Gut Health

Hi, this is Dr. Starkey. Welcome back to Trace Your Day.

You know, there’s a lot of talk out there right now becoming a very popular subject, and it should be, and that is our digestive health.

It’s been estimated that 74% of our society is battling or dealing with a digestive disorder, whether that be constipation or bloating or diarrhea or abdominal pain. There’s a lot of concern there because of the fact that there’s 80% of our immune system that starts in our gut function.

When we start talking about immune systems right now, especially in the times that we find ourselves in, this is a pretty important topic to discuss, and we need to be discussing it. Whether it be with our health professionals, dieticians, nutritionists, whoever you feel comfortable with. This is an important matter that we should be discussing with one another.

At Trace Minerals Research, we introduced a new product called Liquid Gut Health. And in doing so, our main emphasis is to help support that proper gut function. And of course, when we’re supporting that proper gut function, I think that some of the things that we should be focused on is how is our body absorbing? How efficient is our digestion? How’s our immune function? Are we finding optimal health as far as our energy levels are concerned?

These are all important factors that we need to be discussing. And yet when we introduced this product  with those looking for support of the gut microbiome or that infrastructure of the gut lining and help strengthening and supporting and tightening it.

Again, this is an important matter that I don’t care what age – whether we’re a day old or 105 years old – we should be keenly aware of what our bodies are trying to tell us.

I want to introduce you today to a young mother of three named Abby. Abby, welcome to our podcast today.

Abby: Hi Dr. Starkey. Thank you.

Darrin: I invited Abby on because I think that with the digestive orders that we’re facing today at all ages, Abby has a young son– her youngest – and I wanted her from a young mother’s perspective, to share with us what she’s experienced with her son. And I find it extremely fascinating as to one, mothers’ intuition that I never question, Abby. I think that it’s marvelous that you’re asking the questions and digging for answers and not taking the answers sometimes given, right?

Abby: Yeah, yeah.

Darrin: So I would love for you to just share a little bit about your son and what you’ve experienced with the Gut Heath.

Abby: Sure. Yeah, okay. Our son Seth, he is 20 month sold now and since he was a newborn he’d had just sluggish intestines, bowels, not moving things along well. And then especially when he was four months old, constipation started really badly. And it was really sad.

I took him to the pediatrician and their instant response before anything else was to put him on MiraLAX, which didn’t set well with me because it just felt like a Band-Aid, and not really looking into what the problem could be to cause his constipation.

So, I just started spinning my wheels wondering if it was an allergy. I started cutting things out of my diet. I tried different oils. I tried just anything that was supposed to relieve constipation in little kids that was over the counter. All of them. Tried them.

Darrin: Were you still nursing at this point, Abby?

Abby: I was. I nursed until he was 15 months.

Darrin: Okay.

Abby: Yeah, and it was just kind of this rollercoaster of “Oh, he’s in so much pain. I need to do the MiraLAX.” Because the MiraLAX would help him pass something. But it never really felt like his gut was cleaned out, like he was getting relief.

Darrin: You could still tell he was in discomfort.

Abby: Yeah. It’s been a sad thing because he’s an amazing kid. He’s a beautiful kid. But his demeanor has always just been extra clingy, fussy, lethargic, just uncomfortable. And you know, other people would just say, “Oh he’s a clingy kid. No big deal. We had one of those.”

But it was exhausting for me and sad for him because I would just be like, “I feel like there should be something that can help him and give him relief and help him be happy and be able to enjoy being 14 months, 15months. Yeah, so it’s been a thing.

And I’ve seen 4 different pediatricians and the line that just vexed me has been, “Oh, he could do MiraLAX for life. He could do MiraLAX for life. It’s fine. It’s harmless. He won’t be dependent on it. It’s just putting water in his system to help him move things along.”

But I’m just like, “I don’t want my son on MiraLAX for life. I don’t understand why that’s okay.”

Darrin: Right. So that went against your nature as a mother, as a nurturer, right?

Abby: Yes! Because I’m like, “Something is notworking right. Something is not healthy with him.”

Darrin: Right.

Abby: So yes, maybe he could pass a stool, but he’s uncomfortable, he’s not the kid I know he could be. And it’s not a solution. It’s not the deeper problem.

Darrin: Right. So there’s what led you to this particular product. And I love your consistency, Abby. I love the fact that you didn’t take no for an answer, or you knew you could do something more.

Abby: Yeah. And that’s what I think my last appointment with the pediatrician, a new pediatrician that I thought would help me advocate for Seth. I told him, I feel like there should be an answer and I need to find it and I need help finding it. Yeah, I’m not content with MiraLAX for life. And so he did an x-ray. [laughing] I was like, “Okay, we’ve done x-rays. I don’t know.”

Darrin: And of course, at this point, I can hear even in your voice right now, Abby, it was very exhausting. Emotionally, mentally, and probably physically because of your child that wasn’t sleeping well, wasn’t himself, right?

Abby: Yes. Yeah.

Darrin: So tell us. How did you find the Gut Health?

Abby: Yeah, I had had a friend talk about your trace minerals years ago because we use five gallon jug filtered water for our drinking water. And I think it might have been 2-3 weeks ago, and I was thinking, I think I need to replenish our water with some minerals because it’s just liquid but does nothing for us.

So I went to your website and I was just going to get the Trace Mineral Concentrate and then just put it in our drinking water. And then I was just browsing around at the other products you have, and I saw the Gut Health and I was like, “Well if anyone needs gut health, it’s Seth. So why not try it? I’ve tried everything else. Why not?” You know?

So it really was just, not last resort, but I had lost hope eventually. And I was like, “Okay, it’s MiraLAX for life.” But you know, maybe Gut Health. Maybe it will do something.

Darrin: So the name alone caught your interest, right?

Abby: Yes, yeah.

Darrin: You were desperate.

Abby: Yes.

Darrin: So now, take us down this road. So you start giving Seth the dosage for a child and how long has he been on it now?

Abby: I didn’t write down when I started it. I think it’s safe to say 10 days to 2 weeks, so fairly early on. And I just started giving it to him in a syringe. And he did not balk at all. He just took it really well.

And it said “on an empty stomach preferably.” So I’m like, what does that look like for a toddler?”

Darrin: Right, right.

Abby: “When’s my empty stomach window?” And then I think at that point I had sent you an email like, “Okay, can you please clarify empty stomach? I don’t know.”

And you were so kind to get back to me and then it started this whole dialogue with you that has just been so eye-opening and helpful. But when I started giving Seth the gut health, and this is alongside MiraLAX, because at this point right now, when he doesn’t have MiraLAX he’s in a lot of pain and it’s really terrible to see.

But I started giving him the Gut Health, and within, I’m gonna get a little emotional, but within days, his energy, like I’m talking whiny, clingy, wants me to carry him all the time, cuddler 20 month old, to has energy, is running around the yard, playing, trying out bikes, his appetite, like, the other night, he ate like 3 bowls of stew. This morning like 4 pancakes. Like, his appetite – and it’s not a growth spurt – like, he has never eaten like this. Never. And enjoying it – like, he’s moaning over his food. And I’m like, “What is going on?” And he’s asking for more.

Darrin: Right.

Abby: I just, it’s just like, “Who are you?” And what I’ve been noticing this week is like, he’s laughing. He’s laughing. And we have a really funny seven-year-old. And Seth is just like, belly laughing with him. And it’s just incredible.

So, the demeanor, the appetite, the energy, it’s just like a complete 180. And I don’t say that lightly because it has been a long road and the past couple weeks I’ve just stopped and just been like, “Are you kidding me?” Like, what?

And I’m trying not be like, “Why not sooner?” But just be grateful for now, you know? Like, okay, this is now. And I’m thankful. And the only thing that has changed is introducing the Gut Health. And so I mean, it’s not like I can attribute it to anything else. And it's not like a 19-month-oldchanges that much in one month, so I’m just like, “How can it not be this?” I don’t know.

Darrin: You know, this is my favorite part of my job, honestly, Abby, is when parents or loved ones call up and say, “Are you sure? What’s in this stuff?” scratching their heads.

Abby: That’s what I did with you! I called you and I was like, “Wait, what is in this? Because this is not normal. What is happening?

Darrin: Right, right. I assured you that there was no drugs.

Abby: [laughing]

Darrin: And yet, at the same time, something so basic and so simple. And yet, consistent. Because again Abby, I loved how you took responsibility upon yourself as a mother. You started to ask questions about your own diet and removing things from your diet and finding out what it is that it could be. But then to be able to have this change and to bring hope. I love the hope in your voice now. Because there’s a light, right?

And yet at the same time, as we start to not only focus on that balance of the gut, because think about this: 80% of his immune system starts in his gut function, right? And what a time in which we have to have our gut function.

So one, from a mother’s perspective watching your 20 month old struggle, I think there’s so much to be able to learn from what you’ve experienced and yet at the same time to be able to share with other struggling mothers or caregivers that are just like where you’re at, Abby.

How do I keep asking questions? That’s all I can continue to say. You know, we have answers, and the answers are oftentimes, that’s where the health side of things come in. Reaching for nutritional supplements and truly nurturing ourselves instead of taking a Band-Aid, right?

Abby: Yeah. Yeah.

Darrin: Well Abby, I can’t tell you enough, thank you for being willing to share. And more importantly, I look forward to the future with you and Seth. I hope to have you back on as this story continues to grow in your life. Because if it works for you and your little one, who else can it work for, right?

Abby: Right. Absolutely.

Darrin: And that’s what this whole podcast is for. Being able to pass it forward and being able to share some knowledge so that we can continue this path of wellness.

Abby: Uh huh. Yeah. I’m so grateful for your time and your support and encouragement and education – such a big part of it. I’m really, really appreciative for the heart behind the company that is genuine care. It’s unique and very special.

Darrin: Well, thank you. And like I said, this is just but one chapter, and I hope in the very near future you’ll be giving me another phone call so that we can celebrate again from some knowledge that we’ve given you just recently and we’ll let you tell the story or start the story again.  

Abby: Yeah. Yeah, we’ll be starting the regimen with the Trace Minerals and the Gut Health alongside it for Seth. And then hopefully working towards some weaning off MiraLAX completely and seeing if he can have a healthy digestion from that.

Darrin: Well, thank you again, and I look forward to that conversation.

Abby: Me too.

Darrin: Alright, thanks Abby.

Abby: Thank you so much.

Thanks for listening in. If you have any topics you want covered, let us know on our Instagram page @tracemineralsresearch. We’ll see you back here next week on Trace Your Day.