Intestinal disorder

When I have a bowel movement it has an offensive smell that lingers, regardless of what I have eaten. It’s embarrassing to share a room. I am worried that there is something seriously wrong with me. I don’t eat sugary things. I don’t smoke and only have the occasional drink. My doctor prescribed Colofac to no avail. I have also tried Fybogel. I take vitamin C, krill oil, probiotic acidophilus and multi-vitamins. Also my hair and toenails are in poor condition.

A: It sounds as if you have some form of intestinal disorder. The fact that your hair and toenails are in poor condition suggests that your intestines are not absorbing the nutrients from your food. In conjunction with your other bowel symptoms, it appears as if a gluten intolerance may be at the root of your problems.

In some individuals, the gluten can effectively gum up the intestinal villi — tiny fingerlike projections on the intestinal lining which slow down the passage of food particles, along with vastly increasing the surface area of the intestines in order to maximise absorption. When the villi are ‘glued’ together for whatever reason, the intestines are no longer able to function optimally. This means that no matter how healthy your diet and supplements are, the body is not able to effectively extract and utilise what it needs.

Since you have been prescribed Colofac, it is likely that your doctor suspected irritable bowel syndrome or a similar disorder. Fybogel can be useful in bulking the stool, and helping to improve the frequency of bowel movements.

I prefer psyllium husks, which have a similar action, but can also help to ‘de-gum’ the villi and soften impacted faecal matter so that it can be moved out of the bowel. Take a tablespoon of psyllium husks in a glass of water or freshly pressed juice first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Drink this blend as soon as you have stirred in the husks, or the insoluble fibre will form a thick gel which can be difficult to swallow.

You could get checked for bowel disorders such as coeliac’s or Crohn’s disease, to either identify the problem or rule out these more serious options. If you feel that these are unlikely, then simply try removing all gluten from your diet, and note any changes in symptoms.

QWhen I wake every morning I am stiff all over. It takes a couple of hours for my body to ease out. You recently recommended evening primrose oil, starflower oil and krill oil. What is the best way to take them?

A: Krill oil is rich in EPA and DHA, which are both crucial for brain and nerve functioning, while starflower (borage) Oil is a good supply of linoleic and gamma linoleic acids (GLA), and evening primrose oil is also a great source of GLA. It is common for these last two to be combined in a supplement.

The essential fatty acids in these oils will help with stiffness, pain and inflammation. To address arthritic issues, studies suggest that taking 1800mg of GLA daily is the ‘magic’ number — dividing this into three doses of 600mg each. So I would study the information panels on the packaging and work out what would be the most cost effective way of getting your daily GLA.

In your situation, I would take the Krill oil together with one or both of the other two supplements.

nIn a recent Q&A on acne rosacea question you suggested using Dr Bronner’s liquid castile soap. Do you know if stores in Ireland stock this product?

>> Dr Bronner’s liquid castile soap is available from selected health stores across Ireland, or you can purchase it online from www.evergreen.ie, where 236ml costs €7.99 or 944ml costs €18.79.