To Improve Digestive Health 14 Tips G
astrointestinal distress is rapidly rising in the US and a cause for many doctors' visits. However,
many fail to appreciate some of the multi- faceted aspects of digestive health that could be contributing to chronic symp- toms or troubles that do not resolve easily. If you’ve been dealing with digestive trouble for some time and haven’t found much relief, check out these fourteen tips to see if you can help yourself feel better.
1. Find and eliminate food sensitivities: Many people who present with stubborn digestive issues that they have seen mul- tiple providers for have a food sensitivity that they have not discovered yet. Most food allergy testing is done via a skin prick test. This type of test checks for IgE, acute- onset, life-threatening allergy. You may be interested to know this is not the only way you can have a food sensitivity! There are also IgG food sensitivity reactions, responsible for troublesome, chronic, but not-immediately-life-threat- ening symptoms. Examples here would be chronic indigestion, gas, bloating, head-
aches, diarrhea, constipation, rashes, acne and even premenstrual distress. This type of food sensitivity is checked via a blood test.
Lastly, there is a third type of reaction that can present like a food allergy and that is called histamine intolerance. Caused by an inability to degrade hista- mine or a sensitivity to histamine, symp- toms come on when you eat histamine- rich or histamine-liberating foods such as fermented foods (including fermented dairy products, cheese, wine, beer, sauer- kraut, kimchi, etc), spinach, lemons, mackerel and others.
2. If you don’t want to check for food sensitivity, cut back on the “big bullies”: More commonly known as an elimination diet, this is where well-known inflamma- tory and allergenic foods are cut from the diet for at least 4 weeks and then system- atically added back in one at a time, one food per four days. The most common food allergens or foods most likely to cause gastrointestinal distress are gluten, dairy, beans and legumes, the nightshade family
of veggies (tomatoes, eggplant, bell pepper and white potatoes). Other less-common items include eggs, citrus, alcohol, caf- feine, strawberry and nuts. If this list over- whelms you, simply start with one or two items. Cutting out foods and re-introducing them gives you great insight into how your body tolerates individual foods.
3. Emphasize gut-healthy foods: Foods that nourish the beneficial bacteria, are rich in healthy fiber, are nutrient dense and pro- vide gut-specific nutrition include the cabbage family of veggies (broccoli, cau- liflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choi and cabbage), sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkin, winter squash, onions, leeks, garlic, mustard greens, green tea, tur- meric, coconut and all coconut products, bone broth, gelatin, okra, asparagus, grass fed beef, wild salmon, pastured chicken, artichokes, kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi (as long as there is no histamine intolerance).
4. Chew! It is such an easy step to forget, but digestion begins in the mouth. If you
Now Open!
Join us for our Grand Opening Community Wellness Festival Sat., Sept. 14 - 10am-3pm Local artisans, music, chair massage, chair acupuncture, mini facials, iridology, compass scans, food, beverage, and more!
941-C Center Crest Dr., Whitsett Natural Triad Magazine
www.oasisnaturalhealthcenter.com SEPTEMBER 2013
(in the same building as Midtown Pharmacy) 336.603.8281
35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52