SIBO update

I'll keep this short and sweet. I am breastfeeding my baby, so I am still not taking any antibiotics. Hormone fluctuations have caused some minor relapses that I have been treating with Motilium (Domperidone) and Iberogast. I have a new gastroenterologist, Richard Craig at the Red Stone Clinic in Park City, UT. He's fantastic. For now he has me treating motility with Motilium as needed. We have more options when I am ready to see him again.

I am also seeing Ron Dummar, at Community Health and Wellness, in Heber City, UT. He is also fantastic. He does some acupuncture, and has prescribed Chinese herbs that are safe while breastfeeding called "GI Calm." I take them in the morning. He has me introducing L Glutamine, probiotics, and Black Walnut (are you ready for this??) via enema. That's right. But just gentle enemas, no more than 2 cups of liquid 3 times a week. Then he will start methylation treatments to reset my "biome" and hopefully lessen my food triggers.

I like this two-prong approach. I feel like it is the most holistic thing I can be doing for myself right now. It's super hard to take care of myself when I am also mothering three children and losing sleep with a baby (who is undeniably amazing, but we are all still tired). So I wish I could be doing more, like regular yoga and relaxation or meditation. I did this in preparation for natural childbirth, and I feel like it had a wonderful positive effect. (For more info on my birth story, click HERE). Email me if you have any health questions!

Here's to better health,

Help! How to navigate a food allergy, gluten issue, or other dietary restriction.

I recently had a friend ask what to do as she was cutting out dairy and gluten. This can be a VERY daunting task. I am currently dairy, gluten/wheat, egg, and yeast free (with a smattering of fruits and spices, to boot). When I first embarked on this road I nearly had a month-long melt down. I was hungry all the time. And depressed. And confused. But I made it through to a manageable—even happy—place. Here is my "action list" of how to get started and not feel too overwhelmed. Ten suggestions. Just a few things to hopefully help.

This relates mostly to wheat and dairy, but could relate to a lot of other dietary restrictions, as well:

1. The easiest thing to do immediately is to make sure you have some basic, whole foods on hand for snacking (change anything based on your food likes/needs—everything I list will also be dairy free):

• variety of protein: nuts, nut butters, nut bars—I prefer KIND bars. I order them in bulk from Amazon), any meat you like (I tend to pre-cook chicken and beef patties to heat up in a jiffy, I also like to make taco meat and make taco bowls for lunch)

• Snacks: Pop Chips, popcorn, kettle corn, tortilla chips and GF salsa (I like La Victoria), corn tortillas, granola (homemade from GF oats), dairy free chocolate chips (Trader Joes), variety of teas or cider or other fun drinks.

• Fave fruits and veggies that you can eat: I've found keeping salsa and guac fixings on hand help with snackish cravings. Also make smoothies with Almond or Coconut Milk (I can't do coconut, but I love Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk). I tend to roast and grill veggies, and I eat a lot of them. 

• GF grains: Quinoa, GF oats (I also like steel cut oats found at Trader Joe's), brown and white rice. Eventually you can add flours. PASTAS!

• Mixes: Betty Crocker has SAVED my sanity! Sure it's packaged and main stream, but man it's good and super easy. Bob's Redmill is also an excellent choice. You can make your own flour mix, but it can be daunting. I STILL don't keep lots of types flours on hand. I find I simply don't bake as much (poor Finn and Maya). But when I do get baking cravings, I usually just pick up a mix. If you really want to make your own blend, I recommend following this one EXACTLY (the brand of tapioca flour makes a difference, but you might have to order it online (also, all GF food items are tax deductible):

http://www.silvanaskitchen.com/silvanas-kitchen-all-purpose-gluten-free-flour/

• Condiments: I replace all butter with Earth Balance butter, and milk with almond milk. Mayo=Veganaise (love this for chicken salad). If you need to replace eggs, I recommend using Ener-G Egg Replacer (in a box) in lieu of things like flax or applesauce. No taste, better fluffing/rising action. If you CAN eat eggs, make yourself an omelette, stat!! :)

2. Gather your arsenal:

These are some of my favorite websites for recipes (honestly I usually wait until I have a craving and then google a recipe):

http://www.sarahbakesgfree.com/ (AMAZING)

http://www.livingwithout.com/

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/p/site-index.html

http://www.elanaspantry.com/

http://gluten-dairy-sugarfree.com/

http://www.lifeisstillsweet.com/

http://www.wordofwisdomliving.com/

Here is a link to a post I wrote about my diet and what I like to prepare for each meal, and some links to my favorite books that I reference regularly:

http://www.lyndsayjohnsonblog.com/2013/03/health-update-sibo-maintenance.html

3. Get rid of the snacks and things that make you feel sad or frustrated. If you have kids and they have their snacks, put them in a particular cabinet. Make that their snack cabinet. Banish all other wheat-filled snacks. Be careful of double-dipping peanut butter or jelly knives. Watch for cross-contamination.

4. READ ALL LABELS. Self explanatory.

5. Allow yourself to feel sad and frustrated. Those feelings WILL be replaced with feelings of gratitude for what you CAN eat, in time. But it is OK to be mad for no good reason at someone eating a doughnut. Or for almost tearing up in the cheese aisle. That is so normal. You need to be patient with yourself. Tell your body that it is doing great, and to hang in there. :) Have pouty days, and then go make yourself a cake. With a betty crocker mix. 

6. I don't recommend trying to replace packaged snacks with the GF version. Crackers are GROSS. Cookies (unless home made) are a big disappointment. Just plan to cut out packaged snack-ish type food. Look for Raw Food recipes for desserts (coconut macaroons are amazing...wish I could still eat them). Check out Hail Merry's little pies—sold at Costco. Try to keep a back up indulgent treat to help you feel "normal" on bad days (I opt for Haagen Dahz Raspberry sorbet, or Justin's Dark Peanut Butter Cups...So Delicious coconut ice cream is also a good option).

7. Know where to eat out. Find out what local restaurants pride themselves on being allergy friendly. Chipotle is WONDERFUL about food allergies. They even change their gloves. Take a look at their website. They have a mostly gluten free menu (save the tortillas), and they can easily be dairy-free. Costa Vida has allergen options, but you have to ask carefully about things like butter if you can't handle it. Wendy's menu has GF items (see their website). And larger restaurants like steak houses and places like Macaroni Grill are good eating out options because you can communicate your dietary needs, and order things like grilled chicken or steak and steamed veggies with rice. 

8. Invest in a good lunch box/bag. (Bento-box style works great). You'll probably find yourself toting your food with you more often than not.

9. Have an emergency plan. Cutting out whole food groups can cause withdrawals. Your brian will literally think something is wrong. It will do funny things. It will freak out. You might have cravings that seem disproportionate to reality (this is my ongoing relationship with croissants, which could be used as currency at this point, in my estimation.) You might feel so frustrated that you freeze up and don't eat anything. If that happens, make a smoothie, eat some peanut butter, have some cereal, some tortilla chips, or an apple, and THEN google recipes when your blood sugar is normal and you aren't feeling hungry. It will help with that frantic sense of "WHAT DO I EAT??"

10. Find support. I don't recommend endlessly scrolling through chat boards. You will find yourself wasting time and slipping under. Instead, find out what local groups, establishments, or restaurants support a GF lifestyle, or provide resources for food allergies. See a nutritionist or dietician (some hospitals or communities offer this services for free). Find a doctor you trust and can communicate with. Make sure your family understands and can be your advocate. Do what makes you feel relaxed and balanced: meditate, pray, read the scriptures, try some yoga, go on a bike ride, go for a walk, play a board game, watch a movie, read a good book, work in the garden, be with friends. Get out and do things that make you happy!

I hope this helps. I know it's not a complete list, so please feel free to add your advice in the comments! Best of luck to all. :)

Health Update: What pregnancy does to my body...beyond the obvious

I've had a ton of emails lately asking about my SIBO/IBS issues, and if I've had a relapse, or if I am still feeling well. This is an unedited breakdown. So if you aren't here to read about stomach issues and symptoms/treatment, I think it best you click on by. Because it's pretty boring. And kind of a downer.

For more info on SIBO, see my "SIBO" posts, all found HERE.

Here is the rundown:

I felt really good for about a year after taking the 20 day course of Neomycin (while taking a motility drug—Motiluim—for that whole year). I continued to have food sensitivities to wheat, dairy, and eggs. But I could literally eat anything else. About a year after treatment I started to notice some issues again (little symptoms that were red flags). I wasn't able to eat as much fiber anymore, and was reacting to things a bit more. But I had decided to try for another baby before launching into more intense treatments again. (I had the green light to get pregnant, and was managing symptoms with strict diet.) Now I am off all meds (no Bentyl, no Motilum, no antibiotics), I do have some IBS symptoms that have come back. But the intense morning sickness and pregnancy cravings caused me to to eat some things I shouldn't have (don't get me started on the week I tried to eat eggs again). I am not sure how much of this is pregnancy related. Pregnancy has been proven to slow down digestion, anyway, which is a lose-lose for someone with gut motility issues already! I have about one good day for every three bad days. I have another appointment with my doctor in October to come up with a plan post-baby to get back on track! Currently I am taking a liquid Iron and Vitamin D supplement, as well as a gummy Prenatal and Calcium chew.

As far as specifics go, here are the details to answer some of the questions I am getting in emails:

• I was advised to avoid probiotics by one doctor, and to introduce them by another. At this point I have not tried them. I am going in to a NEW doctor in October for yet another opinion on my issues.

• I have had the Lactulose breath test, Celiac test, a slew of blood work (incl. allergy testing), a colonoscopy/endoscopy. The only positive results were for food sensitivities, and the SIBO Lactulose test. Apparently my results were not very high, but did indicate overgrowth—enough to be treated. (I have not had a gastric emptying test, or an in-depth thyroid test, but basic blood thyroid tests came back negative.)

• I have taken 3 rounds of Rifaxan. It didn't do much. I then asked for a 20 day course of Neomycin which, combined with the motility drug Motilium (I order from www.inhousepharmacy.biz), seemed to help quite a bit.

• I have not had any success treating with diets such as GAPS, Low FodMap, or any of those. Because I do have food intolerances, I eat more like a grain-inclusive Paleo. I go into more detail about my diet in past posts.

• Herbal and homeopathic remedies did nothing. No peppermint oil, no glutamine powder. Zip.

• I did not have good results on the 6 month sublingual treatment for food allergies/sensitivities. Booooo. That was 6 months and $300 wasted.

I think that's everything. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. But chances are this or one of my previous posts (all found HERE) cover it up until this point. Because I am pregnant, there is really nothing I can do other than eat carefully and pray it won't make me sick! I'll be sure to come back with an update on what my new GI doctor says. I was seeing a PA at the same practice. But I decided to switch because I just felt more secure going with a Board-Certified full-fledged Gastroenterologist. My gut told me to go that route (wah wah, bad pun).

Here's to better health!!

Health Update: SIBO Maintenance

For previous posts on this topic, click HERE and scroll though (they may not be in order, so check the dates).

I receive a LOT of emails for advice and suggestions on how to handle SIBO. I try to answer each one, but I am sure a couple slip through the cracks (and I am sorry for that). Seeing as I have had so many requests for how I maintain my health and how my diet is going, I thought I would just do another post.

Since moving to Utah I've had to find a new doctor, and it's taken a few tries. But I finally found a wonderful doctor, and she also has a similar condition to mine (so she can empathize—bonus). I've learned some new and important details. SIBO is a result (in my case), of a post-infectious situation, and I've been left with permanent nerve damage. This new doctor actually wanted me to concentrate more on the nerve damage issue, and not the SIBO. A different approach, but honestly it felt kind of liberating! Like I wasn't defined by those 4 letters (which is how it can feel). She explained that I had been treated with the best drug on the market for SIBO (a number of times), and I was also on a motility drug (Motilium). So there's not much more I can do about that. What I can do is address what's causing the SIBO, and that's the nerve damage. She prescribed Bentyl as an antispasmodic for bad days (great to have on hand and works pretty well). She also strongly recommended a different anti-depressant that balances serotonin (look into the brain-gut connection to understand this more fully). I am holding off on the antidepressant right now for personal reasons, but I do plan to try it in the future.

Also, I have been seeing a dietitian. I HIGHLY recommend this! She has helped immensely to create a diet plan that is varied, healthy, and tailored to my condition. (Plus it helps to have another person in my corner, you know?) I am on a 3-5 day rotation diet, meaning I try not to eat the same thing every single day (like I am often tempted to do). For example, I only eat corn once a week, but I eat rice 3 times a week, because my body is more forgiving when I do this. I keep a food diary to plan my meals and track my progress (or setbacks).

I have started the food allergy/intolerance sublingual drops with no negative side effects. (It took me about 5 months to buck up and find the courage to do it, because I was so afraid of having a reaction.) I won't find out if it is helping with food intolerances for probably another 6 months.

Here is a sample of what I might choose for my meals, in case you are also struggling to eat a limited diet, and rotate it at the same time. I've actually found that my diet isn't as limited as I once thought. And I am eating such a healthy range of veggies and fruits (which I can now tolerate), that I have even been told I don't need any vitamins or supplements! That's crazy talk (crazy awesome).

NOTE: Many people follow the Low FODMAP diet with SIBO. I don't strictly follow a this protocol anymore because there are so many other foods I can't eat, and honestly, I can't handle cutting out every single thing other than the blandest of foods right now. I did that in the beginning, and it helped during the "triage" stage of my illness. But now I can tolerate a wider range of food, and choose to take that chance.

Breakfast ideas—

• Steel cut oats (gluten free, and if you can handle them) with unsweetened almond milk and almonds (with or without maple syrup)

• Berry smoothie (frozen mixed berries, almond milk, agave, chia seeds) OR Green smoothie — Make this with whatever fruits, veggies or greens you like and can tolerate

• Chex rice cereal with almond milk and berries or a banana

• Bacon and skillet potatoes

• Sweet potato hash (with spinach, sweet potatoes, and maybe some bacon—I add bacon a lot)

• Eggs if you can handle them (I cannot)

Lunch ideas—

• Salads! My favorites are BLT (bacon, avocado, Romain, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, cherry tomatoes), or strawberry spinach salad with grilled chicken or bacon and poppy seeds added to oil and vinegar dressing mix (add a little agave for sweetness). I also like add nuts to all my salads. Sometimes I caramelize them with "sugar in the raw" on the stove top.

• Grilled chicken, gluten free ham steaks grilled up in the pan, turkey patties,grass-fed beef. Pork loin in the slow cooker. BACON (in moderation, of course)...

• Veggies, sautéed, grilled, or roasted (squash, potatoes—love to pan roast them until crispy like fries—green beans roasted with garlic salt and olive oil, carrots, artichokes, etc.) Basically anything you can tolerate and like. 

• Soups are wonderful! I make a huge pot of chicken broth and use that as my base. Then I make chicken veggie soup, butternut squash soup, tortilla soup, etc. You can make a lot and freeze it in small jars as single-servings.

• Taco bowls are a favorite. I cook up a lot of low-fat ground beef with gluten-free salsa, and freeze it in small Ziploc baggies. Then I can use it in single-servings. Add avocado, a little more salsa, some lime, and chips over the beef. Yum!

Dinner ideas—

• Basically a re-hash of my lunch options. I also eat white rice (brown is too hard to digest), and quinoa which is a great source of protein. Rice, quinoa, and gluten-free oats are my only grains. Also, for desserts, I look for "raw food" recipes which use a lot of nuts and coconut and agave (though I now have a hard time with the coconut). But it's good for dairy-free and grain-free cooking.

Cookbooks help with inspiration. These are my four favorite cookbooks (I just alter recipes accordingly when necessary):

I hope this helps, and let me know if there are any more questions I can answer. 

Thanks for reading, friends!

Health Update: When things start to turn a corner

I have had so many emails about my SIBO posts (just click "SIBO" in the Labels to read past posts). I have a great update with a significant breakthrough. So if you are here as a fellow SIBO sufferer, or suspect you might have SIBO, keep reading.

As a quick refresher, I have Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth as a result of impaired gut motility (from a serious GI illness in 2010). That lead to IBS symptoms AND food intolerances (a lot of them). So while the food intolerances cause the most severe reaction, the root of the problem is the impaired gut motility. If that's not fixed, then the bacteria might never stay where it needs to: in my lower intestines.

A few months ago I got an email form a woman who had my same issues and was currently cured. CURED. I almost passed out. She's a smarty pants who has a smarty pants doctor. So I took her advice to my doctor, who agreed that this advice was sound. So I started a new treatment.

I took 20 days (2 full rounds back to back) of neomycin. I couldn't afford the Rifaxin this go round because my insurance wouldn't cover it. So Dr. Stein put me on the neomycin and we went from there. At the same time I ordered Motiluim (also known as Domperidone). The Motilium is to get my gut moving. I take it 3 times a day (10mg, 20 minutes before a meal). This encourages the normal cleansing waves and stomach emptying that I used to know and love in days gone by. It started to work almost immediately. Within two days my heartburn was pretty much a thing of the past (unless I eat citrus, or go too long without eating, and then it will persist). And the antibiotic? It did the job. I started to notice a difference about 10 days in to the course.

Let's talk side effects. Well, with any large dose of antibiotics, there are concerns. Neomycin is unique in that it doesn't swim off into your bloodstream. It stays mostly in the small intestine and kills that overgrowth! I knew it was killing bacteria because I was experiencing other symptoms of lack of bacteria (ladies, you know what I mean). And my tummy was a little iffy that whole time (like it is on any antibiotic). But once I was done with the 20 day dosage, I was feeling fine. We were right smack dab in the middle of a huge move, but once we landed ourselves in a new state I sat back and realized I wasn't the same woman I was 20 days prior.

For starters I was about 10 pounds heavier. Which is awesome (I was SKINNY). The Motilum is a drug that is often used for nursing mothers who don't produce enough milk. So it stimulated hormones in my body that made me gain some curves (no I did not actually start lactating). I did miss my period last month, but it's back again like normal this month (sorry for the personal info, guys, but I want to share the side effects, because I was scouring the interwebs for them, myself). I also (ahem) went up a bra size. (My hubby wasn't complaining...) After a month on Motilium, I have evened out (no more weight gain). I notice that I am not experiencing breast tenderness like I was in previous months before my period, which is a plus. So whatever hormonal effects the Motilium is having, my body seems to be tolerating them well. The extra bonus with Motilium is that it reduces nausea. So if your SIBO is causing that, it will help! Motilium is not available in the US, but my doctor referred me to THIS SITE to order in bulk. Motilium is a dopamine inhibitor. And some websites I found claim it can affect mood. This might be the case for some. I'll admit my mood hasn't always been the cheeriest since having SIBO. But I can only imagine I will feel happier and happier as my stomach feels better! And as long as I get enough sleep, I feel mentally fine and dandy.

*As a note, Motilium does have lactose in the TEENY TINY pills I take. I have no problem whatsoever tolerating that small amount. If you have a severe lactose intolerance, there are pharmacies in California that will mix a special batch of lactose-free domperidone pills for you. You just have to Google that.*

So here I am a month after the treatment, and I am really feeling SO much better. No more IBS symptoms at all. I can now eat corn, more fiber, lettuce, nuts, and tomatoes with no issues (I can eat out at Chipotle, and any restaurant who can carefully cook me some chicken and veggies). And on an even happier note, I got seasonal allergies. How is this happy? Because it led me back to my previous allergist in Mesa, AZ who now treats FOOD INTOLERANCES! He uses sublingual homeopathic drops to treat allergies to wheat, eggs, milk, and many more. I responded really well to my past treatments of sublingual serum for seasonal allergies. So I've contacted them again in hopes of treating and improving my food issues. I will be posting more info on that as things develop. Fingers crossed and double crossed. For information on that, visit HERE. (They also have links for out-of-state patients).

Other updates:
Tried the GAPS diet. No go. Long story, but it wasn't for me.
Tried cabbage juice. Might help a bit, but it wasn't a cure.
Tried natural antibiotics like grapefruit seed extract. Nope. Not powerful enough.
Other things that have helped with symptoms: Iberogast tincture (found on Amazon), Ginger pills or tea. And I have considered taking these highly recommended enzymes, but haven't taken the plunge yet. I also take fish oil, a multi vitamin, magnesium, and vitamin B12 (when I remember to take them.) What has worked for you?

I think that's all for now. If you have any questions, post them in the comments, and I will try to respond. Thanks for all the emails, and if I haven't emailed you back, know that I read your email and posted this just for you! :)

Health Update

WARNING: This is a very boring and sometimes overly informative post on my health issues. If you want to still view me as the generic blogger mom, don't read any further. I might have to mention bathroom habits...no promises, people. It is what it is.

I've been putting this off. I feel like I've been doing really well mentally/emotionally with my health issues. And writing about them only makes me dwell on any issues I am still having. But I have received so many emails from people in a similar (or worse) situation than mine. And I do feel like it's time to answer their questions, and let people know how I am carrying on.

If you would like to read my previous post on SIBO, you can find it HERE (there are clarifications/corrections I will make from that previous post, so if you are here researching SIBO, you'll want to read this post, as well).

So I was in my doctor's office the other day (the wonderful Dr. Stein of Cedars-Sinai GI Motility Program), and he said, "Are you the one who blogged about me?" What? Well, yeah, that was most likely me. I tend to do that—blog about things. :) And it turned out it was me. Someone had read that post and contacted Dr. Stein to see him about her own issues with SIBO. I was momentarily a bit intimidated that my doctor had perused my personal blog, but he said he liked the post, and it was well-written and informative. High-five. (OK, I didn't really high five him...) But after our conversation this month, I realized I needed to amend that first post. Let's start with food.

To read the full post, click on the link below that says "read more"

I've not been feeling 100%. Today I'm getting back into the swing of things after a routine procedure. Nothing much to report. Everything came back very normal (which is great but also a little baffling). So we will continue to look for causes and solutions. Until then, Easter is approaching, and I've been watching THESE videos, pondering, and praying.

Saving my sanity with french fries

It's true that I am still eating very limited sugar, and adhering strictly (and successfully) to my insane diet. I really have no other alternative. (Although I have had a cold and spent all day Tuesday watching made-for-BBC Jane Austen movies, drinking chamomile tea, and eating dairy-free chocolate chips hoping they weren't doing more harm than good...) But on a normal, more lucid day, I am diligent because I know it's what my body currently requires of me. So I am obliging. The ONE THING that keeps me from dissolving on the floor in a pool of my own cake-craving madness is french fries. French fries. A normal person's food! But (of course there's a but), I have to make them myself. And I have them down to a science. Just see below for evidence.

These are not deep-fried (oven-baked instead), but taste just as good in my book. I use Simple Heinz ketchup because it is gluten-free and has the least sugar with all-natural ingredients. Here's my method:

Lyndsay's Oven Fries

• Rinse/scrub as many Idaho potatoes as your little heart desires (2-3 small to medium sized, in my case—I share with Maya)

• Peel first if you don't like the skins. Lately I am a fan of the skins!

• Cut into strips as thick as you like (hint: thinner = crispier + more authentic)

• Soak overnight in water. This is my secret step thanks to a recent tip. It may seem like it's not worth the wait. I assure you IT IS. The fries are SO crispy when soaked. If you're in a big hurry, at least rinse. But I am telling you. Soaking makes these fries!

• Rinse, drain, dry a little to remove excess water.

• Toss in a bowl with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper.

• Bake on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until crispy and golden brown. 

• Serve with ketchup or your favorite fry sauce. Enjoy!

I also like to crack a little extra sea salt over the whole lot for visual appeal before serving. Hey—it's the little things at this point. :)

My friend SIBO (and by friend I mean mortal enemy)

PLEASE READ: I have amended some things on this post, and have added more in my follow-up posts and updates found linked with the "SIBO" label found HERE.

So I finally had some time to sit and write about the crazy health roller coaster I've been on this past year. I'll warn you that it involves stomach ailments of the worst kind, and I can't imagine anyone other than fellow sufferers and possibly some family members actually caring to read on. But if you love TMI, go for it.

It seems I have a new life partner, and it goes by the name SIBO. SIBO is short for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. And it has been hanging out in my body for quite some time now. I will distill the bulk of this down so that I don't have to relive all of the horror that was this summer (and so that you can keep your appetite). But essentially I was starting to have severe stomach issues every few weeks that mimicked the stomach flu (cast your mind). Of course I couldn't function that way at all, so I started seeing a gastroenterologist who ran lots of tests (blood tests, stool tests, more blood tests). I didn't have celiac, IBD was a negative, no parasites, thyroid a-ok, and all my bloodwork was normal. Commence head scratching. I was diagnosed with "leaky gut" (which isn't a diagnosis at all—it's a symptom). And after no relief, I finally opted for the very pricey and extensive blood test to identify my food intolerances (which I knew were significant at this point). That list came back with the following:
• wheat
• yeast
• egg whites
• ALL dairy (whimper)
• mushrooms
• shrimp
• oysters (apparently this shows up on all IgG testing...)
• cinnamon, mace, and turmeric
• pineapple and plums
...and a handful of other oddities

These are all things in my life that I'd eaten happily for years (with some sporadic issues with dairy). So why were they suddenly causing me so much distress? As in "cutting my stomach out with a knife" distress. Removing those items from my diet offered, to my relief, relief. But not total relief. I would still get randomly sick, and have unpredictable symptoms. I learned early on that I could forget about eating out. I've had a few intense experiences with eating out that scared me straight. So I cook. And let me tell you—this diet is a full-time job. I am cooking all the time. All. The. Time. Mostly I eat healthy delicious foods that my kids would rather die than eat (carrots, spinach, zucchini, chicken...a LOT of chicken). And while I feel very grateful for the things I can eat, I miss some foods like crazy. So much that I have to detach myself from my previous life of food-loving. I am not going to even go into the amount of emotional restraint I have to exercise over not being able to eat a shrimp quesadilla at Tia Rosas, a burger with my kids at In-N-Out, or my own birthday cake. But then there are normal things, like cereal in the morning. What to do there? I buy gluten-free everything. I obsess over crumbs on the counter, and heaven forbid I find them in my vegan butter. I use unsweetened almond milk in lieu of milk (50% more calcium!), and flax seeds in place of eggs in baking (weird-o). And for the most part it's fine. But it was starting to worry me, too. How long would this last? Forever? What happens when I want to travel...to someplace like Iceland with my husband?? What happens if I get sick in the middle of hiking a glacier?! Or in Target with two kids with a full shopping cart...the horror. I had to get to the bottom of this.

U.S. News and World Report listed the top gastroenterologists in the nation. And a few were right here in my own backyard! I ditched my first GI doc for the pros at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (one perk of living in L.A.). After 10 minutes, Dr. Stein diagnosed my illness (something my previous doctor couldn't do in 10 visits): Post-infectious IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). "30 year olds don't get this," I thought. Not so. 30 year olds who travel abroad get this. It seems the little trip I took to Greece over a year ago is the culprit. I got horribly ill with a stomach bug while there (gastroenteritis? food poisoning?). Dr. Stein knew immediately that this was my problem. In his words, "You went to Greece and got screwed. Now it's my job to coach you through this." Then he gave me a handful of options and wanted me to choose for myself after I did the research (upper/lower GI scoping, breath testing, antidepressants, antispasmodics, acupuncture, herbalists, hypnotherapy—the big thing in London). I talked it over with Wes and my family, then asked Dr. Stein's medical opinion. Out of everything, he thought I really needed the Lactulose Breath Test for a thing called SIBO. It seems that after a major infection, bacteria can infest the small intestines, set up camp, and throw a party. I went in for the test. I had to drink a sugary liquid and then breathe into a little bag every 15 minutes for 2 hours. Test POSITIVE. OK—a diagnosis! But where to go from here?? (Hint: don't go to Google unless you want to think you have 4 types of cancer...)

Dr. Stein referred me to a book written by his colleague at Cedars named Mark Pimintel (the physician who actually processed the results of my breath test). He is the definitive source on SIBO. I read the book from cover to cover in a day. I learned a lot. Mostly I learned that tons of people with IBS are walking around with SIBO and don't even know it. For years—decades, even! Their quality of life suffers, and this is something that's treatable. It's even curable in some people! And not only that, but SIBO leads to other conditions like rosacea, acne (ahem, yep), even fibromyalgia. For instance, a study by researchers at Cedars-Sinai examined 202 people who met the diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome and gave them the test for bacterial overgrowth (called the lactulose hydrogen test). Researchers found that 157 of the 202 people (78%) had bacterial overgrowth. When the unwanted intestinal bacteria were eradicated, symptoms of IBS improved in 48% of the subjects, particularly diarrhea and abdominal pain. It's not just people with IBS-like symptoms that have bacterial overgrowth. Bacterial overgrowth can also present with non-digestive symptoms such as fatigue. It's believed to be involved in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, allergies, arthritis, lupus, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and many other chronic conditions. Even FOOD SENSITIVITIES.

It seems that bacteria like to bore holes in the small intestines, allowing toxins to leak into the body. So that leaky gut idea from doctor #1? Not all wrong, but again—not a diagnosis. A symptom. And that leaky gut leads to autoimmune responses in the body (like food intolerances). So now we had to treat this problem. I was prescribed a heavy course of antibiotics. But before you freak out and say that antibiotics make stomach issues worse, these antibiotics are not absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead, they stay in the small intestines! Bingo. Neomycin + Rifaxin for 10 days. Only problem? My insurance wouldn't cover the $500 Rifaxan (I won't go into the reasons, but it's a problem with this drug across the board). Luckily I have an amazing doctor who just gave me the medicine because I needed the treatment. After the 10 days, I could feel a difference. I am now not as sensitive and feel more normal. I do have some lingering heartburn and abdominal discomfort, but nothing like before. I do believe some (if not all) of the bacteria has been eradicated. But I also found out that it doesn't end there. The diet now has to be adjusted.

Oh the diet. I cannot have any sugar. Take a moment and read that again. Bacteria thrives on sugar. It wants to have a sugar party in my body. And I cannot stomach that idea (pardon the pun). But because I might lose my mind entirely if I cut out ALL carbs and sugar, the limit is no more than 10g of sugar per day. The only sugar that is ok is glucose (but that isn't a naturally occurring sweetener, so I am at a loss there). Fructose is the worst, so no fruit or fruit juice. And I have to wait 3-5 hours between meals. No snacks (collective groan). If I thought I was getting skinny before, I am probably in for another round of weight loss. I can assure you it is not welcomed at this point—I need to gain about 15 pounds. And if you think "You're lucky—I wish I had that problem" I might slug you (yes, people have told me that to my face). The idea is that once the bacteria is gone (fingers crossed), I have to prevent it from coming back. Then I have to restore the "cleansing waves" that go on in the body after eating (hence the 3-5 hour breaks). Plus there's the issue of liver detox. That's another bottle of supplements to clear out all those leaking toxins and give my liver a break. Tons of water. Lots of veggies. Some meat and protein. A few grains. No sugar. I can do this. I think...

The next step is healing my "leaky gut." I think that is the most unfortunate combo of words in the english language. Who wants to say they have a leaky gut (or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, for that matter)?! So to heal the lining, I am doing things like taking glutamine powder (proven to help some people who suffer from SIBO), and I plan to do a cabbage juice regimen soon. I drink a lot of tea (ginger, mostly). Probiotics are a big NO when you have SIBO. No bacteria is good bacteria in this case, and I do feel worse when I take probiotics. I've been instructed to stay away from them entirely. In the case of SIBO, many things that would normally seem appropriate in other "living healthy" scenarios do not apply (no probiotics, don't eat frequent smaller meals throughout the day, white rice is your friend—in moderation, etc.). This is its own beast. 

* As an update, I had previously posted that I was going to take peppermint oil. It made my heartburn EXTREME. So I nixed that. Apparently, in some people, peppermint oil can actually relax the valve that keeps acid down in your stomach. No go for me. Grapefruitseed extract did absolutely nothing. And I didn't have much luck with L-Glutamine, either.

I try very earnestly to focus on finding joy in the things that I can eat. I am very grateful that I am not intolerant to corn or soy (dairy and wheat are enough to make my head spin). I attempt to walk stoically past the popcorn at the movies (fiber + butter = trouble). And I don't ever want someone to feel guilty when they are eating something yummy in front of me at a restaurant while I sip my water and smile. Most of the time it's fine. Although with the new addition of no sugar or snacks I admit I had a brief moment of hysteria (hunger will do that to you).

I recently read that this is considered a chronic condition. It can be controlled and almost completely eliminated in some people. And I am hoping I am in that percentage. But the truth is that it will most likely be something I live with and treat for a long while—possibly my whole life on some level. My hope is that I can get it to a manageable state so that I can travel and eat out safely. I hope to get my energy up, and rid my body of those toxins that have been building up these past months. I hope that one day I can have another baby (a strict no-no right now). But in the mean time I will keep plugging along. I found this quote a few days ago when I was feeling deflated by all of this:

There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember—David did win!
~President Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Living the Abundant Life" found here.

A lot has changed in my life. I have almost completely put design and blog work on hold. Any free time is spent creating my meals from scratch (then the kids' meals, since they won't eat what I am eating at their wee stage in life). And a lot of my thoughts are consumed with my health (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual). Stress also triggers symptoms, so I am trying to manage that. I have a plan for exercise that promotes healing and de-stress meditation (if I can find the time, ha). There are a lot of side effects with SIBO. And often when I think I am having a good day, some other malady presents itself. So my serious lack of blogging is due to that. I have debated over just making my blog private and becoming a truly lazy blogger just for my own journal's sake. But I enjoy the community. So I think I will most likely stick around. I also feel strongly that if any of this information can help even one person, than it's worth the extra effort to blog about it. I've provided a list of resources at the end of this post for anyone interested, and please email me at lyndsayjohnson@gmail.com if you have any questions.

And please promise me the next time you eat a piece of cheesecake that you won't bemoan the calories, but just enjoy the treat!! :)

My SIBO Resource List 
Trust me—I've done a LOT of googling, and have distilled it down for you here:
Cedars-Sinai SIBO page
SIBO—what IS it?
Very comprehensive SIBO site from a GI who subscribes to Dr. Pimintel's research
Great overall article on IBS and SIBO
The case against probiotics and SIBO