HouseCall: Lip Rash, CBO Diet, Thyroidectomy, MTHFR Genes, Interstitial Cystitis, Detox Alternatives, Poor Absorption, Starting Slow, Achalasia

Thank you for joining us for our 2nd Cabral HouseCall of the weekend!

I’m looking forward to sharing with you some of our community’s questions that have come in over the past few weeks…

Let’s get started!

Laura: Hello Dr. Cabral, I’m hoping you can help me. I get this lip rash every now and then, starting in 2016. Each time I was told it was contact dermatitis and given prednisone, and I was fine. Since then, I’ve been very careful of what I put on my face. It would still flare up minimally in 2017, so I was prescribed Desonide cream, which I don’t like putting on my lips. I have also been using hydrocortisone ointment as a lip balm since 2016, but not in the past few months. 2 weeks ago, this rash flared up badly again, and I refuse to take any sort of medication, or any topical steroids, as I want to get over it naturally. It’s been going on for 2 weeks and I’m at a loss. I had allergy patch testing done – no results. I am vegan (since 2017) and gluten-free (since 2017). I don’t eat refined sugar and I’m heavily plant-based. My lips are incredibly itchy, almost unbearably, several times during the day. I think it starts overnight/in the morning, I always know it’s going to be bad when I wake up with swollen lips. I haven’t changed anything in months (skincare, detergent, etc., and everything I use is natural) so I’m pretty sure it’s not a contact allergy. They’re itchy and dry constantly, so much so that it’s hard to eat because they itch when anything, even food, touches them. The only thing that’s been different in my life the last 2 weeks is that I’ve been taking it really easy in my daily Bikram yoga practice due to a shoulder overuse injury (nothing serious, but I’ve been unable to do the normal back bending, chest/neck stretching postures I normally do). But it definitely starts with the swollen lips in the morning, and sometimes I notice it in the middle of the night. It’s not my pillowcase or laundry detergent. What could be causing my lips to swell overnight?

Ashley: Hi Dr.Cabral, I have taken the OAT test twice and I’ve been working with a naturopath for the past year trying to get rid of all of my bacteria imbalances. I have overgrowths of Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic (27), Arabinose (79), Tricarballylic (.56), Hippuric (884), 4-Hydrobenzoic (2.7), DHPPA (1.1) and 4-Cresol (76). I feel like they’re almost gone and I would like to do your 21-day detox to clean out my blood and reset my hormones and I’d also like to do the intestinal cleanse and the gut protocol. What order do I need to do these in for best results? Can I do them all at once? How long will it take to seal my gut back up? Do I need to stay on a diet without any coffee, alcohol, dairy, grains, beans, and seeds for 6 months (am I allowed to stray from this at all?) I already follow a mostly plant-based diet with smoothies in the morning, vegetarian lunches and at dinner, i usually have high-quality fish or meat with lots of veggies but I do love my pizza and wine once in a while. I am so excited to get started and can’t wait to hear what you have to say! Thank you so much for everything you do, I love listening to all of your advice.

Elizabeth: I’m wondering if you’ve ever worked with people that do not have a thyroid. Mine was removed because of uncontrollable hyperthyroidism, and after removing it was found I had thyroid cancer. If you have addressed this in a podcast, can you direct me to the one I should listen to?

Pamela: Do you deal with anyone MTHFR positive both Gene copies of a1298c & c677t, who has Lyme disease and autistic? Any protocols to assist with detox, methalatukn, & focus, concentration.
My son’s diet is preserative free, corn free, gluten free, no HFCS, no dyes, & low sugar. Use of hemp & CBD oil & also colloidal silver. Some use of an infrad red sauna

Tara: Hi Dr Cabral! My friend was diagnosed with Interstitial cystitis several years ago. She was told to eliminate acidic foods, which helped, and she regularly was seeing a naturopath who put her on a strict diet. She’s also having up to about 20 different naturopathic pills a day, and although she has seen improvement in the past few years, her symptoms seem to be recently returning. I was hoping you could recommend certain lab tests, or she’d light on what could be a root cause of this. It’s not something that runs in her family. Thank you!

Ida: Hi! I will buy your book and starting 21-day seasonal detox. Is it possible to follow your detox plan with local food products and supplements? Do you give any alternative recommendations in the plan? I live in Finland and we have great functional medicine supplements and nutrient powders but I just wonder if the plan is stictly based on your products. You are one of my biggest inspirations and teachers in my way to functional medicine nutritionist! Love, Ida

Imogene: Hi Dr Cabral. I’m so thankful to have discovered you – thank you for all you have done for me so far, I love soaking up your knowledge i am now considering a future as a wellness coach! I’m 27, 62 kilos, 165cms and a trainee clinical pilates instructor (English living in Perth Australia). I was diagnosed with Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis almost 1 year ago after trying for a baby for a year prior, and have this year undergone fertility treatment (2 x ICSI cycles -as my husband has 26% fragmented DNA in his sperm + 3 months of Zolodex) I’m now on a contraceptive pill with no breaks until we can (afford to) go ahead with embryo transfers (we have 4 day 5 blastocysts in the freezer). Prior to this diagnosis, I always had regular periods, however I have spent a good 10 years of my life on a contraceptive pill which help to mask the symptoms of Endo. After trying for a while my hormones were tested on day 21 and the GP said my results were normal. This lead to a hycosy which showed I had clear fallopian tubes, which lead to an MRI that eventually showed i have DI Endo and involvement in the bowel. I was told by the first specialist to have surgery to have it all removed and I’d also need prt of my bowel removed. I saw a second professor who gave an alternate option without surgery for now. I have had acne skin problems forever and am realising a link between poor gut health and digestion issues and believe this is all linked to the fertility issues we’ve been having. I have always been a very bloated person with poor digestion and tummy issues (constipation, stomach sensitivity, cramping etc). I had a lot of antibiotics as a child and prolonged periods of antibiotics for skin treatment in my teens, recurrent tonsilitis and glandular fever and was always the sick kid. I also suffer from what I believe to be Myofascial Pain syndrome following an accident I had in 2015 which I have since treated with massage, regular physio dry needling (twice weekly) and clinical pilates every day. It affects my quality of life and ability to work. I went vegan at the start of the year and initially felt great but recently i feel so fatigued and flat and need to nap during the day and struggle to get out of bed before 9am – It’s been hard to know if it’s been the diet, or the medication I have been taking for fertility treatment but I don’t feel like I’m thriving despite my healthy diet and want my body in a great place for when we go ahead with the transfers. I recently saw a naturopath and have gone ahead with a bacteria/culture test (stool) and a Ubiome gut test which I’m yet to get the results – but upon listening to your podcasts I’m not sure this is comprehensive enough for me to really be informed moving forward. What would you recommend I do to move forward? My goals are to reduce or eliminate my chronic pain, fall pregnant and feel energised. I know your big on testing and data so we can make informed decisions but I’m not sure which other tests are necessary for me. My naturopath put me on gluten free diet for my endo and curcumin tablets to reduce inflammation. I also take folic acid, Wellco super elixir green powder, wellco chocolate protein powder, the beauty chef glow powder and collagen tonic and their sleep powder. I have berries, hemp hearts, flax seeds, chia seeds, coconut oil, raspberries, blueberries, bananas, greens and generally a wide variety of nuts, seeds, pulses, vegetables and fruits in my diet. I’m also eliminating chemicals and toxins where possible, shop at the local farmers market, cleared all chemicals from my house, reducing plastics, use organic deodorant, toothpaste you name it! I think my body is just not absorbing the goodness I’m putting in! Please help.

Cheryl: I was thinking about ordering the daily protocol and had a question. My daughter has had problems in the past with taking multi vitamins. Her knee’s, elbows and thighs turn bright red and it takes a few hours to go away after taking a Benadryl. Would it be safe her to take all the item in the protocol? She is 20 years old and only weights around 100 lbs Thank you

Michael: Hi Stephen, I have been diagnosed with achalasia type I. I am now waiting to get surgery. P.O.E.M surgery actually. I heard your podcast with Ben Greenfield and figured I’d contact you to see what you might be able to recommend if anything at all. Do you do skype consultations for example? I am living in Norway.