If you have leaky gut....
I was informally diagnosed early last year with leaky gut based on a blood allergy test. I had no IgE reactions, but a broad range of IgG sensitivities. I really don't have any other lower abdominal problems, thankfully. No IBS, Chron's, etc... I do have chronic constipation, which can be a sign of leaky gut, as well. Many things can cause constipation, one of them being hypothyroidism, which I do have. It appears that my doctor caught the leaky gut early in that I don't have other horrible symptoms. I intend to be vigilant about healing my gut.<br /><br />This testing all came about because of some upper GI issues. I started having troublesome throat symptoms, choking episodes, ear pain, and upper chest pain. I've been told I have LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux, very different from GERD.) In the midst of this LPR, my Dr. ran blood and stool tests. The results revealed, in addition to suspected leaky gut, that I had intestinal parasites and candida overgrowth. Fortunately no bacterial issues.<br /><br />My troublesome symptoms are the LPR, I don't know if repair of my lower gut issues will have a long term impact on my LPR symptoms, but I can't believe that it's not all related, since it's all part of the GI Tract. I am definitely doing much better with the LPR than I was a year ago. The parasites and candida most certainly compromise the integrity of the gut lining. Parasites bore holes all through the intestines, allowing large particles of food to escape into your bloodstream, and your body consequently labels them as foreign invaders, resulting in the broad IgG food sensitivities.<br /><br />My alternative doctor (with permission from my regular doctor) has me on an intense antimicrobial regimen intended to kill the little critters that don't belong. The antimicrobial treatment itself isn't a long term cure. Permanent diet change plays a huge part in this, and will continue to do so, as I assume I'll be susceptible to yeast long term.<br /><br />I've cut out all grains, dairy, sugars, fruit, and starchy vegetables while I'm on this treatment program for the next 8 weeks, Basically just meat, non-starchy veggies, nuts, lemon, lime, tomato, goat cheese and goat butter (these contain enzymes that cause the goat products to digest their own sugars.) I hope to add back some low glycemic fruits and veggies, but I'm pretty sure I'm headed in the grain free, dairy free direction permanently.<br /><br />Anyhow, I have taken many things over the course of this past year, and I'm not sure what's working the most, but this RepairVite is well regarded, and my alternative doctor highly approved the prescribing of it by my regular doctor.<br /><br />It contains L-Glutamine, a handful of herbal ingredients I don't know much about, and several that I do (slippery elm, aloe vera extract, and DGL), all of which I was taking separately until I was given this Repairvite. It's not cheap, but then again, I was spending quite a bit on products with the individual ingredients. As far as the taste, it does have a decent caramel flavor. By itself, I find the taste just fine. I'm tougher than the average Jane in that I don't have a huge problem taking disgusting tasting supplements. Not that this Repairvite is disgusting, but I do mix it with several other supplements at the same time to get it all over with. I usually  mix a scoop of Repairvite, a couple tablespoons of George's Aloe Vera Juice, some powdered probiotics, half a teaspoon of liquid vitamin B complex, and 3 droppers full of my antimicrobial defense together in a small shaker with enough water to blend it all together. Shake vigorously, and bottoms up.<br /><br />A word of caution that's not on the bottle. Do not take this at the same time as any prescription medications, as it can interfere with proper absorption. Wait at least an hour or so after meds to take this.<br /><br />For anyone who might be interested, I've taken some suggestions from the Gut and Psychology Syndrome book and cookbook for healing my gut. In addition to my daily Repairvite cocktail, I also make my own bone broth and typically drink a cup or so before breakfast and dinner. This is supposed to help seal the intestinal lining, especially when you don't skim the fat. I also take George's Aloe Vera before each meal use probiotics twice a day. Regarding constipation, I've heard that warm lemon juice first thing in the morning is very helpful. I wasn't that crazy about taking it warm, but I do squeeze fresh lemons, add cold water, stevia, and ice, and I drink a big cup of lemonade twice a day. This seems to be helping with regularity. If you have leaky compromised gut health, constipation is your enemy, trust me. You need to get that resolved.<br /><br />Give this RepairVite a try. If you're taking it because of lower abdominal symptoms, I suppose you'll notice whether this is helping or not based on whether your symptoms improve. Since I wasn't having lower abdominal symptoms, I'll have to wait until the next blood and stool tests to see if my IgG allergies have lessened, and whether the parasites and fungus have been either reduced or eradicated. In any event, by LPR has improved since this all hit me suddenly a year ago. Again, it's all part of the same system.<br /><br />I encourage anyone with gut issues that there's no magic bullet for your health. Avoid prescription meds if possible. They mask the symptoms, cause more side effects, and don't get at the root cause of the problem. Find a doctor or alternative practitioner who won't just prescribe pharmaceuticals. Be willing to thoroughly investigate everything, and most importantly, prepare yourself for big diet and lifestyle change. You're guaranteed to be stuck on drugs if you want to have your cake (literally) and eat it too. Start taking steps to repair your gut naturally. What's the old saying...a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Your health won't improve with a silver bullet solution. But small, consistent steps taken over a long period of time will pay big dividends in the long run. Be faithful today to make wise choices and small steps in the right direction. This will compound over time and get you headed in the right direction. And one last thing...if you need encouragement to stick with the &#34;slow but steady wins the race&#34; concept in your health, and all other aspects of your life, read The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. Great encouragement contained therein to plug along like the tortoise in Aesop's fable. Slow but steady wins the race. This book helped me to stick with small daily steps to improve my health. Like the principle of compounded interest, you might not see immediate gains in the daily minutia of yet another dose of Reparivite, probiotics, clean eating, etc..., but over time you will see the tide turn in the right direction!
Rating: 5 stars