Part 5: What the stool test
The labs came back. I spoke with my coach so I could hear, in plain language, what the doctor saw in the tests.
This was a stool test called a GI-MAP. It checks what microbes are living in the gut, whether the pancreas is making enough enzymes to help digest food, and whether the gut is reacting to gluten. Here is what the report said.
I have H. pylori, a common stomach bacterium.
I have had this on and off. A lot of people carry it and feel nothing. Most of the time, I do not feel much either. Occasionally, if I eat something before bed, I get a bit of burn in the esophagus, and sometimes bloating. Over time, H. pylori can turn stomach acid down. When acid is low, food does not break down well, and that can mean constipation, acid reflux, or worse.
My gut bacteria are out of balance.
The helpful bacteria are weaker than they should be, and a few microbes that take advantage of that gap have moved in. Those extra microbes do not always cause problems. In a gut that is already worn down, they can mean loose stools, bloating, cramps, or the opposite: things slowing down.
The lab called this mild to moderate dysbiosis, which means the mix of gut bacteria is off.
Food is not breaking down all the way
The pancreas sits behind the stomach. When you eat, it sends enzymes into the small intestine to finish breaking food into pieces the body can use.
The lab measures one of those enzymes, called pancreatic elastase. A result above 500 usually means the pancreas is sending enough help. Under 500 means it is sending less than it should. My food is not being taken apart and absorbed the way it needs to be, which can leave me feeling full, heavy, or bloated after a meal.
That fits the H. pylori picture. If the stomach is not doing the first job, the pancreas is asked to work harder. The enzymes I was already using need to be taken more often. I forget them. Taken before each meal, they help with that second step until the gut is stronger.
My gut is reacting to gluten
Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, malt, and rye. A piece of it is called gliadin. When gliadin shows up in gut lab work, the immune system in the intestine treats it like a problem.
This stool test measures anti-gliadin IgA, the gut’s own reaction to that protein. A strong result means the lining is reacting with inflammation instead of staying quiet around gluten. That is not the same as a blood test for celiac. It is still a clear signal from my gut to stay away. The notes said strict elimination, so wheat, barley, malt, and rye are out. That gives the intestinal lining time to rest and stay calm while healing takes place.
What I am taking, and what I am not
The plan the doctor sent includes three supplements.
The first is an herbal formula to support healing from H. pylori. Its ingredients work together to help the helpful bacteria grow and crowd out the ones causing trouble. The formula includes licorice, mastic gum, slippery elm, myrrh, clove, berberine, anise, barberry, Oregon grape, and wild indigo.
The second is a broad digestive enzyme. I have been taking it before meals to help break down food.
The third is a probiotic meant to help repair the lining of my intestines before more damage is done.
These are products I know and trust.
What this week looks like in the kitchen
I am eating and cooking healthfully, (no change here), real food, no grains.
No wheat, barley, malt, or rye. I have already been eating mostly protein and vegetables, fermented vegetables, an occasional sweet potato, fruit, beef sticks, nuts, almond crackers, and, very rarely, ice cream made with real food. I like Häagen-Dazs.
I am cooking and eating the way I already was: real food, no grains. Nothing changes there.
We think healing started on day one, when we took grains out. That may be why my intestines were not in a “leaky gut” phase. It is hard to tell. She agreed. We do not have an earlier stool test to compare this one with. My body still needs help from the supplements.
The only change is making sure I take the probiotic and the H. pylori formula. I was already taking enzymes.
I am going to keep plugging away.
I will resume Part 6 when I have more to share. My next blood labs will be in two months. I am writing this down in the hope that it helps someone else find a way to support their body with food and nutraceuticals the body recognizes as real food, rather than pharmaceutical medication. It would also be nice if everyone could find a coach who knows how to listen and walk alongside them, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I look forward to the next blood labs. I expect my inflammation will have gone down.
If you want to ask me what supplements I know and trust, leave a comment below.
This is my lab and my plan, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
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