Tag Archives: comprehensive stool analysis

Questions & Answers

Lessons Learned from Years of Stool Testing

There’s lots to learn from stool testing.

In my opinion, it’s a big mistake not to get a comprehensive stool analysis if you have a gut problem.

In my opinion, trying to fix your gut without getting a stool test is like trying to fix your car without knowing the problem. You’ve got to take the car to someone who knows cars. The same is true for fixing your GI tract.

High-quality results from stool testing require using accredited labs with years of experience. I have had excellent working relationships with both Doctor’s Data out of Chicago and Genova Diagnostics out of North Carolina.

The best way to assess the microbes in your gut is to do a comprehensive stool analysis (CSA). A CSA also allows us to look at digestion and immune functions. Stool testing gives us measures of the levels and balance in the gut flora. We’re going to get information about pathogens, parasites, yeast, and beneficial bacteria.

Further readings:

The only way you’re going to detect parasites, and yeast and bacteria in your gut is through proper laboratory testing. Colonic cleansing, hydrotherapy, and electronic machines that claim to be the answer aren’t going to give the snapshot of your gut flora that you need as a starting point.

Stool testing is helpful at the beginning of treatment to get a baseline. You can re-test after a period of treatment to see if your gut is responding. It’s a process. My approach has always been to test first, put a treatment protocol in place, and then test again later – several times if necessary – to ensure treatment is generating the intended results.

I’m absolutely, 100% convinced that stool testing is the most effective, definitive way to move forward if you have a gut problem. Stool testing removes the guesswork from diagnosis and treatment planning. Don’t rely on self-diagnosis or Google to determine what’s going on in your gut.

Make sure that you work with a practitioner who has expertise and experience when it comes to stool testing. Naturopathic physicians have a high level of training, but you still have to avoid the bad apples.

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Questions & Answers

Should You Eat A Low-Sulfur Diet If You Have SIBO?

Sulfur is a very important mineral. It’s a vital compound when it comes to bones and skin and hair. Many parts of your body require sulfur for them to be in good shape.

Sulfur is found in many protein foods. Cysteine and methionine are two amino acids that are high in sulfur. The dietary supplement, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, also contains sulfur. Many amino acids contain cysteine or methionine, and glutathione is another sulfur-containing compound. The brassicas like cauliflower, broccoli, and collards contain sulfur. So, do onions, brazil nuts, and almonds.

For the majority of people, sulfur’s not going to affect them much. However, people with severe SIBO can have problems with sulfur. The sulfur can be converted to hydrogen sulfide in the gut, leading to extreme malodorous gas. This occurs as a result of the overgrowth of bacteria seen in SIBO.

Further readings:

My father has SIBO and SIFO for years. He was seen by gastroenterologists, but they can’t help much when someone is eating a couple of dozen cookies followed by a gallon of chocolate milk after supper. Some people are like that. They don’t understand why they have a problem, and yet, the problem’s right in front of their face.

If you have very offensive gastrointestinal gas, you need to do something about it. Look at your diet and eliminate the foods that contain the most sulfur, particularly the protein foods. Avoiding those foods can reduce the odor.

Probiotics can certainly help. I also recommend having a comprehensive stool analysis and possibly a breath test. You want to identify the target species and clean them up. Get your diet sorted, eat a low sulfur diet, and you’ll be in a lot better place.

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