Remove, Replace, Reinoculuate, Repair, Rebalance:The Five “Rs”
A properly functioning digestive system is critical to good health. In fact, problems with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can cause more than just stomach aches or diarrhea. GI issues may underlie several other chronic health problems that seem unrelated to digestive health, including Autoimmune Diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and type 1 Diabetes, skin problems such as Eczema,Acne and Rosacea, and Heart Disease (just to name a few). So in the bigger picture, how can we deal with all that can go wrong “down there”? In functional medicine we use a program that goes by the simple acronym of the ‘5Rs’: remove, repair, replace, reinoculate, and rebalance. When applied to various chronic problems, the 5R program can lead to dramatic improvement in symptoms, and sometimes even complete resolution of the problem. The elements of the 5R program are described briefly below.
Gut Restoration 5R Protocol
Remove:
- Environmental Factors & Allergens
- Pesticides, Chemicals (VOCs)
- Mercury Amalgams in the mouth both swallowed and inhaled, Mercury in the foods
- Food Allergies caused by leaky gut
- Oxalates, Histamines, Mycotoxins, and Lectins and hard to digest di and polysaccharides
- GMO Foods, Pesticides (Round Up™)
- Binders to remove above toxins: Cholestyramine, Activated Charcoal, MCP, ACZ Nano, Biopure Chlorella, etc… Binders will be started several days into the diet, but sometimes need to be addressed earlier
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overload (Methane Producing causing constipation, Hydrogen Producing causing diarrhea), Xifaxan, Neomycin, Lauricidin, Herbs, etc…
- Antifungals as needed
- Parasites will not be treated until detoxification status is optimized
- Rectal Ozone Insufflation
- Colonics (Colon Hydrotherapy)
Repair:
- Zinc Carnosine (MMP-9 needs to be less than 331)
- Omega 3/6 Fatty Acids, Phosphatidyl Choline
- Vitamin C (Liposomal)
- Georges Aloe Vera
- DGL (Pure Encapsulations)
- Vitamin D (Vitamin D ratio less than 1.6, Calcitriol/Calcidiol)
- Restore4Life (1 drop in 4 ounces of water daily, slowly titrate up 1 drop/week)
- Westen A. Price Diet, GAPS Diet, Bone Broth
- Do not take Glutamine/NAC, etc., single amino acids like glutamine and NAC (with sulfur) will trigger Candida Flares
Replace:
- Oxbile, Seeking health (Grass Fed Cows)
- Lipase/Protease from Thorne
- Ginger (Stimulate Vagal Nerve, Stimulate Digestive Enzymes)
- Dandelion (Stimulate Vagal Nerve, Stimulate Digestive Enzymes, Gall bladder)
- Restore/Replace functionality of Vagal Activity critical for digestion and elimination of SIBO: LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone), will stimulate vagal nerve activity resulting in stimulation of peristalsis/migratory motor complex
- VIP, will also stimulate vagal nerve activity resulting in stimulation of peristalsis/migratory motor complex
- Replace/Restore Vagal nerve activity, Chi, Flow, to the digestive system through Acupuncture, Structural Adjustments, etc…
Reinoculate:
- Restore4Life-1 drop in 4 ounces of water daily, titrate up 1 drop/week
- Probiotics: BioKult or Prescript Assist(Soil-Based Bacteria)
- Fermented Foods
- Kombucha~make sure you are not allergic to Baker’s Yeast. If so, stay away from Kombucha or probiotics containing Sacchromyces Boulardi
- Sacchromyces Boulardi: High dose treatment(20 capsules a day, can significantly improve gut pathology)
Rebalance:
- Emotional Freedom Techniques
- Meditation/Breathing activities
- Stress Management, Mindfulness Meditations, Yoga
- Exercise, Hobbies, Group Activities, Music
- And more
Removing the Toxic Insults to your Body is critical for curing/restoring optimal health to your intestines and detoxification systems.
Remove the Toxic Insult causing Gut Injury and Detox Paralysis
The Toxic Insults:
- Biotoxin in the air & your environment
- Pesticides/Chemicals in the air &in the food
- Mercury Amalgams in the mouth both swallowed &inhaled, Mercury in the foods
- Food Allergies caused by leaky gut
- Oxalates, Histamines, &Lectins, hard to digest di &polysaccharides
- GMO Foods
- Toxic emotional triggers
Biotoxins
Often, the part that is most missed is exposure to Biological Toxins in the home, work, or outdoors. The impact of Biotoxins in your gut pathology will be evaluated with laboratories, your historical Time Line, and mold sabbaticals. The most important laboratory marker is “MSH” (Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone). If this is elevated, the leaky Gut is caused by the Biotoxins in the air you breath 80% of the time (other times, lyme disease, cyanobacteria, red tide, etc.). If MSH is lower than 35, your intestines will likely not be able to “Cure” and “Eliminate” intestinal leaky gut with supplements and dietary changes. And youwill only maintain health benefits with very strict adherence to a restrictive diet. The upstream cause of the “leaky gut” is often times the unaddressed Biotoxin air you breath.
In certain regions, Fall and Winter seasons are associated with worsening indoor toxicity, with decreased outdoor ventilation (closed windows with air tight homes) and the dry heat causing particulates (Biotoxins, allergens) to become air born. Often the air quality does improve indoors by December(if the weather is freezing) resulting in conditions that reduce biotoxin formation in the homes. This is seen far more frequently with baseboard heating. HVAC heating is the worse, and often leads to the absence of seasonal variations.
Pesticides
In certain rural areas, and lower valleys, Spring and Summer seasons are associated with increased Pesticides. Pesticides in the air you breath, will cause folks to get sick and worsen intestinal health~leaky gut.
Heavy Metal Toxicity
Second issue often missed by Practitionersare the mercury amalgams in the mouth. Often those with Mercury Amalgams as a primary and secondary issue causing poor health (signs include chronic sinusitis, ear ringing, vertigo, thyroid problems, breathing issues, sores in the mouth, anxiety and palpitations) have the most severe leaky gut, with the presence of many IgE allergies on standard Labcorp and Quest IgE food panels. Also, they will have elevated THelper/TSuppressor ratios >2.5, and a Reverse T3 of >25. These markers have proven to be very useful in evaluating the impact of Mercury on a patients wellness. Healing and curing the leaky gut will require removing the toxic insult causing the damage. Seeing Groton Wellness Dental providers (Biological Dentists) would be critical in the journey to cure/reverse the gut pathology.
