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Comment by delichon | Hacker News Reader

I got bad chronic constipation after four years as a strict carnivore. I didn't get relief just by adding back fiber, but I did by adding fermented foods like kimchi. I wonder if ferments are a more natural way than fecal transplants to repair the gut microbiome, possibly treating autism. Studies have been non conclusive, but this story makes me think it's worth pursuing.

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The microbiota is passed from mother to son on birth, not totally from the environment.

What we currently don’t understand is why for some people they never got them (we have techniques to transport the biota from the mother during birth for non-natural procedures) or they loose them.

Even with the transplant, the microbes won’t stick around on those people (not taking about autistic people here, but people in general).

Diverse food really helps, just as not eating ultraprocessed (they won’t reach the end of the intestines).

Fermented and other pre or probiotics will really help too.

But none of those will recover the biota in some people.

In some countries the number of kids born through c-section are very high, more than half the kids in Brazil are born that way for example, so definitely people can be healthy without getting it from their mothers.

I read it is a practice these days to do this fecal "rub" for newborns as a way to compensate for the C-section lack of it. I do not know if it happens in Brazil. Another factor to consider.

I've never heard of moms doing fecal rubs, but I've heard of many that do vaginal "transplants". I work in a hospital and we get questions quite a bit, moms will often take moist, sterile gauze and conduct the transplant themselves (staff can't really be involved for liability issues).

I just saw it in some documentary, but do not remember where. I found these, which look like what I heard described. I believe it is the same you mention:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11095576/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03449-4

It's not

> can be healthy

Or can they.

It’s (meant to be) an emergency procedure. Benefits: life. Downsides: plenty.

Maybe most relevant in the context of this thread:

“In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 61 studies comprising more than 20 million deliveries, birth by cesarean delivery was significantly associated with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.“

Zhang, T., Sidorchuk, A., Sevilla-Cermeño, L., Vilaplana-Pérez, A., Chang, Z., Larsson, H., Mataix-Cols, D., Fernández de la Cruz, L., & D’Onofrio, B. M. (2019). Association of cesarean delivery with risk of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in the offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open, 2(8), e1910236. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.10236

A selection of some more:

Keag, O. E., Norman, J. E., & Stock, S. J. (2018). Long-term risks and benefits associated with cesarean delivery for mother, baby, and subsequent pregnancies: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS Medicine, 15(1), e1002494. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002494

De Mucio, B., Serruya, S., Alemán, A., Castellano, G., & Sosa, C. G. (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis of cesarean delivery and other uterine surgery as risk factors for placenta accreta. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 147(3), 281–291. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12948

Sandall, J., Tribe, R. M., Avery, L., Mola, G., Visser, G. H. A., Homer, C. S. E., Gibbons, D., Kelly, N. M., Kennedy, H. P., Kidanto, H., Taylor, P., & Temmerman, M. (2018). Short-term and long-term effects of caesarean section on the health of women and children. The Lancet, 392(10155), 1349–1357. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31930-5

Li, H.-T., Zhou, Y.-B., & Liu, J.-M. (2013). The impact of cesarean section on offspring overweight and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity, 37(7), 893–899. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2012.195

S., Fleming, J., Bromley, A., Shields, M. D., & Cardwell, C. R. (2008). A meta-analysis of the association between Caesarean section and childhood asthma. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 38(4), 629–633. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.2007.02780.x

Mascarello, K. C., Horta, B. L., & Silveira, M. F. (2017). Maternal complications and cesarean section without indication: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Revista de Saúde Pública, 51, 105. https://doi.org/10.11606/S1518-8787.2017051000389

Regarding the first study: follow up from the same authors overturns their own results: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33666663/

> Conclusions and relevance: The findings of this study suggest that the association between CD and increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the children was most likely explained by unmeasured familial confounding.

The lower intestinal region is guarded by a vat of acid. Not sure how much of those probiotic pills get through.

Eating yoghurt and fresh fruit to replenish gut bacteria has long been common medical advice after severe-diarrhea illnesses. Something does indeed get through.

beneficial bacteria are tolerant of acidic environments (yogurt/pickles/kimchi), and while a bulk of them die in the stomach some do get through. we know this because eating probiotic rich foods regularly does result in a measurable difference in the populations of those specific bacteria in the gut (as long as you continue consuming them).

Why did you follow a strict carnivore diet? Health? Accident? Aside from the constipation did it benefit your health?

Obesity and diabetes. It solved about half of the obesity and all of the diabetes.

> and all of the diabetes.

Can you elaborate please? Type 1 or type 2? If type 1, does that mean your body can now produce insulin on its own? If type 2, does that mean the insulin sensitivity of your cells is now back to normal levels and you could eat sugary food without issues?

Not the OP, but I would guess more likely type 2, and most likely solved while on the diet; not necessarily forever (although maybe when they went away from strict carnivore they didn't return to a mainstream diet and may still be effectively moderating their blood sugar through diet)

Dieting is calories in and calories out, but protein takes more calories to digest than fat or carbs and is often very filling so it's a good way to help someone diet who struggles with feeling hungry.

You feel satiated and you're reducing your caloric intake. You can only eat so much beef jerky compared to eating a whole bag of chips before getting sick. It's helpful for people who are binge eaters.

>I got bad chronic constipation after four years as a strict carnivore.

2 questions:

1) Did your constipation start right after you did strict carnivore? Or was it after 4 years?

2) List all foods that you ate on strict carnivore. (Include salt, water etc. I presume it won't be a long list)

Just all foods including salt and water consumed over a 4 year time period with some unknown offset from present, sure seems like a reasonable amount of effort in response to some random guys HN post.

1) I had constipation on a very high fiber diet before starting carnivore. That was fixed in literally one day. It was the most dramatic change. Then it gradually came back after about 3.5 years.

2) beef, butter, chicken, pork, lamb, eggs, bacon, for > 95%. I do indulge in some processed meats with seasonings. Salt is the only seasoning I add, so I've become a salt snob and get the premium stuff.

After that unspicy diet, full strength kimchi is an experience.

Thanks.

Regarding full strength kimchi - did you make it yourself or did you buy it? If you bought it, what brand?

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