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TAG | Stomach
Renew You Challenge
Let’s start this week off right!
Weekly challenge (I mean opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. Join us!
Many people who have arthritis take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to manage pain. NSAIDs can wreak havoc on the stomach lining, however, so acid-suppressing drugs are often prescribed along with the NSAIDs to help protect the stomach (note the Band-Aid on top of Band-Aid method of medicine here).
The acid-suppressing drugs, or more specifically, proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), have been found to protect the stomach of people on long-term NSAIDs, yes. But from the results of a new study, it appears that the damage is only displaced further down the digestive tract—to the intestines. So instead of stomach ulcers, intestinal damage occurs, increasing the risk of developing intestinal ulcers, which can be more dangerous and difficult to treat.
The dangers of acid-suppressing medications are many. It’s a topic I’ve touched on before. I’ve even video-blogged about it. So many people are taking these medications long term when they aren’t designed for such use. If your doctor has given you acid-suppressing medications, be sure to inform yourself about the side effects of taking these drugs long term.
This week, if you know someone on acid suppressors for heartburn, open up the dialogue about how dietary and lifestyle factors may be at the root cause of upper digestive symptoms. If you pay attention to what you eat and how you eat, for example, you may be able to make changes that relieve your heartburn. If you know someone on these medications to protect against NSAID damage, they may want to think twice, based on this recent study.
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Be Curious: Health, Emotions and Relationships Are All Connected
08/2/10 0 Comments | Posted by bwatson in General
My weekly “Renew You” Challenge – When it comes to being healthy, your emotions play a pretty big part. What do I mean? Well, think about how your emotions can affect digestion. Do you sometimes lose your appetite when you’re upset? Or get an upset stomach when you’re stressed or angry? Emotional upheaval is a pretty powerful force, and it can actually shut down the digestive system. And if you’ve learned anything from me, it’s that the foundation of a healthy body is a healthy gut!
On that note, your emotions have a lot do with the relationships in your life. Oftentimes relationships can spark emotions, both good and bad. Positive relationships can have a wonderful effect on our health and our well being, but not everyone knows how to relate well to others. Now, I’m not an expert on people or relationships, but I do like to think holistically, which means I like to look at the whole picture—and relationships are part of that picture.
So what’s your challenge this week? Well, it has to do with relationships and emotions, and it’s really pretty simple when you think about it: be curious about the other person. What do I mean? Well, do you ever find yourself thinking about how you are going to respond to someone while that person is talking to you? A lot of times we talk in circles because of this, and that can start to take its toll on our emotional and physical health.
So the next time you have a conversation with someone, be curious. See what happens and how it makes you feel, then get in the habit of it of paying more attention and see how it affects your health. Now that makes me curious!
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Got heartburn? GERD? Listen up! This isn’t new news, but it’s news I think everyone should know: Using proton pump inhibitors (commonly known as PPIs) for extended periods of time could make you more likely to suffer osteoporosis-related bone fractures.
Why do I think this is so important? Because folks, PPIs are the third-highest-selling class of drugs on the market today, and one of the most popular PPIs—Nexium® (you know, the little purple pill)—has the second-highest retail sales among all drugs sold in the U.S. That means there’s a good chance that you or someone you know is taking one. So let’s review:
What is a PPI? A PPI is a drug that blocks the production of the enzyme in the stomach that produces acid. PPIs are commonly prescribed for the following conditions:
- Ulcers
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, or acid reflux)
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (a rare disease that results in the overproduction of gastrin, which releases excess stomach acid)
Do PPIs work? Yes, on the surface they work remarkably well. They reduce stomach acid, which reduces pain almost instantly, but—and I can’t stress this enough—covering up the symptoms does not solve the underlying problem. And even though it’s recommended that PPIs aren’t used for more than 8 to 12 weeks at a time, a lot of people are taking them for much longer, probably because they’re so readily available!
What worries me is that people just don’t know enough about the side effects and complications of using PPIs longer than they should, but there are so many—which brings me back to my point. Research shows that long-term PPI use is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis-related bone fractures, especially hip, wrist and spine fractures.
What’s the connection? Simple: Hypochlorhydria (which is just a fancy term for low stomach acid) can decrease calcium absorption, and PPIs create hypochlorhydria in the stomach. This results in reduced calcium absorption, and if the body doesn’t get enough calcium from the diet, where does it take it from? Your bones!
It’s a vicious cycle, but it’s one that can be avoided by taking steps to establish a strong foundation of digestive health. These include eating a high-fiber diet and avoiding heavily processed, high-sugar and high-fat foods, as well as taking daily enzymes, probiotics and beneficial Omega-3 oils. I’ll cover more on the dangers of PPI use in future blogs, so stay tuned. But remember—there are safe and effective natural alternatives to using PPIs, and all it takes is a quick trip to the health food store!
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So you’re on a diet, but you can’t stop thinking about food. First you crave something sweet, then you crave something salty, then you crave carbs—any carbs. Take it from me, it’s hard not to think about food while you’re on a diet, but there IS a solution!
One of the very best ways to keep away those pesky cravings is by eating more fiber every day. It’s that simple! Fiber does some pretty amazing things in the body, one of which is triggering the release of an anti-hunger hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK).
CCK is produced in the small intestine and plays an important role in bile production and digestive enzyme secretion, but it also helps with satiety, which means it sends a message to your brain when you’re full. So the more fiber you eat with each meal, the faster you’ll feel full, and the less likely your chances of overeating! (FYI: Eating more fats will also stimulate the release of CCK, but fiber is definitely better for you and a lot lower in calories.)
In a series of studies done at the University of California, researchers found that both women and men who ate a high-fiber meal released more CCK that those who ate a low-fiber meal, and that CCK levels were actually twice as high after a the high-fiber meal.
Fiber also helps curb cravings simply by taking up a lot of space in your stomach. Basically, high-fiber foods pack a lot of volume but contain very few calories, so even though they fill you up, they’re not going to send your calorie intake through the roof. It’s a win-win situation—more fullness, fewer calories! I recommend eating at least 35 grams of fiber every day, especially since the average American only consumes about 10 to 15 grams daily.
Consuming more fruits and vegetables is the best way to increase your daily fiber intake, but if you’re still having a hard time reaching 35 grams a day, add a high-quality fiber supplement with a balanced ratio of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Flaxseed, oat fiber and acacia fiber are great options, but try to avoid products made with psyllium because they can cause gas, bloating and constipation.
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Health Links Wednesday - Getting kids interested in their digestive health is about as easy as getting them to choose cauliflower over cupcakes, but thanks to Discovery Health’s “Digestive Machine”, now they can get an inside look at just what happens after every mouthful!
This interactive diagram (complete with gurgling, sloshing sounds!) is such a great idea, even I had fun rolling my mouse over the different parts of the digestive system and reading fun facts like how our esophagus muscles work to push food toward the stomach even if we’re upside down or in space.
The Digestive Machine is a terrific resource to help kids learn about the importance of good digestion and how the food we eat supplies our bodies with nutrients for energy and growth, so be sure to check it out!
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I know too many people who are swallowing antacid pills and potions and even taking prescription drugs on a daily basis, and it got me thinking about stomach acid and pH levels. I recently read an article titled “Too Little Stomach Acid Can Be a Problem Too” by Pharmacist Suzy Cohen. Imagine my surprise—finally someone in mainstream medicine was echoing what we in the natural health field have been saying for years now: most physicians do not test you for pH levels and just assume you have a high stomach acid level, and they hand you a prescription to reduce stomach acid—not what you need!
In reality you likely have a condition known as hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) and can be setting yourself up for compounded health issues by taking the acid-blocking meds that are commonly prescribed. The article then goes on to say that a simple blood test for gastrin levels can indicate whether or not you have low stomach acid.
Gastrin is a hormone that is produced to stimulate the production of stomach acid. Because it works on negative feedback, high blood levels of gastrin can indicate that your body is producing too much in an attempt to produce more stomach acid. This could be one way to test for hypochlorhydria, but a more accurate test would be the Heidelberg capsule test.
I have to say, I was very impressed by the information contained in this article and by Dr. Cohen’s understanding of basic physiology and natural health approaches to this growing problem. Check it out for yourself, or better still, take a copy to your physician and get properly tested before swallowing any more meds.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/health/sfl-suzy-cohen-columnist,0,2948334.columnist
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