
How 3 Nutrients Can Heal Most Ailments
Posted on August 5, 2014 - 44 Comments
Three of the Most Common Nutritional Deficiencies
When not toiling at research and development for NutriStart Vitamin Company, I also work as a nutritional consultant in a vitamin store, which I have done (one place or another) for almost 30 years now. As my time in the field accumulated, and my knowledge and feedback from customers grew, I developed a unifying theory of illness. It is not a totally unique theory, as you will hear more and more about the “leaky-gut” aspect of it now, but what you won’t hear so often is my approach to it. I have come to believe that a wide-spread deficiency in three key nutrients has caused an underlying problem that is the link to many different illnesses, and leaky gut is only one component of this problem.
What Causes Leaky Gut?
“Leaky gut” is just what it sounds like: a porous intestinal tract that is no longer fully intact. Leaky gut is caused by a number of modern problems, the main one being candida yeast overgrowth. Candida yeast overgrowth is caused by frequent antibiotic use, excessive sugars in the diet for long periods, mercury toxicity (usually from fillings in the teeth, or introduced into the body from vaccines), and from birth control pills (via excessively high estrogen levels).
Another modern cause of leaky gut is consuming genetically modified corn and/or soy beans. The pesticide used on these two crops (“Roundup”), is particularly damaging to the lining of the gut. Genetic modification made these two crops resistant to pesticides, so they now can take up, and retain, more pesticide than the plants used to be able to withstand, before dying. This means the consumer now ingests more of that pesticide than would have been possible before the genetic modification of these plants.
Ironically, many of those with celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity are consuming high amounts of corn and soy products, which, if not non-gmo, are actually contributing to worsening the underlying cause of their condition: damaged intestinal tract and villi.
Why is Leaky Gut so Dangerous?
Leaky gut is linked to a wide range of health problems because it allows invasive compounds to enter the bloodstream, before they can be neutralized by the liver, or excreted through the normal channels of evacuation (feces, sweat, and urine). These compounds can be allergens, toxins, or just large protein particles, all of which wreak havoc in the body by triggering allergic responses, inflammation, and even auto-immune conditions.
It is important to note here that inflammation alone is linked to many modern ailments, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis and diabetes. And neurological problems, ranging from autism and anxiety, through depression, up to schizophrenia, have all been linked to protein particles, mostly from gluten and casein, getting into the blood stream and making their way to the brain.
Standard Approach to Healing Leaky Gut
Conventionally, natural health practitioners work to heal a leaky gut by restricting the diet, and eliminating the foods that trigger a negative response, as well as eliminating those foods that feed candida. Those offensive foods include wheat and/or grains containing gluten, cow milk products (especially casein) and sugars (including tropical fruits and all fruit juices).
The patient is then recommended to take nutrients and supplements that help to heal the gut lining, including L-glutamine, licorice extracts in lozenge form (or DGL licorice for those with high blood pressure), and N-acetyl-glucosamine. As well, a few others things are recommended, like Aloe Vera juice, to reduce inflammation in the gut, and marshmallow and slippery elm, which soothes the irritated digestive tract, calming and coating it, in order to allow healing to occur. The patient is also usually put on supplements designed to kill off the candida overgrowth, to forbid further damage from occurring, and given probiotics to counteract some of the damage done by the candida (and the antibiotics).
In the case of auto-immune conditions it is also important that the patient follow the Blood Type Diet (Eat Right 4 Your Type, by Dr. Peter D’Adamo; www.dadamo.com). In this case, particular protein particles called “lectins” are causing an anti-body response that is interpreted by the medical profession as an auto-immune condition. The Blood Type Diet basically tells you your genetic heritage, and which foods you are not genetically adapted to eating.
I also recommend to anyone with a pre-diabetic or inflammatory condition, that they also follow the blood type diet closely, at least until their health improves. This is because certain foods contain lectins that can cause an insulin spike and/or inflammation, in specific blood types. However, once the gut lining has thickened up, the lectins are much less likely to get into the blood stream, and one can broaden the diet again.
What is Leaky Gut Really About?
What is over-looked by this approach, is the underlying nutritional deficiencies that lead to the leaky gut in the first place. And the fact that leaky gut is only one symptom of erosion of the mucous membranes in the body.
We are essentially a worm with appendages, and when the lining of that tube that separates us from the outside world is eroded, the outside world then has direct access to our blood stream, without our filters being in place to selectively allow in what is useful, and keep out what is detrimental.
My belief is that this issue is the root cause of a wide range of ailments. I believe this so strongly that I have a photocopy of the dosages that I will later recommend to you, and we (me and other staff members) hand it out to anyone with any condition that relates to an erosion of their “tube”. And we receive amazing positive feedback from those who follow this regimen, as they often reverse long standing symptoms that no medical professional could help them with.
Mucous Membrane Erosion
So, for example, when the sinuses lose their lining, one is prone to allergies (can’t filter out the dander, dust, pollen, etc), post-nasal drip, nasal dryness, and eventually, sinus infections.
When the respiratory system loses its lining, we can be subject to bronchitis, lung infections, asthma, emphysema, and even throat problems that are unexplainable.
When the stomach loses lining we get ulcers, and when the intestinal tract loses lining we get leaky gut, and all the aforementioned problems associated with that, as well as celiac disease, and food allergies.
When the genitourinary tract loses lining we are likely to get re-occurring bladder infections, kidney problems, interstitial cystitis, or vaginal dryness. The lining of the prostate thins and it becomes prone to infection, while thinning of the uterus can lead to endometriosis.
Also, part of the mucosal lining in many cases (sinuses, lungs, and intestinal tract) includes the fine “hairs” (villi, cilia) that keep those systems trapping and expelling foreign particles, again keeping them out of the blood stream. Loss of villi is the main cause of celiac disease, and cilia allow the lungs to expel dust particles (and carbon particles in the case of smokers and those who heat with wood), and mucus (which also carries out toxins and waste).
Three Critical Nutrients
Now to the big three nutritional deficiencies, that have lead to this widespread erosion of our mucosal lining. All of these nutrients are required by the body to build, maintain and heal the mucous membranes, and, while a deficiency in any one is bad enough, a chronic deficiency in all three compounds the problem.
Also, each of these nutrients are necessary for a wide range of critical functions, over and above serving the mucous membranes, and so justly deserve to be used therapeutically by everyone, regardless of the status of their mucosal lining.
Vitamin D
85% of all cancers, known as carcinomas, begin in the epithelial tissue that lines the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body, laying just on top of the mucous membranes. When the scientific literature on vitamin D suggests that sufficient amounts may help to prevent these types of cancers from occurring, because it helps to regenerate epithelial tissue, and the mucous membranes, we can see that maintaining a healthy mucosal structure is critical for well being. One study showed a 77% cancer risk reduction from taking only 1,100 IU of vitamin D daily.
We are massively deficient in vitamin D since we have been told for the past decades that we only need 400 IU daily, when in fact, if you are deficient, your body will make up to 10,000 IU, in just half an hour of proper sunbathing.
In the temperate zones there are only 4 months of the year that you can get enough vitamin D from the sun, and even then you have to be half naked (50% unclothed), and unwashed (you need sebum on your skin for the sun to produce vitamin D in your body). These days nearly 80% of East Indians are believed to be deficient in vitamin D, so even living in a sunny climate is no indication that you will get sufficient D.
The links between vitamin D deficiency and ailments are so wide that they run from asthma to schizophrenia, with stops in between for everything from diabetes to multiple sclerosis. So, vitamin D is perhaps the single most important nutrient that you should take for good health, even aside from its role in supporting the mucous membranes. (Blog)
Vitamin A
Those who have read my book (Health Secrets for the 21st Century) and/or who have read my early blogs, are already familiar with my unpopular pro-vitamin A position, though I am not alone in this belief. While it is generally believed by conventional medicine, and even by many naturopaths, that vitamin A can be dangerous, and should be taken in only small amounts, this is blatantly false, and there is much evidence to prove this. (Blog)
We are commonly deficient in vitamin A simply because we don’t eat liver any more, the only appreciable source of vitamin A in the diet. Traditionally, humans ate organ meats, not muscle meat, which has less nutrients, and is harder to digest. A serving of cow liver (which was eaten weekly when I was growing up) contains about 40,000 IU of vitamin A. Many cultures still eat liver from a variety of sources, including chicken, goose, and lamb, but this is not common among North Americans anymore.
Have a look at your multi-vitamin and see how much vitamin A is in it: maybe 2,500 IU, and often none, except synthetic beta carotene, which is worthless as a supplement. Natural beta carotene, whether from food or as a supplement, will convert to vitamin A, but you need to be in ideal health, and get an awful lot of it, to produce sufficient vitamin A, especially if you are deficient in it.
Vitamin A deficiency is widespread in the developing world, and linked to night blindness, severe diarrhea and lack of resistance to infection. I believe that the deficiency in the Western world is far more extensive than we are lead to believe, and one sign of this is the prevalence of sunglasses (more on this to follow).
Iodine
The third critical nutrient absent from the modern diet is iodine. This deficiency exists because we generally do not eat seaweed, the only reliable source of iodine in the diet. According to WHO, 72% of the world population is iodine deficient, and according to one source 96% of the U.S. population is iodine deficient. (Dr. David Brownstein, Iodine, Why You Need It. Medical Alternative press, 2009)
Sure, there is iodized table salt (which has fallen out of favor with health-minded people), but the fact is that it is fortified with potassium iodide, not true iodine. Potassium iodide, a synthetic form of iodine, only serves the thyroid gland, whereas iodine, the nutrient, has receptor sites all over the body (breasts, prostate, ovaries, to name a few). And, while potassium iodide supports thyroid function, and protects the thyroid against radiation, true iodine does that and as well helps to remove heavy metals from the body, and kills off bad bacteria and fungus (like candida).
Iodine deficiency is linked to cognitive impairment, fibrocystic breast disease, heart disease, obesity, psychiatric disorders, and various forms of cancer. In fact the healing benefits of iodine are so broad that it would take a book to cover the subject (more info: blog) but, for our purposes, iodine is present because it is also necessary for healing and maintaining mucous membranes. A good example of this is that I had two individuals tell me they avoided surgery for post-nasal drip, simply by adding a moderate amount of iodine to their nutritional regimen.
So, those are the big three commonly deficient, critically required nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin D and Iodine. And most ailments stem from long term (even generational) deficiencies of these three nutrients, not only because of their necessity for maintaining our mucous membranes, but also because of the wide range of bodily functions that they are required for.
Other Nutrients That Help Rebuild Mucous Membranes
To a lesser degree, a fourth nutrient is also necessary for repairing mucous membranes, in some cases, and that is vitamin B-12. This tends to be a deficiency mostly in the elderly, in strict vegetarian, in those with blood type A or AB (as they hit middle age or older), and those with severe intestinal disorders (IBS, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and colitis). In all those cases there can be digestive malfunctions that impede absorption of B-12 from the diet. Chronic B-12 deficiency is linked to pernicious anemia, mood disorders, and neurological problems ranging from dementia to Parkinson’s disease. In cases of B-12 deficiency, the supplement should be taken sublingually (under the tongue) or by injection.
Other nutrients required for maintaining and repairing mucous membranes include vitamin B2 and zinc, and vitamin C, which is required for collagen production (collagen being the glue that holds everything together). But, most people I deal with, either as a consultant, or those who read my blogs, are already aware that they need some basic nutritional support outside of food, and are usually taking a multi-vitamin (which would include B2 and zinc), and also some vitamin C. What most people, even those with basic nutritional understanding, are not taking is the big 3, and if they are, not in adequate amounts for our purposes.
Therapeutic Protocol for Healing Mucous Membranes
My protocol for healing of mucosal membrane tends to the conservative side, and can take a few months to work fully. Doses of these nutrients can be higher, and perhaps results may occur faster, but this should be done with the help of a natural health professional. Nutrients may be much safer than drugs, but they are not without their own potential side effects (mostly due to depleting other nutritional co-factors).
All recommendations are for 5 days a week. By taking a break we accomplish 2 things: we allow the body to use up any excess of a nutrient that we might have taken (especially in the case of non-water soluble nutrients, like minerals and fat-soluble vitamins), and we remind the body to store nutrients, since we won’t be ingesting them consistently. Constantly taking a nutrient in high amounts, suggests to the body that your environment is so rich in these nutrients that it no longer needs to be conservative with them.
Dosing with Vitamin A
Take 50,000 IU of vitamin A daily (with a meal containing fat) for 5 days, then 30,000 IU daily until one does not squint on a sunny day. Squinting in the sunlight (outside of staring into the sun) is a feedback mechanism indicating vitamin A deficiency; this deficiency is worse when one is sensitive to all bright lights, unless there is a medical condition with this symptom. Poor night vision and dry eyes are other symptoms.
After no longer squinting on sunny days, one can take 10,000 IU daily, and even miss a few days a week. When sensitivity to light returns, I will generally go back to taking 3 or 4 pills (10,000 IU each), until the problem recedes, and then roll back my dosage. I prefer natural sourced vitamin A (from fish liver oil), but it appears that synthetic vitamin A will also do the job (unlike synthetic beta carotene), for our vegan friends.
Dosing with Vitamin D
Take 10,000 IU of vitamin D, as drops, or soft gels with a meal containing fat, for 5 days, then 5,000 IU daily, until the health issue alleviates, and then take 3 to 5,000 IU daily. Unless sunbathing properly (50% undressed, un-bathed, and with no sun block, for at least 20 minutes if you are Caucasian), in which case you can forgo ingesting vitamin D as a supplement on that day. (for more information on how to get tested, and ideal blood levels, see blog).
Dosing with Iodine
The Japanese intake of iodine, from daily seaweed consumption, is between 1 to 3 mg daily (there is a mistaken belief still circulating on-line, that the Japanese ingested between 12 and 18 mg daily; this is based on out-dated and miscalculated information). Though, when I first found out about Lugol’s Solution, an old iodine remedy, my experiments took me up to 60mg of iodine per day, with no obvious adverse effects.
Nonetheless, for the purposes of rebuilding mucosal membrane, I recommend between 1 and 2 mg of iodine, ideally from Nascent Iodine, (or from a mix of iodine and potassium iodide, as is found in cheaper iodine supplements, which will still do this job). Iodine also requires selenium as a co-factor, so if you are not already taking it alone, or in a multi-vitamin, it is a good idea to incorporate selenium into your nutritional regimen.
Doctors Used to Know This
Recently, I was reading through a booklet written in 1928 by pharmacists, for doctors who purchased their products. Here a pharmacist was waxing enthusiastic about the new golden age of medicine that was to replace the ignorant superstitions of times previous. What I found fascinating was that his enthusiasm was about the new discoveries of vitamins, and how critical they were for growth, healing and maintenance of good health.
Those golden nutrients that foretold a new age of healing were, interestingly enough, vitamins A and D, from cod liver oil, and iodine (as well as vitamins C, E and the B vitamins). In fact, to quote from this tract: “Dr. Douglas Harvey, at the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, has reported that cod liver oil favourably influences the metabolism of iodine.”
If only they had followed their ethical instincts instead of selling out to the pharmaceutical industry, and violating their own Hippocratic oath (“I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.”), what a different world we would be living in now.
Instead what we have is: “70% of Americans take prescription drugs,” and “…total number of deaths caused by conventional medicine is an astounding 783,936 per year. It is now evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the US.” (Article)
So everything I am talking about is not new, it is just being rediscovered by me and others today, a knowledge our ancestors had intuitively (see www.westonaprice.org), even before the advent of modern science, and the first rediscovery of it by the aforementioned medical professionals from 1928.
Nascent iodine (I2 iodine, aka ‘molecular iodine’):
I read that I2 molecular iodine is used to replenish iodine in various non-thyroid organs (prostate, breasts, liver, bladder, colon-rectum, etc.) and to prevent growth/hyperplasia/cysts/nodules/tumors/cancers. Is this correct? Nascent iodine or iodine in general (as a natural ingredien/mineral) when taken orally is said to also be far more superior and consistent and reliable in preventing-treating a very broad-spectrum of bacterial and viral and fungal local and systemic infections anywhere within and on the body, including MRSA etc. (and does not create resistance by the pathogens) – but does iodine also eradicate the good beneficial bacterial on the skin and gut? I also want to be clear – can drops of nascent iodine be put on solid food (instead of water/juice/milk/soup) for equal or better absorption? Also, can nascent iodine be used transdermally/topically?
[The brand I bought, Heritage Store, the manufacturer replied to say its nascent iodine is only for consumption in water. It also said it should not be used topically. But how can nascent iodine not suitable to be taken in/with food and on the skin?? ] Thank you in advance.
Nascent iodine is very well absorbed and does serve the entire body unlike potassium iodide which common table salt is fortified with and which is found in most multivitamins. Potassium iodide only serves the thyroid, which is why it was put into salt, in order to prevent goiter. Nascent iodine can be used on the skin to kill bacteria and fungus, but it may well also kill good bacteria on the skin, so one should be judicious in its use. It can also be added to food but that does not improve absorption in this case. When put in water the iodine becomes ionic which is the easiest form of mineral for the body to absorb. Iodine can be absorbed well through the skin, however that is the only way one can seriously overdose on it, as it bypasses the stomach and liver which alter its potential danger. Topical use should only be done in a serious manner after much research, however in the past doctor’s would apply it directly to the breast and abdomen for cancer treatment.
I personally, prefer to use Lugol’s Solution, which is at least 10 times stronger than nascent iodine. Though not as easily assimilated in the body as the nascent form, Lugol’s contains both iodine and iodide, and the advantage of iodide in this case is that it can be used to detoxify the body from halogens (chloride, fluoride, and bromide: flame retardants), which nascent iodine cannot do. Again, something that requires more research since the detoxification amount would be around 60 mg of iodine daily for a period of time.
Hi,
I have experimented with high doses of Lugol’s iodine and I got severe detox reactions. I would like to try Nascent iodine, but doesn’t some of our tissues also need the iodide form? Nascent iodine is only in iodine form, is this a problem?
Nascent iodine is less likely to trigger a detox reaction, in part, because (some believe) that without the presence of potassium iodide it will not motivate halogens (such as bromide/flame retardants) out of the body. Since the body will convert some iodine into iodide, there is no problem with relying on nascent iodine to also serve the thyroid gland.
Hi, as a long time multiple food allergy sufferer (eczema), I will definitely look into this.I indeed did already all the regular holistic protocal you had mentioned (kill candidas, probiotics, zinc carnosine, L-Glutamine etc). I also did supplement with Nascent Iodine with no result. I also typically take the Vit D but found many problem in regards with muscle leg cramps, heart palpitations and anxiety, which I have indeed solved by taking with the Vit D3, adequate amounts of Magnesium Taurate. Now, I want to try your suggestion of adding natural Vit A. I’m a 43 year old female, even though I am not looking into becoming pregnant anymore, I would like to understand what are the safe levels of Vit A intake when you’re an adult female in her “possible pregnancy years”. What can be considered safe, in case a pregnancy (whether planned or not) may arise. I’m not surprised to read that there is misinformation, as there are a lot of misinformation out there, but I didn’t know about this one, so I would like to understand what are my limits and those of my seemingly allergic children (6 and 12) and my long asthma sufferer dad with 2 years ago past prostate cancer naturally cured. Thank you.
Vitamin A is a contentious issue; if you look at some of my older blogs you will find specific responses to the negative opinions about vitamin A, and an explanation of why these are flawed theories. Including the idea that vitamin A is linked to birth defects. But in order to err on the side of caution, women of child bearing age should theoretically take no more than 5,000 IU of fat-soluble vitamin A daily. Though they can top this up with natural beta carotene, or use micellized vitamin A, which is water-soluble and poses no risk. I like to point out that when I was growing up, people ate cow liver at least once a week (including children and pregnant women). Cow liver provides about 50,000 IU of vitamin A per serving; so taking 10,000 IU of vitamin A, 5 days a week (which is the maintenance dose that I recommend), is well within the range of normal human consumption from dietary sources.
Thanks. I’m wondering what dosages you would recommend for children?
I would suggest that you talk to a Naturopath about suitable amounts to give to children. That being said, the general rule of thumb is to reduce the adult dosage based on the size of the child. If we assume the adult dose is safe for an adult weighing around 120 lbs, then for a child roughly half that weight we would give half the adult dose. For a child roughly a quarter of that weight we would give a quarter of the adult dose. And so forth.
Hi there,
I have been suffering for a year from side effects of a drug that essentially depleted my mucous membranes, among other things that include giving body burning pains, night terrors, distorted vision, body pains, tinnitus, and twitches. It can be classified as a chemo drug. I have been to several doctors and had many tests and MRIs only for them to tell me that nothing is wrong with me. Doctors live in a distorted world where medicine is their GOD and cure to all ailment. They refuse to believe medications can permanently cause significant damage and keep prescribing them for even the smallest problem. In fact they make me feel like I’m crazy when I tell them a drug caused all this, as I was a healthy 29 year old with no major health problems.
This past year I have read numerous health journals on how to cure yourself naturally and have been seeing a homeopathic doctor who has helped me significantly. I have also been taking 2,000IUs of Vitamin D daily, Vitamin C, Ubiquinol, a probiotic, and Omega 3’s. I am almost 80% back to normal however my tongue and nasal passages are extremely dry all the time and my eyes sometimes need artificial tears. It is painful to breathe through my nose sometimes.
I found a blog of people who are also suffering from the same symptoms due to this drug and some of them have developed Sjogrens syndrome, an autoimmune disorder which attacks the mucous membranes. I am hoping that this is not permanent as the medical community claims it is not curable, and can only be treatable – again with drugs that suppress the immune system.
I am at a loss and looking for hope somewhere. I have not tried vitamin A since I have not been able to find it readily available. Is it really possible to cure destroyed mucous membranes completely? As everything has greatly diminished except this ailment.
I have no doubt that if you follow my protocol you will rebuild your mucous membranes. Natural vitamin A is easily available in Canada (from Natural Factors) and can be purchased online if you can’t find it in a store. You do not appear to be taking enough vitamin D, nor any iodine, both of which are critical to this process. It is unfortunate that naturopaths seem unaware of this protocol, and suggest all the ancillary nutrients and herbs to support mucous membranes, but overlook the most important underlying nutritional deficiencies. (In part this is because most naturopaths have bought into the misinformation about the dangers of vitamin A.)
Ken,
Been battling miserable prostatitus for a year and a half. Will this 3 nutrient regimen help?
This protocol will definitely help your prostate, not to mention that vitamin D is essential to protect against prostate cancer. Also critical for prostate health are adequate amounts of zinc and selenium. That being said there is a form of prostatitis called non-bacterial prostatitis, which does not respond to antibiotics. This is usually best treated with pygeum and/or a specific pollen extract (Cernilton). Finally, I will point out that I am seeing many cases of prostate problems occurring in young men which is due to constantly carrying an active cell phone in their pockets.
Can this help with the lining of the colon for ulcerative colitis?
This protocol (Vit A, D, and Iodine) will absolutely help heal the lining of the colon. Also of specific value in this are is DGL (licorice) lozenges, N-AcetylGlucosamine (https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2015-04/n-acetylglucosamine-treatment-inflammatory-bowel-disease), and drinking Aloe Vera juice.
Hi,
I have multiple chemical sensitivity for the past 3 years now and has been on the leady gut treatment for just over 2 years.
My reactions to chemicals are better than before as it was very extreme to the extend that i could not go shopping or buy any new products.
However i still have a bad reaction to strong chemicals i.e. drain cleaners, paint etc.
My symptoms are dizzyness, burninig sensation of brain, burning sensation of sinusses and if i stay in the contaminated area it gets more serious, i also have a stron chemical taste on my tongue when im exposed.
The doctors (integrative/functional/homeopathic doctors) advice is that i just need to remove myself from these toxins as my body is not capable of handling it.
It really makes my life a living hell at times as i now need to re-locate due to the drain chemicals used in my drains as i still have the effect after alreay a month and a half.
I still feel that this should be cured and im now wondering if its not my sinus membranes that is damaged. Over the years i have suffered a lot from rhinitus and sinus/alergy problems.
I also find it strange that eversince my chemical sensitivies my sinus problems has decreased a lot.
Thanks
Your difficulty may be due to poor methylation, leading to extremely low glutathione levels, which does not allow your body to detoxify these chemicals sufficiently. You can do the genetic testing at 23andme.com to confirm this, or just do some research on methylation and follow the protocol. Which in your case would also include ingesting a quality glutathione product (sublinqual or liposomal). Infrared sauna treatments would also be helpful, and continue on with my protocol for maintaining mucosal membranes (Vits A and D, and iodine).
I have inflammation of the stomach lining so have to watch what I eat and drink. When my stomach produces too much acid it gives me nerve pain, which causes referred pain in my back. Is this regime likely to benefit me?
Following this protocol can help heal the stomach lining that has been damaged by too much acid. This in turn should reduce the amount of pain you feel. However, you will probably need to follow the protocol for a few months in order to see pronounced benefits. Also using DGL licorice lozenges, and drinking aloe vera juice would be helpful.
This is great information. Thank you. I have low IgG and have struggled all my life with mucousal probblems from head to bottom (from eyes to sinuses to throat, to upper bronchials, to urinary tract and vaginal difficulties – dryness in all cases. The few goodo years were in my youth when my mother had me taking Cod Liver Oil every morning.
I will definitely try going back to that regimine combined with your recommendations. I’m a bit leary of the iodine because when I took it I got heart racing episodes. But, will try Lugol’s this time and will see how that works.
Thanks again.
Do you have any thoughts on being sensitive to these vitamins? I have had an anxiety disorder for years, but I was able to take therapeutic doses of these vitamins off and on for years. Suddenly, I became insanely sensitive. Vitamin D and A and C give me tremendous anxiety, shakes and palpitations. Iodine is the same. Collagen and glutamine is the same. Even digestive enzymes do this. I can’t come anywhere near a normal daily dose of these things. I had to change forms of B12, and I can take a little. I manage to get some of these things through eating liver regularly, but if I eat too much or too often, I get the same symptoms. Can I heal while not taking the therapeutic dose? Naturally, most people have never heard of this, so they think I’m crazy, lying, a hypochondriac, and have no answer.
Yours is a tricky situation and I only have a couple of ideas. One is that your liver is congested and any synthetic vitamin will further burden it. Now if your vitamin D is D3 and not D2, this should not be a problem. But, even vitamin D3, if the dose is too high, can worsen a magnesium deficiency since it requires magnesium to be activated. Symptoms of severe magnesium deficiency can include anxiety, shakes and palpitations.
Your vitamin A should be from fish liver oil and not synthetic (though getting it from liver is a good idea), and since most vitamin C is synthetic you should ensure that you are getting a vitamin C product that is derived from food.
As for iodine ideally you would be using nascent iodine which assimilates the best. And if you are taking too much iodine (more than 1mg daily) it can cause a candida or fungus die-off which could cause unpleasant symptoms. In that case you roll back the dose until no symptoms occur, and gradually increase the dose over time. You could also take charcoal or bentonite clay after taking iodine if you suspect die-off.
You can heal using low doses, it just takes longer, but in your case that may be the only option.
Hi Ken, thanks for the info. How long does it take to heal the mucous membrane approximately? Following the protocol listed in this blog, when should you at least notice a difference?
Thanks!
Hi: There is no way for me to know how long the healing of mucosal membranes will take, since everyone will have different degrees of damage, developed over different lengths of time. But, I can tell you that just a few months ago I had a woman tell me that after about two weeks of following the protocol, her grandson (young, but of an adult body weight) no longer needed to use his “puffer” for his chronic asthma, and was able to sleep through the night. Not everyone may get results that fast but I do believe in most cases symptoms should at least begin to abate after 2 to 4 weeks.
Ken
HI,
After excessive (over a months) use of an insecticide / pest spray in my home and room, i developed breathing problems. Suddenly my nose seemed stuffed up and couldn’t breathe. First showed up at emergency they checked BP/Blood oxygen, ECG etc all showed nothing wrong. They gave ventilator for 15 mins still i was uncomfortable. ANyway next day went to Chest specialist who asked for certain test including xray and all came clear. I was also panicking due to sudden difficulty in breathing through nose. Wasn’t used to mouth breathing so i used to get panicked. Then went to ENT who gave some meds including something to calm the nerves and help sleep.
On and off i was feeling the same, and checked on the net about dry nose with no muocous being produced. I used vicks nose stick and some vaseline and saline (salt water) in the nose which helps a lot. But sometimes i again feel panicky and start having breathing prob..
Now ent suggested taking revitale B and other syerbex Z and puting parafin oil few drops in nose.
i want to know can my damaged membrane due to toxic inhaling can be fully revived?
My whole life i was active,never drank or smoked and now with this stupid mistake i’m kind of helpless at at 47.
Would appreciate any guidance as how to get back my normal mucous producing membrane.
You can fully rebuild your mucous membranes if you follow the protocol laid out in my blog How 3 Nutrients Can Heal Most Ailments, and if you keep up with the maintenance regimen, following the therapeutic dose phase. As well, you will want to work to detoxify your body of pesticide residue. Many substances can help with this including probiotics, chlorella, chlorophyll, liposomal glutathione and infrared saunas. For more information on removing pesticides I suggest you visit the website http://www.greenmedinfo.com.
Hi Ken,
Thanks for your reply and suggestions. Great stuff. I’ll start following your instructions.
regds
Sak
Thanks a lot greatly needed article. My add on might be that flushing out the lymph system further assists,mucus membrane health from what I have understood. Too.
I’d like to draw your attention to my Paper ‘Leaky Gut–the cause of allergies asthma and auto-immune disease’, available to download for free from my website http://www.MauriceCotterell.com
Thanks for providing this information for my readers. This is a detailed scientific description of leaky gut, and all the ailment that can ensue from it, along with solutions, and I would recommend anyone with a serious health condition give it a read.
Hi Ken. I really think you are on the right track here. My family has a very high incidence of severe auto-immune diseases and I really think it is due to mucosal membrane deficiencies. I
Yes, you need to take magnesium along with vit D, as it uses magnesium for absorption, and if you are deficient to start with, the vit D will lower it further, and cause the palpitations, which is a classic sign of low magnesium. Good luck.
Great stuff! I was just reading about vitamin D. I wonder..have you found any correlation between Vitamin D and Magnesium. I was reading that a deficiency in Magnesium can mainly be found in people who take antibiotics or drugs for diabetes and cancer. I am Vitamin D Deficient. If possible and if you are knowledgeable on magnesium, can you please expand on this a little further? Should I be taking my vitamin d supplements with magnesium? Please let me know….I am desperate. I was given a weekly dose of 50,000 IU of Vitamin D, but I have experience heart palpitations. Thank you in advance
I am not aware of a link between vitamin D deficiency and magnesium deficiency, though I find that most people are deficient in both of them. I personally take from 400 to 600mg of elemental magnesium (5 days a week) in the bisglycinate form.
I am not a fan of the medical approach of treating vitamin D deficiency with massive doses, so that may be the reason for the palpitations. It is much more logical to take 5 – 10,000 IU daily, skipping weekends, and much safer. Also, often the medical profession uses vitamin D2 for these injections, and D2 is dangerous and should be avoided.
I read your busy uses magnesium to metabolize vitamin D. Therefore, you must supplement both together or you will end up will a greater magnesium deficiency by taking just D, also k2 is needed to help absorption
That is true. Thank you for providing this information to readers of this blog. I only recently found out that vitamin D uses up magnesium, and that a magnesium deficiency can be worsened by taking vitamin D. I have summarized this information in my April 2017 Newsletter.
Have you come across Dr. Carolyn Dean is your research about Magnesium? I highly highly highly recommend her website/book, as she has researched it well and connects the dots with other nutrients such as Vit D and so many health issues. A quick search of her name and you will find treasure!
Thank you very much for this article. I was diagnose with Lichen Planus Nov. 2016. I was really depress about it at first, but then I remembered that I am strong enough to overcome this. I have my days. Its beens 4 months since my diagnosis and 2 weeks since I began to research and I began tp hypothesize that Vit D & A play a role in all of this, and you’re right I’ve also felt Leaky Gut is only a fraction of the problem. I haven’t yet concluded my hypothesis, but its good to know I may be right. There’s so much I would like to say about LP and mainly about the bloodwork I just literally received yesterday. One thing is absolutely clear to me LP/ Leaky gut has some correlation with Nutrient deficiency. Last year physical EVERYTHING came out perfect, no vitamin deficiency. This year physical I have Vit D deficiency, which is low, pre-diabetic and slightly anemic. I havent concluded anything as of yet, but I will continue to educate myself. Thank you so very much for this artcile. Bless
This is a great article. I myself had leaky gut problem 20 years ago. It took me many years to figure out what this article is telling us.
I currently have no digestive problems whatsoever and am taking 4,000IU vitamin D daily, 20,000IU vitamin A daily, and 50 mg iodine daily (3 months). Fortunately, we have testing for all three. I am in the process of retesting iodine to determine my next step. Vitamin A and D at those levels are needed to maintain my blood levels within range. I retest every few years.
Weston A Price studied traditional dietary wisdom in the 1930’s and observed that traditional cultures had high vitamin A, D, K2 and mineral diets (often seaweeds or glacial melt-water used as fertilizer).
Thank you for speaking out about these much-maligned nutrients.
Other supplements to help heal leaky gut are colostrum, collagen, and L-Glutamine.
https://www.sott.net/article/301278-How-Colostrum-can-help-heal-leaky-gut-syndrome
This article on mucosal tissue was helpfull for “leaky tongue” and consequently many food allergies.
I had extreme foodallergies due to a extremely sensitive tongue.
Sublingual Methyl cobalamin (B12) was a great help as wel as a drop of retinol (vit A) on the tongue to stop allergic reactions to food on the tongue. A candida cure also inhibited my histamine reactions.
Retinol seems to be necessary for tissue repair.
Hi Annemie, What do you mean by “candida cure”? Thanks for explaining what you did.
“(there is a mistaken belief still circulating on-line, that the Japanese ingested between 12 and 18 mg daily; this is based on out-dated and miscalculated information”
The info is “outdated” because more Japanese ate a traditional diet back then. Many Japanese nowadays eat the SAD and bring down the average. Outdated is better.
Wow!
I was diagnosed with leaky gut over ten years ago – but never realized how much it affects me – until when I read this.
My entire life has been ruined and ruled by my extreme allergies, food intolerances, crazy lung & asthma problems (the two worst total pneumathoraxes Dr’s have seen at St Mary’s, London, my images are used in Imperial College’s teaching), bad immune system and constant diahorrea.
I’ve had to move to Iceland (clean air), I’ve now been ill (from flu and complications) for four months (now I’m recovering from meningitis), I can only eat eggs, rape seed oil (US canola), salt, sugar, some wines and coffee. I can’t apply for any jobs, as I spend many hours on the loo per day, I can’t travel so I’m losing contact with real friends and family. As I’m not Icelandic I have no rights here (to social security etc).
I’m pretty weak both physically and emotionally and it feels as I’ve totally lost my earlier extremely high IQ, suffering from concentration and self-dicipline problems.
It seems you are the man who could help me find a way back to a normal life. Do you think you could help me? Please.
Thanks and best regards,
Maria Cod
How are you doing these days, Maria? I have had leaky gut since at least 2008. I reversed my adult on-set allergies last year. If you would like to learn more I’d suggest the GAPS diet and reading everything you can about the role probiotics plays in our health/life.