You may consider weaning off Oxalate-Rich foods if you have compromised gut health, such as: • having taken antibiotics frequently or for long periods of time • having leaky gut and food sensitivities/allergies • having any autoimmune issue • having any inflammatory issue like asthma, arthritis or fibromyalgia • having poor fatty acid digestion.
But don’t go Cold Turkey! It takes time for Oxalate storage to deplete, and they need to circulate through your system to get out, and can cause brain fog and other symptoms along the way. Other symptoms of oxalate dumping include: • Joint pain • Painful urination • Excessive urination/bed wetting • Burning with bowel movements • “Sandy” Poop and cloudy urine • White or black flecks in bowel movement • Skin rashes • Brain fog • Eye pain • Insomnia • Anxiety/depression.
So start with stopping one or two Oxalate-rich foods in your diet at a time. Go slow to avoid “dumping” as your body starts to rid itself of excess Oxalates.
One way to slow down dumping is to eat more oxalate-rich foods. If this decreases symptoms, it’s also a confirmation of your condition. Clearing excess Oxalates can take up to a year in some cases.
Great Plains Labs has provided good information for other ways to aid in oxalate elimination:
Use antifungal drugs to reduce yeast and fungi that may be causing high oxalates.
Give supplements of calcium citrate and magnesium citrate to reduce oxalate absorption from the intestine. Give chondroitin sulfate to prevent the formation of calcium oxalate crystals. Vitamin B6 is a cofactor for one of the enzymes that degrades oxalate in the body and has been shown to reduce oxalate production. Increase water intake to help eliminate oxalates.
Great Plains Lab’s organic acid test (OAT) is one of the best measures for determination of both genetic and nutritional factors that lead to toxic oxalates. For more information, contact me or Great Plains labs directly.
Special thanks to Robert Miller, CTN, founder and president of Nutrigenetic Research Institute for the above information.