Dr. Amy Nett: Diverticulosis should not cause RBCs in the stool test. Diverticulitis possibly could. It depends on the degree of inflammation. So if you see red blood cells in the stool test, you definitely want to think about GI inflammation, and I might repeat that because I think sometimes the Doctor’s Data stool test probably overcalls red blood cells and occult blood, so I might run that through LabCorp or at least repeat it through Doctor’s Data. Most often when I see occult blood on Doctor’s Data, I run it through LabCorp, and it’s actually completely normal. Occult blood, I worry a little bit more if occult blood persists. Then I’m thinking about something like a polyp or possibly colorectal cancer, and that’s when I might push for a colonoscopy. Red blood cells might just indicate some degree of inflammation, so definitely check the lysozyme, but it sounds like that was completely normal.
Based on all this in terms of what you’re saying, we’re dealing now with low growth of beneficial bacteria, so dysbiosis of insufficiency, along with a few red blood cells. Do the rebuilding of the healthy gut protocol, so for two to three months, huge focus on prebiotics and probiotics. So choose three or four of your favorite prebiotics in addition to food sources and maybe two or three of your favorite probiotics. Do that for two to three months, and then repeat the stool test. You can do a CSAP x1. You don’t need a three-day collection. I think that answers everything. And diverticulitis, just so you know, diverticulitis is generally associated with pretty severe pain. That’s what normally draws our attention to diverticulitis because diverticulitis is basically inflammation of a diverticulum. People probably, you know, when we have diverticulosis, it’s entirely possible that diverticulitis comes and goes. It’s only when it gets to frank perforation of a diverticulum with potential abscess formation that we actually get worried about it in terms of needing antibiotics or an antimicrobial approach and/or surgery, but diverticulosis is pretty benign and incredibly common.