Holly (Cleveland, Oh) on 09/24/2017
Ellen (Toledo, Oh) on 10/11/2015
A question that I have is when you take Psyllium Husk, how long does it stay in your body?
Rebecca (Tallassee, All.) on 08/30/2015
Forloveford (Alberta, Canada) on 12/18/2013
After doing research on natural remedies and finding this site I figured out what had happened and how to fix it:
As a child I suffered chronic ear infections and was on antibiotics at least once every month, I was diagnosed with asthma as young as two and made to take high doses of medication while growing up, anyone who has had asthma can attest to the rigorous routine most doctors want the children and their parents to follow. Two separate inhalers both taken three times a day. Well of course my system was a wreck, my whole life I relied on medication to sustain myself. My gut flora would have been nearly non-existent since I was a toddler.
My solution to this issue is one of many, but since this post is about Psyllium I will give you my recipe and explain the reactions.
Every morning Smoothie:
blend in blender or mixer, add more liquid if needed, drink before it congeals! And wash the cup right away.
I would drink one of these every day, starting with the husks and kefir very slowly. The Herx effect can manifest easily in people who have a high accumulation of toxins in their body, for me it was almost as unbearable as the eczema itself.
These days I only take psyllium when I feel my body needs it. The eczema is almost gone and my legs look almost normal again, there are still spots like on my forehead and inside of my arms that will flare up with stress.
It has been about 1 year since I started treating my extreme eczema problem, I am not 100% cured but something that took 24 years to accumulate is going to take longer than 1 year to expel. As for the Asthma, I will get attacks after allot of physical exertion but only once in a while, usually I can over come them with a short yoga practice. Again, my asthma is not 100% cured, I still rely on medication when I really need it and hate to say it but my mind still depends upon it to feel secure.
In addition to the smoothie recipe, an overall lifestyle change has helped considerably. Yoga, raw and organic food and growing as much as we can in our own garden has been the best changes we have ever made. Taking frequent trips into the wilderness, back roads and country side has reduced the stress level considerably and allows me to connect with something that was missing living in the city. It is really hard to feel sick with the resin filled mountain air in your lungs, or when a beautiful Bird of Prey glides overhead.
Take Care
Garymanc (Adelaide, Australia) on 01/16/2013
Des (Dubai, Uae) on 02/21/2012
Kintana (Ottawa, Canada, Ontario) on 08/05/2010
Better But With Side Effects
Dan (Palatine, Illinois) on 06/05/2010
Renee (Bergen Co., Nj) on 05/21/2010
-Start with small amounts, maybe ½ tsp or 2-3 capsules, increasing to 1 heaping tsp (equal to about 10 capsules -- just use the powder if you need this much)
- Important: instructions call for 8 oz of water per heaping tsp. Drink at least double this amount. I drink triple this amount. I mix the heaping tsp of psyllium in 16 oz water and drink quickly. Then I pour another 6-8 oz water & drink that as well, for a total of 20-24 oz. (a tall glass and a half). If I don't drink this amount, I get dehydrated. I dehydrate easily -- my mouth & eyes get dry and, especially in the morning, my kidneys ache. A tall glass of water or two will resolve this quickly. I also drink room temperature water. I can't imagine drinking that much cold water unless I was really hot. It's ok to warm the water, but I prefer room temp.
- I prefer to take my heaping tsp in 20-24 oz water about an hour or two after dinner. I do get a bit bloated, so I'd rather be bloated overnight. I have time before bed to urinate a couple of times, so I don't have to get up in the middle of the night. For me, a perfectly flat stomach equals constipation ;-) The bloating goes away with a good bowel movement in the morning.
- I usually drink 16-32 oz of water on an empty stomach when I first get up. This will send me straight to the bathroom. Often, I eliminate within 15-30 minutes of getting up without the water, but I know I need to rehydrate in the morning anyway, so this is a good habit. Water on an empty stomach can cause contractions in the intestinal tract, which helps elimination. I also keep seltzer water, as that also causes intestinal spasm and can be helpful. But first you need soft, bulky stools (think psyllium husk), not hard, small stools. Once this problem is solved, water first thing in the morning or seltzer water will help the stools move through the intestinal tract, if this is an issue.
- My mother has occasional constipation and 1 heaping tsp psyllium in 16 oz water clears it up for her.
- My husband has IBS, where rich, fatty foods cause cramping and diarrhea shortly after eating. Taking 2-3 psyllium capsules with 8 oz or more water before eating will prevent the severe intestinal spasms that cause the cramping & diarrhea. So psyllium helps with IBS-constipation (lazy colon) & IBS-diarrhea (spastic colon).
- Any efforts to detox (I've tried many remedies from EarthClinic) will be aided by psyllium husk. There's nothing worse than drawing toxins out & then not being able to eliminate them. Psyllium husk will shorten, lighten, or eliminate detox/'herx' effects. I sometimes increase psyllium to 2 or more tsp/day. Take a half tsp here and there throughout the day and then a normal dose at night (if you have room -- Pay attention & you'll learn to detect when you've taken enough -- you'll be a little bloated at bedtime.... the bloating will be gone in the morning with a good, easy bowel movement.
-I also take psyllium husk on an empty stomach in the morning, if needed. It will cause a little bloating but, if I'm constipated, it's worth it. Also, a good idea if I'm using additional detox remedies. Again, detox without good elimination is self-defeating. You'll only reabsorb the toxins &/or feel terrible. Stop detox efforts until you are eliminating well and then restart slowly.
- I buy a vitamin store's brand of psyllium husk. It's pure, with no other ingredients.
- My mother prefers to mix psyllium & water in a jar. Shake it well. Then pour & drink quickly. Follow with more plain water to get to 16-24 oz.
- It appears that most problems with psyllium occur from taking too much too soon (excessive gas, bloating) and from not drinking enough water (dehydration -- could cause bad breath & other ill effects). I can think of no other way psyllium could cause bad breath. If anything, it helps eliminate old food from hanging around and causing bad breath (for me, next-day bad breath from garlic, etc. is no longer a problem).
- Eliminates hemorrhoids. Eliminates/helps acid reflux. - for me, at least.
- Lowers bad cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar levels. If my blood sugar dips before dinner, I'll take a little psyllium and I'm fine. It helps me keep my weight stable, but I'm not trying to lose weight.
- Not habit forming, but rather helps tone the intestinal tract. I need less psyllium now than I used to.
- Acts as a prebiotic. I've never had trouble with washing away all my good bacteria, but rather I feel my intestinal tract is healthier than ever. I do eat raw veggies everyday, which also helps good bacteria flourish.
Hope this helps someone!
Fifi1201 (London, London Uk) on 03/24/2010
Oekoman (Houston, Texas, Usa) on 02/04/2010
Wanda (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia) on 05/21/2009
I use 1 Tbl a day of it now for large intestine spasms and it has helped. These comments have been helpful because I see other ways it has helped me as well. I don't know if I'm addicted to it but sure don't want to be without it! Those spasms are pretty disabling as long as they last. If I combined it with ANYthing else, I'd blame the other thing before the psyllium husk, let alone any kind of CLAY! There is nothing natural about putting that into our bodies! And I've learned the importance of enough water as well!
Benjamin (Pensacola, FL) on 03/08/2009
Naomi (Auckland, New Zealand) on 10/13/2008
After years of laxative abuse associated with an eating disorder, I ended up with sever IBS and an intolerance to a wide range of foods, including many fruits. I started taking psyllium husks recently after reading about it in a health magazine, and I have been amazed by the difference. I can eat most foods without the bloating, flatulence and chronic stomach pain that I have had to live with for years!
Although, I have found that when I have not taken the psyllium for several days, the symptoms have returned again. But to be able to live without pain, a tablespoon of psyllium on my breakfast in the mornings seems a small ask!
Mary (Farmington, Minnesota) on 04/07/2008
After three days of taking my morning and evening doses I began having a very sore throat. Extreme headache, which I attributed to a sinus headache. However, I believe the absorbing action of the psyllium dehydrated my body so much that these symptoms were caused. I am not even sure how quickly they are absorbed, because as the headache worsened, I became extremely nauseated. The capsules came up completely whole.
I experienced this twice in a matter of a month and a half.
I know when I don't drink enough water I am prone to headaches. During the cleanse I continued to drink my regular amount of water however I believe that you must drink twice your normal intake when taking a product with psyllium to prevent dehydration. I have done other cleanse's that did not effect me in a negative way. However, I will be much more careful now about looking at the ingredients. If there is pysllium, I know that it's not for me. These headaches are excrutiating, the first time I was in bed for three days.
April (Sumter, SC) on 03/01/2004
Melissa (Raleigh, NC) on 12/20/2006
KC (Columbia, South Carolina) on 07/02/2006
Den (Toronto) on 09/26/2006
ELIZABETH (LONDON) on 02/20/2007