<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
Hi Dave & all,
 
>I've had good experience with "UltraClear Sustain" by Metagenics,
>which is a powdered rice-based beverage.  It's designed
>for the "intestinally challenged."  The label claims
>it's gluten-free and has no animal products.  It has
>a bunch of minerals: calcium, etc.  I actually enjoy the
>taste, and have come to rely on it--but I'm wondering
>whether this might be problematic.  Also: it's fairly expensive.
 
I've been on Sustain under the direction of a nutritionist for about two
months now. I can also say that I've had good experience with it. My
nutritionist has also given me some other medications from Metagenics for
parasites(Blastocystis Hominis), hypoacitidity, unbalanced intestinal
flora, low digestive enzymes, beta strep, occult bleeding, leaky gut etc.
 
The lab work on my gut was done by Great Smokies Laboratory and the
nutritionist is Victoria Wood(Takoma Park, MD near Washington, DC). Great
Smokies is on of the best labs in the(see Don Wiss's web page) and Victoria
Wood studied with Dr. Jeffrey Bland who I understand is well known in
nutritional circles.
After almost a year of "you look fine to me" and negative on almost all
tests that I took through managed care, it is a real relief to have someone
pinpoint the problem(with a lab "document" to back it up) and to know how
to solve it.
 
I can't say enough about the need for a good clinical nutritionist for
intestinal healing. I know there are those that will say that plenty of
people have healed just fine on their own but there are a lot of folks who
have not had that happen and my comments are really for them.
 
>My gastro-enterologist took a cursory look at the
>description and said it looked like a good product.
>But he was, in doctor-fashion, pressed for time.
>Does anybody know of any nutritional reasons why
>this Sustain beverage might be contra-indicated
>(as a regular dietary supplement)?
 
There is no reason why you can't, it's very good stuff. I find that as my
gut is beginning to heal, I don't need the extra calories. Where I could
eat with abandon before, now my gut has become "efficient". I lost 45 lbs
in the last year before working with Vicky without trying to lose weight.
 
So, in a nutshell, Sustain is good but there is even more good stuff if you
go the clinical nutritionist route. Also, Sustain as well as the other
things from Metagenics ARE expensive but they work -- many are based on
traditional chinese botanicals. Sustain is fine to get on your own but for
the other "medications", I would rely on someone with experience since a
good clinical nutritionist will treat each person differently as their
circumstances require.
 
Good luck with the healing process. Alec
 
Alec Maines
Washington, DC