The Gastrointestinal Tract: Your First Line of Defense Against Toxins
Supplements and lifestyle changes that can help put you on the path to wellness
Hippocrates wrote "All disease begins in the gut." He was correct then, and his statement is still correct now.
The build-up of toxins in the body can cause a myriad of problems. Disease begins in the gut, and healing must also begin in the gut.
For detoxifying, yeast control, and gut healing:
1. Give 1/8 to 1/4 cup of Georges’ Aloe Vera Juice 2-3 times per day. You can give straight or mix with water. Aloe vera rubbed on the skin helps heal burns. When taken internally, aloe vera juice helps heal the gastrointestinal tract – and it’s toxic to yeast. Aloe vera juice is also very good for constipation. Eradicating constipation is essential because toxins are eliminated through the excretory system. If you are not pooping, you are not effectively getting rid of toxins. I recommend George’s because other brands can be bitter. George’s tastes like water.
2. Give a multi-strain probiotic daily as directed on the bottle. Be sure you buy a probiotic that needs refrigeration. The live bacteria degrade at room temperature. (Note: Many people cannot handle the streptococcus bacteria that is present in a lot of probiotics. The brand I recommend most to my most sensitive kiddos is Smidge. It does not have any strep strains.) Probiotics help to re-establish a healthy ecosystem in the gut. The gut is the first line of defense against toxins, and healthy gut function is essential for the effective absorption and utilization of nutrients from food and supplements. Without exception, every adult I have ever worked with who had chronic disease states had problems with their gut long before the other issues developed. FYI – there is no such thing as “Reflux Disease.” Reflux is a symptom of something else that is going on in the gut – often related to enzyme deficiencies, low stomach acid, and/or food allergies. When you take a prescription medication or use over-the-counter antacids (which are high in aluminum) to “treat” reflux, all you are doing is putting a lid on a pot that is eventually going to explode. You MUST delve further to uncover the source of the problem. If you don’t, you are asking for trouble. When the gut is injured and you ignore it by suppressing symptoms rather than taking steps to remedy and heal the cause, the damage continues and you become more likely to develop all kinds of more serious conditions, including autoimmune disease and cancer. As another aside, we have been taught for a long time that there is no known reason for human beings to have a gallbladder, so therefore there are no consequences for removing it. WRONG. The gallbladder is part of the system that maintains enzymatic processes that are responsible for breaking down foods, so the nutrients can be used by the body. If you have had your gallbladder removed, or if you have gallbladder disease, you may benefit from taking digestive enzymes. These are some good sources: Enzymedica and Houston Nutraceuticals.
The book, Enzymes for Autism and Other Neurological Conditions is a wonderful introduction and overview of enzymes and their role in overall health. I highly recommend picking up a copy. It’s easy to read and for our family and for many of my former clients, the information was life changing. The follow-up book, Enzymes: Go With Your Gut is also highly recommended reading.
The website EnzymeStuff.com is no longer active but is available via The Wayback Machine. You can find it here. Karen de Felice was the guru behind the books and the website. Karen passed several years ago, but her work is a legacy that will continue to benefit others for a long time to come.
3. Give Epsom-Salts baths to ease negative reaction from yeast die-off, to assist in the detoxification process, and decrease negative reactions. Start with ¼ cup of Epsom salts twice/week and work up slowly to 2 cups 3-4x/week. As noted elsewhere in this post, Epsom Salts is magnesium sulfate. Many people may be familiar with the methylation pathway but may not have heard about the sulfation pathway. Both are necessary for adequate clearance of toxins. Problems with sulfation are common, and result from a deficiency in the enzyme that is necessary to convert dietary sulfur to a form of sulfate that the body can use. The enzyme is the phenol-sulfur-transferase enzyme, otherwise known as PST. Without PST, you can’t convert sulfur to sulfate. This is important for several reasons. If you can’t convert dietary sulfur to its bioavailable form, your sulfation pathway doesn’t work right and a good portion of your ability to detoxify is shut off. The other issue is that sulfur is the major component of connective tissue in the body, and if you cannot convert sulfur to its usable form, you are more likely to experience problems such as arthritis, joint pain, back problems (including scoliosis and degenerative disc disease), carpal tunnel syndrome, sinus infections, ear infections, bladder problems, esophageal reflux, and heart valve problems. That’s because each of these issues involves connective tissue and for them to work properly the building blocks of connective tissue (effective utilization of sulfur) must be intact. So… Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate. The sulfate is already in the converted form. It does not have to go through the digestive tract and does not have to be converted by PST – it’s already bioavailable and when you pour it in the tub and soak in it, it goes through the skin. Even if your gut is injured and it’s hard to absorb things, you still get the beneficial effect. Voila! This is some really good information about Epsom salts, especially as it relates to low sulfate in children with autism. Good Stuff!!!
4. Increase intake of purified water. Buy a water filtration system, or at minimum, purchase a charcoal filter (Brita or Zero, for example). Reverse Osmosis or Point of Service water purification systems are optimal.
5. Give Cod Liver Oil (Nordic Naturals, Carlsons, or Green Pastures). Give two capsules per day to start. If tolerated well, you can go higher. Target dose depends on condition. There is an increasing amount of research indicating that high-dose fish-oil is effective in treating several different psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD. For chronic pain conditions the target dose is generally 6 grams/day in divided doses (2 grams, 3x/day). Note: In general, children’s developing brains require a higher concentration of DHA in relation to EPA, so Cod Liver Oil is optimal for children. In adults, Fish Oil that has a 2:1 ratio of EPA to DHA is generally recommended.
6. Supplement minerals: calcium, magnesium & zinc (see below for details).
7. Get enough potassium – easily done through diet (see below). Please note: Cesium 137 is of great concern from nuclear reactors. It acts like potassium, and in the event of a nuclear accident (as was the case with Fukushima) Cesium 137 will quickly move up the ladder through the food chain by displacing potassium in grains, which are ingested by cows, which contaminates their milk and meat, which means not only the milk will be contaminated, but also anything that is made with milk (cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc.). Therefore, IF Cesium 137 DOES become a major component of radioactive material leaked into the environment, relying on food for your source of potassium will not be a good idea and supplementation will be necessary.
8. Increase antioxidants: A, C, E & selenium. A good product is ACES. Here’s a link for one of many distributors of Carlson’s ACES (this one is plus zinc).
9. B-vitamins. You have to understand that the B-vitamins work together. It really doesn’t do any good to take them in isolation because they won’t work correctly. This is what is known as “bio-unavailability.” The B-vitamins are essential to proper functioning of the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain. They are also very important in detoxification. B6, B12, and folate (NOT folic acid) in particular have been shown to be very helpful for children with autism spectrum disorders. B6 is important because it acts as “the crossing guard” of the vitamin world. It increases the chances that the other supplements you are taking are going to be effectively absorbed and utilized. Like a crossing guard, B6 holds the hand of other vitamins and walks them in, so they arrive safely at their proper destination. B6, B12, and folate are essential in the methylation process, which is a physiological pathway that is essential to detoxifying the body from all kinds of things, but especially from heavy metals like lead and mercury. B-vitamins are water-soluble and are rapidly depleted by stress (emotional, physical, and environmental). For most of them, there is no known toxicity from taking too much because the body just gets rid of what it doesn’t use. The exception is vitamin B6, for which the maximum daily dose should be limited to 2 grams (2,000 milligrams). It is hard to get 2,000 mg. of B6. Usually, you will find it in dosages of 25-50 mg. If you use the 50 mg. tablets of B6, you would have to take 40 tablets a day to get to 2,000 mg. Symptoms of B6 excess are tingling and numbness in the extremities (hands and feet), which generally stops when the dosage is decreased.
B12 is poorly absorbed in the GI tract so it is best to take it either in injection form, nasal spray, or sublingually (under the tongue). For adults who do not have autism spectrum disorders, a dose of 1 milligram (sublingual) is a good place to start. Many people have genetic SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that influence their individual response to B12. There are some who do not tolerate high doses of methyl-B12, and they may respond better to a blend that includes hydroxo and adenosyl cobalamin. Black Bear Energy Spray from Dr. Amy Yasko is a good option.
B-Complex (50-100 mg.) 2-3x/day rounds out the B-vitamins. Look for a methylated or “active” B-Complex, which will give you the biologically available form of folate. If you have migraines, circulatory problems, high cholesterol or family history of schizophrenia, additional B3 (niacin) may be helpful. 50-100 mg. per day is a good place to start. Just be sure to take with food and drink lots of water to decrease the “flush” response – or take niacinamide, which does not produce this side-effect. My personal experience with niacin is that it is exceptionally beneficial when I feel I am on the verge of a migraine. If I have not taken it in a while, I generally get the flushing side effect the first day or two when starting to take it again but this disappears within a couple of days. NOTE: The flushing is actually because niacin increases blood flow, which helps with migraines that are related to vascular constriction. It can be alarming and uncomfortable for 30 minutes to an hour, but dissipates quickly after that. (And 30-60 minutes of discomfort is infinitely better than having a migraine!)
NOTE: The combination of Epsom salts baths, increased intake of filtered water, decreased caffeine intake, and Cod Liver Oil or Fish Oil is very helpful in detoxifying.
Here’s how it works: Toxins of all kinds decrease cellular permeability. The outer wall of the cell becomes more rigid and thick. This defensive process is the cell’s way of trying to protect itself from toxins entering into the intracellular environment. A good way to understand and demonstrate this phenomenon is to buy a commercially grown apple (non-organic) from the grocery store. Also buy an organic apple, grown without pesticides. Then peel them both. You will notice that the organic apple has a much thinner peel and if you taste it, is more flavorful. In comparison, the peel of the non-organic apple is thicker and has an almost cardboard texture and taste; this is because as the apple was growing and being sprayed with pesticides to keep the bugs away and make it look pretty, the peel (which is analogous to the cellular wall) went into defense-mode trying to protect the inner part of the apple.
When our cells become less permeable, as a result of exposure to toxins, the efficacy of cell-to-cell communication is reduced because the microscopic biochemicals are not easily able to move in and out of the cell. This is a big part of the reason we are seeing such a huge increase in Type II Diabetes. Increased exposure to toxins decreases cellular permeability and promotes insulin resistance. The biochemicals responsible for glucose metabolism and insulin production and utilization cannot work properly because they can’t break through the defensive blockade. Additionally, when the cellular wall becomes less permeable, toxins get trapped inside and cannot get out easily. If they can’t get out, you can’t get rid of them, and they build up in your body. Following that path a little further, this may be why there is such a high incidence of Type II diabetes in first and second-degree relatives of children with autism and other neuro-developmental disorders. The toxins are altering gene expression (causing mutations), which are then passed to subsequent generations, making the offspring more vulnerable to the effects of environmental toxins at lower doses. This is called epigenetics and it’s why, in my clinical work with patients, I am so interested in gathering and examining not only data regarding the child, but also the parents and grandparents.
Sorry…I went on a side trip. Back to what you need right now…how to help your body detoxify easily and cheaply.
Fish Oil (whether a blend or straight Cod Liver Oil - CLO) increases cellular permeability, which makes it easier for toxins to exit the cell, and to move through the excretory system, and out of the body. As noted previously, cod liver oil is usually best for kids because it is higher in DHA and vitamins A & D. In adults, you generally want a fish oil that provides a ratio of EPA & DHA that is 2:1, with EPA being higher. Please do not buy cheap fish oil from Walmart. You need to buy quality products that have been treated to remove mercury and PCBs. You are trying to detoxify, not add more toxins to the mix. It’s worth the money to make sure you are getting something that is not going to harm you further.
Magnesium and zinc are minerals that are easily depleted by stress and toxins, including heavy metals. When magnesium and zinc are depleted, calcium cannot work properly because they work together. It doesn’t matter how much calcium you take; if you don’t have the right ratio of calcium, magnesium, & zinc, your body cannot use it. If you can’t use the calcium you are taking in, you are at risk of developing high oxalates, which can accumulate throughout the body and cause all kinds of problems. For adults who do not have autism, oxalate crystals are most likely to cause pain in the feet, hands, and eyes.
If you don’t get enough sunshine, or if your liver and kidneys are not working optimally, or if you live in an area of the country where there is a lot of air pollution (which blocks the rays necessary for absorption and effective utilization of Vitamin D) you also need to take vitamin D3 to make the whole process work correctly. Vitamin D3 may be especially helpful during the fall and winter months ("cold and flu season"). In our home, adults and kids 12 and up get 5,000 IU daily. For younger kids, 2,000 IU seems to be a good maintenance dose. When a cold or sniffle starts up, we increase to 20,000 IU for 3-4 days and that generally takes care of things. NOTE: If you are taking high doses of CLO, you need to consider the vitamin D you are getting from that source when calculating your total dosage.]
This is a lot of information and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a breath. What you need to know is that you have to have the right ratio of minerals for calcium to work. You also have to have potassium. Calcium and potassium make the cell open up its doors so things can move in and out. Foods that are high in potassium include bananas, kiwi, and sweet potatoes.
A good rule of thumb for buying calcium/magnesium supplements is to look for one that has a 2:1 ratio. For adults, a good target dose is: Calcium: 1200-1500 mg. & Magnesium 600-750 mg. You generally have to take 3-4 tablets per day for this dosage, and it needs to be split up throughout the day. Calcium, magnesium, and zinc are minerals. You can think of them as rocks. They are not easily absorbed, especially if you have gut problems. They compete with each other for absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. If you take your daily dose all together at the same time, the body can only absorb about 1/3 of it and the rest is lost.
Zinc should be taken separately because it also competes for absorption. The proper dose for zinc varies, depending on weight. For children, the top range of the dose is weight + 20 pounds, up to a maximum of 80 mg. per day. For adults, 50-80 mcg. is usually sufficient. A good way to get zinc into the body that doesn’t compete with absorption of calcium and magnesium is to use a topical cream. Kirkman’s makes a good one.
NOTE: Zinc has a see-saw ratio with copper. Excess copper is extremely prevalent, and not only in children on the spectrum. Copper is an important trace mineral that helps with proper immune function. We need it in small amounts, but when we get too much copper, things go awry. Excess copper depletes zinc, which leads to loss of integrity of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which increases the vulnerability to damage from all kinds of yucky stuff, including heavy metals and yeast. Women who have migraines, especially when associated with the menstrual cycle, have been found to have too much copper. High maternal copper is passed to babies in utero, so infants are often born with too much copper, which increases their risk of vaccine-injury because zinc is such an important protector against heavy metal damage. When you start taking zinc supplements, if you have headaches, you should decrease the dosage and work up slowly. Too much too soon causes a too rapid release of copper and causes the headaches. For parents of kids with autism, if your child is non-verbal and you start supplementing minerals and he or she suddenly starts “head-banging” this is most likely because of copper excess that is being released too rapidly. You should back off on the dose and work up slowly.
The final component of this is to decrease caffeine (and alcohol) intake and increase water intake. When you are trying to detoxify, you want to flush your system. A good analogy for this is to think about cleaning off your patio. If you use a broom (a dry system) you will get the loose dirt. If you use the hose, you will be able to get rid of a lot more dirt and build-up. The more water you use, the cleaner the patio will be. Caffeine (and alcohol) is dehydrating. For effective detoxification you need to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of filtered water daily. If you drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages, including Coke, Pepsi, Mt. Dew, or other sodas or caffeinated tea, you need to know that for every 8 ounces of caffeinated liquid you take in, it takes 16 ounces of water to undo the effects and reverse the dehydration. So, if you drink one 20 oz. coffee in the morning, you need to drink 40 oz. of water to make up for it, and THEN you need an additional 64 ounces of water to be adequately hydrated. This is a very important concept to consider, especially when you think about how many people are addicted to Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, and Diet Mountain Dew. (I’m not even going to talk about Aspartame, or how it’s related to multiple sclerosis or obesity…)
I hope this information is helpful to you in your journey to wellness.
The liver is where most ingested or UV-B produced vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is hydroxylated to become 25-hydroxyvitamin D (calcifediol or "calcidiol") which circulates in the bloodstream and which is measured in "vitamin D" blood tests. Neither of these function as hormones - the immune system does not use hormonal signaling.
The kidneys need about 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L) circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D to properly regulate calcium-phosphate-bone metabolism. They do this by hydroxylating it to create a very low level (~0.1 ng/mL) of circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol) which functions as a hormone (a long-distance, blood-borne signaling molecule whose concentration affects the behaviour of one or more types of cell anywhere in the body, including perhaps via the cerebrospinal fluid.
This is the one hormonal function of the three compounds, the first of which is a vitamin.
Many types of immune cells - and, as best we know, other cell types such as those involved in neurogenesis, including in-utero - rely on a good level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the bloodstream, so this can diffuse into the cells where it is ready to be used by each such cell's intracrine (inside each cell) or paracrine (to nearby cells) signaling systems.
Most doctors and immunologists - and far too many people who write vitamin D research articles - do not understand these signaling systems, since they have never been explained in a tutorial fashion in the peer reviewed literature. The kidneys are not involved in this at all, but good supplies of vitamin D3 and good liver function are required if the body is to maintain the 50 ng/mL (125 nmol/L = 1 part in 20,000,000 by mass) level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D the immune system needs to function properly.
Governments and many doctors recommend only the tiny amounts of supplemental vitamin D3 which are required to attain 20 ng/mL circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
Please read the research articles cited and discussed at: https://vitamindstopscovid.info/00-evi/ .
regulate calcium-phosphate-bone metabolism: about 20 ng/mL 50 nmol/L.
Since there is very little vitamin D3 in food, fortified or not, and since its production in ideally white skin by ultraviolet B light all year round is not practical for most people, and raises the risk of skin cancer, supplemental vitamin D3 in quantities determined by body weight and obesity status is the only safe, practical, way most people can attain the 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (as measured in "vitamin D" blood tests) they need for full immune system function.
New Jersey based Professor of Medicine Sunil Wimalawansa makes such recommendations in his 2022 Nutrients article "Rapidly Increasing Serum 25(OH)D Boosts the Immune System, against Infections - Sepsis and COVID-19": https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/14/2997. His recently simplified recommendations are at: https://vitamindstopscovid.info/00-evi/#sjw-updated-ratios.
Healthy supplemental intakes such as 0.125 milligrams (5000 IU) a day, for 70 kg 154 lb body weight without obesity will attain at least the desired 50 ng/mL 25-hydroxyvitamin D level after several months. Many people have half or less of this level most or all their lives. This is gram every 22 years - and pharma grade vitamin D costs about USD$2.50 a gram ex-factory.
The recommendations above, such as 0.125 mg (5000 IU) a day vitamin D3, on average, for ages 12 and above, are about right, in general, but the best recommendations are Prof Wimalawansa's, since these take into account body weight and obesity status. The average daily supplemental vitamin D3 intake is specified as ratios of body weight, with higher ratios for those suffering from obesity, since obesity reduces the ability of the liver to hydroxylate vitamin D3 to 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and causes excess adipose tissue to absorb both compounds, without returning them to circulation.
Inadequate 25-hydroxyvitamin D causes or contributes to a vast range of human ill-health. The impact starts before birth with pre-eclampsia, pre-term birth, autism, ADHD and mental retardation and lasts a lifetime https://vitamindstopscovid.info/00-evi/#3.2, ending, for many, with dementia: https://vitamindstopscovid.info/00-evi/#3.3.
Sepsis, including due to Kawasaki disease / MIS-C, kills many babies and children. Yet sepsis would be rare if everyone had 50 ng/mL or more circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Sepsis killed about 11 million people, worldwide, in 2017: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)32989-7/ .
You really must not self treat. So much stuff you can injure yourself with. Getting proper advice from a homeo/naturopath is essential. A holistic nutritionist is a good also.