Is Dr. Gundry and "leaky gut" a scam?

Posted by millerdust @millerdust, Apr 21, 2023

I want to know if Dr. Gundry's program and medicine for "leaky gut" a scam? Lucien

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@tabithatwitch

Well, I have been researching anything that can return my regular BM since my intestinal prolapse surgery in October and now I am becoming more than a little concerned. I also read Dr Gundry's excerpts from his book and I think he sounds like he just wants money from people. Not an expert as he calls himself. I don't know what to use anymore because nothing is really working.. Doctors have prescribe the Miralax, Lactulose, Bisacodyl, Phillips Milk of Magnesia (yuk) and other over the counter things- such a waste of money .... the list goes on... I was so desperate last week I bought one of those liquid enema apparatus kits.. but I felt it was too dangerous and that I may harm myself even further... my PCP suggested eating 2 Kiwi's Fruits and at least 64 ounces of warm lemon water per day.. Apparently Kiwi's are the new "Prunes" Yoga and different types of twisting exercises sometimes gets things moving a bit, but none of this gives me the relief that is needed to be normal. I am literally full of ___ !! Today I decided I am no longer eating because it is not being eliminated properly. I can't go on this way any longer.. Each doctor seems to be of no help. This is such a condition that is difficult and embarrassing to talk about, even to a gastrologist .. I don't know... I feel something is terrible wrong.. Please, does anyone have any have any other suggestions about what I can do this weekend? Thank you so much for any response 🙁

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@tabithatwitch I have slow motility and constipation. I have been taking two tablespoonsful of psyllium fibre (generic of Metamucil, from a health food store) once a day in an 8oz. glass of water followed by another 8oz. glass of water and have had no problems with bowel movements since. I started out with one teaspoonful daily, then a couple of weeks later two teaspoonsful, increasing by a teaspoonful every two weeks till I was taking a tablespoonful a day.

Metamucil (brand name psyllium fibre) is expensive, but it comes in different flavours. Generic psyllium fibre is more affordable - and unflavoured, which is okay with me because I don’t like flavours anyway.

If you decide on the psyllium fibre from the health foods store. Make sure you get the bag marked “WHOLE husk psyllium” NOT “ “psyllium husk POWDER” which is fine ground like flour, because the fine ground husk powder gels immediately, and difficult to swallow. both are ground, but the powder is ground too fine, just like flour. It becomes a choking hazard!

Whichever product you choose, make sure you do not bend over or lie down within two hours of taking it.

Psyllium fibre is much more effective than all those products you have mentioned. Those other products are only stool bulking aides but do nothing for motility. Besides that, they cause a buildup on the lining of your bowel. Psyllium fibre, on the other hand, is actual fibre just like any food fibre, and it actually triggers motility, making stools easier to pass through the colon - and it sloughs off any “debris” clinging to your colon too.

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@clutch

@tabithatwitch
Have you tried OTC extra strength Prunelax? It’s my “go-to”.when I get desperate. Works every time. How about a daily combination of senna-cot tabs and Colace to keep things constantly moving?

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@clutch @tabithatwitch Senna and Colace are good once in a while, but any over the counter pills you take - or enemas - will eventually make your bowels dependent on them. Psyllium fibre or any of the high fibre foods are better.

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@tabithatwitch,
It sounds, then, like your situation has improved! Because in your initial post you said and sounded quite desperate. So maybe you found something that works for you? And that something isn’t going to make your “bowels dependent”. Psyllium fiber? Please share what’s working!

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He had many many books out . I listened to one of them on audio. I think 💭 he’s correct on some things but not everything that’s for sure . I’ve tried everything in last 10 years and still have chronic digestive disorders very bad . Took some of the supplements he suggested but didn’t help me .

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@tabithatwitch

Well, I have been researching anything that can return my regular BM since my intestinal prolapse surgery in October and now I am becoming more than a little concerned. I also read Dr Gundry's excerpts from his book and I think he sounds like he just wants money from people. Not an expert as he calls himself. I don't know what to use anymore because nothing is really working.. Doctors have prescribe the Miralax, Lactulose, Bisacodyl, Phillips Milk of Magnesia (yuk) and other over the counter things- such a waste of money .... the list goes on... I was so desperate last week I bought one of those liquid enema apparatus kits.. but I felt it was too dangerous and that I may harm myself even further... my PCP suggested eating 2 Kiwi's Fruits and at least 64 ounces of warm lemon water per day.. Apparently Kiwi's are the new "Prunes" Yoga and different types of twisting exercises sometimes gets things moving a bit, but none of this gives me the relief that is needed to be normal. I am literally full of ___ !! Today I decided I am no longer eating because it is not being eliminated properly. I can't go on this way any longer.. Each doctor seems to be of no help. This is such a condition that is difficult and embarrassing to talk about, even to a gastrologist .. I don't know... I feel something is terrible wrong.. Please, does anyone have any have any other suggestions about what I can do this weekend? Thank you so much for any response 🙁

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I suffer from constipation and I'm always clocking what I've eaten and if it's made it out of my body and I've been listening to Dr. Gundry's podcasts recently thinking maybe if I change my diet maybe I'll do better.. and have normal bowel movements... but I'm also worried that being constipated, what it's doing to my intestinal walls you know am I Leaking shit into my bloodstream? are these lectin's that he talks about real? I just bought his vitamins the one they are 3 something.
I was really hoping when I googled is Dr. Gundry a fraud? that I would get all of this information saying that he's not a fraud that he is really a person that was overweight and stopped being a heart surgeon to do this new thing on life,
And really is doing it to help other people and not just to get rich... part of me Believes that he's real I really hope that his vitamins are not bullshit but I think that most human beings are greedy and wanna have a lot of money and they lose track of what's important, and I think that it's terrible to do something that harms other human beings... in one of his podcast. He mentions that the whole medical industry wants us to be like in the middle so we keep having to buy medication's. That was really troubling to hear and so I'm hoping that he isn't doing the same thing because you know he keeps pushing these pills to help your gut... ... anyway more importantly, I feel really bad for you that you had intestinal surgery and I really hope you're not serious about not eating anymore. I think that would be a horrible thing to do. I think your intestines are going to heal and I know that it's probably really depressing and probably painful what you're going through but just know that there are people that do care about other human beings and what they're going through. That's why I'm replying to your post because it seems really heartfelt and I've gotta now Google what surgery that you got actually is cause I don't know anything about it... anyways, my name is Scott , you can write me back or whatever but please dude don't stop eating!!

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@rozy288

He had many many books out . I listened to one of them on audio. I think 💭 he’s correct on some things but not everything that’s for sure . I’ve tried everything in last 10 years and still have chronic digestive disorders very bad . Took some of the supplements he suggested but didn’t help me .

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Damn, I just bought some of his pills thinking that it would have me poopy normal again!!!

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Eating right, moving your body, staying hydrated all help with elimination.
I used to read Dr. Gundry’s posts but I always questioned foods he said not to eat. I quit reading anything from him when he said we should not eat avocados and he started pushing what he sells. Avocados are very healthy - good fats, fiber, lots of nutrients. Google it and see the list. Avocado oil is also good to cook with.

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Mayo has info on lectins. You can find this info by googling what are lectins written by Katherine Zeratsky. From what I learned about what lectins are, I think it’s a scare tactic on Dr. Gundry’s part.

Leaky gut is real. And can cause health issues. Again, research it to learn what it is and what it may mean in terms of health issues.

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@tabithatwitch @bazzell It has been since before your surgery we talked. On April 13 I have a posterior rectocele done which lead to surgery on May 19 for a Robotic Ventral Mesh Rectopexy. I have been dealing with the same issues and hope my issues are returning to normal. The two surgeries have set me back a year's worth of progress since I came home with afib and CHF. My body is in complete fatigue and have not been able to do much. Except lose all the weight I gained over the last year(down to < 0). I have been working with an RD on my diet. I have to try for 60gm a day. But I am not very hungry. We go out for two meals a day (breakfast and dinner). Now after surgery, I was on Mirlax twice a day to make sure, all things were clear and moving. I was up so many times a day and at night. As long as stuff moved I could cut back on Mirlax. Everything was moving on the night of surgery. If things get slow I drink a cup of green tea with 1 Tbsp of Mirlax which seems to work in a day or two. Even drinking my liquids and plenty of protein shakes, my stools are not soft enough. Now I will have to start Citrucel for more bulk. When my rectum was pulled up my bladder was pulled up higher also. This left it to flow at will. My control is not as good as before. But with all the fluids, I always seem to have to go. On a good note, at least my rectal prolapse is not out all the time and I can walk around without the pain and pressure. That was like a new lease on life. Hopefully, the rest will follow back to normal.
I hope you two are getting better every day. Please let me know how you are getting along now since April. If there is anything, I can help answer please send me a reply. I am thinking of all those who have gone through this procedure. It takes time and a lot of patience. Take care and stay in touch. KLH

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Leaky gut is not a scam, but I don't favor Dr. Gundry's approach--$$$$$ and manipulation. A good resource is the IFM, Institute of Functional Medicine website. You can read a lot of material and research for yourself. The IFM trains medical docs in FM. I trained as a coach.

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