When I had IBS, doctors told me the problem was in my head.
It wasn’t.
After the blood tests, endoscopy and colonoscopy came back normal, doctors were out of ideas. They couldn’t identify the cause of my boating, constipation, heart burn, yeast infections and weak digestion.
While emotions affect the gut, the routine tests offered by the gastroenterologist were not enough to identify the problem. Those standard tests could not pick up the bacterial imbalances, candida overgrowth, leaky gut and food allergies that plagued me. I also had low stomach acid and a sluggish, toxic liver which struggled to produce enough bile to help me digest proteins and fats.
When I finally identified and addressed each issue, my digestive symptoms and constipation went away.
I had to remove the foods I was sensitive to, which reduced inflammation.
I starved yeast and balanced intestinal bacteria through diet.
The key to my recovery was addressing my liver and supporting stomach acid.
Liver’s role in digestion
The liver is an overlooked part of the digestive system.
It helps us digest fats and proteins by producing bile. It also helps balance and regulate hormones. IBS flares just before menstruation are connected to liver health. Eye sight and skin health are also tied to liver health.
Not being able to digest fats or proteins, which can cause diarrhea or constipation, is often related to poor bile production.
Health care improvements
When I had IBS, over a decade ago, functional lab testing was not common.
It’s the most useful tool in identifying the pathogens, parasites, yeasts or bacterial overgrowth that cause digestive issues. These tests give my clients answers about what is wrong with them.
Half the battle of beating IBS is identifying the underlying trigger.
If the problem is pathogenic, no amounts of eating right or reducing stress will solve the problem.
My tests revealed liver toxicity with heavy metals. My practitioner and I focused on detoxing the liver along with healing my digestion.
One of my favorite supplements
I’m not a huge supplement taker these days.
But my liver is still a sensitive part of my body and needs extra support. We live in toxic times and the liver takes the brunt of chemical assaults.
I take NAC daily to help support liver detox.
NAC stands for N-acetylcysteine, an amino acid that supports the liver by acting as a precursor for glutathione, a crucial antioxidant that protects the liver from damage.
What I also love about NAC is that it helps break down the biofilms that prevent successful treatment of intestinal pathogens.
What are biofilms and why should we bust them?
Biofilms are the biggest reason why some antibiotic and antimicrobial treatments don’t work.
It is also why the immune system can’t find and kill certain bugs. Biofilms form around pathogens such as h. pylori, parasites, candida or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
A bioflim is defined as “a thin but robust layer of mucilage adhering to a solid surface and containing a community of bacteria and other microorganisms.”
The bugs inside produce a shield-like structure from their own polysaccharides, proteins and DNA to protect themselves from threats.
Biofilms are created by friendly and pathogenic gut organisms for protection, just like humans build walls or houses to guard against the elements and intruders.
Under the protection of biofilms, microbial communities thrive by avoiding threat and detection. Thick biofilms can even prevent some pathogens from showing up on tests. This is particularly true for candida yeast and parasites.
Breaking down biofilm walls can be the missing piece in addressing stubborn or unresponsive pathogenic infections or overgrowths.
Biofilm busting is crucial part of treating stubborn H pylori, candida and SIBO cases.
While other herbs can perform the same task, NAC added benefit of liver support. It also helps clean out the lungs.
The side effects of NAC, has to do with the die off reactions it causes. That means it allowing the immune system or antibacterial herbs to finally do their jobs.
NAC also has more traditional applications, like being used in hospitals to treat acetaminophen overdose.
My clinical experience with NAC
After testing a few clients for SIBO the results were borderline positive. I suggested herbs and NAC to address the issue.
Upon retesting the levels were higher because the biofilms broke down and the bugs underneath were easier to detect.
With the biofilm gone, treatment success rate often improve.
If an overgrowth presents as mild on a test, yet symptoms are severe, biofilms may be the reason why.
This could also be the case for people who present with all the classic SIBO symptoms but test negative. After a month or two on NAC a retest will produce a more accurate picture.
Typically NAC is taken with food, 1 with each meal. I use a high dose brand that is pure and free of allergens and harmful additives. You can find it by clicking here.
Follow the instructions below for how to find it at this link.
It is best to take supplements under the care of a practitioner and to start out slowly with one a day and slowly build up to the full dose of three a day.
Quality matters
While NAC is a wonderful supplement. Not any brand will do.
Quality of supplements is of paramount importance. Supplements sold at drugs stores or box stores like Target or Walmart are of questionable quality.
These supplements are not subject to FDA regulation and can contain just about anything, regardless of what’s written on the label. Recent independent testing of these off-the-shelf brands revealed little to no active ingredient from the label. Sometimes there’s also fillers or sources of gluten, dairy or other allergens.
I also don’t recommend buying supplements on Amazon due to poor seller regulation. Counterfeit supplements are rampant. Be particularly wary of cheap prices.
I direct clients to this online dispensary where they can find high quality NAC directly from the manufacturer. It is called Fullscript and as easy to use as Amazon. There’s free shipping on anything over $50. To access my recommended NAC brand and strength click this link and sign into Full Script by creating a user ID and password.
It will take you to my “blog recommendations” to find the NAC.
Angela Privin is proof that IBS is NOT an incurable disease, but a cry for help from a gut out of balance. When the body AND mind are complaining, it’s an opportunity to examine what’s not working and change it. After solving her own IBS mystery almost two decades ago, Angela became as a health coach to help others. Angela uses root cause medicine protocols personalized to the individual to solve each IBS mystery. Her tools are lab testing, dietary changes, supplementation, subconscious mind work and nervous system rebalancing . Learn more here.