Tuesday, November 5, 2013

The Cause and Cure of Morning Sickness and Hyperemesis Gravidarum

This post is one very near and dear to my heart, and one that I have been very eagerly wanting to write and publish for some time now. If people only ever read one post on my blog, I really hope it is this one. Please feel free to link to this, or otherwise help spread the word.

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My regular readers may know that I suffer from debilitating morning sickness when pregnant. The kind that lasts all day and night, feels like food poisoning that never ends for months, and renders one incapable of leading a normal life.



I have suffered this kind of extreme morning sickness with all my pregnancies except for Becky's (more on that later). For those who are new to this blog, I am currently expecting our 8th child. In other words, I have been through this horrible morning sickness thing many times. I have also connected with other ladies suffering from NVP (nausea and vomiting in pregnancy) and HG (hyperemesis gravidarum). Having suffered from HG for collectively a couple of years of my life, I have studied this subject intensely since my first pregnancy in 2001, desperate to find some logical explanation, and then hopefully, a cure.

Having said all that, I am beyond thrilled to tell you that I am certain I have FOUND both the underlying cause, as well as the cure for morning sickness, ranging anywhere from mild to severe. I will not have time to add all the scientific footnotes, study references, etc. that this knowledge is based upon. Obviously, I didn't come up with the puzzle or any of its pieces, I just finally put it all together, thanks to the work and insight of too many others to name. Maybe one of these days I will find the time to write up a little booklet on this, with the proper footnotes and an extensive bibliography, but until then I just want to get the information out to those currently suffering, or trying to preempt future misery.

Since this information is all FREE and PUBLIC, you can just read the info, do your own research, and like it or leave it. Chances are, if you are suffering from HG, you are incredibly desperate and willing to try just about anything. At least this one won't cost you much more than your time reading this post.

Without further ado, let's jump in both feet first:

The root cause of morning sickness (any severity): Heliobacter pylori  

H. pylori is a bacteria that lives in the stomachs of as many as half of the world's population. Interestingly enough, one study found that 100% of women with HG that were biopsied tested positive for it. In recent years, there have been multiple studies making the connection between H. pylori colonization, and morning sickness.



H. pylori does not always obviously affect those who carry it adversely. Much like many bacteria in our body (i.e. candida), as long as they are kept in check, they may never pose a problem. However, there are certain triggers that send it into "high gear," one of those triggers being hormonal swings (such as those experienced during early pregnancy). Certain foods, like simple carbs and for some people, red meats, can also cause it to flare up. When it does, nausea and vomiting are the end result, though individuals are affected differently based on their overall health, diet, sensitivity, etc.

In a vicious cycle, when H. pylori has been  triggered, it exacerbates hormonal swings due to its effects on the hypothalamus - explaining why HG feels like slipping into a hole that seems virtually impossible to climb out of.


The cure for morning sickness

There are two options: 

- Eradicating the h. pylori: This is a lot easier said than done. H. pylori lives mostly in the lower part of the stomach, in spite of the acidic environment, where it actually thrives.

The conventional approach is to take a course of extremely powerful antibiotics. From what I have read, these cannot be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding, and of course come with the typical downsides and side-effects of antibiotics. They are also not guaranteed to work - they may or may not be successful at ridding you of the h. pylori. If they do, you may become colonized again in the future. However, HG moms who have successfully followed through with the antibiotics, typically report a complete absence of nausea with the next pregnancy. So if this is a route you are thinking about, it's definitely worth looking into and discussing with your care provider.

Personally, I wanted to explore natural ways of trying to eradicate, or at least reduce, h. pylori before resorting to antibiotics. While I didn't find anything relating to morning sickness specifically, many who suffer from negative effects due to h. pylori colonization have reported great success with colloidal silver.



Much has been written already on the benefits, safety, and effectiveness of colloidal silver. It is, in a nutshell, a natural antibiotic. Many have heard of zinc being helpful for fighting colds - silver is much, much more effective. I don't feel a need to rewrite information here that can easily be found all over the web.

The brand I buy, and have seen great success with, is the one pictured above - Sovereign Silver. You can buy it at most health food stores. A 1-qt bottle runs between $43-50. If you find yourself and your family using a lot of colloidal silver, I can also recommend purchasing The Silver Edge colloidal silver generator. The company is based right here in Phoenix, and their website is full of useful information. Please read their excellent article regarding the safety of using colloidal silver during pregnancy.

To eradicate h. pylori, the recommended dose is 1 teaspoon, three times daily, on an empty stomach. This is safe even during pregnancy. In my personal experience, I had to up the dose to 1 tablespoon multiple times per day during the peak of my hormonal swings, but then again, my stomach was only empty first thing in the morning, as being pregnant and having an empty stomach don't go together well. Having food in the stomach takes away much of the effectiveness of the colloidal silver. 

For those not currently pregnant, an even more powerful approach is to couple taking the colloidal silver with a capsule of turmeric, so 1 teaspoon colloidal silver plus one turmeric capsule, three times per day, on an empty stomach. This is to be continued for about 10 days. (Turmeric can irritate the uterus, and is not advised during pregnancy except in small amounts for cooking.) The colloidal silver and turmeric coupled create a very hostile environment for the h. pylori. It is further advised to reduce any trigger foods during this time (i.e. simple carbs like sugar and flour) to give the h. pylori nothing to feast on. I did not do this prior to this pregnancy, but plan on giving this a try after the baby is born.


The symptoms of h. pylori die-off are very similar to those of candida die-off, but typically do not extend beyond three days at the most: stomach pains, intestinal upset and gas, and headaches. It is likely you may not suffer any of these, unless you have a serious abundance of h. pylori in your system. 

Again, killing off the h. pylori completely, especially with natural methods, is not easy, and may even be impossible depending on the individual. However, it is not necessary to kill it all off, just so long it is brought into balance, and then kept that way.

- Getting and keeping the h. pylori in check: This is actually very doable. In addition to the colloidal silver, which will successfully combat h. pylori, even if it cannot completely eradicate it, the main key to keeping h. pylori in check is: fermented foods and beverages.

Before modern methods of refrigerating foods, fermentation was universally used to prevent foods from spoiling. In fact, in many parts of the world, that is still the case. This would explain why hyperemesis is a bane that seems to affect mostly first-world nations in the last century or so. Before that, HG was incredibly rare - those suffering from it may have been people with an extreme dislike for fermented food, or rare underlying intestinal issues. 

What are fermented foods and beverages? Let me give some examples
milk: cheese, kefir, yogurt, cultured buttermilk/butter, quark, and many other products that don't even have names in English, because they are unheard of here.

vegetables: pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled tomatoes/carrots/corn/peppers, and just about any other vegetable you can think of. In Hungary, my favorite was pickled watermelon rinds. It is important to note that 99% of what is sold in grocery stores as "pickled" is NOT truly pickled, i.e. fermented. Rather, a fermented taste is imitated by canning the vegetables in a vinegar brine. Such pickles will NOT yield the desired effect of combating morning sickness. To see if something is truly fermented, check the ingredients: if it contains vinegar, it is not pickled. The only ingredients should be the vegetable, water, salt, and spices. 

Since pickling in a barrel/crock is a lost art for most of us, here are my recommendations for high-quality pickled products that can be bough ready: "Bubbies" for pickles (not all their products are pickled, some are vinegar brine, so always check labels), and "Eden Foods" for raw, organic sauerkraut.

condiments: lacto-fermented salsa, catsup, mustard, etc. - Before modern convenience foods, these condiments used to only ever be fermented. I have not seen these ready-made, but they are not hard to make at home by simply adding whey to store-bought condiments, and fermenting them that way.

grain: sourdough bread, crackers, biscuits, pancakes, and even sweets like cake and cookies. Sourdough was the standard leaven used in raised breads and baked goods for thousands of years before the advent of commercial yeast (which is candida albicans, and comes with its own set of problems), baking soda, and baking powder.

sodas/beverages: ginger ale (truly fermented, not just carbonated), root beer, fermented lemonade, water kefir, fermented coconut water, kombucha (fermented tea). Did you know that before modern carbonation created the cheap imitations we find on shelves nowadays, these were once everyday drinks that our grandmothers were used to brewing at home in their own kitchens? The carbonation in these drinks was a natural byproduct of fermentation, and actually increased with age, rather than going "flat" like today's sodas. Also, unlike today's sodas that have zero nutritional value, these traditional drinks (like all fermented foods) are packed with beneficial enzymes, probiotics, vitamins, and nutrients only found in "living" foods.

- Vinegar: While white and malt vinegars are NOT going to help your nausea because they are produced through distillation, apple cider vinegar is made through fermentation, and thus, is very helpful for treating morning sickness. My favorite way to drink it is to add 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tbsp raw honey to 1 quart of ice water. This way, the flavor is very subtle, but unlike just straight-up water, I can actually drink large quantities of this without getting sick to my stomach. Getting enough fluids and staying hydrated is key to averting nausea. Many women report eliminating their morning sickness simply through adding apple cider vinegar to their drinking water.

To learn about fermenting/culturing foods at home in your own kitchen, as well as obtaining starters and equipment, the #1 site on the web I recommend is "Cultures for Health." They offer such an incredible wealth of information on their website, it would be impossible to link to every great article here. I also highly recommend signing up for their weekly newsletter, which is the only newsletter I read regularly, and actually look forward to because I always learn something new. They offer a whole host of e-books on their website, for free, in exchange for signing up for the newsletter. These books are truly treasure troves of knowledge that has largely been lost in the last few generations. You can also check out their YouTube channel for great instructional videos.

Also, many libraries carry a number of books on fermented foods, and how to prepare them at home.


What is it that pregnant women are rumored to crave? Pickles! Wow, there might actually be some truth in that, dating back to when pickles were, well, pickled! How about "pickles and ice cream?" Maybe that stems from the fact that sweets like ice cream will flare up the h. pylori, creating a craving for pickles to offset the negative effects. 

It should be noted that the ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) recommends NOT consuming fermented foods during pregnancy, which of course immediately confirms their effectiveness in my mind. They have no problem prescribing drugs for morning sickness, but please, step back from the sauerkraut! Never mind the fact that pregnant women in virtually all other countries (European countries included) eat plenty of fermented foods, and none of them have the same numbers of moms suffering from HG that we are seeing. As always, there is a lot more profit to be had in drugs than in whole foods alternatives.

There are many theories out there regarding the underlying cause for morning sickness, but upon closer examination, they all match up with the h. pylori theory, and the cure of fermented foods:

- Hormonal fluctuations: HUGE trigger for the h. pylori. Between weeks 12 - 16, the placenta takes over making most of the hormones for baby, thus finally allowing mom to get her own hormone levels back in balance. Some moms that are especially sensitive will continue to experience nausea until after birth, or even during their whole time of breastfeeding. Many report feeling sick around the time each month that their cycles start, which is another major hormonal shift.

- Carbs: Carbs are often thought of as a culprit to morning sickness, and indeed, they can be, especially simple carbs. Remember, that's what the h. pylori feeds on. Since going zero-carb is neither desirable nor feasible, it is important to switch to complex carbs that have been properly prepared through souring, and/or sprouting, and/or soaking (the three S's). White sugar and flour should be eliminated completely. Raw honey has, in my experience, not caused any negative effects as far as aggravating the h. pylori, so that is what I use. If I do end up eating simple carbs (like potatoes or pasta), I am sure to have a side of fermented foods with it, or a fermented drink. 

- Vitamin B deficiency: Fermented foods are FULL of B vitamins, which can otherwise be hard to come by through natural food sources in the Standard American Diet. Taking synthetic vitamins can never mimic that effect. Furthermore, consuming grains that have not been properly prepared through the three S's, as well as conventional sodas with their phosphoric acid, will leach the body of many nutrients, especially minerals. So consuming simple carbs in the form of conventional breads and sodas will not only feed the h. pylori, it will also de-mineralize the body. Fermented foods will not only stop this downward process, but will actually replenish your body with the nutrients necessary for a healthy pregnancy. 

- Magnesium: This has recently become popular through a blog post on Mommypotamus. Again, as I explained in the previous point, being deficient in this or any critical mineral is certainly a contributing factor to morning sickness. However, I believe it is just one of the symptoms of the effects of being nutritionally deficient, rather than the actual root cause of morning sickness. Taking a high quality magnesium supplement, using a topical spray, or taking baths with magnesium salts will certainly be helpful in offsetting the negative effects of inadequate mineral intake from diet alone. Again, properly preparing grains will not only increase their available nutrient content, but also stop them from de-mineralizing the body.

- Being pregnant with a girl/boy: Most moms will report having very different cravings based on the gender of the baby. Many women will find themselves craving simple carbs much more with a girl than with a boy, leading to the old wives fable that girl pregnancies tend to cause worse morning sickness.

- Number of pregnancies: Many moms report their morning sickness becoming worse, and lasting longer, with each subsequent pregnancy. This can be attributed to the h. pylori gaining more and more of a stronghold as it goes unchecked year after year. 

- Stress/fatigue: aggravating factors, because your body is dealing with additional hormones. Who here has ever felt sick to their stomach from being upset, angry, or plain stressed? Case in point.


Now my personal experience: like many of the other moms suffering from hyperemesis, my "morning sickness" in the past did not just disappear when the first trimester ended. In fact, it seemed to last about 2 weeks longer with each additional pregnancy. With Stephen, it was still flaring up past the 20th week, though typically only after eating a meal. It was at this time that I first made the h. pylori connection. I started eating a small amount of sauerkraut before every meal, and after a few days of that, never got sick again, even after discontinuing the sauerkraut. My body had finally gotten back in balance.

However, when my cycles returned months ago, they were always preceded by several days of nausea that was every bit like morning sickness. So hormones were definitely at play. Again, the sauerkraut, and at this point also kefir, sourdough bread, and kombucha, would always do the trick of getting me back on track. 

This success is what finally allowed me to put together the puzzle pieces. In retrospect, I finally figured out why my pregnancy with Becky had been so easy by comparison: When I was newly pregnant with her (about 5 weeks along), our family took a trip to Europe for 10 days. While we were there, I ate many, many more fermented foods than I ever did at that time here in the States. The main reason for this was that these were foods I could only get over there: a certain brand of sourdough bread, fermented veggies that were a staple at every meal, real, delicious Hungarian sauerkraut, all my dearly missed European yogurt varieties that don't even exist here, etc. This allowed my body to get into balance by the time we returned, at least enough to stave off any future nausea by simply taking ginger extract (which has a similar effect on the h. pylori in the stomach as turmeric, and is safe during pregnancy). While I did have some nausea during that pregnancy, it was virtually nothing compared to what I had experienced in the past. Another pregnancy during which I had gone to Germany was Isaac's, and he was the second easiest after Becky. Actually, I had gone there shortly before becoming pregnant with him, so the effect was not as noticeable because the benefits of the fermented foods had started wearing off. 

By contrast, those pregnancies that were the worst as far as morning sickness, were also the babies who struggled most with thrush (candida) as babies, as evidenced by white flecks in their mouth. John even had eczema from it. Candida thrives in the same conditions as h. pylori, so it makes sense that if one was thriving, so was the other.

I was a bit anxious to try the cure on an actual pregnancy, with all the extreme hormonal swings that being pregnant entails. It has been a very interesting experiment! I wouldn't say that I am having no nausea. About 50% of the time I feel normal, and the rest of the time I feel slightly green, but functional (though more tired and less energetic than usual). If a lot of bad trigger factors culminate, I might even have an episode of actually throwing up, though I have not had more than one per day, on maybe one or two days per week (compared to throwing up 20+ times per day). I also must add that I believe my nausea would be eradicated completely if I were vigilant in combating it 100% of the time.

My situation right now reminds me of peace in the Middle East - it's a very delicate balance, one that takes constant attention and directing. My plan is to try and kill off all or most of the h. pylori in my body after this pregnancy, but the methods for doing so do not agree with pregnancy and probably even exclusive breastfeeding. So for now, my main focus is learning to live in relative harmony with h. pylori and its effects on me while pregnant.

When I do get sick, it always seems preventable, like eating too many simple carbs, allowing myself to get too hungry, skipping my daily nap, not getting outdoors, etc. It is also usually coupled with me not taking colloidal silver regularly, and letting up on making sure I get fermented foods with every meal. I simply get sick of eating pickles and sauerkraut while I feel great. Since prevention is key, and it is a lot easier to treat the nausea before it starts, I have learned to watch for subtle clues, such as starting to develop that funny, typical weird taste in my mouth that many pregnant women are familiar with. Another early warning sign is when I stop being able to tolerate straight up water.

My daily routine is to drink a half cup or so of kombucha every morning upon waking, or to take 1 tablespoon of colloidal silver. I don't do both because I think the CS might render the microorganisms in the kombucha ineffective. I always wake up slightly sick in the morning, but sitting down and sipping the kombucha or taking the CS on an empty stomach takes the nausea away, and allows me to cook breakfast for the crew and then eat a real meal myself.

Then throughout the day, I just drink kombucha here and there, because it is simply the easiest, tastiest, and most effective form to get something fermented into me. If I just cannot stand the thought of anything else fermented, I might do a tablespoon of CS instead. If I do, I always try to take it before a meal, while my stomach is at its emptiest, so it can have the maximum effect.

My worst time of the day is typically from 3-6 pm: after I wake up from my nap, until I finally get dinner into me. It's just a busy time in our household, and taking a nap always makes me groggy and a little sick.

Overall, even at my worst times, I would say my nausea has been about 10% of what it would normally be, but I have many times when I feel completely normal. I am also not feeling panicked as I have in the past, knowing that as soon as I get back on track with my eating and natural remedies, I can completely reverse the nausea, and do not need to go down the terrible path of hyperemesis.

Not having to deal with extreme food cravings and aversions, as well as not having that horrible taste in my mouth 24/7, has also been a major blessing, because I have been able to continue grocery shopping, cooking, and meal planning as usual. You know, as opposed to sending my husband on a midnight run to fulfill some post-nausea craving, only to find I couldn't tolerate it by the time he got back to the house with it... Stranger yet, one of my favorite pastimes this pregnancy has been to search the food board on Pinterest, watch cooking shows on Amazon, read cooking magazines, and otherwise "window shop" for delicious new meal ideas. Compare that to throwing up at the sight of any food billboard, or restaurant flyer in the mail!

I believe that women who just suffer the "garden variety" of morning sickness, rather than full-blown HG, will find their nausea completely disappearing even if they are much less vigilant than I am. There are many women online testifying that their morning sickness disappeared completely after they started drinking kombucha.

On the other hand, women whose HG is worse than mine would need to be much more vigilant than I am, and ideally seek to eradicate the h. pylori before pregnancy. For these moms, any grains that have not been properly prepared (3 S's) as well as simple carbs are totally off-limits. Only you will know what works best for you in your exact case.


In closing, my advice is:


- If you are not currently pregnant, and typically suffer from HG, make an aggressive effort to kill off or at least greatly reduce the h. pylori in your body by taking colloidal silver 3 x day on an empty stomach, coupled with turmeric and/or ginger capsules, for 10 days while cutting out all simple carbs, and incorporating as many fermented foods and beverages as you can handle. Try to start this regimen on a weekend or when your spouse will be around to help, in case you get severe die-off symptoms. If/when you do get pregnant, follow the point below.

- If you currently are pregnant: Congratulations! You can still make this work! Like me, you will just have to stay on top of it all the time, and learn exactly what helps you the most, what your nausea triggers are and how to avoid them, what your early warning signs of impending nausea are, which ferments work best for you, etc. Also take care to build up your nutritional status by taking fermented cod liver / butter oil, a high-quality magnesium supplement (and/or topical magnesium sprays and/or epsom salt baths). When you are no longer pregnant or exclusively breastfeeding, follow the point above.

If you are successful at treating or staving off your NVP or HG with this cure, please let me know in the comments below! Please also share any additional tips you may have.

 
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional. This post is purely educational and for information purposes only. Always consult with your health care professional before starting any treatment plan.

P.S. If one of my computer-literate and talented readers could turn all this info into an attractive, concise, easy-to-read pdf document or flow chart that can be shared easily, I would be most obliged. I am certainly not adept in that area at all. Please leave me a comment with your contact info if you can help with this.


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Edited to add (7/29/14):

- The pregnancy referred to above actually turned out to be a twin pregnancy, which is typically associated with much more severe nausea and vomiting. The fact that I only experienced about 10% of the nausea I normally would is further proof to me that the treatment approach outlined in this post is the correct one (i.e. addressing H. pylori overcolonization).

- Since writing this, I have also learned that lemongrass essential oil has been scientifically proven to combat H. pylori safely and effectively. Read more here.

- Pink Stork Morning Sickness Solutions is a company specializing in natural supplements addressing the issue of H. pylori, as well as nutritional deficiencies like magnesium. They have a lineup of great products, and even though I have yet to try them during a pregnancy, I am impressed with what they are offering, and would recommend them. To read my full review of their products, please click here.


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Edited to add (1/17/16):

- To read about my experience with the latest pregnancy, please click here.

141 comments:

  1. I didn't know you were expecting again! Congratulations! This is all great advise and I hope a lot of women take it. I had severe morning sickness with my little girl but had virtually no morning sickness with my son. I wish I had taken notice of what I was eating different for each pregnancy because that was probably a key factor. I was eating real Sauerkraut at one point, I don't remember if it was during my pregnancy with my son though. Thanks for pointing out the difference between vinegar "pickling" and real pickling. I make my own Sauerkraut and absolutely love it. It's so easy to make and so healthy compared to the stuff you buy in the store. I wish I could get my family to switch to eating whole, raw, and truly fermented foods. My sister unfortunately just experienced her third miscarriage and I personally believe what she eats has a big part in it. My whole family considers me a health nut so trying to get any of them to switch their diets would be like pulling teeth. Congratulations again on your new little one!

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  2. Seems like this would help with just motion sickness as well...

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    1. I'm thinking it probably would not help with motion sickness. I don't believe motion sickness is due to a hormonal imbalance/h. pylori. I think it has more to do with a positional issue in that what the tiny hairs in your ears are feeling (swaying and turning) and what your eyes are seeing are not matching up. That's why people are encouraged to look forward when they are driving. I know that if I look down (or read or something) I start to feel queasy and when I look up I feel better.

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  3. Thank you so much for this post! I have not been having terrible morning sickness (no vomiting), but I have just been feeling sick to my stomach almost 24/7 (except when I am sleeping).
    Do you find that only kombucha works for you the best? I purchased Bubbies pickles, Bubbies sauerkraut, and Kefir a couple days ago so I just started introducing these items into my diet.
    Also, how long does it take to see results after implementing fermented foods into your diet?
    Again, thanks so much for all this valuable information!

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    1. I find that for me, all ferments work equally well, but some are more palatable than others. Kombucha is easy because it helps me also stay hydrated. For those who like ginger (personally, I hate it), the fermented ginger ale is probably the best beverage option. I have been making it for my family, and they LOVE it.

      Effects can be expected immediately (if MS is mild), or within 24 hours if severe.

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    2. Thank you for your reply. :) Tried the apple cider vinegar today. Worked so well! Best day yet!

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  4. Congrats on your pregnancy! I too am due with #3 in mid May. I suffered from HG with my first pregnancy, culminating in IV, weight loss of 11 lb in 3 weeks and taking Zofran the entire pregnancy :o(. After she was born we started taking FCLO, homemade sauerkraut, raw milk and yogurt, and I felt sooooo much better with #2. Just'normal' morning sickness.

    Now with #3 I am feeling quite ill... not as bad as #1 but I still have been taking diclectin and going for acupuncture. I did tons of research on the cause of morning sickness but haven't come across the H Pylori theory! I find that using Magnesium Oil helps. I am going to order the Colloidal silver and see if that helps. I am usually quite ill till 16 wks and it lingers till birth... this time around the food aversions have been the worst! I have to force myself to eat. Well, its all worth it in the end :o)

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  5. This might interest you on h. pylori.... http://russbianchi.com/wordpress/?tag=h-pylori-bacteria

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  6. I don't know a lot about colloidal silver, but i've heard it causes birth defects? I do like your theory and will continue to consume fermented things through pregnancy, thanks!

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    1. Here is a link to an excellent article that discusses studies regarding colloidal silver during pregnancy: http://www.thesilveredge.com/cs_pregnancy.shtml

      Certainly, if you are not comfortable with it, you should not use it. For moms who suffer regular morning sickness (as opposed to HG), the fermented foods alone are almost certainly enough to do the trick. For HG moms that rely on drugs to stay alive, in my opinion colloidal silver would be a safer alternative (though I think it is safe for everyone).

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    2. Thank you, I will read up on its uses.

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    3. How much, how often and for how long did you take colloidal silver while pregnant?

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  7. Mrs.Anderson,
    Wow....wish I had been able to glean from your experience 6 years ago! I also become extremely sick throughout my pregnancies. I have 5 children ages: 6, 5, 3, 21mos, and 5mos. I have been blessed and NEVER thought I would have more than 1! I say that because my 1st pregnancy was a shock, frightening, a time of faith....I look back now and just recall the days that I literally felt like I was dying during my pregnancy. So weak. I lost 23lbs in 10days and ended up with IV's and than a PICC Line and TPN. I couldn't even lick a popsicle w/out vomiting. Had a healthy boy @ 40wks and than @ 6wks postpartum gall bladder attack. Tried some "natural cures for that" but decided to have it taken out after another ambulance ride because of another extreme attack.Pretty crazy to go through with a newborn. When the little guy was 4 months old we found out I was expecting again and I KNEW for sure that I'd rather be dying than have another PICC line...so I meagerly attempted to research what I could to prevent/help w/ my sickness. The only solid help I figured out was to think about what my body was craving to eat. Crunchy? Salty? Cold? Hot? etc. Also, I saw a difference in eating and drinking at the same time. I could not tolerate doing both. So, I would eat and than wait 20min/30mins before drinking something. My husband is a RPh so we have kinda been on the fence with doing things "naturally" or with certain meds such as Zofran (that's all that I would take besides an occasional Tylenol). Through my pregnancies and postpartum I have also dealt w/ an umbilical hernia, had the hernia repaired w/ a mesh panel, kidney stones up to 5mm during and after3rd, 4th and 5th babies, optical migraines that cause blindness, gestational diabetes w/4th and 5th babies and actually injecting insulin @ nite! I'm all over the place explaining here JUST to say that I appreciate your research and blogging! Your a blessing!

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  8. Thanks so much for this post! I suffered from horrible all day and night sickness with my first pregnancy which made me feel poisoned and lasted til 25 weeks. I will need to take some time to process all the info here! I am hoping to get pregnant with my second baby next year (following your helpful child spacing method too!) is this method compatible with breastfeeding? It will be a challenge for me to change my diet but I will try to do it now as with the sickness I was too ill to prepare healthy food so ended up eating lots of processed and simple carbs which now I realise made it worse! Do you have any suggestions for how to start with fermented foods? It seems a little overwhelming! Just want to say thanks again for this info and for the encouragement of your blog. I have been reading for years now(stopped commenting when I got sick with my pregnancy) and I have learnt so much from you. I credit you with helping me to achieve a natural birth too!

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    1. Hi, did you follow her advice and did it work for you?

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    2. Hi, did you follow her advice and did it work for you?

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  9. Wow, thank you! I am sorry you had to go through so much in order to put all the pieces together but now we can all benefit! I am 20 weeks now and except for fatigue feel much better now but will do many of the things you listed and work on the cure after the baby is born..or like you said learn to live with it if there is not much space between nursing and a new pregnancy. Very exciting discoveries! I can now look foward to another pregnancy, God willing, without the dread of the first trimester! 😊

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  10. When I was pregnant of my daugther I was like dyin' day by day by vomiting like up to 12 times a day, but I try drinking ginger ale and taking a little ginger, also eating crackers and corn tortillas with my meals, and that worked well for me. :)
    God bless you with this 8th time!

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  11. Thank you for this! I am pregnant, and although I am mostly just nauseous, I never thought about incorporating fermented foods. I also forwarded this to my friend who was in the hospital earlier this year with HG.

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  12. Thank you so much for this! I am nearing the end of my extreme nausea, and this third pregnancy has been my most difficult and longest lasting nausea well into the second trimester. I will be referencing this again in the future before we have another baby, because I would love to naturally decrease the nausea. Nothing else has worked, and I feel like I have tried everything possible! Congrats on the new little one: )

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  13. GREAT article - thank you for sharing it! I'm sure it will be very helpful to many ladies.

    We recently began brewing/drinking kombucha. Unfortunately I have had bad die-off! Though thankfully I can now tolerate about 1tbsp everyday without incidence. I have always strongly suspected that myself and youngest daughter have candida (she also experienced die-off, but not as badly as me).

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  14. I have an overgrowth of candida and h. pylori that has something to do with my Crohn's Disease. I'm currently on the GAPS/SCD diet to help starve off the bad bacteria and encourage good bacterial growth through fermented foods. Avoiding grains is one way to help the h. pylori die off without having to take the supplements like colloidal silver if people are worried about the birth defects.

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  15. how much colloidal silver is too much?. i dont know much about it but some people seem to go nutty with it? ive heard too much can turn your skin blue? i had seen pictures but never in person. however, one month ago i went to an event at my old college, and i saw a woman who was blueish silver. every part of her showing body--hands arms, neck, even her face! i read a about a man who had a condition from birth, so hers could have been...but im assuming its from the colloidal silver.......not sure this condition ever reverses? does it? no babies here, but lots of stomach issues. someone had mentioned apple cider. i think i will try that.......

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  16. how would a dr. go about checking for this or any other bacteria. i dont have children, i just said above, but ive had lots of stomach issues. i just havent been to the dr. in a while, and have just dealt with things. ive been to dr. for flu before but not sure about possible stomach bacteria. so, in your 12 years of being pregnant, have you ever been to a dr.? you seem to talk against them mostly. and if you had been to a dr. would you have been able to find relief before now? you may have been able to find a remedy a decade ago? you could have told a dr. you had sever morning sickness, and what would they have done? is that you on the floor? those bacteria look nasty....:(.

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  17. Oh I suffered through my pregnancies. I am so glad you are sharing for others if for nothing else you are sharing that one should be proactive in prevention, treatment and care of ones own health. I never heard of Kombucha until you, and now I drink one cup or more a day and when I feel like I am drained or tired or under the weather~the kombucha really picks me up. I am forever one that believes we all need to be this way.

    With the way times are, getting back to basics in ALL areas is ever so important.

    lol~for the record, I hadn't heard of Azure until you(now I am a shopper of Azure), kombucha until you-now I have since I got my starter from Azure~so Thank you so much!

    Jennifer

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  18. You know, I wonder if H. pylori also causes general nausea. Around my menstrual cycle I get very nauseous, and I was quite nauseous this morning. Then I remembered I had some fermented veggies and kombucha and I had that for breakfast and the nausea was completely gone. I really think you're on to something here.

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  19. This post is making me cry and giving me such hope! I have had HG throughout all three of my pregnancies. I have had more IVs than I can count and I've tried all natural and unnatural remedies. I have 3 little girls and want more and I've been searching for alternatives. Funny I've been drinking kombucha knowing it would help, but with no real research backing. Bless you!

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  20. Having experienced H.G. with both of my pregnancies, I think most women would welcome ANY ideas of how to feel better! It's always nice to know that other women out there have felt as bad as you, especially when other friends, well-meaning of course, explain that everyone gets nauseous when pregnant. The vast majority of pregnant moms will never know the hellish experience that is H.G. I had an IV, then a PICC line, and was hospitalized. These are good ideas to explore and I think it's wonderful that women are helping women - it takes a village!

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  21. Here are a couple of notes on your article!

    For your readers: I am a three-time hyperemesis (HG) mother. During my pregnancies, I am on high levels of medication from weeks 3 through the 32 week mark to stay minimally functional. While I have not yet been able to use your method during a pregnancy, I have been able to use it for postpartum nausea. I suffer from nausea that continues past pregnancy for 1-2 years. When I began a very-low-carb diet, that took care of 90% of the postpartum nausea, and when I added fermented foods, the other 10% vanished. This goes along perfectly with your theory as outlined above, and I'm hoping and praying to see great results during a pregnancy.

    "This would explain why hyperemesis is a bane that seems to affect mostly first-world nations in the last century or so."

    This has always been one of my main thoughts about hyperemesis. Nowadays hyperemesis is fairly widespread. Untreated hyperemesis, in the severe form, is fatal. Where, therefore, are the thousands of gravestones in old graveyards reading, "She died from extreme morning sickness"? Or historical accounts of the same? To my best knowledge, they don't exist (or are very rare). (There are some who think that Charlotte Bronte died of hyperemesis, but that is one still only one - hypothetical - historical case.) Thus, if this condition even existed, it was extremely rare. On the other hand, if we did not have the powerful drugs and PICC lines today that so many of us rely upon during pregnancy, death from HG would be common in modern America. That seems very much to point toward a health issue (i.e. diet or environmental causation) rather than a purely genetic issue for those of us who suffer from HG (and genetic issues almost always have an environmental component anyway). Case in point, there is no history of hyperemesis (or even moderate morning sickness) in my family whatsoever - it "arose" spontaneously in me, with no known genetic history. HG is following the same path that most chronic and/or degenerative diseases have followed in the last century or two - going from rare/unknown to common with the advent of modern foods and environmental toxins. It just makes sense to look to health rather than genes-alone for answers.

    (However, if gut health issues are responsible for HG, then a tendency could be passed - like all gut health issues - from mother to child during the birth process, thus becoming a family-descent issue once established.)

    Brands: I also recommend RAW Sauerkraut and RAW Pickles by Sonoma Brinery, which can be found in the refrigerated deli case at Whole Foods. When buying pickles and/or sauerkraut, one must be very careful to buy products that have been truly fermented and also that have not been heat-treated for shelf stability (which destroys their probiotic benefit).

    For your readers: To make fermented salsa, prepare your salsa, add 1 Tbsp. whey per cup of salsa, and let sit at room temp for two days before refrigerating.

    "It should be noted that the ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) recommends NOT consuming fermented foods during pregnancy, which of course immediately confirms their effectiveness in my mind. They have no problem prescribing drugs for morning sickness, but please, step back from the sauerkraut!"

    Still giggling over that one. So true. :)

    I'm sure I'll be back with more comments. But for now, I am thrilled that this is working for you and that other mamas will be able to benefit from your findings. :)

    Diana

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  22. Thanks for this, definitely going to look into all of this. Did your oldest suffer from pyloric stenosis? I had HG very badly while pregnant with my first born son, and he had to have surgery to correct the pyloric stenosis. It took the doctors a while to figure out what was wrong, but luckily they found it.

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  23. Hey Dr Zsu, you seem to be onto something. I have noticed that eating yoghurt seems to soothe my stomach and when i go for a period without yoghurt i experience stomach pain. I will try your radical diet for elimination of that critter. I am glad that I live in Germany where you have a wide variety of fermented foods (Kefir, Brottrunk and Sauerkrautsaft can be bought in supermarkets). You are an amazing woman Zsuzsanna, full of wisdom and intelligence.

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  24. Hi,

    I'm not pregnant, but I suspect that I may have H. Pylori. Where do you find truly fermented foods, and how do you tell the difference? It seems that most of the pickled foods I see in the market are the sterilized, heat processed type. Thanks.

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  25. Great post! I've been pregnant three times and each time I was dramatically less morning sick. I attributed it to the increase of kombucha and other traditionally fermented foods in my diet. I had no way to prove it but I just KNEW it was the reason. Thanks for putting together such a succinct post!

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  26. Hi there, just a quick question for you - is the colloidal silver and tumeric ok to take when breastfeeding? I cant imagine why it wouldnt be, but thought I'd check. Thank you for taking the time to write this article, your time and love doing so is SO appreciated.

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    1. Anonymous - I just completed the 10-day combo of 1 tsp. CS and 1 tab turmeric, three times per day each, while breastfeeding, and had no problems. I couldn't find any problems with it online in my research, and I certainly didn't see any ill effects or drop in supply. I did it during my cycle so that I could make sure that I wasn't pregnant during the 10-day treatment. Good luck!

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  27. I've always heard that since colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic that it kills the bad stuff but also the good stuff in our gut, just like a synthetic antibiotic would. Is that a concern in this approach or do you think the benefit of killing of the h. pylori will be so beneficial that killing off some good gut flora won't be too noticeable?

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    Replies
    1. If you are also eating fermented foods then you will be repopulating the necessary beneficial bacteria without repopulating any of the bad stuff you are trying to kill off with CS.

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  28. I have very severe NVP with all five of my children. I never went to the hospital, but I attribute that to forcing myself to eat protein even when I could hardly do it, so I never went down the spiral of "can't eat; get more nauseated; can't eat; retch all day; can't eat; go to hospital for fluids & nutrients." Anyway, my experience does not go along with your theory at all. Here's why.

    My worst pregnancies for nausea (all day severe sickness and frequent vomiting) were my SAD diet #1 (girl) and my healthy-but-didn't-yet-know-about-traditional-foods #4 (boy). The sickness in no way corresponded to gender or birth order.

    I was tested for h. pylori shortly after #5 and was negative.

    None of my children or I ever had thrush or any other external manifestation of candida.

    With #5, I was eating plenty of natural protein and fat, all whole local naturally raised foods, seasonal unrefined carbs, tons of homemade fermented foods/beverages (including kombucha and raw ACV) and a small amount of (always properly prepared and unrefined) grains. I consumed no dairy except grassfed butter, as I recall. I was still sick to the point of being non-functioning the majority of the time in months 2-5 & 7-9.

    I have made the observation that every woman I personally know who has shared her severe NVP with me also has non-negligible sugar cravings the majority of the time when not pregnant. I have also found that having protein all day long, but especially in the morning, and plenty of natural fats make a big enough difference to keep me out of the hospital, and functioning (and not vomiting) most of the time, even though still severely nauseated. I do not know the cause or the cure, but am always interested in it.

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  29. Anyway, my experience does not go along with your theory at all. Here's why.

    My worst pregnancies for nausea (all day severe sickness and frequent vomiting) were my SAD diet #1 (girl) and my healthy-but-didn't-yet-know-about-traditional-foods #4 (boy). The sickness in no way corresponded to gender or birth order.

    I was tested for h. pylori shortly after #5 and was negative.

    None of my children or I ever had thrush or any other external manifestation of candida.

    With #5, I was eating plenty of natural protein and fat, all whole local naturally raised foods, seasonal unrefined carbs, tons of homemade fermented foods/beverages (including kombucha and raw ACV) and a small amount of (always properly prepared and unrefined) grains. I consumed no dairy except grassfed butter, as I recall. I was still sick to the point of being non-functioning the majority of the time in months 2-5 & 7-9.

    I have made the observation that every woman I personally know who has shared her severe NVP with me also has non-negligible sugar cravings the majority of the time when not pregnant. I have also found that having protein all day long, but especially in the morning, and plenty of natural fats make a big enough difference to keep me out of the hospital, and functioning (and not vomiting) most of the time, even though still severely nauseated. I do not know the cause or the cure, but am always interested in it.

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    1. Shes right. It has nothing to do with the way you eat. It is the serotonin in your brain that tells you to throw up/ Its chemicals.. Avoid milk, cheese, any enzymes. Im lactose intolerant but I still have really bad serotonin. What happens in our areas has no connection to morning sickness its the brain. Im taking pills for the second one, nothing wrong with that, When you have morning sickness you cant eat period. So those of you who say oh it went away after a ate a pickle is nuts. It was just nausea. You will know if you are suffering. Trust me. Nothing will work except calming the brains chemicals, Food does not do that. Nice blog. Its not effective.

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  30. I personally have H. Pylori (extreme) as it was causing major issues but I never had bad morning sickness (nausea with no throwing up) only in 1st trimester occasionally. And, all of my relatives had it bad as well. For me personally, it did not effect morning sickness during pregnancies. I have studied and researched for years on this subject, went Gluten Free 2 years ago and that has made a huge difference on the normal stomach issues I was having. It is very hard to eradicate H. Pylori as you have to kill off every single bacteria down the last one or it will mulitiply again and it will multiply by what you eat. sugar, yeast, gluten etc.. The man who studied this extensivley from the UK and actually is a doctor specifically to help patients with this exact bacteria infection has researched every thing in killing H. Pylori and Colloidial silver was not one of them. I think it will help but I would have my doubts that it would actually kill every single H. Pylori bacteria. Garlic would not be strong enough either. Plus.. there are risks taking Collodial Silver as well.

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  31. My husband new that my HG had to do with my gut and could be healed. The search has sent him in to countless ours of research and study for years now, and that has turned in to a business. He still had not found the exact thing that would help me. I just had our 5th Hg baby. I want more but don't know if I could make it. But I know I am going to have more even if I still have HG. Thank you so much for writing this. I know a lot of women with HG other then myself. I cant wait to help them as well. I think this might explain why every time of the month I feel like morning sickness is here. i am terrified every month that the sickness might last more then a week but 9 months. Thank you so much.

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  32. Love the article. It makes so much sense! I wish I'd found it sooner. I've been suffering thus woke pregnancy but thankfully it will ask be over in a few days when the baby comes :-) I think I can help you with the pdf and maybe a flow chart. open your word doc where you tired your article or if it is just in a blog copy the text to a word doc. Then go to " file", " save as“. there should be an arrow for a drop down menu of choices under where you type what you name your doc. click on pdf then save it. this will protect your word doc and create a new pdf. once it is a pdf I don't think you can edit it once it is saved like that but you can always change the appearance in the word doc and then save the new version as a pdf. hope that helps. I need more info on the flow chart to help with that. I don't have immense time to contribute but if I can do it easily I will. sorry for typos using the phone to do this. amyandemmaline@yahoo.com

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  33. Thank you. Can't wait to try this. Finally something that makes sense.

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  34. So much of this makes perfect sense to me. I have had 9 pregnancies, and when I think carefully about the lifestyles I had through the ones in which I suffered from HG (an an IV and all that), the light bulb comes on. THANK YOU for writing this!

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  35. Hi,

    First, I want to say thank you for posting this!! I am not currently pregnant but I think it definitely affected my last pregnancy and still affects me now. I do get into bad eating habits-especially when I get stressed. Then it seems everything starts to get messed up especially my hormones & so on from there. This is so encouraging and informative!!:)
    Second, I wanted to ask if you were able to get this into a pdf yet? I can't do a flow chart but I could put this into an easy to read pdf if you still needed it:) I didn't see a way to contact you but then this is the first time I've come across your blog (a friend posted this) so if you do still need it, would you give an email I can send it to?

    Thank you again so much for this post!!!
    Nicole:)

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  36. This is the most ignorant and arrogant drivel I have come accross in a long time. I am a 3 time HG survivor and I tested NEGATIVE for H.pylori during my 2nd and 3rd pregnancies. (I was not tested in my first) I can appreciate that you found something that works for you and good for you but declaring that you have found a cure for HG when you clearly do not have enough evidence to support such a claim is a disservice to women who are or who have suffered from HG. HG is already is condition that is not taken seriously enough and those afflicted are often put through an additional emotional hell by those around them who do not understand or are dismissive of their condition. I strongly urge you to think about this and edit your post to reword your post. I would also suggest you submit your theory to HELPHER.org where it can be given some serious consideration and validated through science.

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  37. I suffered HG 4 times. I was tested for H. Pylori more than 4 times and was negative every time. Fermented foods did not help, even when I was craving them. They actually made it worse. You have NOT found the cause or the cure.

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  38. I do not buy this at all. So you are telling me that trained medical doctors and researchers have not figured this out, but you have? I am not saying that is did not possibly work for you, but calling it a cure is ridiculous. It is not fair to make women who are suffering think that this will be the magic answer with out proper medical research and documentation.

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    1. As an RN who has extensivly studied western medicine and several others I can tell you that KarenJ's coment about "proper medical research and documentation" is seriously naive. If you follow reasearch you would know many of the advances we have started with grass roots individuals who forced the hand of "reasearch" to not look stupid because regular people were looking smarter than they were.

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    2. I think the last few responses were written by the same person!?

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  39. words can't describe how excited I am at this possibility!! I have had horrible morning sickness (HG) around the clock with all four pregnancies. we want to let the Lord lead in our family planning so we probably aren't done yet :) thank yoU!

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  40. I think it is wonderful that you have found something that works for your NVP. Unfortunately, there is no scientifically researched cause for HG .... yet. The HER Foundation and UCLA are currently working on finding that cause through a massive research study.

    I am a 3 time HG sufferer. I also was tested (through endoscopy) for h.pylori. It was negative. For myself and many others, h.pylori is not the cause of HG. Have you been to www.helpHER.org yet? The HER Foundation is dedicated to finding a cause of HG while educating medical professionals on how to better treat HG patients. I urge you (and your readers) to participate in the study.

    Lastly, I would be careful in your words as you tell your extraordinary story about HG because there are no known causes or cures for HG. It remains a medical mystery and more research is needed.

    Good luck to you and your readers! (and no, I do not "work" for the HER Foundation - but they did save my daughter and I)

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  41. You might find this probiotic interesting too. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013OVW0E/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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  42. Although I am glad this worked for you, it's not the cause or cure for HG. I suffered from HG and I did not have H. Pylori. I know of others who were also tested and did not have it either. I'm not sure many with severe HG could stand eating any of that food. You said the worst pregnancy it only lasted up until 20 weeks and at that it was only after a meal. I was violently ill until I delivered and that last pregnancy I don't think I ever ate a "meal." Just for anyone reading this who has HG I recommend you go to helpher.org for more information and support. There are a lot of medications that many of us needed to survive and if you get aggressive treatment early on it is more successful.

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  43. came across this yesterday. am struggling with HG for the second time. nothing aside from zofran has ever helped me to stop vomiting. after reading this i asked my husband to bring home kombucha. i wasn't all that hopeful, as you can imagine, i've tried so many remedies. i was about ready to take more medicine around 5 pm yesterday but drank the kombucha instead. amazingly, a few hours later i was still okay. i got through the night. the nausea hit at 6 am and was about to go full on into the vomit cycle. began sipping and was able to get through the morning. it's almost noon and i'm still going strong. going to take some of your other suggestions,as well. this is AMAZING. i can't tell you how amazed and grateful i am for this post right now. XOXO i hope this keeps working for me and other women!

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  44. Thank you so much for this article! I too have these problems that have worsened with each of my four pregnancies. I want to conceive again, but this time planning more for it as I always say I'm down for a year. My morning sickness started within days of conception for my first two and approximately a month into for the last two. It lasts until I am 5 1/2 months basically unable to bend over to do laundry, dishes, or pick up anything. I also end up having other problems in addition that cause pain. Possibly alleviating, or at least improving, my morning sickness would be a HUGE gift to my family as I am unable to even hold my kids when they are sick, etc. For me, it's at least worth trying before I get pregnant. I have to agree with the comment about pregnant women not being able to eat a lot of those foods. I couldn't even watch commercials or step into the kitchen with one. Just the thought of food or seeing it would make me sick :-)

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  45. OK- I'm really excited to try this with my next pregnancy! I have a weird ( maybe totally unrelated) question. . . Is it possible that this bacteria might have a connection with thyroid issues? Or even making heartburn worse? I'm 22 years old and I have 2 little boys. But I've been nauseous pretty much my whole life. I get sick in my stomach when I'm nervous, stressed, or anxious. Yes, every Christmas since I was little had me in the bathroom and throwing up.. . .Even every 1st day of a new school year- guaranteed to throw up on the bus. You don't even want to know about the day I got married! :) I'm not certain, but I've come to the conclusion, that it's thyroid related. . .some sort of anxiety disorder. . .? Now that I'm a mom that stays home a lot, I don't get sick as often, mostly just when I'm pregnant, with a few other times in between.But morning sickness has been super bad for me, but I've come to terms with my body when it comes to nausea and I just took it as another round 'I had to handle.' I'm very used to throwing up after 20 years of it. My last pregnancy: the first half was nausea; second half was constant heartburn. Does this bacteria only come into the spotlight when it comes to pregnancy and morning sickness? I'm wondering if, in your research, you've found it to be the cause of other 'ailments' or 'illnesses'? Or does it just want to make you throw up? I'm wondering because I have other health issues ( like my thyroid) that I need to get under control and wondered if this would kill 2 birds with 1 stone. After 20 years of constant stomach acid on it, my throat is starting to deteriorate (which makes heartburn EXTREME!) Basically, I don't think I can afford to throw up anymore- pregnant or not. I think this will help with future pregnancies but, especially if I want to have more children, I need to fix other things too. . .My throat won't be able to take it.

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  46. Thanks so much for this post! I am not currently pregnant, but nursing. I have noticed an increase in nausea during my pregnancies as well as an irritating rash that seems to follow along with my monthly cycles (when not pregnant). I've been gluten free, dairy free, and even sugar free and the rash has remained. I've tried implementing some of your suggestions and for the first time I am seeing some improvement. Thank you so much! Looking forward to seeing if this positively affects my pregnancies too. :-) ~Mrs. E.

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  47. Great article. Setting this up as a pdf took me 10 minutes so I have posted it out to

    http://www.holisticexecutivecoaching.com/The%20Cause%20and%20Cure%20of%20Morning%20Sickness%20and%20Hyperemesis%20Gravidarum.pdf

    If you want to modify anything please contact me!

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  48. I'm so grateful for this post. I'm actually sitting in a hospital bed right now for the third time due to my HG. I have been vomiting non stop for the past four days with no end in sight. I am on 8mg zofran now but when I'm out and waiting on insurance to refill I'm dying. This post has given me a lot of insight on what I can do to help. I'm going to get some kambucha tomorrow first thing along with some pickles and see where I can find the colidal silver.
    I've been feeling like such a crappy mom because of being so sick and not being able to do anything to keep things down besides the drugs. This has given me some hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.
    Thank you again!
    Roberta

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  49. I would be very interested to see some sort of menu of what you eat. Im totally. On board to try this out, but am having a hard time knowing where to begin. My husband read this before I did, and makes me drink kefir, and it actually notice a difference, now I know why! You say you always include fermented foods with each meal, what are some examples and how much?

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  50. Hey
    I'll keep this short, short story. I'm a medical doctor who experienced great dismay at the lack of effective help/ treatment/ explanation for HG which I traumatically suffered 4y ago.
    I'm now 8 weeks pregnant and exhaustion and fatigue is taking its toll. Most of my sx are 100% compatible with gastritis so I think the HP theory might have some truth to it. Im taking apple cider vinegar (1teaspoon in 1/2 cup orange juice) and its helping. Going to talk to a gastroenterology colleague tomorrow re safe antibiotic eradicatiin in pregnancy- will posr result of the discussion if anyone is interested.

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    1. Please do reply. I am hoping to have something new to try to curb the endless vomiting with hopefully my 7th pregnancy soon.

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  51. This post is God send for me. I have 3 girls and threw up EVERYDAY of each of my entire pregnancies. I lost 40 pounds with my last one. I am willing to try anything, we want more children but I have been reluctant to get pregnant because I simply can't care for my other children while being so sick, doctors have been no help. Zofran and crackers are a joke to me! I will be researching more and am excited to start the colloidal silver, I've used it in the past for pink eye and it worked great. Thank you!

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  52. This is my tenth pregnancy, I am now 12 weeks and this info changed my life :) best pregnancy ever and I am so grateful to have stumbled on this post just before discovering I was expecting. I share this with anyone I can. Thank you!

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    1. Anon- what aspect of this information did you use? I'm considering trying it as I'm planning my next pregnancy and so desperately don't want to be ill...

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  53. Excellent! I have suffered through HG and really was ready to lose it! My sister is pregnant right now and I'm feeling her pain so I've been reading reading reading all over the internet. I'm in LOVE with natural, God-given, prayerful, non-pharmaceutical ways of letting your body heal! I can't wait to read all your stuff :) And we home school, love Jesus, our family, God's kingdom, music, worship, animals and hot pink hair and tatoos! Only 4 kids thus far but we're 28 and 30 so who knows. Seriously, I want to make my body the way it was and have fun watching these kids get bigger. Maybe I'm selfish but I want my boobs back too. Way too much info I know but this is anonymous so this is great! Anyway, though, my sister took the silver which we already had and is feeling better already. I'm thrilled. I would have given anything for someone to come medicate me when I was feeling like I was at death's door. God bless!

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  54. I didnt realize i had it during pregnancy but after having my 5th baby i had it after and thought i was dying and found no relief but somehow i got better after it must of been a diet thing but then i got it bad after my 6th baby and then realized i had it but didnt connect it to my previous morning sickness but i treated it with lots and lots of coconut oil calcium supplement and probiotics and it went away but if i eat really bad it comes back and i have to start over i am now going to try eating more fermented foods! Thank you for posting as i would of never thought it was causing my morning sickness.
    Ginger R.

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  55. I googled Kombucha and found this "Available scientific evidence does not support claims that Kombucha tea promotes good health, prevents any ailments, or ... works to treat cancer or any other disease. Serious side effects and occasional deaths have been linked with drinking Kombucha tea. While no randomized, case-controlled studies have been published in relation to its effect on humans, there has been suspicion in isolated incidents of its effect on the central nervous system, liver, metabolic acidosis, and toxicity in general,[19][20] though no specific links have been established. Acute conditions, such as lactic acidosis, caused by drinking of kombucha, are more likely to occur in persons with pre-existing medical conditions.[20] Other reports suggest care should be taken when taking medical drugs or hormone replacement therapy while regularly drinking kombucha.[21] It may also cause allergic reactions.[22]"
    I would not recommend drinking it during pregnancy. Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's safe.

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  56. I have read this article probably no less than 5 times and have started following all the advice you have given! I have a 2 year old and twin 9 month olds who I stayed in the hospital nearly my entire first trimester with with severe HG. Like you said, I am willing to try ANYTHING! So, hoping to get pregnant again soon, and praying that I will be functional this time! Thanks for writing this AWESOME article.

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  57. IT WORKS!!
    I've been using the silver, kombucha and magnesium, as well as diet, just as you recommend and the hell that was my life is over! I can't believe it honestly. I can still tell *something* is up in my tummy and I have to keep it happy, and food aversions are still rampant, but I'm not sick anymore!

    I've seen posts online making fun of this and I wouldn't have believed it myself, but in the desperation that is morning sickness it was worth a try.

    I GOT MY LIFE BACK! THANK YOU

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  58. If you have had HG and nothing has worked, even if it is scientifically not proven... you have nothing to loose!! I cant wait to try this, and even if it doesnt work for everyone... Congrats to the ones it does work for!! HG is terrible, and if its not a cure it still may help many!! Thanks for the info.

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  59. Where can I find kombucha? Is it a tea? I was just tested positive for h.pylori and I suffer from horrible all day sickness... the dr said I could take antibiotics. But it worries me. I'm 13 weeks tmrw..

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  60. Thank you! I get terrible hg with my pregnancies, and this is #4. I started seeing a midwife this time and she got me on some magnesium among other things. I'm feeling more hopeful this time around than I have before. I so appreciate your post! Thank you!

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  61. Physician with 3 previously miserable pregnancies....if you wait for your doctor to help you, you will be waiting a long time! I like the article and will try the fermented foods and Kombucha as well as take probiotics through my fourth pregnancy. I will look into the colloidal silver as well and take that if I find that I am comfortable with it. Thanks!

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  62. I suffered greatly with the pregnancy of my now 17 month old ds. I lost 14 lbs during first trimester and through beginning of 2nd. The vomiting and nausea abated finally around 25 weeks. I also had ptyalism and would be dehydrated from that as well that lasted about the same time. It was horrible and I was depressed because of feeling sick all the time. I started on phenergan. Just made me sleepy and then zofran. Zofran helped with the vomiting but I was still nauseated 24/7 and had severe smell and food aversions. I took a leave from work and took to my couch. I also had terrible heartburn, reflux and constipation. Let's just say I'm not too eager with the thought of conceiving again....this time taking care of my ds on top of it. My sister was hospitalized with her dd back in 04' and was on a zofran pump at home. Her next pregnancy was better as far as vomiting with my nephew in 10' but she still had severe nausea and ptyalism.

    We are thinking of ttc this fall. I am so thankful to come across this info. My intention is to prepare for HG if I can and am looking forward to implementing this in diet beforehand. I will definitely report back. I cannot afford to be sick like i was last time and would so love to enjoy pregnancy the way so many other women do.

    My question is should I be checked for h pylori now? Even if I test negative I don't think there is harm in trying this diet.

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  63. hi..thank you for this one..i've had 3 pregnancies so far,this is my 4th..first two were miscarriages,both started with spotting,ended with d&c only lasted not more than 9 weeks...3rd is my son,now 4.6 yrs old..for the 2 losses i never had nvp at all,i got extreme nvp with my son starting at 6th week,increasing day by day,bit by bit...so i knew,this time hormones were working good to sustain pregnancy,but i got admitted to hosp once for hg at around 20 weeks......now im pregnant with 4th,totally a surprise,unplanned one...well,till 6 weeks i was okay,eating everything to my heart'scontent..at 7th week,i just felt nauseous ocassionally,and once an headache,now starting 8th week currently,i vomitted twice,once it was pizza i threw up,now today,just feeling nauseous since morning,bit headache,and evening ate half a banana,which triggered sour vomitting,till my stomach was completely empty...just water came out with banana,and some sour mucus types...well,im from India,here we mostly eat curds(yoghurt) with buttermilk at every meal..i havent had it for days,thinking that the sour taste might trigger nvp,well just now,reading this while searching for nvp cures,i ended up drinking buttermilk for dinner,feeling good already..thank you..will try the other things also..

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  64. I am so grateful for this post! Morning sickness is my top reason for holding back on having a 4th baby. My oldest is only 4 and the thought of having to cook and care for these little ones while sick is just really scary to me. I am really hopeful that this will change everything!

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  65. Oh wow! Loved this article!!! I started to wonder about bacteria and MS as after having to take some antibiotics for an infection during pregnancy. I started taking a course of probiotics...and all of a sudden my vomitting switched off....I stopped taking it...and it came back....!! Such an interesting topic and hope it picks up momentum! Thank you for posting!!!

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  66. I'm 9 weeks pregnant with #4 and sick as a dog. I happened to see your article and we got the Sovereign Silver. I've been taking it for a few days as well as trying to drink/eat anything fermented (though not much stays down). Do you think I may see results eventually? Do you think at 9 weeks my hormones may be raging too much to counter?
    Thanks for posting,
    A hopeful puker...

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  67. The article is very interesting and it probably applies to most HG women. Personally, I couldn't imagine eating pickled food during an HG pregnancy. The mere sight of pickled food caused me to through up. Another issue is I couldn't hold down liquids at all, until late in the afternoon, so the colloidal silver wouldn't have worked for me. Thirdly, pickled foods are extremely acidic, not to mention vinegar, cider etc., and ingesting these liquids when your digestive tract has been subjected to reflux and burns from all the acids in the liquids you throw up doesn't sound right. Also, since HP thrives in an acidic environment, you'd actually be helping it regenerate. I will definitely try to treat my HP infection, if I have one, before I have another baby, but I would definitely not use the colloidal silver and turmeric combination without asking for a doctor's opinion.
    When it comes to the fermented food theory, HG is not really a 1st world disease, it's just that most underdevelopped or developping countries don't test for it or even know what it is. As far as I know, plenty of women in Africa have the condition, but they use natural remedies to make the symptoms subside. Also, fermented food can cause HP to flare up just as much as any other food can, because it's an infection transmitted via oral-fecal contact, and its treatment doesn't really depend on the type of food ingested. The food is the medium, not the cure.

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    1. There isn't a test for HG... and they don't have instances of it as often which points to this being a lifestyle disease for first world women.

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    2. I totally agree with Oana... the thought of taking any of this when I can't hold down a sip of water... laughable!

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  68. I would be very interested to see the research and supporting documents that you used for this article. I would also like a better explanation for the first gif in this article. It is not very clear what processes it is describing. I did not have HG during my 3 pregnancies, but I do suffer from long time gastric troubles specifically tied to my monthly cycles. I am always looking for more information on natural treatments rather than pharmaceutical antibiotics. I make and consume many fermented products in our home and find them to be very helpful. But I am also a research nut and I like to read the science and support materials behind any article, especially one with a claim as big as a cure for something.

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  69. Imagine....I'm well past childbearing age but as a mother of 9 I used to believe I'd found the cure for morning sickness. Soon after waking and as soon as the nausea began...and somtimes even before.. I would simply lean over the wash basin in the bathroom,...make myself retch until I vomited the collection of yellowish stuff from my stomach I thought was bile ( probably a tablespoon full or a little more )...and then begin my day feeling completely better. With 8 children in just over 9 years ( the last born was 8 years later just before menopause set in) there was no time for feeling nauseated through the day....I just had to get it over with first thing:) My fads were citrus fruits including grapefruits and lemons ...lemons particularly...slices dipped in sugar and eaten peel and all...dry biscuits like Rich Tea biscuits and in the afternoons...chocolates by the pound...one after another. Funnily enough I am only just learning about Kombucha....made a second batch 3 days ago....and here I am with a good harvest of cucumbers ready for pickling....and I'm off to the link suggested above to learn how to do it the old fashioned way.Good luck to all pregnant ladies....and may you all learn how to cope with those first few weeks of morning sickness.

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  70. Thanks for the tip and the link! I HAVE been eating anti-acids, since I did (like the article suggests) think I had just developed extra heart burn and stuff.

    I have HG real bad right now, and I just read this article. I am going to start on a full regiment of everything suggested, and I will include trying to increase healthy stomach acid.

    We'll see if this all works! :)

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  71. Actually, two birds one stone.

    Turns out that fermented foods and drinks raise low stomach acid. So what you are saying here ties in exactly with the article. :) In fact, the article could be amended to mention that fermented foods will help raise stomach acid, which is what kills the H. Pylori.

    Cus yeh, I was taking anti-acids, and I wouldn't have known it's relevance save for this comment.

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  72. I'm trying the ACV and honey in water. Although after a few sips, it seems to be making me feel worse. Do you think I should keep drinking it? Or stop?

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  73. Just wanted to say that I was tested for H Pylori directly before my first pregnancy. I tested negative but it was definitely the worst pregnancy for morning sickness.

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  74. Thank you so much! I'm pregnant with my second and my "morning" sickness has been horrendous. Much worse this time around. I couldn't keep any food down and was miserable. I stumbled upon this post and tried some ACV in my water and after a few hours I'm like a new woman. I've only thrown up once and that was before I started the ACV. Thanks again for sharing this info!!

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  75. I can't understand why I haven't heard of this h. pylori before today! I've been through three pregnancies with horrible morning sickness. In the last one I was bedridden for a month and lost over 20% of my body weight before I was finally hospitalized to get it under control. And after all that it ended tragically when we lost her at 5 and 1/2 months gestation. Through all of these pregnancies both my husband and I did endless research to find a safe cure. Today I finally hear about h. pylori just because an acquaintance gifted me a bottle of Siberian Pine Nut Oil and I started looking up how to use it. Everyone is saying it is a safe for pregnancy way of getting rid of this bacteria. Do you have any experience with the pine nut oil? I'm 2 months into my fourth pregnancy now and dealing with rough morning sickness all over again. I looked up h. pylori and have most of the symptoms and the ones you mentioned. Half way through your wonderful article I jumped up and ate a spoon of pine oil and a big bowl of sour krout. :) (We life in southern Siberia where they still preserve lots of things by fermentation.) We'll see how it works. I feel like I may have finally found the answer! So Thank you thank you thank you! And God bless you!

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  76. This is such an exciting article for me!! With my last pregnancy I found a cure as well but had no idea why. I was so sick and looking up possible cures on line and came across the apple cider vinegar/water drink. I hate apple cider vinegar but as I was reading it I remembered about how Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach's sake and decided to try it. I mixed about a tbsp of red wine into a glass of water and started sipping. Well within a half an hour the morning sickness was all but gone and I was a normal human being again. I never could figure out what about it was the curing factor but red wine is definitely fermented. Also I found it really moved my bowels (something I struggle with a lot in pregnancy) so I could only do that 2 of 3 days but it seemed to hold over a couple days till I could have it again. I also started taking a couple tbsps of red wine straight in half hour increments to cure an IBS attack since I couldn't take the medication while pregnant and it worked like a charm. My daughter has been suffering from dreadful eczema that we have related to food intolerance and I've been wondering if it is candida related. I am going to try giving her some watered down wine.

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  77. Also a word on the colloidal silver end of things, from the research I did on it (in relation to candida) colloidal silver can be very effective in combating it but is indiscriminate in regards to the type of bacteria it eliminates so the advise of some was to avoid taking it on a prolonged basis and to take it along with a good pro biotic.

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  78. Very, very interesting!
    I've read about the health benefits of fermented foods and the negatives from sugar and simple carbs. This makes complete sense that we are unbalanced since I dont think women should be this sick.

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  79. I have never been diagnosed with HG nor am I claiming to have anything other than normal morning sickness and really I have a stomach of steel pretty much never throw up (even with pregnancy nausea) or nauseated or anything outside of pregnancy, but I am 7 weeks with my 2nd (3rd pregnancy, but 2nd was a miscarriage and had no morning sickness at all) and I could tell it was ramping up to be much worse than #1 which for the first 12 weeks I pretty much laid in bed all day and prayed through my phone shift (because I answered phones from home) that the phones wouldn't ring and choked down anything I could which wasn't much at all. Anyway, yesterday morning I woke up and felt HORRIBLE and I kept having indigestive kind of burps which was making the nausea much worse and I thought its almost like I have low stomach acid. Well I know ACV is a remedy for low stomach acid so I filled a juice cup with water and then added about 1TBSP ACV. I drank it as quickly as possible to get it over with. I almost choked on it. Coughed horribly turning into dry heaves. I took a small drink of something else to calm the cough and then went and laid in bed for an hour feeling HORRIBLE because laying there was the only way I could avoid vomiting. I was pretty sure that was a really bad idea. Then an hour later the phone rang for work (still answering phones from home) and I didn't want to answer it but I did and as I was sitting here taking the call I realized, "hey, I feel pretty good. Better than the last couple days. And my head feels much clearer, less foggy and less background headache." that's when I googled ACV and morning sickness and found this article. I took 2 more doses yesterday but both with less ACV and I didn't have anywhere near as strong of a reaction but I still felt worse for about an hour after taking them. Today, I started off the morning with another one and I am definitely feeling even better today than yesterday. I also had TERRIBLE brain fog my whole first pregnancy which mostly just translated into being very very laid back lol. I just said I was a zombie and you wouldn't care about much if you were mostly walking around asleep all day too. Anyway. There is something here or at least my morning sickness has had to do with low stomach acid it seems which would make sense because your body uses all B vitamins available (along with pretty much everything else) to make the baby and B6 is required to make stomach acid. With B6 getting funneled to baby it would make sense that stomach acid would be low and bacterial infections in the stomach would have the opportunity to grow out of control.

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  80. You're so bafflingly ignorant about HG. I suffered it so severely I lost 60 ( YES SIXTY) pounds. And I can honestly say that "fermented foods" would have been laughed out of the house here.

    But of course, use your colloidal silver and ginger, and ignore the actual honest fact that HG isn't well understood, and sell people false hope.

    Tip o the hat: if you could ameliorate your symptoms with ginger and crackers, it wasn't HG. Its a serious medical condition, requiring care and attention not home remedy quackery.

    You put women at risk with your folk remedy ideas. Good job. I hope they have the common sense to see a doctor and not "I have a crazy theory that's untested" on the internet.

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  81. Hi! Found this to be an interesting read but wanted to give a little warning about colloidal silver. If taken in large quantities and over a long period of time, it can turn your skin silver, which is irreversible. I take a product from a company where the technology is different (still has the silver) but it is not possible to overdose or turn you silver. If you want more info, contact me and I will tell you about. You can find people who have turned silver from taking too much colloidal silver on the internet. Not something to mess with!

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  82. Anonymous...I too was one of the worst HG patients you could have seen. I lost nearly 20% of my body weight and ended up having to have a feeding tube placed into my intestine so I wouldn't die. I had a pump, IVs, etc. from 7 weeks until I gave birth at 36 weeks.

    To say that she is a quack for sharing hollistic medicine is an asinine move. The problem with modern diet and medicine is they IGNORE--blatantly ignore--how important gut health and diet is to everything your body does. I am in the process of preparing my body for this overhaul.

    The reason you cannot fathom that there is a cure is simply because you are too absorbed in your trauma. There will come a time when you may be able to see the pieces of the puzzle more clearly. To me, it makes perfect sense. I have had 3 HG pregnancies and lost a baby. I would rather try "quack holistic" methods and save a future child and myself, then write it off for a prescription that doesn't work and mimics a natural remedy or covers up the problem. The studies of H. Pylori and bad gut health being 100% linked to HG are incredibly profound.

    To the author, thank you for talking about this and for sharing your story. I hope to begin this regimen when my current nursling weans.

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  83. While I will be trying colloidal silver thanks to this article, I can vouch for fermented foods not working and this being possibly the worst of my three pregnancies in spite of dairy and water kefir, kombucha, raw sauerkraut and more being a regular part of my diet for three years now.

    I've tried so many natural things and I've been tested for H Pylori (blood test, didn't know biopsy was possible!?) my mum had HG as did sis. Stats show highly hereditary.

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  84. Is there any benefit to getting tested for H Pylori before trying to treat with colloidal silver? Are there any negative effects from taking it without warrant? And do you think I should treat now if I'm not planning on getting pregnant again for at least a year? Or wait until closer to then in case it would come back?

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  85. While your theory may be the cause for severe morning sickness in some women its not true for me. I was tested negative for H. Pylori and was so sick for 8 months of my pregnancy. Dry heaves were a common occurrence for me. I may try the acv next time and some fermented foods. But to say that the cause of morning sickness and HG is from H. pylori I feel is not not always the case in everyone.

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  86. fabulous. I had nasty morning sickness wk 6 - 18 of pregnancy with my daughter. Certainly want to try this next time.

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    1. Just a word of caution for pregnant mommas here: Kombucha does contain small amounts of alcohol, so if you drink enough, it may not be safe.

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  87. That explains a whole lot for me! I am currently pregnant with our 6th child, I had actually become quite concerned that there was something wrong because usually by now I am almost bed ridden with nausea. Just before I conceived my husband had started making Kombucha tea, I had also started eating sauer kraut, and we juice a small amount of raw tumeric in our morning juice. So now that I have read you article it all adds up :-) I can't tell you how amazing the prospect of not suffering with morning sickness is! Now if you could just post something on labour pains?? However I think facing labour will be a whole lot easier having not suffered 9 months of severe nausea. Many thanks for posting this :-)

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    1. I would love to know if you ever got sick, now that 3 months has passed by? I believe I am pregnant with our 4th, and while I'm over the moon about another baby, I'm in a bit of a depression about what is to come. I was horrible sick with all 3 of my others, bed ridden, admitted to the hospital multiple times because of dehydration. I would feel hopeful if I knew this was something I could truly avoid! I'd eat or drink anything if it meant I could be healthy during pregnancy.

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  88. I want to say about the causes of morning sickness-mainly dehydration of women and also gestation. I think for avoiding extra issue for vegetable as well as natural things which help to cure from vomiting as well as dehydration

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  89. I didn't know you were expecting again! Congratulations! This is all great advise and I hope a lot of women take it. I had severe morning sickness with my little girl but had virtually no morning sickness with my son. I wish I had taken notice of what I was eating different for each pregnancy because that was probably a key factor. I was eating real Sauerkraut at one point, I don't remember if it was during my pregnancy with my son though. Thanks for pointing out the difference between vinegar "pickling" and real pickling. I make my own Sauerkraut and absolutely love it. It's so easy to make and so healthy compared to the stuff you buy in the store. I wish I could get my family to switch to eating whole, raw, and truly fermented foods. My sister unfortunately just experienced her third miscarriage and I personally believe what she eats has a big part in it. My whole family considers me a health nut so trying to get any of them to switch their diets would be like pulling teeth. Congratulations again on your new little one!

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  90. This information is great! I needed a project, and so took the liberty of taking on your challenge to make a PDF. I couldn't find your email, so a PDF is currently over on my blog. Let me know if you'd like anything tweaked. https://asdeckerfamily.wordpress.com/family-parenting/pregnancy/morning-sickness-nausea-and-hyperemesis-gravidarium/

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  91. I was extremely sick my 3rd pregnancy. I was in the hospital 6 times & put on bed rest & at 12.5 weeks I miscarried my little girl. I was heartbroken & angry b/c I was so sick for no reason. I have 2 healthy boys & desperately want a little girl. I do not particularly care for fermented foods/beverages. What is the antibiotic that I need to take? I am currently not pregnant & would just prefer to take the antibiotics b/c I am so picky about foods.I concur that eating grapefruits slowly & peeling off the rind helped my nausea. Thank you so much for all the information. Please continue to keep us updated.

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  92. If you started feeling better around 20 weeks, you didn't have HG, you had morning sickness. I've had severe HG with 2 pregnancies and have test for H. Pylori. I don't have it. Fermented foods and stopping carbs actually make me much, much sicker and weaker (pregnant or not) well past the period of time that they should. After 6 weeks of the GAPS diet I was miserable and much sicker. I think you should reword your article-you have not found the cure.

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  93. I have HG, and I have been tested for H. Pylori, I do not have it. None of the things you mention in your article work for me. I agree with Anonymous who said that it's not HG if it goes away.

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  94. I'm 11 weeks pregnant and have been extremely nauseous, puking about 3x a day, tired, can't eat. I just tried colloidal silver yesterday and this morning before I woke up and my symptoms are about 80% gone. I have not had this much reduction in symptoms with anything I have tried. But everywhere I read people say "don't do colloidal silver while pregnant". I am torn. I don't want to hurt my baby but in a world where they now recommend vaccinations to pregnant women, all kinds of class B and class C drugs it makes me wonder if the risk is not just on an equal level with those and they just don't know much about colloidal silver and are afraid of that fact. This is the first time I have felt almost normal in 3 weeks. I have taken 3 tsps since yesterday afternoon. Can anyone else talk to me about taking it and your baby was fine?

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  95. I had 3 easy pregnancies and now I'm pregnant again and have extreme morning sickness for the first time. I'm 14 weeks along and still throw up several times a day and feel nauseated 100% of the time, despite trying many remedies, including Zofran. I got tested for h. pylori and heard the results today: negative.

    There's only a 2% false negative rate so frankly I'm disappointed in the negative test because a positive test would help me figure out what to do.

    For those of you that actually have h. pylori, mastic gum can get rid of it.

    Even though h. pylori causing all morning sickness did not end up being true for me, I still appreciate everything you put together here on your blog to try to help other mothers. Peace and blessings.

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  96. I have SEVERE HG with 2 pregnancies. Now in my second pregnancy I have already got at home IV's and a Zofran pump. My HG with my first pregnancy last until the day my son was born.

    I have not been tested for h. pylori but I intend to use your blog and treat naturally anyway and see how it works out.

    I would love to know what kind of brands of foods you were using. I know not just any saurkraut is really fermented. I know just because something says Kombucha it is. I'd be greatly appreciative for a list of truly fermented items that you recommend.

    I'll be happy to share if it works or not for me!

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  97. I really appreciate the info in this post. This is my 7th pregnancy. Two ended in miscarriages, one which I saw coming because of the rapid decrease of nausea I was feeling. So the only good thing about nausea is that I have come to rely on it as a sign that I am still pregnant, not miscarrying. Having said that, I wouldn't mind getting rid of the nausea one bit!
    I am perhaps only 5 weeks along and the nausea is already bad. History tells me that is the beginning of nausea that is debilitating. I am going to try eating fermented foods and really reducing simple carb intake. After reading this post I made some of the apple cider vinegar and raw honey ice water. I don't love the taste but it was very agreeable to my stomach. Also, upon reflection, in my previous pregnancies, I for sure craved pickles. I also craved sushi, and couldn't get enough of the fermented kimchi. So I am hoping that for me at least eating fermented foods may help, along with a less carbs and only healthy ones.
    Thank you!

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  98. To ease my nausea and projectile vomiting I have been using no to morning sickness tea that helped a lot and I was able to eat my meals.

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  99. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the digestive tract. These microorganisms are very important for our health. For a start, they kill pathogens and reduce the colonies of harmful bacteria. In addition, the probiotics play a role in digestion and the absorption of nutrients.

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  100. Me and a lot og HG sisters have tested negative for H.pylori. It is not THE cause, or we wouldn't have had to suffer again.

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  101. Low stomach acid cannot cause a bacteria, but it can allow it to colonize. Bacteria doesn't just manifest itself out of lack of acid. It comes from outside the body or reproduces through binary fission. I'm confused by that comment.

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  102. I found this an interesting read, but unfortunately I have been tested negative on several occasions. My hg is definitely genetic. 11 hg pregnancies here. My mother had 5, my grandmother 4 and my great grandmother told her children she was very ill with Hers. Oddly, these are the only women in these four generations to have children, but I cannot wait for my sister to have kids so i can share my suffering. I eat organic, raw, gluten free, vegan diet with loads of fermented foods and have done so for the last ten years. I was pescatarian before then. Yet i always end up on tpn within the first few weeks. My first few pregnancies I tried to go drug free, but I will openly admit by week 5 i cannot eat on my own. I started trying zofran and phenergan on my 4th, and I was able to keep tpn away until week 8-9. So I have no shame choosing those drugs. It has been the only thing to keep me strong enough mentally to keep having children. This pregnancy is my last. I am 10 weeks and have been on 24/7 fluids and tpn since 8 weeks. I wish your and everyone else's family the best.

    I can't even think of a pickle without vomiting. I will never drink kombucha because of the alcohol that it contains, some have higher content than others because it is unregulated, and I do not consume alcohol. I assume this info will help with people who have nvp, but hg, as you know, is a whole other ball game. Once you can't keep it down, you cant keep it down.

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  103. Even if you do everything in your power to restore GI health, it’s still possible to experience some side effects as a result of the antibiotics treatment.

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  104. Hi there! I am so glad I found your blog post. I just found out that I am expecting again & face constant nausea for several months each pregnancy. I have yet to become severely sick this time around, but I am anticipating it's arrival soon. My question is: "Since there tends to be a correlation between motion sickness and morning sickness, do you think this plan could still help if I am a severe motion sickness sufferer?

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  105. this is very interesting. thanks for sharing. i'm a FTM and just delivered my baby boy 2 months ago. i had HG and didn't stop vomiting until ~20 weeks pregnant. after delivery, i got so sick again. i was experiencing nausea and vomiting just like HG days when i was pregnant. i was wondering if you experienced something similar after any of your deliveries?

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  106. ZsuZsanna, You've had another pregnancy since the one discussed in this post. Did you have similar results with controlling your illness?

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  107. Hi there interesting article, but it's not all to do with HP. I suffered severe hypermesis with my son and almost died with it and a year after was tested for Helicobactor via a scrape in my tummy but it was negative so I not sure this can apply for all but maybe it adds to it

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  108. My nausea was so terrible that I was unable to keep anything even the water down to my stomach. Thank God, No to morning sickness tea alleviated my nausea and sickness.

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  109. soooo...just making sure...kombucha is safe during pregnancy???? I have HG and am quite miserable and so willing to try ANYTHING. I am so grateful for this information and have already sent my hubby to the store to get it all....

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  110. I am SO thankful for this info! I suffered terribly with N&V all during my first pregnancy. Fortunately I had mostly just nausea during my 2nd. However at 2.5 months PP I'm having terrible attacks that pretty much imitate severe gallbladder attacks with pain and spasms. Back in 2009 I had h.pylori get out of control 3 different times. The first 2 times I took the "Cure" for it and that didn't do much for very long. The 3rd time I said this is pointless and I rejected the medicine and decided to treat it naturally...mostly by avoiding breads grains and bad carbs. After reading your wonderful wealth of information I'm very much suspecting that this is my problem again and I'm going to the store to buy some silver and other combative things tomorrow. How ironic is it that I've been up for 3 hours waiting for the attack to pass and trying to distract myself and I come across this in a natural unassisted birthing group I'm a part of!!

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  111. This is a huge disappointment. I'm saddened that a pastor is putting out false information and giving us suffering women false illusions!! Shame on you. The number is incorrect !! It is not 100%. From a group on Facebook , only 15% have h.pylori. I don't have h.h.pylori and have HG with 2 pregnancies ����������. Shame on you!!

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    1. But did you try this? Despite the h pylori. Fermented food and silver is beneficial either or.

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  112. This helped me so much. I just learned I am expecting my 3rd HG baby.
    Today was the first day the nausea went crazy (it's been mild otherwise). I did baking soda and pink salt when I woke up (so yucky!) and I really thought I would lose it, I waited about 5 minutes and then took some silver and WOW, the difference was immediate! I haven't felt sick the whole day since then.

    I have added a bite of homemade sauerkraut with each meal, and have some kombucha fermenting now so I can mix it up.

    Any tips on where to find good quality kefir grains? My last ones didn't survive my most recent move.

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  113. Vomiting is a rather common dilemma that occurs because of various reasons. But the most common factors are the result of childbirth, travelling or due to excessive heating. This might also come about by ingesting unhealthy or contaminated foods or due to specific ailments. Home Remedies for Vomiting,Take the ashes of small cardamoms combined using honey. This really is helpful in reliving nausea and throwing up. Slowly suck a sheet of ice or lemon hockey. This really is another beneficial home remedy. Here are the most effective ways how to stop vomiting, you can get the more home remedies for vomiting, instantly!

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  114. Wow. I thought I was crazy because I’m still getting (weak) morning sickness symptoms two weeks before a cycle and wake up every morning to hunger pangs. I breast feed and am 7 months postpartum. I have like FEARED getting pregnant again because labor and birth was nothing to morning sickness. I’m so glad you shared this! Maybe next time I can overcome this :)

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  115. I just wanted to share my experience after reading this. Had awful morning sickness first 3 pregnancies, two boys and a girl. I found this before I got pregnant with number 4, followed the colloidal silver and tumeric plan for 10 days, got pregnant, and THE PREGNANCY WAS AMAZING!!!! Barely ANY sickness, thank you so much for your blog!!!!

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  116. I'm very interested in a booklet with all the sources cited! Since marriage I've had to dig deeper into the "why" of the natural things I do.

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  117. Thank you so much for sharing this! I was on the sofa for 8 months during my first pregnancy. My husband had to puree my food. Finally had the courage to get pregnant again 4 1/2 years later. My friend sent me this link and things went so much better, I am now a "fermentation apostle". So many things about our family's health are improving too!!

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  118. Hi! I read your article and have become very interested in this research and am trying some of these things to help with my HG. I have not tried the colloidal silver yet but I read the article you linked related to it and I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you writing this article and hoping to help others! It baffles me that there is “no cure” for this as it can be life threatening for a lot of mothers. Again, thank you for taking the time to write this.

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