… Calling Wise Community and Researchers …
Current research (that I can find) on the microbiome (gut bugs) of schizophrenia patients reveals bad bugs are dominant in their microbiome. Okay, we all might have guessed that. Also, the research I have been able to find, does show studies with “good gut bugs” in patients via supplemented probiotics. What I am referring to is a greater colonization of “good gut bugs” in schizophrenia patients to knock those “bad gut bug gangsters” off the block. For those of you with much knowledge here… you may be thinking, have they done full fecal transplants healthy to schizophrenia biomomes? (sounds gross - not that bad and for relief of suffering we’d all do it!)
Dr. William Davis work (Wheat Belly and Gut Fix) highlights natural/therapeutic repopulation of the “good guy bugs” into your microbiome for various positive health benefits, many mental, with the delivery method being slightly longer than normal ferment times of homemade yogurt/kefir. Does anyone have knowledge on actively altering the gut and/or oral microbiome of schizophrenia patients by recolonizing “good bacteria” kicking the bad bacteria out? Thus, causing the body to heal itself by modulating the dopamine/serotonin naturally for relief of symptoms and dare I say healing? Dr. Davis recommends L. reuteri strain for it’s positive qualities more social, more empathy, etc. But I would propose (a separate ferment batch) a longer ferment time on like a Lifeway Kefir (plain must be plain) for all the wonderful strains it has. BTW if you are new to all this - the daily yogurt portion for starting is about 1/2 cup of each ferment - the body needs time to “turn over” and if you do a fast “turn over” it causes flu like symptoms … kind of like a few cocktails feels good but to many in one night doesn’t feel good !!! Just so you hear me; a little is very good a lot too fast is not good… Also, this would appear to apply to autistic patients as well - the best part of this is that it’s natural. Either this is too new a concept or it doesn’t have money making potential versus current antipsychotics to investigate further.
We have a 23 daughter newly diagnosed and are in the same boat as many of you precious people - she has anosognosia (won’t take meds but will eat some yogurt) and we are using the LEAP method to patiently work with her. diagnosis: schizophrenia with catatonia and eating disorder unspecified. Last hospitalization she the told doctor she was not swallowing the Abilify we were watching her take during mealtime. We can see how hard she is trying, it’s not her fault but it’s painful for us to see her be a prisoner of her mind and extreme isolation, knowing the meds. would allow some life function. She resists meds./therapy but in the end she might accept diagnosis or she might accept meds if she understands the trade off is pysch hospital, which she did not like. It’s very hard for us as we have to work through delusions and she is a flight risk so sleepless nights - but “I’m preaching to the choir” as they say…