2015 was a game changing year for me. About the time I was ready to step up my training for my summer races, I started having horrible diarrhea and stomach cramps that made it unbearable to lay flat or stand up. In May I discovered I had an umbilical hernia and in June I was diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis.
Fortunately both conditions were treatable. A retired doctor friend explained to me that lymphocytic colitis can be controlled with diet and supplements. And my surgeon said that it was not urgent to repair my hernia immediately and I could run as long as I felt like good.
I learned that the colitis was a symptom of having a leaky gut. While the intestinal wall is naturally permeable to allow for the absorption of vital nutrients, the tight junctures of the wall can become broken as a result of infections, toxins, stress, age and even food sensitivities. Toxins and undigested food particles can then escape the intestines and travel through the blood stream where they are treated by the immune system as pathogens and attacked.
Besides digestive issues such as IBS, colitis, & Crohn’s, leaky gut can manifest in the form of candida overgrowth; seasonal allergies & asthma; skin issues like rosacea, eczema & acne; and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Hashimoto’s & fibromyalgia. Chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue, depression, anxiety as well as ADD and ADDHD can also be attributed to a leaky gut.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalms 139:14
The good news is that God created the body with the ability to heal itself as the cells are constantly renewing. A leaky gut can be reversed and most symptoms will disappear or be significantly diminished. You have to get rid of the things causing the inflammation and nourish your body with anti-inflammatory foods.
I spent the second half of 2015 eliminating certain foods from my diet so that I could eventually wean off the prescribed medicine that stopped the diarrhea. I learned that I had a candida overgrowth (too much yeast) which was feeding off of anything sweet that I ate, including fruit. I’m not going to sugar coat it (pun intended), but cutting sugar and caffeine out of my diet was probably one of the hardest things I’ve done. But only for the the first 5 days.
The changes I began to see were wonderful. No more eczema. No fall allergies and asthma. Energy through the roof! Improved sleep. Better recovery from my speed workouts and long runs. No more long visits to the bathroom after a race. My race times and my easy run pace were faster. I even lost 7 pounds.
While I can’t say that I am happy to have been diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis, I believe it turned out to be a huge blessing. Sure I was really bummed about missing my summer races. However, the improvement in my running made it all worthwhile. Running and racing have become fun again!
Intrigued by what was happening in my own body, I was eager to learn more so that I could help others overcome similar problems and also improve their running. I went through an intensive training course to become a Healthy Gut Advisor.
In the upcoming weeks I will be sharing the steps I took that improved my health, reduced my risk of injuries and helped me regain my competitive edge! If you are serious about improving your health and your running, then stick with me.
Does your health interfere with your ability to run consistently? If so, leave a comment below and and let me know what you would like to learn.
