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@gabisdrabbles
Do you ever want to cry after seeing old pictures of yourself because I do.
Yes and I told my mom I refuse to take pictures until I get off of it…though that’s unrealistic…but people who don’t understand what it’s look to be sick and then have your appearance changed on top of all of that…
I have a really hard time with this as well. I feel y'all, I do.
Like and/or Reblog this if you have a Chronic Illness (physical, mental, rare and/or life threatening). I wanna see how many people on Tumblr have to deal with constant pain and live their life with something chronic.
Shout out to those who fought very hard to be mothers.
Shout out to those who were told they never will be mothers.
Shout out to those who are mothers to angels.
Shout out to those who are mothers to animals.
Shout out to those who chose not to be mothers.
Shout out to those who aren’t mothers but have a motherly role in someone’s life.
Shout out to new mothers.
Shout out to old mothers.
Shout out to those who have passed on.
And lastly, shout out to those who are hurting on this day for one reason or another. Whether you can’t be a mother. Don’t have the best relationship with your mother. Lost your mother. Loath your mother. Miss your mother. Can’t see your mother. You lost children…. You aren’t forgotten, either.
The reasons why you calibrate or don’t celebrate today are important.
I hope you know you aren’t alone.
FAQ!
What is the Spoon Theory?
The Spoon Theory was created by Christine Miserandino. For the full theory, please visit her website here. The theory is simply a story that explains what it is like to live with a chronic illness. A person who is chronically disabled only has a limited amount of expendable energy each day. The spoon theory uses a metaphor of spoons to turn energy into a measurable concept. A person living with chronic illness only has a certain number of spoons in their possession each day, and every small action a person takes can result in a lost spoon. Once a person loses a spoon, it is very hard to get that back until after a full night’s sleep. Simple actions like getting out of bed, taking a shower, walking, and driving can require enormous amounts of energy that people don’t have. These disabilities can be visible or invisible. You cannot look at a person and tell if they are disabled or not, and these disabilities are not always physical in nature. Some examples of disorders that are chronic and draining of energy are:
Depression
PTSD
Anxiety disorders
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
POTS
Multiple Sclerosis
Lupus
Endometriosis
There are countless other disabilities that aren’t listed here! If someone you know is disabled, please take the time to try to understand their condition(s) and work with them to create a healthy and de-stigmatized relationship.
Why was this project started?
This project was started because I noticed a lack of communication between chronically disabled and able-bodied people. Chronically disabled people frequently wish to describe their daily struggles and problems with friends, acquaintances, teachers, professors, and bosses, but cannot find the words to relate this to able-bodied people. This project, when shown to an able-bodied person, can help make them more aware of struggles disabled people face in their lives, and facilitate positive and healthy communication in all relationships. It is my hope that people may be able to use this demonstration and website on a smaller or more widespread scale to help communicate their struggles, and improve relationships around them by using this as a tool to help people communicate their needs and wants when dealing with a disability.
Why take the time to go through the game/read this website?
If you are disabled, the game may be a helpful option to show to people to give them a better understanding of what it is like to be in your shoes.
If you are not disabled, the game may give you insight into what it is like to be disabled. If someone you know is disabled, looking at the resources page and the links contained throughout the site may help you gain knowledge about various disabilities and how to assist and treat those with disabilities.
What’s so difficult about having a disability?
Being diagnosed with a disability can be challenging and severely limit a person’s life and choices! People with disabilities often:
Have trouble finding a job or career that will work with their disability;
Have trouble completing college;
Have a lower socioeconomic status;
Are more prone to be diagnosed with mental illnesses or a comorbid mental diagnosis;
Have higher medical bills and a harder time finding health insurance coverage;
Have to choose between certain facets of life over another (ex: choosing between having a job and having a social life);
Are more likely to be victims of sexual assault and domestic violence;
Inadequate representation in the media; and
Stigmatization by peers, coworkers, and the general public.
These are just a few examples of the ways a disability can change a person’s life. People who are able-bodied have a distinct privilege in this country compared to disabled people; it is important to be aware of this privilege and work to lessen discrimination disabled people face.
What is Intersectionality and Why Does it Matter?
Intersectionality is studying the differences between groups of minorities, and how being in a minority group affects a person’s life. These minority groups are generally traits about a person like sexuality (lesbian gay, and bisexual people), gender (transgender, non-binary people), sex (females and intersex), race (black people, latino/a(s), native americans, asian americans), class (low and middle income earners), and ability. Each person’s experience in life is different, and a person’s experience partially depends on these traits. For example, a disabled black person will have different life experiences and hurdles than a black person without disabilities or a disabled person who is not black. Each of these groups listed above face stereotypes, stigmatization, and systematic oppression; however, the details of oppression faced are different for each group. Not all people fit into one category, and many people often face one or more oppressions.
Why does this matter? When talking about disability, we need to remember to observe a person as a whole, and take understand that a person’s life has multiple contexts that overlap. It’s important to remember that people who face more than one oppression (ex: black and disabled) can experience significant hurdles when just trying to be alive, safe, and receive basic rights like food and shelter. When someone with a disability deals with oppression like racism or sexism, it can have a negative impact and be detrimental to health and energy. When communicating with people who experience more than one oppression, we need to attempt to understand how oppressions can intersect to create a more severe and systematic oppression when compared to those who face one or no oppressions.
For more information about intersectionality, check out this article and pdf.
What else is on this website?
Information, updates, and news about disabilities are posted on the home page of this website.
Copyright Info:
You have permission to use this demonstration and website for personal use; however, the demonstration and website were created by me and I expect that I will be given credit where it is due. In other words, you do not have permission to plagiarize my work.
If you have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, coeliac/celiac disease, are vegetarian, or all/some of the above please like or reblog this post, I'd love to follow you!! xx
STOP REPOSTING THE GIRLS NAMES FROM #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS
[image description: First Lady Michelle Obama looking solemly at the camera and holding up a sign that reads #BringBackOurGirls]
I’ve seen a list circulating recently with the names of almost 200 of the Chibok 234, and after much thought and reflection I am now horrified. Many members and supporters of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign have totally failed most of the girls and their families by publicizing and spreading this list. Moreover, as a Nigerian I can tell you that the fact that we are broadcasting the (potential) rapes of these children to their communities and across the globe is simply inviting future pain, harassment and violence against them and their families when they do return home. It is also likely to bring incredible shame on them and their families and cause tremendous long term damage to their lives after the fact, as this list was published without their consent, and potentially even without the clear consent of their parents for all we know.
So, please, as a Nigerian I ask that you STOP REPOSTING THE NAMES LIST.
Activist, Semhar put it brilliantly and succinctly here:
[image description: tweet from Semhar @Semhar, “PLEASE STOP POSTING THE #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS NAMES. MOST ARE MINORS. THEY & THEIR FAMILIES NEED PROTECTION & SAFETY FROM FUTURE TARGETING.”]
Posting the full names of likely victims of rape and sexual assault, particularly CHILDREN without their parents’ full consent (we have no idea if the parents gave consent for this or in what form) would NOT be acceptable in the West, but now suddenly because these children are African this is okay and “anything goes”? Semhar’s tweets were a wakeup call for me as well, as I had not realized the long term effects and potential collateral damage from having the girls’ names out there. After reading what she had to say, though, I meditated on her tweets for a few hours and contextualized the situation culturally as well. At that point, light bulbs started firing off in my head. I began to see clearly just how bad this list was for the girls and their families, and how nefarious it was as well, with multiple major Western and Nigerian publications plastering the victims’ names for the collective ogling of tens of millions of people across the world.
These are children. They may have been sexually assaulted and raped. But rather than respecting their privacy, we are posting scores of their names online? How little respect do we have for them and their families? This is terrible, and potentially incredible destructive. Calling it inappropriate would be an understatement, and the publications that are refusing to take these lists down should be ashamed of themselves.
I’m so grateful for Semhar’s tweets for helping me realize all of this. I would like to reiterate this message again, though, to make it clear:
Please, please, please as a Nigerian I ask that you STOP reblogging and reposting the names of the Chibok 234 and remove them from your pages if you haven’t already. The fact that a Nigerian organization posted the list does NOT make it better. Nigerian organizations, like their Western counterparts, fuck up all of the time good intentions be damned. Posting a laundry list of names of potential victims of rape and sexual assault, especially of minors is not acceptable under ANY circumstances.
As Semhar continues in her tweets:
[image description: tweet from Shemar @Shemar, “#BringBackOurGirls: Using full names is dangerous. Release 1st names only. Or last names initials. Use fictional names to PROTECT identity.”]
There are so many alternatives to using full names. And the best thing that we can do at this juncture is use abbreviations or fictional names to protect their identities. In the future, maybe some of the girls will want to come forward tell their stories and share their identities as well, but that should be their decision to make with the clear and full consent of their families as well.
So again, PLEASE stop reposting the names list. We’ve already discussed how this tragedy is a criminal act by Nigeria’s leaders, who must be called to account for their failures, and how suddenly everyone in the West (of all races) is suddenly purporting to be an expert on Nigeria and all things Nigerian. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie also recently wrote a brilliant piece calling President Goodluck Jonathan to task, which was so cutting and necessary in this time of national mourning and grief. This is a tragedy and we must proceed with sensitivity, caution and tremendous respect toward the victims and their families especially.
Lastly, please stop signing that God-awful Change.org petition that has been making the rounds. The US and other Western powers now appear to be taking measured steps to provide logistical and intelligence support to the Nigerian military. I have no problem with that and welcome it even, but the wording of that petition leaves the door open to full US military intervention. We were colonized and brutalized for decades by the British, so the mere thought of a Western military presence on Nigerian soil is terrifying to me and many other Nigerians to say the least. Moreover, on top of everything it would just destabilize the situation further and play directly into Boko Haram’s hands. Again, this so clearly shows that malign intent is not a requisite for malign effect. So please don’t post the girls’ names and don’t sign this petition.
Healing is an art. It takes time, it takes practice. It takes love.
Maza-Dohta (via rainysundaysandcoffee)
Rachel, Eczema Sufferer: From Burn Unit To Healed Sweet Sixteen
Rachel’s Mom says she only has “AFTER” or HEALED pictures of Rachel, because to remember the bad times is to traumatic. These pictures are Rachel, healed for her Sweet Sixteen! Her story below….
Rachel’s Topical Steroid Addiction Story: From Burn Unit to Healed
This letter below came to me (Kelly Palace) in an from a young women named Rachel who was so damaged by using Steroids for eczema that she ended up in a Burn Unit, in intensive care fighting for her life. Dr. Rapaport traveled from LA to NJ to treat her twice, most likely saving her life. This is her story, in her own words. Thank goodness most of those going through Topical Steroid Addiction and Withdrawal never get this bad, but some do. Her experience occurred almost 10 years ago, yet the usage of steroids for eczema has increased. Spreading awareness on the dangers of topical steroids are needed more today than ever. Thanks to Rachel and her Mother for their permission to share this story with the ITSAN community.
- - -
Dear Miss Palace,
I am Rachel and I am 16 years old. I heard about your website and wanted to share my story.
Ever since I was 3 I have had minor eczema in the creases of my arms, my fingers and behind my knees. I had an allergist and a dermatologist. Doctors would always treat my case with oral or topical steroids. It seemed like that was the only option they gave me.
As the time went on and I got older they gave me higher doses. I remember them telling my mom to sometimes mix the steroids in with Vaseline so it wouldn’t be as harsh. My mom, trusting the doctors would rub the cream on my hands when I would cry that it “hurt” or “itched”. When I turned 10 I had watched my eczema move around my body to bigger spots. For example instead of it just being behind my knees it was both my legs and instead of it just being in the creases of my arms it would be my whole arm and my whole wrist as well. In between my fingers would itch like crazy. So for the itching I would put the topical steroids on it and It would go away. Just disappear like that. But two or three days later Id have it ten times worse. My mom and dad would see as it got worse the more I used it but the doctors said that it was all I could use.
So as good parents who wanted to trust the doctor with what they said they did what they were told would make me better.
I’ll never forget the night it all started. December 9th 2005. I went to take my every day shower before I went to bed. I got in the shower and the second that water hit my body I screamed and turned it off. My mom had come running into the bathroom and asked what had happened. I had said to her that the burning sensation I had just felt was unreal. It felt like someone sent fire throughout my body. The thing was that I was at the point in time where the steroids had made it disappear so when my mom looked at my skin there was nothing there. We had moisturized it with the steroids and as the night went on it got worse.
Over the next few years my skin had developed into a living nightmare, after many emergency visits and doctor visits. My skin was oozing through my clothes which made it hard to put them on or take them off. It was getting harder to go to school.
It was my 6th grade year the month of November the year of 2006 that things had started getting much worse. I was up almost every night in pain. Doctors didn’t know what to do anymore. My dad had taken off of work and brought me to my doctor and at this point he didn’t know what to do anymore. So he advised that I should be admitted to the hospital. I was in so much crippling pain from my body being dry and crusted, red and burnt all over he had to carry me to the door of the hospital’s emergency room, where I was put in a wheel chair. I had told them everything I was feeling. Since I was in so much pain they had hospitalized me. Through out the hospital visit they had given me high doses of morphine and put me on medicines like oxycoden and high doses of prednisone ext. They said that for an 11 year old girl it was shocking how those doses of medicine wouldn’t put me down because it would put a small pony down in a matter of a few minutes however no. That didn’t happen but what did happen was me standing up screaming in the corner of my hospital room at 11 pm saying my skin was burning. All the medicine was doing was making me dizzy and more uncomfortable because it made my head hurt. The doctors didn’t know what to do so they just put me on more higher doses of pain killers and steroids. I was in so much pain I would not even be able to describe the pain. They had done many tests on me and in the end they had come to the conclusion that it was all in my head! Oh G-d no I thought!
So the doctors tried hypnotizing me. The doctors sent me home. But every night was horrendous. I was up every single hour of the night. Eventually I had to stop going to school. It was so painful. After being admitted to the same hospital several different times they had decided to transfer me over to a different hospital in New York. There they said that I was allergic to everything except for rice and oranges. So since my daily diet was this I lost almost all my weight and was only a 60 pds. at 11. My cheeks were blown up and so was my stomach from the prednisone and I had started noticing my hair coming out. After while it had become a living nightmare anytime anyone had ever said the word shower or water that had to do with me cause I knew that it was going to be another horrible experience added on to my day. Living in pain was the worse.
My mom and dad are working parents. They both have jobs that require them to be at work everyday and focused. They had to transport back and forth every night from NY to NJ. My mom and dad would take shifts every other day and on weekends they would both stay with me. Eventually they discharged me and from that hospital. They didn’t know what was wrong with me. Its hard to remember too much after this. After a while, I was getting worse and worse. No one knew what was wrong with me. My whole body was full of burning pain everyday. They put me on cyclosporine and I got even worse. On top of that the doctors kept giving me inhalers with steroids and told my parents I would die if I didn’t help my lungs with the inhalers.
Nothing would help it , not the oral topical steroids. Not anything would take this pain away. I was sticking to my sheets, I was up all night and I was out of school. I was becoming more and more weak as the days went on. I had lost my appetite. So I lost more and more weight. At 11 I remained a measly 60 pounds. I had lost a lot of my hair because of the medications the doctors had me on. I was getting home schooled but during the sessions I’d get sharp pains throughout my body and would have to stop early. My doctor had sent me to a specialists in NY because at this point they didn’t know what was the matter with me. My parents knew that they had to take me off some of the medicines at this point. Since they weren’t working. The specialists in NY told me she would admit me to the hospital to do a 3 day bathing treatment. She said that after three days I would be better. So my parents once again trusting this “highly professional” dermatologist, brought me to the NY hospital for my scheduled admission. When we got there nothing was going the way it was supposed to. They put me in a small white room that wasn’t clean. Its hard for me to remember this part. I was in so much pain and was so weak that I slept most of the time and because I was on such large pain killers I was out of it. But however unfortunately I do remember some parts. I was in this room with my dad and I remember sitting fully unclothed crouched on the floor saying “I’m in too much pain can someone help me”. No matter what anyone told me I would not lay on the bed it hurt to much to touch anything.
A touch of someones finger would lead me to scream or cry. My mom or dad could not comfort me when I was in pain. I was living in a nightmare at 11 years old with no hope and no light at the end of the tunnel. I was fully depressed and didn’t know what to think. I wished every day that I didn’t have to live like that. The next day they tried my first treatment. Little did I know it wasn’t a full on treatment. I walked into an old bathroom with an unclean tub. The nurse forced me to sit in it. I screamed so loud my dad ran to the bathroom and asked if I was ok and the nurse took me out of the bathroom and brought me back to the room. Five months later I was still in the same hospital after thinking it was supposed to be a three day treatment. Even worse than when I was first admitted to the hospital. I had been put on life support 1 time threw out this admission. And I had toxic shock. But one good thing that I had gotten out of these five months of being so sick. Even loosing my ability to walk for several months.
My dad had gotten so desperate for help he had researched on Google “ prednisone withdrawal” a link came up for Dr. Marvin Rapaport’s dermatology. My dad got on his email and emailed doctor Rapaport immediately. A few hours later my dad got a reply. saying that he needs to take me off the medicines a.s.a.p. And that I have the Itchy Red Burning Skin Syndrome. He explained what it was. Basically what happens is every time I felt that horrible burning sensation and every time someone or something touched me or even when I was just sitting down. It was all the poisons (topical/and oral steroids) seeping out through my veins out of my skin. Its called N/O (noxious oxide). Your veins constrict and release N/O’s which feels like a burning sensation no one could ever imagine. Once those are released the only thing that can help the veins calm down is ice. And LOTS OF IT. So the doctor told me to hang in there and my dad and mom fought day and night with the doctors for me. And every time a new doctor came in, there answer to the problem would be steroids. And my parents answer was always NO.
After 4 or 5 months in this hospital. I had gotten so weak. I couldn’t eat. I would sleep most of the time. I couldn’t get up and walk. And my skin started turning green and purple cause the doctors were not taking proper care of me in that hospital. I had gotten toxic shock and my immune system shut down along with my adrenal glands. What happened was my body was so used to being given steroids, that the steroids that are supposed to be regularly producing in your body stopped and didn’t want to work anymore. At this point they just wanted to get rid of me so they discharged me. I remember the night I was discharged I was in so much pain yet I was so happy I could see something other than the same four white walls. I was so little for 11 years old. I was an unhealthy 60 or 70 pds. After a few days back at home I had gotten more and more sick. Ill never forget the day I came closest to my death. A lot of the parts of that day were faded but I know a lot of it because I’ve asked for my parents to tell me some of the sequence in which it happened and who was there and unfortunately a lot all I remember is the agony I was in and how much I wanted to jump out of my body.
I woke up and tried opening my eyes but they were crusted together. I was laying on my back holding my legs to my chest crying. I couldn’t get up not only cause I couldn’t hold myself up but because my skin was stuck to the blankets. My skin was also stuck to the covers over me. I screamed and I remember my dad and mom first coming in. He pulled my desk chair next to my bed than came my mom with an ice cold water bottle. I’ll never forget looking over and seeing my dad and mom in tears leaning by my bedside. It was at that moment that I knew I had very little chances of surviving.
My mom called 911. They rushed to my house. I remember blurs of that morning. My mom walking me into the bathroom and taking every step little by little. Every step came with a scream you could hear from 10 miles away. She sat me down and told me it would be ok while my dad had gotten the door downstairs. An officer I’ve known since I was very little, walked into the bathroom with his friend. He had never seen me like this. And he even had to walk out. His eyes were filled with tears. Next came the ambulance along with a women who helped save my life along side Dr. Marvin Rapaport. The EMT came running up my stairs and told my mom and dad to please leave the bathroom. I knew my mom would never leave me and she was right outside the bathroom door. To see if anything at all was needed. My dad had left because Dr. Rapaport had called after my dad had left a desperate message and he told my father to tell the EMT’s to get me to the closest burn unit a.s.a.p or I might not be able to make it. I have 32 steps in my house.
Bea , the ambulance lady who I now call grandma who made me an honorary ambulance volunteer at a ceremony in my town,led me down every single one of of the stairs tone at a time. Every little step meant so much to me. That this one person could understand FOR ONCE that I had to take my time and I couldn’t go fast. She was patient and that’s all I needed. I don’t remember to much after this. Except the ride in the ambulance with another EMT who was there that day. I remember looking to my left and seeing my mom crying telling my medical updates.
I remember to my right giving my sips out of my water bottle. As we pulled away from my house I heard the siren go off and I said bye to my house as if I would never see it again. The ambulance lady had told them the name of the Burn Unit . I remember them rushing me into the hospital saying girl you can do this your strong. When I got there a doctor had made a decision that risked his job and got him fired. The hospital wanted nothing to do with the fact that an 11 year old girl might die of a skin condition in there hospital. But knowing he had to save me, he went with his heart and put a life line in the back of my neck. And I was out.
I remember waking up in this big lighted room. It was about 3 weeks prior that I had been flown to this hospital. I had woken up from being on life support in the ICU unit of Hospital of Philadelphia. I was flown to the hospital that night. According to my mom Dr. Rapaport came to Philadelphia to visit me, he traveled all the way from California just to see me, He told all the doctors what to do and when to do it. My mom and dad stayed at the Ronald McDonald house. I don’t remember much out of these visits. Except bad hallucinations and horrible events that were too painful to describe. They were all flares and this hospital layed me in everything ice. I started eating and I got my appetite back. But I was put on life support several different times and so many different pain medications. I have bad memories of that hospital only because it was painful there and I saw things an 11 year old girl would never want to see. But I remember the days that my mom and dad would take me for walks through the Philadelphia campus. My mom showed me FIT and said many times “maybe this is where you will be someday Rachey.” I would walk around with my ripped apart feet and the bandages of Vaseline rapped around my body. But I needed to get out of the hospital so my dad would take me on little adventures and get me starburst from the CVS across the street. Those little walks towards the end were what made my day. I had gone threw a lot of physical therapy so I could start walking comfortably again and just to keep my body on a good schedule. I would do daily ice treatments and as I got flares the nurses would know what to do. Eventually I was discharged but another admission had come again soon after because of an infection I had. I had eventually got discharged from the hospital.
Dr. Rapaport would call my parents every night to see how I was doing. And he also visited me 2 other times after that. Eventually my hair grew back but when I went back to school I would get severally bullied for what I looked like. I was put in home school so I could focus on school and getting better. I was told everyday my health is whats most important. My parents would take shifts at night with me. I would get flares threw out the days and nights. Tons of ice and Motrin and atarax (non steroidal medication for itching) Doc told me it would get better soon and just know that I’m healthy now its just the matter of having the strength to get threw the end of it all.
August 18th 2008 was the year I was taken off all steroids. Its been 4-5 years that I have been off all steroids. My flares went from being 24’7 to every night to every other day. To the point where I was finally able to go out for a while. To maybe a few hours to and hour to 15 minutes and eventually id get one or two a week. It took me 4-5 years to get to the point I’m at now. I’ve gone without a flare for 18 months now. I have a stubborn patch on my foot. Its red and gets itchy sometimes. But I’m happy to call it eczema. I’ve been back to school for 3 full years since 8th grade. I can wear all kinds of clothes now and eat all kinds of foods. I was bullied for what I look like and kids who can’t grow up, bring up my past but it only makes me stronger cause they only saw the half of it all.
Although things they say can hurt over the years I have become so much stronger. I’ve learned too look back at my story not as something negative but to look at it as a lesson or an “experience.” No one has a story like mine. I’ve learned how to know what’s important in life. And how EVERY SECOND DOES COUNT. Nothing can bother me anymore. Everything has made me stronger. The words I hear now go in one ear and out the other. And the people that matter stay with me for a life time. I recently celebrated my “ dream sweet-16.” I had all my family and close friends there. I had Bea the lady who helped save my life that morning, there with me to celebrate. My sweet was aboard the Spirit of New Jersey Cruises and I loved the city skylines. I appreciated every second of it. I had two big limos and I felt like a star. And thanks to my mom and dad for making my day so special and my life so worth living.
Advice I have for people who are going threw this is that you WILL get through this. It won’t be easy but in the end it will be worth it. Grit and bear the pain. You’ll get better.
Rachel, from NJ now 16 year old healed Topical Steroid Addiction and Withdrawal survivor.
“Theres is a light at the end of the tunnel baby.” -my mommy
4 Steps & Top 5 foods to Heal Leaky Gut and Autoimmune Disease
by Dr. Josh Axe
Leaky gut syndrome is a rapidly growing condition that more and more people are struggling with everyday. This condition may be the cause of your allergies, low energy, joint pain, autoimmune conditions and weight gain. In this article I will outline specifically how you can cure your leaky gut.
The Importance of Your Digestive Lining
Think of the lining of your digestive tract like a net with extremely small holes in it that only allow specific substances to pass through. Your gut lining works as a barrier keeping out bigger particles that can damage your system.
When someone has leaky gut (often referred to as increased intestinal permeability) the “net” in your digestive tract gets damaged, which causes even bigger holes to develop in your net, so things that normally can’t pass through, are now be able to. Some of the things that can now pass through include proteins like gluten, bad bacteria andundigested foods particles. Toxic waste can also leak from the inside of your intestinal wall into your blood stream causing an immune reaction.1
The Progression of Leaky Gut
This leads to inflammation throughout your system and can cause symptoms, such as:
Bloating
Food sensitivities
Thyroid conditions
Fatigue
Joint pain
Headaches
Skin issues like eczema, rosacea and acne
Digestive problems
Weight gain
Syndrome X
One of the biggest warning signs that you may have leaky gut can be that you’re experiencing multiple food sensitivities. Partially digested protein and fat can seep through your intestinal lining making their way into your bloodstream which will cause an allergic response.
This allergic response doesn’t mean you’ll break out in a rash all over your body, but it can lead to one of the symptoms I’ve mentioned above. And, if left un-repaired can lead to more severe health issues like inflammatory bowel disease, IBS, arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, depression, anxiety, migraine headaches, muscle pain and chronic fatigue.
According to the Journal of Diabetes there is a strong body of evidence pointing to leaky gut as a major cause of autoimmune diseases including Type 1 Diabetes.4
Another problem with leaky gut is that it can cause malabsorption of vital minerals and nutrients including zinc and iron.
What Causes Leaky Gut?
There are 4 main causes of leaky gut which include:
Poor diet
Chronic stress
Toxin overload
Bacterial imbalance.5
We’re about to cover some in-depth nutrition here. Read carefully, and in a few sections I will outline the top 5 Foods and Supplements to heal your leaky gut…
The most common components of food that can damage your intestinal lining are the proteins found in un-sprouted grains, sugar, GMO’s, and conventional dairy.
The problem with unsprouted grains is they contain large amounts of nutrient blockers called phytates and lectins. Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that act as a natural defense system for plants that protect them from outside invaders like mold and parasites.
This is good news for plants but bad news for your body.
Your digestive lining is covered with sugar containing cells that help break down your food. Lectins gravitate toward this area and when they attach to your digestive lining it damages your gut, causing inflammation.
Lectins and Problem Foods
Lectins are found in many foods, not just grains, and consumed in smaller amounts your body will do just fine with them. But foods that have large amounts of lectins like wheat,rice, spelt, and soy are more problematic.
Sprouting and fermenting grains reduces phytates and lectins, and makes these foods easier to digest.
GMO and hybridized foods tend to be the highest in lectins since they have been modified to fight off bugs.
Also, gluten containing grains will damage your intestinal lining causing leaky gut. So while you are working to heal your system stay away from all grains especially ones that contain gluten like wheat. Once your gut is healthy you can add back in grains that have been fermented and sprouted to eat occasionally.
Conventional cows milk is another food that can cause leaky gut. The component of dairy that will harm your gut is the protein A1 Casein. Also, the pasteurization processwill destroy vital enzymes making sugars like lactose very difficult to digest. For this reason, I only recommend buying dairy that is raw and from: A2 cows, goat’s, sheep, or buffalo.
Sugar is another substance that will wreak havoc on your digestive system. Sugar will feed the growth of yeast, candida, and bad bacteria which will further damage your gut. Bad bacteria actually creates toxins called exotoxins that damage healthy cells and can eat a hole into your intestinal wall.
Other Factors that Cause Leaky Gut
Chronic stress weakens your immune system over time which cripples your ability to fight off foreign invaders like bad bacteria and viruses leading to inflammation and leaky gut. To reduce stress I recommend getting more sleep, schedule fun into your week, rest one day a week, meditate on scripture, and hang out with positive uplifting people.
Toxins. We come into contact with over 80,000 chemicals and toxins every single year but the worst offenders for causing leaky gut include antibiotics, pesticides, tap water, aspirin, and NSAIDS. I recommend buying a high quality water filter to eliminate chlorine and fluoride and look to natural plant based herbs to reduce inflammation in your body.
Dysbiosis. Finally, one of the leading causes of leaky gut is a condition calleddysbiosis, which means an imbalance between beneficial and harmful species of bacteria in your gut. For many, this imbalance can begin at birth because of a C-section or because the mother didn’t have a healthy gut herself. The overuse of prescription antibiotic drugs, tap water with chlorine and fluoride, and the lack of probiotic rich foods contribute to this imbalance of good and bad bacteria.
Leaky Gut and the Brain
Another topic I want to quickly discuss is how leaky gut can affect the brain. If you’ve ever seen a child with autism experience a mood swing, this can be caused by intestinal permeability. Gluten and Casein-Free Diet’s have proven effective for many children with autism because these proteins can leak through the gut and then recirculate and act on the brain similarly to an opioid drug.
This is also why leaky gut has been linked to other psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. So, in many cases, if you can heal the gut you can heal the brain.
The 4-Step Plan to Heal Leaky Gut
The good news is there’s a solution to healing leaky gut. There is a four step process that includes:
Remove foods and factors that damage the gut
Replace with healing foods
Repair with specific supplements
Rebalance with probiotics
Here’s the protocol I have used with my patients over the years that has helped them see incredible results.
Remember, the top foods to remove that cause leaky gut are sugar, grains, conventional meat, conventional dairy and GMO foods. The top toxic exposures to eliminate are tap water, pesticides, NSAIDS, and antibiotics but remember to always consult with your physician if he has prescribed these for you.
The Top 5 Healing Foods for Your Digestive Tract
#1 Bone Broth - broth contains collagen and the amino acids proline and glycine that can help heal your damaged cell walls. I’ve had many of my patients do a bone broth fast for 3 days to help rapidly repair leaky gut.
#2 Raw Cultured Dairy - contains both probiotics and SCFA’s that can help heal the gut. Pastured kefir, yogurt, amasai, butter, and raw cheese are some of the best.
#3 Fermented Vegetables - contain organic acids that balance intestinal pH and probiotics to support the gut. Sauerkraut, Kimchi, and Kvass are excellent sources.
#4 Coconut Products – all coconut products are especially good for your gut. The MCFA’s in coconut are easier to digest than other fats so better for leaky gut. Also, coconut kefir contains probiotics that support your digestive system.
#5 Sprouted seeds – chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds that have been sprouted are great sources of fiber that can help support the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Also, consuming foods that have anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fats are beneficial such as grass-fed beef, lamb, and wild caught fish like salmon.
Top 5 Supplements for Healing your Gut
There are many supplements that support your digestive health but I believe the most beneficial are: L-Glutamine, Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes, Aloe Vera Juice, and Licorice Root.
I believe L-glutamine is critical for any program designed to heal leaky gut. Glutamine is an essential amino acid that is anti-inflammatory and necessary for the growth and repair of your intestinal lining. L-glutamine acts a protector and coats your cell walls, acting as a repellent to irritants.6
Digestive enzymes (one or two capsules at the beginning of each meal) ensure that foods are fully digested, decreasing the chance that partially digested foods particles and proteins from damaging your gut wall.
Similarly to how Aloe Vera helps burns heal faster, it can also support the healing of ulcers and areas on injury in your digestive system.
Demulcent herbs like Licorice Root and slippery elm soothe the mucus membranes that line the digestive system, acting as a bandage. Other herbs like ginger and peppermintcan also be beneficial because of their anti-inflammatory properties.
Probiotics Are a Vital Part to Healing Your Gut. Finally, if you’re going to heal your gut you MUST consume probiotics in food and supplement form. I see people all the time only follow part of the protocol in healing their gut by removing the damaging irritants. But the part they often leave out is re-inoculating their gut with beneficial bacteria that will keep bad bacteria at bay.
So load up on BOTH probiotic rich foods and take AT LEAST 100 billion units of probiotics daily from a high quality brand.
If you can follow the above protocol you are well on your way to healing your gut for good!
The Dr. Axe Secret Detox
If you want a more detailed plan on how to heal leaky gut, how to burn off the remaining belly fat and cleanse your body, check out my Secret Detox Program.
Visit thesecretdetox.com now to sign-up and learn more.
References:
Kiefer D, Ali-Akbarian L (2004). “A brief evidence-based review of two gastrointestinal illnesses: irritable bowel and leaky gut syndromes”. Alternative Therapy Health Medicine 10 (3): 22–30.
Pike, M. G.; Heddle, R. J.; Boulton, P.; Turner, M. W.; Atherton, D. J. (1986). “Increased Intestinal Permeability in Atopic Eczema”. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 86 (2): 101–104.
Humbert, P.; Bidet, A.; Treffel, P.; Drobacheff, C.; Agache, P. (1991). “Intestinal permeability in patients with psoriasis”. Journal of dermatological science 2 (4): 324–326.
Vaarala O, Atkinson MA, Neu J (2008) ‘The “Perfect Storm” for Type 1 Diabetes The Complex Interplay Between Intestinal Microbiota, Gut Permeability, and Mucosal Immunity’, Diabetes Journal, (57)10(2555-2562).
Z Liu, N Li, J Neu (2005) ‘Tight junctions, leaky intestines, and pediatric diseases’, Acta Paediatrica , 94(4), pp. 386-393.
Maes M, Leunis JC (2008) ‘Normalization of leaky gut in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is accompanied by a clinical improvement: effects of age, duration of illness and the translocation of LPS from gram-negative bacteria’, Journal of Neuro Endocrinology,29(6), pp. 902-10.
so basically when one applies TS it enters ones bloodstream? and when stopped the symptoms are signs showing that the TS is leaving the bloodstream?
Everything that we put on our skin enters the blood stream, the skin is an active organ that absorbs stimuli :) That’s why people advise against beauty products with harsh chemicals etc so it’s not just steroids :)
No, if you become steroid dependent because you used too much or used it frequently over a period of time to suppress your eczema, your body starts needing it to control inflammation. So when you stop you experience rebound effects and withdrawal where your body flares bad again because it wants that artificial inflammation suppression that cortisone steroids provide and so it creates eczema to get it. Hence the term “steroid induced”.
If you aren’t addicted or dependent and you use it properly as the box tells you, then when you stop you won’t experience any rebound effects. But steroid use is accumulative and if you keep using it builds up in your body over the years which is why some eczema gets worse as they grow older when in fact most eczema used to be said to clear once you were a adult but with the introduction of steroids and the event of it becoming the mainstream and conventional “treatment” for eczema, doctors and derms now say that eczema is chronic and will never go away. Most won’t know or acknowledge that it is actually the steroids causing the eczema because they reject steroids can cause eczema at all and certainly won’t believe that it is the cause of your worsening eczema. Since use is accumulative, if you are susceptible to addiction then you will get addicted eventually, doctor Marvin Rapaport says to takes 20% of the total time you used steroids to heal completely and that includes steroid inhalers for asthma. That’s how you can get addicted any time, in the next couple of years or when you’re 50.
Once you stop completely the then the steroids will leave your body. You can check out the Questions and Answers on ITSAN for more information about it :)
VERY important info for steroid users of any kind, but especially those using topical steroids. I am 6-7ish months into my withdrawal process currently.
Reblog this if you're a Spoonie in flare right now.
My Mum and I were just discussing how Spoonies seem to flare at the same time, so I decided to put this to the test and see just how many of us currently flaring.
For those of you don’t know (I’m sure you do but jic): a flare is a period of time where the symptoms from your chronic illness worsen, which can last several days or sometimes weeks.
For the first time ever, the World Health Organization on Monday declared the spread of polio an international public health emergency that could grow in the next few months and unravel the nearly three-decade effort to eradicate the crippling disease. The agency described current polio…
This makes me want to fucking rage.
Jesus Christ.
Actual conversation with the receptionist at my doctor's office:
Me: "Hi, I'm calling to schedule a returning patient appointment."
Receptionist: "Let me see....our first available appointment is in the first week of June. What's your name?"
Me: *gives name*
Receptionist: "Oh my gosh, no, how does this Monday at 1 sound?"
Fro-yo shop near home- just for us!
Reblog if you have a chronic illness
:D :D :D Well thank you! (btw my side blog is laidoutlikeamist, so chronic illness buddies, yay!) And anyone who loves The X Files and Sutton Foster is a friend in my book! (And sorry- I tried to reply earlier but it didn't go through!)
Sweet, I'll go follow your other blog right now!! :D
As someone with epilepsy this is an important message to share. Thank you bloggers for the heads up.
I’ve said this elsewhere, but also: it’s extremely bright and even closing my eyes didn’t help much.
I know I have followers with epilepsy.
Signal boost
