# Gut- and system-wide inflammation - the root cause?



## Chicane (Oct 8, 2015)

I've been doing lots of research on DPDR since I first started down this awful path two years ago, and I think I may finally be on to something. Basically, we've been looking at DPDR as a psych problem and focusing on the brain an awful lot. But from what I have gathered, inflammation throughout the body, and the digestive system specifically, may be causing a lot of what we're going through. Some experts believe that brain fog in and of itself is an inflammatory response.

The thing is, I feel I was handed a major clue when this all began for me in June 2014, because a few weeks prior, I was laid up in hospital for days on end with the worst food poisoning of my life. My entire digestive system was on fire and highly inflamed, to the point that I was passing blood. Three weeks after I got out, my DPDR began.

So with the above as a possible cause, here is what I am proposing as a possible anti DPDR regimen.

- Have a food intolerance/sensitivity test done. Then eliminate those food items which your system doesn't handle very well. Eliminate dairy, and as much gluten, sugar, and refined carbohydrates as possible.

- Take 2 ibuprofen a day.

- Consume those foods and herbs which are known to be anti-inflammatory. Anything from broccoli to blueberries, and from turmeric to ginger, there are shitloads of anti-inflammatory foods out there. A quick google search will help you out. I found this list which I felt was pretty good. Anyway, you can also put these foods through the food processor and make smoothies or whatever if need be.

- Get plenty of rest/sleep.

- Drink plenty of water.

- Stretch and meditate daily.

- Reduce stress levels by whatever means you see fit, whether it's light exercise or video games (stress increases inflammation throughout the body).

- Take a multivitamin, a B-complex vitamin and an omega-3 vitamin daily.

So this is something I'm willing to try, or at least implement as many of the bullet points above as possible, because I've already noticed that some of them play a role. For example, if I have a headache and I take some anti-inflammatory ibuprofen, my head feels a little clearer. Last night, I had a big milkshake (ie. full of dairy) and I feel like hell today.

Does anyone else feel this may be part of the root cause? What has your own research told you?


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## ToTo (Oct 6, 2015)

Yes, I totally agree. I had that myself. Dp started after stomach issues and sinus complications. I was at work and had this extreme reaction to the red hot sauce and only discoverd that the sauce is the culprit after the third time.

In that day, when I had this extreme reaction ( I wasn't having Dp before ) I was at work when suddenly felt I'm about to pass out. Tried to get myself together but I couldn't, because the symptoms were getting more intense. Felt hot and cold at the same time, my body started to shiver, my vision got foggy and hazy and I said to myself " this is it. I must be dying " Told my manager that I need to leave cause I'm pretty sick.

Got in the car and headed to the house. While I was driving and I was very numb and weak, and i leaned my head backwards. Looked at the cars, the people, the buildings, everything and couldn't comprehend what these objects are. Said to myself " this is it. I'm dying and I'm entering another dimension " and that creepy feeling was a full blown dp attack.

The last symptom I felt was the stomach pain. After I got home, entered the bath room and had a bad diarrhea. After that day my brain switched to the dp state and never turned back to the way it was. And dp started to get worse and worse over time till it effected my short term memory and cognitive abilities. What I'm afraid of is that if I fixed the stomach issues will the dp go away or the missed up digestive system has caused a permanent change in the brain synapses and chemistry and the stomach issues and the state of the brain have become completely two separate things???!!!

In two days I'm having a stomach endoscope two rule out if there's anything wrong with the digestive system. So I'm one of those cases that dp was triggered by stomach issues. That's why I hate it when some people say you need to relax. It's all stress. It's all anxiety and sometimes it is, but each dp case is different. Even the dp feeling itself varies from person to person. That's my two cents.


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## vanuti vetru (Sep 7, 2015)

I watch my diet carefully so severe inflammation responses don't happen very often in my case but, whenever they do, i definitely notice how it makes my mental state worse. Many depression episodes i had were accompanied by pains in various parts of the body. For me worst things food-wise are diary (except certain cheeses) and peppers. Be sure to eliminate the latter as well. In general, vegetables belonging to the nightshades group are often considered inflammatory so you should be careful with tomatoes and potatoes as well.

If i remember correctly, you once described a sensation of cotton brain - had this too and it was definitely inflammation-related (ibuprofen and vit. C helped).


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## Billy D.P. (Apr 12, 2016)

Interesting topic and I definitely agree about how the stomach, gut and overall diet plays a vital role in all this.

The first hint I had regarding this connection was a few weeks back when I was reading up about serotonin. Most people know serotonin is a neurotransmitter but don't realize that the vast majority of it is located in the GI tract, literally giving credence to the phrase "You are what you eat."

There's a reason you come across recovery stories written by people who went on super healthy, strict diets. There's a reason that when you eliminate sugar and caffeine from your diet you also become less nervous. There's a reason people who ingest drugs end up with this condition. Yes, this is no doubt an emotional-neurochemical disorder, but people need to wake up to the idea of holistic healing and that the gut plays a vital role in all this.

Perfect example: I've been experimenting with lots of different combinations of vitamins and medications lately to try and find the right combination of supplements to get me through the day. But no matter what I do I always find that simple is better. Taking a multivitamin, B-complex and extra vitamin D in addition with eating healthy and exercising is still the best I've ever felt in the year I've had DP.

Also worth noting is the evidence that points towards large emotional fluctuations being the onset of DP for many people. If you experienced an intense bodily sickness then your emotions likely fluctuated with it. But again, this all goes back to what you put into your body -- food, drugs or whatever other substance managed to weasel its way in there.

Point being: Many of us are here because of what we've put in our bodies, either intentionally or unintentionally. It only makes sense we cope with this problem by therefore putting the good stuff that we need back in it.


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## Ianar (Oct 31, 2015)

This is an area I've also done a lot of reading in and am positive of the gut/brain connection, as well as inflammatory responses. Shortly before I became unwell I took a course of strong antibiotics which made me feel like complete shite. Never did feel quite right after then a couple of months later boom my mind went. Upon researching it many many people have experienced severe psychiatric problems from antibiotics, as well as peripheral neuropathy. Some of them pretty much destroy the entire balance of your gut which in turn inhibits healthy neurotransmitter creation- hence psychiatric problems.

Getting your omega 3/6 ratios in balance - which are heavily distorted in western diets - goes a long way to in reducing systemic inflammation.


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## simonlebon (Apr 13, 2015)

I did all of this. It helped and was healthy for me, but I still ended up suicidal and in a hospital. For some people the el natural route may be enough. I wish it was for me, but I still needed meds. I think these changes in the gut can take a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time to see big results in the brain. I saw some small changes, but nothing huge. Even after months of going gluten free/dairy free/sugar free, supplements, giving myself coffee enemas etc. etc. etc.

I did a skype session with Red Mountain Clinic in Boise. Dr Rostenberg. He is super big on the brain/gut thing. I definitely believe the gut is very important in relation to mental health.

He has tons of videos on this stuff. Leaky guy, methylation etc.






Pesonally, I think sleep is just as big if not even bigger in brain health, and when I consulted with him, sleep was one of his biggest concerns for me. I have sleep apnea.


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## Guest (May 10, 2016)

I got blood and urine tests done a few weeks ago and according to the urine tests, I have an inflammation somewhere.......... I wonder if this is related.


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## Chicane (Oct 8, 2015)

Quick update to this thread - this article is now #1 on reddit, suggesting a strong brain/gut connection. So I'm thinking we should likely also be looking into probiotics to boost brain function. I found this part especially interesting:

"Time and time again, we hear from patients that they never felt depressed or anxious until they started experiencing problems with their gut," Tillisch said. "Our study shows that the gut-brain connection is a two-way street."

I'll dig a little deeper on this and pick up some probiotics with high bioavailability soon to see if I notice any improvement. Anyone else working this angle at all?


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## Billy D.P. (Apr 12, 2016)

I'm starting a Paleo diet here soon which has pretty fantastic results for people with autoimmune disorders, which I have (psoriasis). I've also heard some uplifting stories here about people who changed their diet radically and soon after hit the road at high speed. I'll try and keep updated. But yes, I firmly believe if you change your gut and what's inside your body then your mind will follow.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

Autonomic Space Monkey said:


> Very interesting indeed; just yesterday I was looking into water fasting on You Tube. There's a centre in the US that monitors you as you do 30 days, & the doctor there was mentioning gut health. Anyway, I fasted from Saturday night until 5pm today. I went for long walks on both days I fasted, the sun was out, & it was all very nice. Felt better, but that was probably because I seriously over eat during the winter. I have severe SAD & that drives me to eat carbs & junk.
> 
> It's very important to educate yourself as to the differences between allergies, intolerances, & sensitivities. *I have a severe wheat allergy, but can tolerate eating it with no adverse effects*. I even tried cutting out wheat a few weeks ago, lasted 5 days, & it made absolutely no difference to me. Gonna try milk next, as I think I might have a milk protein intolerance.


If you tolerate wheat, why do you say you have severe allergy?

I often feel better not eating - which is problematic. Certainly more energy. Saw an allergist who did the whole skin test thing and only dust-mites showed (like, who isn't allergic to them???). Probably have some case of leaky gut and also some dysbiosis. Some sprouted-grain bread and other wheat species such as Kamut seem fine. Half-n-half and butter are fine but milk not so good - make one think it is gut environment not an allergy otherwise the milk in half-n-half would be a problem. BTW, eat lots of butter ... at least 1/2 lb a week.

If a person doesn't have enough stomach acid, then proteins don't get broken down enough which creates peptides. Peptides are amino acid chain used to signaling/regulating cells. So weird ones from partial digestion could be problematic. So try taking digestive HCls.

Here is a curiosity about wheat. It has opioid peptides - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid_peptide(Gluteomorphin and Prodynorphin). Wonder if that is one reason people have a hard time staying away from it even when it bothers them? Of course, the other is that its everywhere and hard to find affordable food without it.


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