Since October 2013, I’ve been experimenting with different dietary changes to help manage my psoriatic arthritis symptoms. Honestly, I’ve found it quite fun experimenting with different foods, learning how to cook with new ingredients and really honing in on how my body works. To be fair, it hasn’t always been ‘fun’ – it can be very annoying going places and having to be the super picky person or when your whole family is eating an amazingly, delicious looking chocolate cake and you can’t have any. One thing I’ve come to realize is that I truly can have self-control when I put my mind to it.
About a year ago I came across Dr. Amy Myers, a functional medicine doctor who practices in Austin, TX. I love Austin – I worked there for a short stint and have visited several times. It’s definitely a place I’d move in a heartbeat. And, I love functional medicine. I do, it’s weird, but I do.
Dr. Myers released a book called The Autoimmune Solution a few months back and I was super pumped to read it. It was a great book and helped me dig deeper into knowledge that I already had. One thing she really helped me explore is changing up my supplement game.
Of course I took the staples like curcumin and fish oil, but Dr. Myers has a whole protocol for helping to heal your gut. What she also talks about, and something that I hadn’t explored previously, is how SIBO, Candida, Infections and Parasites could be at the core of your autoimmunity.
Last year I went through a whole host of intestinal issues. There were months were I couldn’t keep anything down. April 2014 I literally lost 15 pounds because I couldn’t eat. My body was a wreck. I went through tons and tons and tons of tests, but all the doctors told me was that I had significant inflammation in my intestines. Thanks Doc – really couldn’t have told ya that one without 2 colonoscopies, an endoscopy, blood tests, barium test, stool tests, pee tests, etc?!
What I find interesting is, now looking back, my doctor never suggested doing a breath test for SIBO. The more I’ve dug into Dr. Myers research, the more I realize that I really think that this could be my problem. Dietary changes have helped me TREMENDOUSLY, but I’m still not 100% and I know there’s something else going on that I need to address. When you have bacteria overgrowth in your intestines, making food changes can help (and is 100000% necessary!), but it won’t ever completely solve the problem. That’s why at the end of Feb 2015, I decided I was going to take the plunge and invest my time and money into supplements to treat myself for SIBO.
Dr. Myers suggests a pretty decent amount of supplements – both in quantity and in cost. She outlines her supplements in her book, but she’s also created a supplement guide on her blog. (check out the supplement guide for more information on each one!)
So what were the supplements I decided to start taking?
- Probiotics
- Omega 3
- Multivitamin Complete
- Vitamin D3
- L-Glutamine
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Vitamin C, and Liver Support
- Meriva-SR Curcumin (Curcumin Phytosome)
- Resveratrol
- Collagen
- Digestive enzymes
- Betaine hydrochloride (HCL) with pepsin
- Caprylic Acid
- Candisol
- Microb-Clear
Yeah, first off, that’s a lot of pills…
Second off, they’re not cheap either.
To me, it’s worth the monetary investment because I know my gut health is SO vital to my overall health. I’ve seen how changes to my diet have greatly improved my life and, honestly, I’d spend every penny I have to get back to vibrant health! I truly feel like I’m almost there now!
Dr. Myers talks about how if you have SIBO and you start taking the Microb-Clear that you may experience some side effects:
“This broad spectrum antimicrobial supplement contains a blend of botanicals that fight against bacteria overgrowth in the intestines. Due to its antimicrobial activity, you may experience slight ‘die-off’ symptoms as dysbiosis begins to resolve. You can begin slowly with this supplement by taking just one per day at first and work your way up to the recommended amount. If after your first round (30 days) of Microb-Clear you have some improvement, but not complete resolution, of your symptoms, you may benefit from one more round.” Dr. Amy Myers, The Autoimmune Solution Supplements
That I definitely did!!! I felt like there were fireworks going off in my intestines, I was very nauseous, tired and I could tell something was going on in my gut. I backed down the dosage to taking one pill in the morning and one at night. I did that for a bit and recently I upped it to taking one in the morning and two at night. I’m definitely feeling the effects of it working again. To help combat it, I’ve been doing castor oil packs and using my ginger essential oil in capsules. My hope is that within 2 weeks I can get up to taking two pills in the morning and two at night.
I’ve seen a HUGE difference in the way my digestive system works after implementing this supplemental protocol. I’m most definitely more regular now, I feel like my food is digested properly and my stomach issues have been substantial less. I mean, within the last few months, overall, I’ve felt the best I’ve felt in years – and I’ve been off my Humira for my stem cell procedure!
There is most definitely merit to adding digestive enzymes and stomach acid supplements to your regiment. The problem with the way we live now a days is that our food and the toxins we’re exposed to disrupt our digestive process. From the way our organs work to the amount of enzymes secreted, it really can wreak havoc on our whole digestive process.
A friend of mine, who’s also a health coach, stands firm in the belief that we should be able to get everything we need from our food and that there is no need for supplements. I believe that in a perfect world this would be 100% true. BUT, the fact that our food is genetically modified now and that we truly don’t know the nutritional value of what we’re eating, there is most definitely a time and place for supplements. Sure, incorporating apple cider vinegar into our daily routine will help us with our stomach acids and digestive enzymes, but after years and years of neglecting our health sometimes supplements are the absolute way to go.
It’s most definitely a personal choice. There are absolutely ways to try to get all of these nutrients from food sources. For me, I’ve found benefit and value in trying these supplements.
To me, there are a few that I know I would suggest you start with if you can’t afford or don’t want to take all of them.
These supplements are SUPER important!
If you have inflammation problems and/or chronic illness (which technically really would be one in the same), these supplements I truly feel are a MUST!
- Probiotics
- Omega 3
- Multivitamin Complete
- Meriva-SR Curcumin (Curcumin Phytosome)
- Vitamin D3
If you have a leaky gut or digestive problems, these are VERY important!
When taking these supplement prior to eating, I’ve seen tremendous changes in my digestion. These supplements help your body’s natural digestive process work the way nature intended it to!
- Collagen
- Digestive enzymes
- Betaine hydrochloride (HCL) with pepsin
Secondary Supplements (in my opinion – you can take that with a grain of salt 😉 haha!)
Every cell in your body can benefit from these supplements. While I’m not downgrading their value or importance, I’d say if you didn’t want to take EVERYTHING I’d focus on the above supplements first.
- L-Glutamine
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Vitamin C, and Liver Support
- Resveratrol
And these supplements would only be if you feel or know you have a candida or SIBO problem (which, I’m going to take a stab and say is a high possibility you have one or the other!)
- Caprylic Acid
- Candisol
- Microb-Clear
Hopefully this has shed some light onto supplements which can help bring you back into great health. I definitely know that the Microb-Clear has been working… look out for a post next week on why I KNOW this to be true! 😉
Wishing You A Pain Free Day!
Wondering how many supplements are TOO many supplements?
It’s a great question! Here’s an article by Dr. Andrew Weil on the very topic!
I am interested in any updates on whether you would recommend Microb clear after your experience. I have SIBO and when I complete my 14 day treatment with Rifaximin, I would like to continue with an anti microbial supplement. There are so many options referred to on the internet but very little on Microb clear. Thank you for this great post.
Oh it’s a great supplement. I actually never took the rifaximin and had some great results with the microb clear. I actually stopped taking it because I’m in the process of getting some functional medicine tests done to identify exactly what’s wrong with my microbiome, but I would suggest it to anyone with SIBO or candidia aka any autoimmune patient. Actually had a friend who was taking the rifaximin and after started taking the microb clear and restricted his diet. He’s doing soooooo much better now. The diet part is key – you have to get rid of sugars and fodmaps at the very least. Or else you’ll continue to feed the bacteria.
I definitely had some dying off symptoms with the microb clear and I had to work my way up to taking like 4 a day, but I think it’s a must. Also, a high numbered strain of probiotics (since there’s no way to know which strain is going to work best within your gut without experimenting. Research is still out on identifying specifics) and a digestive enzyme with your meals.
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so if i have leaky gut, candida/sibo, and chronic illness i should take all of these supplements in conjuction?? Or is there an order
Yes I would suggest all of them!