HEARThrive - Module 9 - Solve Inflammation and Autoimmunity

Autoimmunity, says Dr. Peter Osborne, is the cause of all disease (including heart disease).

A lighthearted look at chronic pain.

Hippocrates seems to have figured out disease a long time ago.

A musical thought on the idea that "someone's always dying of something" and that every person has a weak link that could potentially predispose them to an autoimmune disease.

Keep this definition of the "truth" in mind as you watch this segment of HEARThrive.

This quote from Socrates captures the essence of NOKAFS (No One Knows Anything For Sure).

What if the best diet to reduce gut problems was something completely different from what we've been told all our lives?

Certain experts that specialize in gut health tend to propose that all disease begins in the gut. The culprit, in many cases, is believed to be SIBO, a form of gut dysbiosis. Allison Siebecker and Dr. William Davis are both focusing a lot of attention on SIBO, and they blame it to be responsible for causing almost any disease you can think of.

Malcolm has followed Dr. William Davis since 2011, when the focus was mostly on heart disease. But after 2014, Dr. Davis starting putting much more attention on the gut microbiome.

In this segment, Malcolm begins to contrast two very different approaches to gut health, as presented by Dr. William Davis versus Dr. Ken Berry.

Dr. Ken Berry believes we don't know very much yet about the gut microbiome. Dr. Davis, on the other hand, feels we are well on our way.

Dr. Ken Berry thinks no one, at this time, can truly make specific recommendations to patients based on gut testing.

Dr. Ken Berry advocates that humans evolved with a largely animal-based diet devoid of fiber and believes that's how we should eat today. Dr. William Davis says we need to consume a mixed resource of prebiotic fibers to maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Some people following the strategies of Dr. William Davis feel their gut health has improved. But so do people who listen to Dr. Ken Berry (despite seemingly opposing strategies). Do your own research and self-experimentation to discover what works for you.

Even though my brother and I are identical twins, we have experienced different autoimmune-related health problems.  This lecture is a reminder to go back and review the "Me and My Twin" segment in Module 2 that illustrated many differences between us, health wise.

At age 51, Malcolm found he was experiencing a variety of skin problems, climaxing with a serious case of eczema, indicating that autoimmune issues were occurring. By changing his diet, his eczema resolved in a matter of days.

Pay attention to the clues your body gives you. Your symptoms are likely suggestive of inflammation and autoimmune dysfunction. In 2004, Malcolm started to experience a new problem, mysterious uncontrolled trembling. Doctors couldn't figure it out, even after doing advanced testing.

Malcolm continued to log his symptoms and keep track of how he felt. Further testing found nothing. The problem did resolve on its own to some extent but still occurred intermittently over a period of several years. Malcolm figured out that gut dysbiosis was the culprit.

In 2014, Malcolm was finally able to put a name on his trembling problem, thanks to a presentation he saw by Dr. David Perlmutter.. He learned that leaky gut was the problem and gluten in his diet was at the root of it.

The next 3 videos show how to evaluate your gut health by doing a test for SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). This 1st video demonstrates how to prepare for the test, which involves taking 10 breath samples over a 3-hour period (180 minutes).

In this 2nd video, Malcolm demonstrates how to do the full 3-hour SIBO breath test. You may need to find a functional or naturopathic physician to work with to do this test.

In this 3rd SIBO demo, Malcolm explains how the SIBO breath test measures hydrogen and methane gas generated by bacteria in the gut. Malcolm discovered he has mostly produced methane, at a moderate level. There are treatments available to help improve SIBO. Dietary changes can often work as well.

Malcolm begins this journey in 1998, when he was trying to unravel his gut issues, specifically irritable bowel. In the next series of videos, learn why some of his attempts to solve this autoimmune problem were counter-productive to heart health.

In Part 1, you'll learn that gut issues and heart disease might be related. Malcolm often complained to his doctors about IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). He looked for answers, particularly dietary changes, and various supplements. One diet he tried was potentially counter-productive toward heart health.

In Part 2, Malcolm tries a new diet based on an IBS protocol in a website he came across. He reviews a typical day of eating and explains why it was actually leading to the development of heart disease, one day at a tine.

In Part 3, Malcolm reviews his blood work while eating a poor diet high in carbohydrates, and eating too frequently. He explains why his doctors may have missed metabolic problems that could have been contributing to heart disease... one day at a time.

Malcolm discovered he was gradually gaining weight on a high carbohydrate diet. His waist size was increasing, reflecting an increase is visceral fat, which is another factor associated with heart disease risk.

Leaky gut is a major contributor to inflammation and autoimmune disease. Even heart disease has the "markings" of an autoimmune disease. Each person has his or her own weak link that potentially predisposes them to some autoimmune disease. Malcolm reviewed some of his gut-related health problems. The gut microbiome is getting recognized to be a big factor to focus on throughout your health journey.

In Module 10 the topic will switch to Genetics and the role it can play in your health, including heart disease risk and more. Being identical twins, Malcolm and Myron have some interesting personal perspectives to share with you.

It's time to think about what you can do yourself to improve your health. Autoimmune illness may seem to be a huge, insurmountable problem, but is that really the case? Maybe not. Maybe you can take some responsibility and control.

Watch this video every day for 30 days to help drive home what you can do to solve or prevent autoimmune problems, prevent disease and maintain great health.