I had the opposite problem: I was losing weight and couldn't keep it on. I could hardly eat. The MDs I went to couldn't find anything wrong with me, so I went to a naturopath. The naturopath told me I had a candida overgrowth (which I had already suspected because of the types of foods that made my symptoms worse) and also told me that I was not absorbing the food I was eating. He gave me supplements and dietary recommendations, and though it took a long time, I can eat most anything now. I am so grateful. I would probably be in the hospital getting IV nutrients if it weren't for him and an acupuncturist I was seeing at the time.

I think it might be helpful to go to the appointment with an open mind. I have spent a lot of money trying different approaches, which sucks, but I am finally getting answers and healing. It is worth it. Sometimes you just have to strike out in a new direction and see what happens. Many of the new directions might result in failure, but you also might find some successes.

No advice but my sister, who is a registered dietitian and holds a PhD in a related field, holds much the same view as Diana and Greyscale—the research is interesting but there are a lot dubious claims circulating on the internet. Her response when people come up to her extolling the merits of a particular diet is a smile and a “I’m happy it’s working/has worked so well for you”.

She gets to use that line pretty regularly...

I have to agree that there is so much about the microbiome and how diet affects that and how that affects our health, weight, immunity and even moods that we don't yet understand.

As for different ways of eating being a "miracle cure" for some people, I don't doubt that different things work for different people. We all have different bodies and they react to different things. We know that so much affects the microbiome that each person is different. There is no one-size-fits-all for a healthy diet, but I think it might be possible for each person to find what works for them.

I'd give the appointment a chance. They may not have anything helpful to offer, but I wouldn't dismiss it before going.

Like Angie, I am of Nordic background (3/4 Swedish and Danish) and have small bones and osteoporosis. A couple of weeks ago I attended a lecture at the local library about what you eat and bone health. The lady presenting was definitely not selling anything and not a doctor but was a 75 year old woman who had had osteoporosis so bad.y that she was not allowed to do many things like ride a bicycle. Her daughter an MD, was determined to help her. She ( the daughter) started by studying what builds bone and how to get it. Angie is right. Calcium supplements cannot be used by the body, yet they are one of the first things a doctor will have you take. In the past 12 years the lady has managed to stop her bone loss and maybe even start building new bone only by changing her diet so that her gut can absorb what her bones need. She says she could do even better if she exercised but she does not. She plans to do more talks if enough of us are interested so I hope to learn more. One thing is to learn how to approach your doctor. Hers was very against this diet/ gut approach. When yearly bone scans showed no more loss, he could not believe it and redid the tests. They came out the same. Her last test had shown some new bone in her hips.

Medical doctors in the U.S. at least are barely required to take *any* nutritional medicine courses so it is very hard to talk to them about nutritional healing. Doctors don't like to feel uninformed in my experience. Maybe an integrative medical doctor would be better. I think magnesium is often more of an issue than calcium as one is dependent on the other for proper absorption I think. I like to track what I eat in terms of nutrition - which minerals am I getting and in what quantity seems a much better approach than how many calories. Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and Sodium seem particularly important to monitor. Lots of reading available on this online in respectable health journals (not just hearsay).

An effective way to dip your toe into improved gut health so to speak might be to avoid all processed foods and eat as organically as possible. Good luck! If you get interested, there’s a ton of information available.

I admit to being more of a sceptic because most of these deals are not using anything close the evidence we demand from our doctors, medications, even food products.
And whenever fees ( especially large ones) not covered by any insurance are involved, I tend to hear “ quack quack” noises.

Hi Thistle,

Just got time to come back here now.

If you have the time I would recommend reading this blog post by Dr Mikki Williden, she’s a dietician and nutritionist, who teaches as has her own practice.

In this article she explains why gut health may be an important factor in high cholesterol.

https://mikkiwilliden.wordpres.....olesterol/

I used to be a skeptic who elements of health care and advice that seem to be outside what is recommended mainstream.

However, how I credit a “not mainstream recommended diet” to my excellent blood sugar control.

I’m lucky in that we have a public health system in NZ. So my normal medical costs are covered. But “mainstream doctors” really only have the time to concentrate on getting you back on your feet. I wanted to get as close to my old 100%.

Going to see a nutritionist I did have to pay for, but it was an investment in my heath. She was very good in that she tailored her recommendations to my budget, time constraints, cooking ability and tastes.

I think it is at least worth doing the research and having at least one appointment.

Ladies, if you take calcium, make sure it is calcium citrate. The body absorbs it more readily.

I should add that I feel gut health is important after seeing a dear aunt whose ovarian cancer had spread to both lungs refuse chemo and radiation and go on a diet ( what I remember) of no meat, artificial additives like colors or flavores, lots of fresh veggies. She fought off the spread of her cancer for over 20 years. Her doctor was incredulous but said that whatever she was doing she should continue. She eventually died of a stroke, not the cancer. She concentrated on greens for diet.