 

80% of the immune system resides in the gut. Serotonin, the precursor to melatonin, both are mainly produced in the gut. Your sex hormones are balanced in the gut. Leptin regulation is accomplished in the gut. Detoxification and Methylation pathways rely on a healthy gut. Neurotransmitter balance depend on gut health; have you heard about the “Gut-Brain Connection”? The Gut is known as the second Brain! The numbers of gut dysbiosis cases in our country is rapidly escalating leading to several autoimmune conditions.

What is gut dysbiosis? It’s an imbalance in the microbiome. More of bad opportunistic bacteria than beneficial bacteria. Caused by bacteria overgrowth, imbalanced fungi and parasites, food sensitivities, alcohol overuse, poor digestion, overconsumption of processed carbohydrates as well as with antibiotic use.

The basic function of our digestive system is ingestion, secretion of targeted fluids, digestion, absorption, and elimination of waste. To activate this chain of processes we need stomach acid; HCL produced by the parietal cells. We also need digestive enzymes and bile. If HCL is not released, other essential digestive enzymes and bile are not produced, this slows down and in some severe cases completely impairs our digestion process resulting in indigested foods in the stool, or even worse, intestinal hyperpermeability. This is where particles of undigested food end up crossing the gut barrier, the intestinal villi and go into the blood stream. This leads to disastrous consequences including gut dysbiosis and autoimmune disease. Adequate stomach acid is crucial to prevent disease.

In my Functional Medicine nutrition Private practice, I use the GI MAP stool analysis test by Diagnostic Solutions. This is by far the most comprehensive and reliable test in identifying gut dysbiosis and an indicator for nutrient deficiencies. There are a couple of other reliable tests options I trust, the GI 360 by Doctor’s Data and for suspected SIBO, the 2 or 3 hours SIBO test by Genomic Tests. Food sensitivities typically play a big role in gut dysbiosis, and therefore I recommend the MRT food sensitivity test to support a faster gut dysbiosis healing.

**Test available to private clients only

*Private client intake consultation fee does not include labs, tests, or recommended supplements

Healing gut dysbiosis and bringing your gut to balance requires identifying your root cause; the findings of each individual client’s parasites, worms, fungi, yeast (candida), viral pathogens, opportunistic bacteria overgrowth, and dysregulated markers of intestinal health, such as Elastase-1 (digestive enzyme capacity), Steatocrit (enzyme to break down fat), b-glucoronidase (detox capacity), occult blood (helpful in identifying ulcerative colitis), and calprotectin (for inflammation). Another very important marker is SIgA, which is regulated by stress and an indicator of autoimmune conditions in the system. If suspected leaky gut, we would normally want to add the anti-gliadin SIgA market to discard possible Celiac. The GI MAP DNA Stool Analysis test is truly an incredible tool that allows up to expedite the process or root cause finding and immediate treatment.

Among all the Root Cause pathogens for gut dysbiosis I will discuss a few of the sneakiest we can detect with the Quantitative PCR GI MAP DNA Stool Analysis Test.

1. Pylori is a gram-negative, flagellate, spiral-shaped, most common chronic bacterial infection in the gut, with 50% of world population colonized!

🦠Transmitted from person to person from fecal-oral or oral-oral (mouth to mouth) route.

🦠Common in those with Hashimoto’s by 98%

🦠#1 cause of peptic and duodenal ulcers, MALT Lymphoma and Gastritis.

🦠Asymptomatic unless ulcers or other sequelae. However, a person can excite these bacteria by prolonged exposure to stress, which is the #2 cause of ulcers.

See the trend? 🙈

The first thing I ask my clients with Hashi’s is, if they ever had a Stool Analysis + Parasitology test done. Why, because I want to start by identifying pathogenic bacteria overgrowth that needs eradication to create a hospitable environment for the immune system to reside (empirical in putting Hashimoto’s to remission).

One of the musts use in treating H. pylori is the urease inhibitor “Sulforaphane” = broccoli 🥦, broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale. If you know liver heath, you know sulforaphane is one the most potent antioxidants, it’s a precursor to glutathione, the Master Antioxidant. Read more about Glutathione & Detox on my post on the blog page.

⚠️But here’s a warning here, as this leads to the most controversial question asked by those with Hashimoto’s. Aren’t cruciferous vegetables goitrogenic and will slow down my thyroid function? The answers is yes and no. Yes, if eaten raw. However, when you cook your sulforaphane containing Brassicaceae family veggies, you kill the sulforaphane compound activated by Myrosinase and cancel the benefits of inflammation and toxin killing effects of sulforaphane.

So what to do: choose BROCCOLI SPROUTS, goitrogenic compounds only develop as the plant matures, not when in their baby stage, such are broccoli sprouts, these are safe.

However, you choose to eat your cruciferous veggies, just please don’t juice kale. This produces enormous amounts of goitrogens, plus is raw so you have the myrosinase in the kale leaf.

1. Pylori levels below the “flagged” range of <1.3e3 can have clinical significance.

• So here are a few things I look at when deciding when and how to treat:
• Levels of H. Pylori & presence of Virulence factors
• Severity of upper GI symptoms
• Clinical history or other signs of bacteria overgrowth possible clinical significance
• Stool analysis markers of digestive dysfunction (Elastase-1, Steatocrit,
• Are there other household members being treated for H. Pylori?
• Decide whether the H. Pylori is worthy of treatment

I then choose appropriate treatment:

• Not all H.Pylori cases require antibiotics
• There is NO urgency treating low level H. Pylori

Some other markers to watch for:

• UGI pain and reflux symptoms, similar to those with Celiac Disease. Adding the Zonulin test to the GI MAP will help us identify if you have Celiac or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)
• Second to H.Pylori is the opportunistic bacteria overgrowth, common to find candida along with H. Pylori
• If you’ve had H. Pylori and have been treated and get it again a few years after, the H. Pylori was never eradicated with whatever protocol used. You would want to treat candida first and then come back for the H. Pylori in that sequence.
• H. Pylori is transmitted from person to person by mouth/saliva (kissing) and can be activated by guess what “stress”! So, it very important to repair HPA-Axis dysregulation along with the adequate H. Pylori chosen treatment. Read more on HPA-Axis on my post on the blog page.

Candida Albicans (Opportunistic fungal bacteria) symptoms: (Lower GI track):

Bloating, fatigue, headache, acne/rashes, constipation, weight gain, yeast Infections, mood disturbances: anxiety/depression, digestive distress, joint aches and pains, athletes’ feet

*Candida Albicans requires complete eradication to suppress symptoms, especially joint aches and pains

SIBO (Small gathering of bacteria in the small intestine creating hydrogen and methane). Commonly conditions associated with SIBO include:

IBS, IBD, Celiac Disease, Diabetes, Rosacea, Fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s Disease, Obesity.

Symptoms: Bloating, distension, belching, constipation/ and or diarrhea (mainly an urge on bowl movement), mood disturbances: anxiety/depression, digestive distress, additional 3” width on waist circumference.

Candida Albicans and SIBO, both have in common: Intestinal Hyperpermeability, better known as Leaky Gut!

I love talking gut health, and I will never be given enough time or space to talk about it in further detail but please take this one thing from this post; there an enormous impact gut symbiosis has on your healing, overall health, and optimal wellness! By healing gut dysbiosis you give your system a chance to recover from recurrent conditions as these are triggered by gut dysbiosis; : Mono (Mononucleosis), EBV (Epstein Barr Virus), Lyme, Hormonal Imbalance, Leptin Resistance, Vitamin D deficiency, Histamine Intolerance, Hashimoto’s, Thyroid issues, Yeast Infections, Yeast Overgrowth, H. Pylori, Mood instability: Anxiety/Depression, DIVOC symptoms, post Maxine syndrome, and some many other diseases, viruses, and autoimmune conditions….

For now, I suggest you protect against gut dysbiosis with “Gut Flora” balance. Microbiome bacteria balance by the proper diet, anti-microbials, pre and probiotic foods, sunlight exposure, and other lifestyle modification to combat stress. Optimizing your microbiome and making sure that you have a robust immune response is multifaceted to any parasite, opportunistic bacteria, or virus.

In health and wholeness,

Victoria