Gut Rebuild - The '5 R' Program

Gut Rebuild – The ‘5 R’ Program

The ‘5R’ Protocol

Have you tried EVERYTHING to heal your gut?

Or, are you simply coping with a chronic condition like an
autoimmune disorder, eczema or arthritis?

Maybe you’ve tried ‘Paleo,’ had buckets of broth, broken up
with sugar and gluten, and made friends with sauerkraut. You might have tried digestive enzymes, vitamins, medicinal herbs and all types of expensive probiotics.

But are you really feeling any better for it?

When it comes to healing the gut or recovering from chronic conditions, order and timing is everything. A 5 or 6 or “R” Program is the starting point. Coupled with an individualised treatment to help revitalise your health and gastrointestinal function.

So you want to know the what, how and what to look out for?

Put simply –

RESET Is the aim
REDUCE S & S
REMOVE              Irritants
REPLACE Digestive enzymes
REPOPULATE / REINOCULATE     Microbiome
REPAIR                 GI Tract
REBALANCE        Lifestyle choices

Who is it for?

The obvious

ü gas, bloating, stomach pain
ü intestinal permeability / leak gut
ü constipation / diarrhoea
ü food allergies, intolerances – eg gluten and dairy
ü candida overgrowth, SBO, dysbiosis
ü gut inflammation like Crohns disease or inflammatory bowel disorder

The not so obvious

Ø depression, anxiety, mood fluctuations
Ø aching joint arthritis
Ø eczema, acne, psoriasis, skin complaints
Ø asthma, environmental allergies, bronchial problems
Ø brain fog migraines,
Ø sensitivity to smells like perfume, fragrances
Ø adrenal dysfunction, night sweats, hormonal imbalances
Ø compromise immune system, frequent infections
Ø autoimmune disorders like Rheumatoid Arthritis or Hashimotos thyroiditis

Ø and more

The overall health of the gut depends on four things:

1. Digestion
2. Absorption
3. Elimination of waste
4. Ongoing maintenance of gut function

Now for a little detail.

REDUCE the Symptoms

Reducing the symptoms to give some instant relief.
For example: diarrhoea/constipation, food reactions

Reducing theses may give you the energy and ability and motivation to follow through

REMOVE the Irritants

The aim is to remove anything that could be irritating to the gut

DIET

I know I advocate food as medicine – but for a while some foods may be your poison

🔻 Burden of irritants & poorly digested foods
🔻 Inflammation
🔻 Reaction to sensitivities

This creates a space for your gut to heal

There are many dietary approaches to this such as:

Elimination Elemental Low Allergy
Bi-Phasic Paleo Candida
Wahls Gluten + Casein free Auto Immune Solution
Feingolds GAPS FODMAPs

MEDICATIONS & SUPPLEMENTS

It is not about stopping vital prescription medication here, but maybe looking at some habitual over-the-counter medications you consume.

For example ibuprofen, indigestion tablets, oral contraceptive pill, antacids.

Supplements are designed to support your health in times of increased need or lack of availability. However, some supplements can cause irritation or a combination you may be taking is too much at this moment.

STRESS

Stress is more than feeling a little frantic. It has a biochemical reaction by releasing hormones into the bloodstream like cortisol. This may be ok if short term and infrequent. But, long term it is detrimental to our health on many levels, including causing inflammation in the digestive tract.

STEALTH INFECTIONS

There are many bacteria, parasites, dormant viruses, fungi (yeast) infections and pathogens that may require attention and need treatment as a part of your treatment regime.

REPLACE Digestive enzymes and nutrients

Now it is time to promote substances lacking in your gut that help you digest. Especially if there are signs of maldigestion or malabsorption.

You may be lacking certain elements key to digestion – stomach acid, digestive enzymes or even bile. But you could also be lacking nutrients due to the lack of proper digestion of foods.

Breaking foods down into their individual components so you can properly absorb fats, carbohydrates for energy and protein for the amino acids for repair needs a delicate balance of digestive enzymes.

So in this step, we are replacing the good things that may have been depleted by diet, drugs, disease or simply from ageing.

REPOPULATE / REINOCULATE Microbiome

Enter the Mighty Microbiome!

Reinoculate with healthy, beneficial bacteria.

This may involve prescription of different types of probiotics and prebiotics to help re-establish proper microbial balance of good bugs.

Some of this may be achieved via fermented foods, if appropriate for your symptoms and situation.

Keep the good bugs happy!

REPAIR GI Tract

By now we want to create an environment that supports gut-healing and long-term relief. It is time to encourage repair of the intestinal cells and mucosa, reduce inflammation and help our microbiome find a happy home within our digestive tract. To restore integrity of the gut mucosa and immune system.

Remember – the gut has a barrier – it is only a thin barrier but one that aims to keep things in their place. The right compounds can pass through and those for elimination kept within. It is constantly regenerating which requires both macronutrients and fibres as well as micronutrients.

REBALANCE Lifestyle choices

To RETAIN the integrity of the GUT.

Now the holistic part of treatment. Diet alone will not retain a healthy gut. Lifestyle is an imperative part of the equation. Whole body health and lifestyle factors can prevent future GI dysfunction.

This includes mindset, stress management and exercise. But also what to avoid!

So how does all this actually work?

A quick reminder here – not everyone goes simply from step 1 through to step 5. Some need to do a few things concurrently, or, if things move to quickly you may need to go back a step.

Imagine a garden. It is deprived and so there are weeds and the flowers are looking limp. The dry spell has caused stress to the plants and led to the soil being nutrient deficient, bugs and fungus are eating the plants. Where do you start? Fertiliser will help both the weeds and the plants. Weed killer? Mmmm that will deplete the soil even more. You need a multi-tiered approach. You need to do the work – the weeding, the feeding, the hydrating and rebuilding.

Just like a garden, your gut is a habitat. Stress, diet and hydration affect it. The program cannot change a stressful job or home-life. Stress reduction, lifestyle, relationships and choices that let your ‘garden’ grow, all play a role in how quickly your body can respond to the steps of the 5R program.

What are the functions of the GI tract?

You are what you eat
or
You are what you absorb
or
You are what you eat, what you eat has eaten, what you absorb and THEN what you do not detoxify and eliminate.

70-80% of our immune system is located in our gut.

90% of our neurotransmitters such as serotonin, are made in your gut.

Don’t forget about the gut – brain – gut axis – I’ll do another post about that one.

And what are the goals of the 5-R Program?

1. To address dietary and lifestyle issues and to begin the process of dietary education and change

2. To normalise digestion and absorption

3. To normalise the balance of gastrointestinal bacteria

4. To promote a balanced system of detoxification

To promote gastrointestinal healing

How long will it take?

A full program can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months.

How does it help so many different conditions?

Dysbiosis / Candida

SIBO

Food intolerances, allergies and intestinal permeabilty

Achy joints, osteoarthritis

Brain fog, migraines

Eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis

Depression, anxiety, mood fluctuations

Autoimmune disorders (eg Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hashimotos Thyroiditis

Restores health supporting intestinal flora and reduces pathogenic species, fungus and parasites

RE-locates intestinal flora to proper environment.

Supports formation of hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes and bile salts. Repairs epithelial tissue.

Reduces the immune system response that dries joint inflammation and cartilage degradation. Supports bone demineralisation.

Reduces toxic burden, improves absorption of important minerals and reduces inflammation.

Reduces toxic burden and inflammation. Allows skin cells to regenerate and repair.

Improves formation and transmission of neurotransmitters due to adequate food absorption. Improves gut-brain axis function. Reduces toxic burden and CNS inflammation.

Normalizes lymphoid tissue and antibody response