broccoli sprouts
Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2023 12:22 am
Nearly twenty years ago, I was diagnosed with h pylori. I was in my thirties. I began experiencing strange symptoms that were concerning because I was young and besides working at a sedentary job, I didn't have any risk factors for anything. My diet was ok--I was never averse to eating vegetables. I had been married already for nearly a decade. I neither a smoker, a drinker or user of any drugs besides coffee. I suddenly started experiencing brief, but sudden, episodes of palpitations, shortness of breath that at first would resolve in a minute or two. Later, these were more persistent. I went to the emergency room and the tests said I was fine. The doctor said it was my stomach, which seemed to me rather absurd, as I noticed nothing in that department. I had other symptoms, which were urological and also weird and out of the blue. Again examination said everything was fine. I went to several doctors and frustratingly, they always said they could see nothing, except that my liver enzymes were high, and some said the liver was congested.
I finally got a doctor who ordered a stool test along with the other typical tests and came back with a flashing h pylori infection indication! This was the first I was learning about this bug. He ordered the standard triple therapy, which became three rounds of antibiotics. After each one he did a test and said I was still infected. Finally, he suggested I try broccoli sprouts. I did and it helped, but I would tire of doing so. And the symptoms would return. Also, other doctors I've since gone to (The doctor who diagnosed h pylori was no longer available at the location I'd go to and the wait to see him was VERY long--even when you had an appointment and were in the waiting room.) don't prescribe stool tests or are reluctant to go after h pylori.
Anyway, my symptoms aren't so bad and I am not 100% sure that they are caused by h pylori (I haven't been properly tested in years.). I was at the point that I could only sleep on my left side. If I turned over to another position, I would wake up thinking I was having a heart attack! From experience, I would simply rise and let gravity do it's work, then lay on my left side again, and all would be relatively okay. I do not take antacid medications.
My son started culturing broccoli sprouts for me and I've kept up with eating them daily for several weeks now. The results: I can sleep on any side I want. I am still lactose sensitive, but otherwise stool looks normal. Urological symptoms, which were admittedly mild and did not impede function, absent. This is great! Most of this came within two weeks time. The only change was adding broccoli sprouts to my diet. Here's the issue. How long do I have to do this? Assuming an impact to h pylori, will the bug grow resistant? There isn't as much info as I would like on this topic. My initial reading, years ago, was that the sprouts only suppress the bacteria, not eradicate it. Is that still true? Is antibiotic resistance common? Any light shed here is appreciated. Thanks.
I finally got a doctor who ordered a stool test along with the other typical tests and came back with a flashing h pylori infection indication! This was the first I was learning about this bug. He ordered the standard triple therapy, which became three rounds of antibiotics. After each one he did a test and said I was still infected. Finally, he suggested I try broccoli sprouts. I did and it helped, but I would tire of doing so. And the symptoms would return. Also, other doctors I've since gone to (The doctor who diagnosed h pylori was no longer available at the location I'd go to and the wait to see him was VERY long--even when you had an appointment and were in the waiting room.) don't prescribe stool tests or are reluctant to go after h pylori.
Anyway, my symptoms aren't so bad and I am not 100% sure that they are caused by h pylori (I haven't been properly tested in years.). I was at the point that I could only sleep on my left side. If I turned over to another position, I would wake up thinking I was having a heart attack! From experience, I would simply rise and let gravity do it's work, then lay on my left side again, and all would be relatively okay. I do not take antacid medications.
My son started culturing broccoli sprouts for me and I've kept up with eating them daily for several weeks now. The results: I can sleep on any side I want. I am still lactose sensitive, but otherwise stool looks normal. Urological symptoms, which were admittedly mild and did not impede function, absent. This is great! Most of this came within two weeks time. The only change was adding broccoli sprouts to my diet. Here's the issue. How long do I have to do this? Assuming an impact to h pylori, will the bug grow resistant? There isn't as much info as I would like on this topic. My initial reading, years ago, was that the sprouts only suppress the bacteria, not eradicate it. Is that still true? Is antibiotic resistance common? Any light shed here is appreciated. Thanks.