leaking gut - this is a lengthy post ...

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Here's one of the best articles I know of on Leaky Gut Syndrome "

 

http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/149/1/Leaky-Gut-

Syndrome

 

It's by Jake Fratkin, OMD (Oriental Medicine Doctor).

 

It goes into the causes - antibiotics, NSAIDs (Non Steroid

AntiInflammatory Drugs).

 

Briefly, what occurs in LGS is that the lining of the intestine

becomes compromised. Things which are not supposed to be making it

across - like undigested bits of protein, certain toxins, etc. - are

because the lining is compromised. At the same time, stuff which is

supposed to be making it across via facilitated transport - certain

vitamins, minerals, etc. - are not.

 

" Ying Qi " is Nutritive Qi. This is the Qi that is closely associated

with Blood, and flows in the blood vessels and the meridians. It

nourishes the body. Because it flows in the meridians, Nutritive Qi

is what is affected by acupuncture.

 

" Wei Qi " is Defensive Qi (aka Protective Qi). It flows at the

surface of the body and protects the body from various evils.

Protective Qi circulates at the surface of the body, beneath the

skin, between the muscles, and " vapourizes in between membrames " .

(Giovanni Maciocia, The Foundations of , p. 45.) It

also circulates at the surface of the Stomach, Small Intestine, and

Large Intestine. In TCM these are classified as Hollow Organs or

Bowels. (The Lungs, Heart, Spleen, Kidney, and Liver are " solid "

Organs.

 

When Fratkin talks about if the Spleen is Deficient the Kidneys will

be in Excess, he's using 5 Element Theory. Don't worry about what

that is. It's one of the TCM models of diagnosis. There are

different techniques of diagnosis in TCM. One of the most basic is

called The Eight Principle Patterns. This one analyzes according to

if the problem is EXTERIOR (affects the head, neck, arms, legs,

shoulderss, skin, muscles, bones, meridians, and lining of the gut)

or INTERIOR (affects the trunk of the body, in particular the

internal Organs), EXCESS (problems caused by there being too much of

something) or DEFICIENCY (problems caused by there not being enough

of something), HOT or COLD, YANG or YIN. Another analyzes in terms

of what's happening to the Blood and Qi and Essence (Jing). Organ

Analysis looks at what is specifically happening with specific

Organs. Etc. Using the different models of analysis is not an either

or situation. TCM healers will use all or most of them in order to

understand exactly what is happening. However, 5 Element Theory

isn't always used or considered. I've found that healers who use 5

Element Theory have a little extra edge when it comes to diagnosis

and treatment.

 

There is no diet that is correct for everyone. There are some people

who should never limit salt. Some people do better on a more acidic

diet, and others do better on a more alkaline diet. Some clients are

instructed to take sugar with their formulas. (This doesn't happen

very often in Western countries where too much sugar is usually the

problem, but it demonstrates how there are no one-size-fits-all

diets.)

 

TCM treatment is individualized to a degree usually not seen in

allopathic medicine. There are some general guidelines. The Tao of

Healthy Eating by Bob Flaws is a good intro book. If your local

library doesn't have a copy, it probably can obtain one by

interlibrary loan. In some areas this is a completely free

service. In others you pay the book postage for mailing the book.

People can also request that their local library buy a copy of a

particular book.

 

Ideally people get to the point where their bodies tell them what

they need instead of relying on what someone else says is right

(which may not be for that individual). For example, I used to crave

eggs a lot. Now some people say eggs are a no-no or should be

strictly limited. I was taken in by that (even though my cholesterol

is low). Yet, when I ate eggs, I felt better and there was

improvement. I finally started having two a day, and slowly felt

better and better. Sometime after that I learned that eggs were

being looked at as a treatment for Epstein Barr Virus (the number

one cause of mononucleosis/ glandular fever), and I had chronic mono

at the time.

 

Back when I could not eat any dairy but also was not taking calcium

magnesium supplements, I literally could not get enough greens. I

constantly craved collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, spinach,

kale, Swiss chard, etc. Once I started on supplements, most of the

craving stopped though I still like these foods a lot and even today

sometimes crave them.

 

The exception to people's bodies telling them what they need is an

addictive food allergy. The person feels worse (like withdrawal) if

s/he doesn't eat the food, temporarily feels better after eating it,

but then feels worse because of the food.

 

Sometimes self-medicating occurs with foods. When you had the rare

steak, were you craving it? Where you particularly craving it rare?

If so, analyze what there is in rare meat that your body may have

been craving and find a way to supply it. Three things that come to

mind are protein, vitamin B12, and things to build the blood. BTW,

when people crave protein this can be a sign that their digestion is

messed up and they aren't digesting what protein they do get into

its amino acid building blocks. Amino acids are supposed to make it

across the gut lining, but undigested bits of protein are not. The

body can't use them, and they can create problems like allergic

reactions.

 

Because your problems are " knotty " (complex), I especially recommend

seeing a TCM healer. Check the yellow pages of the phone book for

acupuncturists, TCM herbalists, and OMDs. The acupuncture.com

website also lists acupuncturists by area. If you see an

acupuncturist, make sure to get one who is trained in and uses TCM.

Not all of them do. When problems are knotty, a TCM acupuncturist is

better than one who uses some of the other systems. I'm referring

here to some of the more " cookbook " approaches. Ask if they use

tongue diagnosis and pulse diagnosis.

 

If both Excess and Deficiency are present, the general rule is to

eliminate the Excess before tonifying the Deficiency because

otherwise, the tonification can feed the Excess. This is the

GENERAL rule. Sometimes it's not possible, especially if the

Deficiency is very severe. An experienced TCM will know how to best

approach this. Also, sometimes even though a person is Deficient,

s/he cannot accept tonification. Again, an experience healer is

needed.