Slippery Elm

Calming the Burn of Acid Reflux

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Heart burn, a symptom of acid reflux or GERD, is experienced by about 60% of the adult population in North America each year. It is usually created by weakness in the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES), excess weight, Hiatal Hernia, or poor gastric emptying (when food stays in your stomach too long). GERD is a serious health condition that should be monitored by your Naturopathic physician or Western Doctor. Here are some tips you can use as adjuncts to recommendations made by your healthcare practitioner.

Slippery Elm – is a demulcent herb that helps to soothe inflammation by creating a protective film over mucous membranes like your esophagus and stomach. Slippery elm is a mild tasting herb so it is easy to take as a tea, or can be found in capsules. It is best taken after meals or before bed to help with symptoms of heart burn.

Melatonin – is very useful in increasing the strength of the LES and therefore reduction of heart burn. In one study, melatonin was found to be almost 35% more effective than Omprezole after 40 days of treatment. The study participants were given 3 g/day before bed. I have replicated these results in practice with the majority of my reflux patients.

Curcumin – in another study, 14 participants on medication for acid reflux were given 2g/day of curcumin. After 2 weeks all participants came off their medications and after 2 months, 11 of participants were symptom free.

Diet modifications – I find that in the majority of cases I see, food sensitivity testing is very helpful for reducing the symptoms of acid reflux. People testing positive for celiac and/or gluten intolerance are found to have higher incidence of acid reflux, so it is worth cutting this out if you have symptoms.

How to Eat Grains

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Lately grains have been getting about as much love as fat did in the 80s, which is none if you’re not old enough to remember! The recent popularity of Paleo and Keto diets have people cutting grains out their diets completely. I agree with cutting out grains you are sensitive to, or those that come in highly processed forms like cereal, pasta, crackers, cookies, flour etc. I also think grains are a little misunderstood right now and I want to clarify what I feel is their place in a healthy diet.

Grains are a great source of fiber when eaten in their whole grain form. They are also high in B vitamins, and minerals like iron, selenium, and magnesium. Grains have been shown to help us with energy, provide food for the good bacteria in our gut, help prevent cardiovascular disease and stroke, prevent Type II Diabetes, cancer, and so on.

The reason Paleo diets avoid grains is because of their ‘anti-nutrient’ components otherwise known as phytates. When we eat foods containing phytates, they can bind to minerals in our gut so that we can’t absorb them, influence digestive enzymes, and interfere with the digestion of starches, proteins, and fats. Soooooo, you’re saying I should stay away from grains??? No, but you do need to know how to reduce the amounts of phytates in the grains before you eat them:

Cooking – will decrease some of the phytates, but also decreases phytase (the enzyme that breaks down phytates) so it’s not the most effective way to get rid of phytates.

Soaking – will help reduce phytates significantly. Soak your grains overnight as you would do with beans and then cook them the following day.

Fermenting – is another great way of dismantling phytates. The most common grain-form of this is sourdough bread.

Sprouting – grains such as those available in Ezeikiel bread products break down phytates.

Good bugs – probiotics create an environment favorable to breaking down phytates. Taking probiotics regularly and eating probiotic rich foods will further assist reducing your phytate load.

Enjoy some reduced phytate grains, healthfully!

Soothing the Gut-Brain Connection

Soothing the Gut-Brain Connection

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Last week we talked about the connection between the gut, the food you eat, and the effects it can have on your brain and emotions. This connection goes both ways, and it has been found that introducing stress reduction techniques can help sooth digestive conditions such as IBS, GERD, Crohn’s, and ulcerative colitis. Here are a few of my favorites:

Grounding – there is increasing evidence that spending time in nature is helpful to calming the nervous system. Walking barefoot in the grass, lying on the ground, and hugging trees (I’m not kidding!) can all help to bring your nervous system back into balance.

Meditation – whatever type works for you. My favorite is simply focusing on the feeling of my breathe coming into and going out of my body while watching the different thoughts come and go through my consciousness.

Sitting Down to Eat – sit so your belly is relaxed, breath in the aroma of your food, put your phone somewhere you can’t see it, taste and chew your food well

The Pros and Cons of lemon water

The Pros and Cons of lemon water

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Lemon water is a popular beverage both for it’s taste and cleansing effects. While I think that regular cleansing is a great idea, lemon water doesn’t work for everyone. Here’s why:

The Pros- Lemon water is high in Vitamin C, antioxidants, magnesium, B vitamins, and other nutrients. The combination of these nutrients help boost the immune system, decrease skin conditions such as acne, eczema and age-spots, decrease inflammation, stimulate and cleanse the digestive tract, and improve mental clarity and focus. What’s not to like!

The Cons – through Food Sensitivity Testing, about 40% of the people I test show a sensitivity to citrus fruits including lemon. So even though it has benefits abound, regular doses of lemon water can leave some people feeling bloated, experiencing heartburn, foggy headed, or with diarrhea or constipation.

If you still want a daily cleansing ritual with all the benefits of lemon water, try Beilers Broth. It’s my favorite gentle cleansing beverage. http://www.drkira.ca/recipes/soups-and-stews/bielers-broth/

Three things to omit from your diet to transform your gut health!

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Last week I talked about three groups of foods to add to your diet to transform your gut health. This week I’m subtracting from the diet for even greater transformation:

1) Sugar – sugar is one of the biggest dietary culprits in creating imbalance in the gut bacteria. White and brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, and even fruit feed the bad bacteria in your gut creating imbalance and potentially contributing to your health issues. Fruit is a little better than the rest because of it’s fiber content, but should still be eaten in moderation when it is in season. High sugar diets and their effects on the gut bacteria have been linked to bloating, gas, depression and anxiety, learning difficulties, blood sugar imbalances, acid reflux, autoimmune diseases, IBS and more.

2) Antibiotics – are an amazing and life saving medicine and we are lucky to have them. Unfortunately they completely wipe out the entire bacterial culture in the gut and cause more work for the liver and kidneys. Antibiotics also tend to be overused and have lasting negative effects on the gut flora. The bacterial ecosystem in the human gut is one of the most diverse in the world and taking antibiotics is a little like clear cutting the rain forest. If and when it does grow back, it’s never quite the same. Some species of bacteria do not return and initially when all bacteria is wiped out, there is the possibility for the bad bacteria to take over and become more prevalent. If you have to take antibiotics, by all means do so, but check out all your options through Naturopathic medicine, Asian medicine and acupuncture, or whomever you turn to when you need help with your health.

3) Food Sensitivities – I know!! I’m a broken record when it comes to Food Sensitivities, but there’s a good reason for it. My aim with each patient I work with is to help them learn how to care for their bodies through diet and lifestyle changes, and eliminating Food Sensitivities is one of the most effect way to do this. When you eat foods you are sensitive to it creates inflammation and incomplete breakdown of the foods you’ve eaten. These incompletely broken down foods sit in the small intestine and become a feast for the bad bacteria in the gut. This becomes a vicious cycle as the population of bad bacteria grows, emits more toxins, creates more inflammation, less digestion, and more food for themselves thus completing the cycle.

Happy digesting everyone!