Category Archives: Questions & Answers

Questions & Answers

Comprehensive Stool Analysis: What Does It Tell You?

There are several different tests you can do to determine levels of good bacteria, but I consider the comprehensive stool analysis (CSA) to be the best.

Another test that measures the bacteria in your digestive system is the breath test. However, the breath test doesn’t quantify bacteria. It just shows you the presence of bacteria that create methane and hydrogen. Of course, there are also more expensive and intrusive tests like biopsies, but those are reserved for specific situations.

The CSA is the best, least invasive, most comprehensive test that you’ll ever do on your gut. It’s the test you want to do if you want to measure not only bacteria but also parasites and yeasts. The CAS will determine the levels of beneficial Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria as well as levels of certain dysbiotic bacteria like E. Coli, Klebsiella, and Citrobacter

One of the best aspects of a CSA is that it shows you the balance of bacteria and gives you specific counts. For example, it will tell you if you have one plus, two-plus, three-plus, or four-plus Lactobacillus.

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Stool testing also gives you a measure of inflammatory markers, of immunological markers, and of digestive parameters such as pancreatic elastase. There is also a short-chain fatty acid panel which will tell you how healthy the large intestine is in particular.

The sheer breadth and amount of information you get for a CSA is quite staggering. In the hands of an experienced clinician, the CSA can give you more information about your gut than you probably thought possible.

If you’ve had a digestive problem for a long time and you want to find out, once and for all, what’s wrong with your gut, having a CSA is the way to go. It certainly beats going to one doctor after another and getting more and more pills.

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Questions & Answers

Is There A Link Between Chest Pain And Constipation?

Does constipation cause chest pain?

Constipation can cause a lot of different problems in the body, although I haven’t heard of a specific connection between chest pain and constipation. Constipation has definitely been linked to back pain, lower abdominal pain, and even pain down the legs for some people.

If you are constipated, and you do have pain in your body, get your constipation fixed and see if it makes any difference to your pain. There could well be a link between chest pain and constipation, but it’s not possible to say yes or no without doing some investigation.

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One of the possibilities is that enlargement or bloating of the intestine has put pressure on a nerve. The nerve then causes pain – possibly chest pain. We’ll only know if this is happening by clearing up the constipation.

However, chest pain is not something to take lightly. You need to go to the doctor, discuss your pain, get your blood pressure checked, and do whatever tests he or she recommends. When in doubt, check it out.

A good next step would be to look at my other videos on constipation and put some of the information into practice.

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Questions & Answers

Comprehensive Stool Analysis Offers A Lot More Than Pathogen Testing

“Is stool analysis performed to determine the presence or absence of pathogens?” That’s a good question. A stool test is completed to answer this question, but that’s not the only reason I have my clients do comprehensive stool analyses. I want to understand the balance of microbes in the gut, not just whether there are pathogens.

When I do a comprehensive stool analysis, I’m looking for the red flag. I’m looking for the bugs which are saying, “I’m the problem, check me out.” There will be a lot of red flags and there is often a lot of orange flags as well. Usually, I will see several measures that aren’t quite right on a stool test, but often there is one finding that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Sometimes the red flag is a pathogen but not always.

The red flag may also be a chronic lack of good bacteria. The red flag may be blood in the stool. It could be the pH of the stool is too low. The most important finding could be that the secretory IgA is far too high. A high level of secretory IgA means the gut immune system is upregulated for some reason. If the inflammatory markers are elevated, it may mean there is some type of inflammatory bowel disease going on. As you can see, a whole lot of valuable information can be gleaned from a comprehensive stool analysis.

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The take-home message is that stool testing is not done to determine the presence or absence of pathogens alone. It’s performed to determine the overall health and characteristics of your gut. The detailed information that results from a stool test allows for the creation of a customized, targeted treatment protocol.

Remember, though, when I treat patients, I’m not only treating their stool result. I also look at several other factors like their lifestyle, their diet, their work, their relationships, their stress level, and their sleep. Treatment is not based only on the results of the comprehensive stool analysis.

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Questions & Answers

Using Epsom Salts To Manage Constipation

Epsom salts are basically magnesium sulfate. About 150 years ago, a smart chemist mixed magnesium and sulfate together and created magnesium sulfate. This is a very good laxative for people. If you take too much, you’re going to have very loose bowel motions, so you need to be very careful. You may want to start with a teaspoon of Epsom salts in about eight ounces of water about half an hour before bed.

Notice how often I say take something before bed. With constipation, it’s good if you take magnesium sulfate at bedtime to give your digestive system several hours to process the laxative. Magnesium sulfate will create an osmotic effect that draws water into the large intestine. The water softens the stool, which increases the speed of passage through the bowel.

If you take too many Epsom salts, you can find yourself in some embarrassing situations. Don’t take too much. Some people have this crazy belief that if they’ve got a big problem, they need a massive solution. That could mean 50 vitamin E capsules a day or 10 tablespoons of Epsom salts. Don’t laugh, because I’ve seen people do these sorts of things.

I’m always telling people to be cautious, start slowly, and work out their ideal dosage. It may be half a teaspoon. It may be three teaspoons. We don’t know until you start low and go slow until you find the right dose. I know a lot of people in their 70s and 80s who only need a pinch of Epsom salts in order to have regular bowel movements

You need to be careful using Epsom salts with people who are old and frail and young children. If the child is under six, seek medical care for constipation. Epsom salts can cause dehydration in children very quickly.

Epsom salt is only part of the answer to constipation. It’s really the icing on the cake. The real solutions are being active every day, eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, and cutting out caffeine and alcohol. You don’t want to rely on Epsom salt to move your bowels. You want to have a lifestyle that enables your bowels to move on their own.

Take a look at my other videos on constipation. It can be fixed in nearly all cases. I’ve yet to see a constipation case that can’t be improved to some degree.

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Questions & Answers

Magnesium: Good For Constipation And More

Magnesium is excellent for constipation. You can get magnesium from a lot of different foods, especially dark green leafy vegetables like spinach or broccoli.

If you’re severely constipated, you can benefit from a combination of foods high in magnesium and magnesium supplements. There are a variety of magnesium supplements available, including magnesium citrate, magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts), and magnesium oxide. Magnesium sulfate has a more powerful effect on the bowel than magnesium citrate.

It’s reasonable to start with magnesium citrate. Take 300 grams of this supplement about 30 minutes before bed. Magnesium attracts water into the stool, making it a bit looser. At 300 grams, it won’t leave you with liquid bowel movements but will create a softer stool that is easier to move through the digestive tract.

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I suggest starting with a relatively small amount of magnesium. If your urgency to go to the washroom is too strong in the morning, you could take the supplement in the afternoon. In addition to addressing constipation, magnesium is also good for your adrenal glands and your sleep. Magnesium allows melatonin to last longer the body, buying you an extra thirty to sixty minutes of sleep in the morning.

Magnesium also helps reduce anxiety and improve blood sugar dysregulation. There are many different reasons why magnesium is a great supplement worth trying. See if it can help you too.

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