Author: Dove editor

Post Viral Fatigue is a form of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Post Viral Fatigue is a chronic low grade in inflammatory response to infections, especially viral infections which are currently more common than they were, thus driving an increase in the incidence of CFS.

The Dove Clinic has many years of experience of treating this challenging condition, key treatments are directed at correcting the gut Microbiome.  Dr Julian Kenyon of The Dove Clinic has extensive experience in this area having seen many patients during the twenty years he has been at the Dove Clinic – and before that time too.  Click here for further information.

Telephone consultations are available to those living far away from our main clinic base in order to start the treatment process off.

Dr Julian Kenyon has published two papers in the area of the microbiome, which have been published in the Human Microbiome Journal.

A Retrospective Outcome Study of 42 Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 30 of Whom had Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Half were treated with oral approaches, and half were treated with Faecal Microbiome Transplantation.

Abstract

The gut microbiome comprises the community of microorganisms in the intestinal tract. Research suggests that an altered microbiome may play a role in a wide range of disorders including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Methods

42 participants with ME/ CFS with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) were allocated into one of two groups, 21 were treated with standard oral approaches, which centred around various nutritional remedies, probiotics, prebiotics, dietary advice and lifestyle advice. The second group who had mostly failed using oral approaches, were treated with Faecal Microbiome Transplantation (FMT). Each patient received 10 Implants, each from a different screened donor, and the Implants were processed under anaerobic conditions.

To read the full research, please visit the external site by clicking here

Potential clinical usefulness of gut microbiome testing in a variety of clinical conditions

The gut microbiome comprises the community of microorganisms in the intestinal tract. Over the last five years, interest in the gut microbiome has grown considerably driven by new techniques in DNA sequencing allowing for characterisation of gut bacteria and the recognition of the potential impact the microbiome may have on health.

Potential clinical usefulness of gut microbiome testing in a variety of clinical conditions

 

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The business supplies medical services to members of the general public

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The team will note any Modern Slavery implications within its regular Dove Clinic report

This statement has been produced in accordance with provisions as set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015/Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (if business is legally required to produce a statement) and applies to The Dove Clinic Limited. The statement was approved by The Dove Clinic Management team on 22^nd January 2020.

Lyme Disease is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia bacteria, which is spread by Ticks. Not every Tick carries Borrelia. The most common sign of infections is an expanding area of redness on the skin, that appears at the site of a Tick bite a few days after the initial bite has occurred. The correct treatment at that time is an Antibiotic, preferably Doxycycline, and usually that causes no further problem.

Most Tick bites which carry Borrelia are not treated in this way, simply because the rash eventually goes away, and this can lead to a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This is what is often referred to as ‘Lyme Disease’.

Sometimes long-term antibiotics are prescribed for this, often after tests, but we have had very limited success with this approach. We use a range of approaches which we have used for several decades for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and have significant success with these approaches.

Testing for Lyme is controversial, as standard NHS tests often reveal nothing for Borrelia. We use a German laboratory for testing, which we find is more reliable, and that gives us a good idea of whether Lyme is present.

The occurrence of Lyme Disease is relatively common in the area of the country where our main clinic base is, as we are close to the New Forest, where Deer are common, these Ticks are often carried by Deer.

Dr Julian Kenyon
January 2020

It is possible that leaky gut syndrome may be causing other health issues that are affecting you; from weight gain to skin problems, depression, autoimmunity, to food allergies.

Your gut should contain its contents within the gut.  Leaky gut happens when your intestines develop tiny holes and contents leak into the body. The gut wall houses up to 80% of your immune system. Up to 80% of the immune system is located within the gut walls, the leak causes excess inflammation as your immune system tries to deal with the leak. Over time this can lead to chronic inflammation which is at the root of many modern illnesses, such as obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, autoimmunity, heart disease, cancer and many more. 

Not everyone with leaky gut has digestive symptoms and sometimes the problem manifests itself elsewhere in the body.  If you have digestive symptoms such as gas(wind), constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, cramping, bloody stool, abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements, smelly stools, IBD, SIBO, candida overgrowth, gastroparesis, dysbiosis, then pretty much any and all digestive symptoms and disorders may be due to leaky gut syndrome. 

Some research has suggested that in order for autoimmune disease to be active leaky gut syndrome must be present, and over 80 have been identified including Celiac disease, lupus, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, alopecia, and rheumatoid arthritis among others. 

A substantial number of disorders or diseases could be related to having an underlying leaky gut, which can include but is not limited to cardiovascular disease, cancers, thyroid disorders, digestive disorders, urinary conditions, obesity, reproductive disorders, respiratory disorders, hepatitis, periodontal disease, and osteoporosis. But there are steps that can be taken to help alleviate the causes.

Leaky gut may also be behind some skin disorders; the connection between skin and gut health has been well established and many conditions such as acne, hives, psoriasis, hair loss, rashes, eczema, rosacea, dermatitis, and dry skin could be connected to leaky gut syndrome. 

It is thought that many brain and mood disorders/conditions such as anxiety, depression, brain fog, chronic fatigue, migraines, mood swings and cognitive diseases have a connection to leaky gut syndrome at their roots.  The same applies to body and joint pains such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and other musculoskeletal conditions which have been connected to increased intestinal permeability according to research. 

Food allergies, sensitivities and intolerances may to some degree have an underlying issue with leaky gut syndrome; once the gut has healed many patients discover that their food allergies, sensitivities and intolerances will resolve themselves. 

In testing, low trace minerals are often an indicator of leaky gut.  Inflammation inside the digestive tract makes it difficult for vitamins and minerals to be absorbed through the gut wall and into the body which may be what is leading to these low mineral readings. 

Sugar cravings may be a symptom of an overgrowth of bad bacteria within the gut, this dysbiosis will often disappear once the patient has addressed the health of their gut lining. 

Some steps which may help to heal a leaky gut include:

1. Removing all irritating foods and other toxins from the diet and environment.
2. Replacing all toxic foods with those that support digestion and healing foods.
3. Repairing the intestines with nutrients needed to heal the gut wall and underlying immune system.
4. Reinoculating to restore a healthy balance of the gut’s microflora.
5. Remove all main dietary triggers for leaky gut including legumes, dairy, grains, refined foods, processed foods, and put the focus on relaxing before, during, and after meals to help optimize digestion, especially while healing. Stress is bad whether it be mental or physical can trigger leaky gut syndrome. 
6. Diet, several drugs, and alcohol are all triggers that have been most studied. Imbalance in gut microflora, infections, and yeast overgrowth all contribute to an increasing intestinal permeability. The mouth is the beginning of the GI tract thus research suggests that poor oral hygiene and dysbiosis in the mouth can also contribute to increased intestinal permeability. 
7. Replace bad dietary habits with those that are healthy, nourishing, and whole foods can really help. While healing the digestive system may need some additional temporary support such as hydrochloric acid, bile salts, or digestive enzymes. Often those with leaky gut have low stomach acid production that may benefit from taking apple cider vinegar before meals. 
8. EPA and DHA found in fermented foods, oily fish, ginger, quercetin, and turmeric all have also been shown to help repair leaky gut.
9. Fermented foods and probiotics will help to reinoculate the gut with healthy bacteria to restore a healthy ratio of gut bacteria. To help improve the health of the gut microflora eat a variety of healthy foods and fibres; avoid using antibacterial cleaners; consume raw/live/unpasteurized fermented foods; and consume a range of probiotic and prebiotic foods. Keep in mind that it is possible to over consume one type of bacteria, making it recommended to get probiotics from a variety of fermented whole food sources. 

Leaky gut is something we can help with, so it is worth your coming along to see us. Contact secretaries@doveclinic.com or call 01962 718000 to arrange a consultation.

Psoriasis is a long-lasting autoimmune disease, characterised by patches of abnormal skin. These skin patches are typically itchy, red and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small, localised patches, to complete body coverage. It is a distressing condition.

There is a range of approaches we can use at The Dove Clinic, due to our interest in the microbiome. What we do know is that gut microbial composition in patients with Psoriasis is abnormal [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5830498/pdf/41598_2018_Article_22125.pdf

We do know that there is a connection between Psoriasis and the microbiota [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6023392/

What we also know is that there is evidence of bacteria in the blood in patients with Psoriasis, as opposed to normals. [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20607546.

From a treatment point of view, we can work on modifying the gut microbiome, which has an important connection with the skin microbiome. This can be done using diet and nutritional medications, and certain specific probiotics and prebiotics. The majority of Probiotics don’t work.
Anecdotally, we know that some patients with Psoriasis have been helped using Colon Hydrotherapy. What we also know is that there have been some dramatic anecdotal results from the treatment of Psoriasis using Faecal Microbiome Transplantation. These are safe treatments, and what we do know is that treating the gut microbiome with Faecal Microbiome Transplantation is effective in autoimmune disease.
References:

1. Gut microbial composition in patients with psoriasis Francisco M. Codoñer1, Ana Ramírez-Bosca2,3, Eric Climent1, Miguel Carrión-Gutierrez4, Mariano Guerrero2, Jose Manuel Pérez-Orquín5, José Horga de la Parte6, Salvador Genovés7, Daniel Ramón1,7, Vicente Navarro-López2,8 & Empar Chenoll 7 Scientific ReportS | (2018) 8:3812 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-22125-y
   
   2. Psoriasis and Microbiota – a Systematic Review Farida Benhadou,1,* Dillon Mintoff,2 Benjamin Schnebert,3 and Hok Bing Thio4 Diseases. 2018 Jun; 6(2): 47 Published online 2018 Jun 2. doi: 10.3390/diseases6020047
   
   3. Evidence for the presence of bacteria in the blood of psoriasis patients. Munz OH1, Sela S, Baker BS, Griffiths CE, Powles AV, Fry L. Arch Dermatol Res. 2010 Sep;302(7):495-8. doi: 10.1007/s00403-010-1065-0. Epub 2010 Jul 4

A Retrospective Outcome Study of 42 Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 30 of Whom had Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Half were treated with oral approaches, and half were treated with Faecal Microbiome Transplantation.

Abstract

The gut microbiome comprises the community of microorganisms in the intestinal tract. Research suggests that an altered microbiome may play a role in a wide range of disorders including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Methods

42 participants with ME/ CFS with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) were allocated into one of two groups, 21 were treated with standard oral approaches, which centred around various nutritional remedies, probiotics, prebiotics, dietary advice and lifestyle advice. The second group who had mostly failed using oral approaches, were treated with Faecal Microbiome Transplantation (FMT). Each patient received 10 Implants, each from a different screened donor, and the Implants were processed under anaerobic conditions.

To read the full research, please visit the external site by clicking here

We have had encouraging results with treating neurological illnesses using Fecal Microbiome Transplantation.  Parkinson’s Disease is very relevant in this area and the science that underpins it is available here – click here.

This is a totally safe treatment and there is no claim that this is curative, but it can improve neurological function considerably and it is a totally safe treatment without side effects.

 

Alopecia is an autoimmune condition. There is good evidence that autoimmune conditions relate to an abnormal gut Microbiome and working on that using diet and nutritional medicine in Alopecia can be helpful. There is anecdotal evidence that Alopecia has been helped using Faecal Microbiome replacement (FMT) as was evidenced in an American paper published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology Case Reports, reporting results from two patients with alopecia universalis who developed subsequent hair regrowth after being treated for Clostridium Difficile infection.

We have had considerable success with the use of Faecal Microbiome Transplantation in other autoimmune illnesses.  If you would like to find out more about FMT, please email us.

From JR

“Dear All
I had FMT treatment at Easter and now I am like a new person. THANK-YOU SO SO MUCH. I have walked to the beach lots, walked the killer hill both activities I thought I would never be able to do again. I no longer drag myself to work and collapse on the Sofia at night, now I have a life and I enjoy it. No more pains either. I know I need a follow up appointment after the treatment and originally thought I would make it for half term but my wonderful husband has surprised me with a holiday during that week and I am well enough to go. Is it ok to book an appointment when I finish school, after XXXXXXXXX when we break up for the summer.

Can you let all the wonderful nurses who treated me know that I am doing so well, eating all the right foods and changing my life because of their help.”