Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (158 page)

Practice relaxation and stress management.
Stress plays a role in this illness, so relax as much as possible and do things that give you pleasure. See
Chapter 16
for more on this topic.

Optimize fat-soluble vitamins.
Fat-soluble vitamins have anti-inflammatory effects. Get yours tested. In one study, people with more severe Sjögren’s had lowered levels of vitamin A.

We’ve covered a lot of ground in the past 400 or so pages. We’ve explored how the digestive system works, the DIGIN method for assessing underlying triggers and components of digestive and systemic disease and imbalances, lifestyle and nutritional recommendations, and finally chapters on dozens of specific digestive and systemic disease. Hopefully, you have a deeper understanding of how the digestive system works and what to do when it’s out of balance.

There’s so much more that I wanted to include in the book. You’ll find all of the extras at
http://www.digestivewellnessbook.com
. You’ll find all of the references that I used to research
Digestive Wellness
. You’ll also find resources for nutritional supplements and functional laboratories. Also, take a look at the expanded elimination diet, a candida diet, a four-day rotation diet, and more.

Thanks for coming with me on the journey.

Page numbers in italics refer to figures or tables.

Abdominal breathing exercise,
172

Absorption,
11
,
12
,
27
,
31
–40

bile salts,
35
–36

chewing and,
31

clues to problems with stomach acid,
33

diseases connected with low gastric activity,
33

enzymes and,
36
–40

hydrochloric acid (HCI) and,
32
–35

leaky gut syndrome and,
42
(
see also
Leaky gut syndrome)

minerals,
32

nutrient absorption,
19

protein,
32

Acetaminophen,
191

Acetobacter,
62

Acetylcarnitine,
346
–47

Acetylcholine,
105

Achlorhydria, self-testing,
126
–27

Acid-alkaline balance.
See
pH balance

Acidophilus,
64
,
209

Acupuncture,
216
,
250
,
336
,
377

Adrenal stress testing,
359

Adrenal support,
347

AIDS,
43

ALCAT food sensitivity testing,
382

Alcohol,
14
–15,
191
,
390

associated with Leaky Gut syndrome,
46

avoiding,
240
,
245
,
250

cirrhosis,
243
–46

hepatitis,
236
–37

Alcohol sugars,
284

avoiding,
269

Alfalfa,
325
–26

Alimentary system.
See
Digestive system

Allergies,
43
,
153
–61,
208
,
283
,
336
,
369

healing options,
160
–61

IgE reactions,
153
,
154

lab testing,
158
–60

patch skin tests,
154

peanut,
154

Sjögren’s syndrome and,
414

statistics,
153

triggers,
153
–54

Allergy testing,
222
,
319
,
344
,
351
,
364
,
402
,
415

RAST (radioallergosorbent test),
154
,
158

Aloe vera,
228
,
286
,
395

Aloe vera juice,
79
,
305

Alpha-linolenic acid,
371

Alpha-lipoic acid,
100

American College of Rheumatology,
356

Amino acid testing,
123
,
402

Amla,
243

Anderson, James,
256
–57

Anemia,
208
,
211
,
301

Anise,
270

Ankylosing spondylitis,
43
,
93
,
311
,
318
–19

Annals of Allergy
(Zellner),
312

Antacids,
32
,
215
,
216

dysbiosis and,
73

Antibiotics,
70

dysbiosis and,
73

for SIBO,
83

Antibodies,
190
.
See also specific antibodies

Antibody testing,
160

Antigliadin antibodies testing,
335

Anti-inflammatory drugs,
297

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA),
328

Antiobiotics,
138

Antioxidants,
49
,
206
,
207
,
219
,
250
,
299
,
335
–36,
357
,
377
,
392
,
410

checking status,
240

supplements,
245
,
257

Antiviral Research
,
242

Appendix,
21

appendicitis,
140

Arginine,
357
,
360

Aromatic oils,
76

Artemisia,
86

Arthritis,
311
–26

ankylosing spondylitis,
311
,
318
–19

dysbiosis and,
313

gout,
311

healing options,
320
–26

Lyme disease,
311

nutritional deficiencies,
314

osteoarthritis,
311

psoriatic,
311
,
317
,
390

rheumatoid,
311
,
315
–17

statistics,
311
,
312
–13

testing,
319
–20

Ascorbigen,
359

Assimilation,
12

Asthma,
43
,
220
–21

Atopic dermatitis.
See
Eczema

Atopy,
43
,
349

Attention deficit disorder

underlying causes,
27

Attitude,
170
.
See also
Balance, finding

positive thoughts,
174

Autism,
104
,
272

Autoimmune diseases,
327
–31

statistics,
328

tests,
330

viruses and,
329

Autoimmunity,
258

Avoidance,
160
.
See also
Elimination diet

Bacrim,
76

Bacteria.
See also
Microbiome

gut,
379
–80

lactic-acid producing,
62

Bacterial translocation,
43
,
96

Bacteroidetes,
380

Baker, Sydney,
9
,
79
,
101
–2,
189

Balance, finding,
169
–77

change and,
170
–71,
171

compartmentalization exercise,
176

meaning and,
170

positive thoughts,
174

self-renewal,
173
–75

sleep,
174
–75

Barrett’s esophagus,
218
–20,
406

Bath houses,
190

Bathroom habits,
306

Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon,
141

BCM-7,
401

Bed raising,
217

Behavioral therapies,
290
,
377

Behcet, Hulusi,
333

Behcet’s disease (BD),
333
–37

causes,
334

definition,
333

diagnosis,
334
–35

healing options,
335
–37

research,
334

statistics,
333

symptoms,
333

testing,
335

Belching,
213
–14

Bender, Lauretta,
400

Berberine,
76
,
86

Berkson, Bert,
239

Betaglucuronidase,
23

Betaine,
34
,
232
,
407

Better Bones, Better Body
(Brown),
385

Beverages,
148
,
165
,
184

BG-104 herbal supplement,
336

Bifidobacteria,
56
,
64
–67,
209

benefits of,
58

Bile,
20
–21

Bile insufficiency,
36

Bile salts,
35
–36,
264

Biofeedback,
232
,
281

Biofilms,
87
–88

Bioflavonoids,
207
,
307

Bitter melon,
259
,
383

Bitters,
34

Black cohosh,
324

Black cumin seed oil,
352

Black radish,
264

Black walnut,
86

Blastocystis hominis,
84
,
117

Blood analysis,
344

Blood sugar levels,
18
,
20
,
135
,
196
,
247
,
251
,
254
,
269
,
369

Blood sugar support supplements,
383

Body Ecology Diet,
80

Bolen, Jean Shinoda,
175

Bone loss,
385
–86

digestion and,
386

Bone-building supplements,
387

Bones, mineralizing,
180

Borage,
229

oil,
353

Borody, Thomas,
300

Boswellia,
99
,
304
,
323
–24

Bovine cartilage,
305

Bovine colostrum

secretory IgA levels,
98

Bowel flora,
280

Bowel movement

frequency,
23

habits,
280

transit time,
23
–24,
263
,
279
,
282

Brain,
11

food and,
108

Breaking the Vicious Cycle
(Gottschall),
303

Breast implants,
326
,
408

Brewer’s yeast,
398

Broccoli powder,
359

Bromelain,
40
,
100
,
303
,
323

Bronchitis,
43

Brown, Susan,
385

Burkitt, Dennis,
22
,
140
,
214
,
279

Burning tongue,
210
–11

Butcher’s broom,
307

Butterbur,
372
,
377

Butyrate enemas,
305

C. difficile infection,
300

Cabbage,
268

Cabbage juice,
217
,
228

Caffeine,
375

CAFOs (concentrated agricultural feeding operations),
138
–39

Calcinosis,
405

Calcium-magnesium citrate,
291

Calendula,
230
–31

Calproctectin,
97

Cancer,
7
,
39

Candida,
70
,
79
–81,
352
,
377
,
397

arthritis and,
313
–14