You may think you are eating healthy, but what if the healthy foods are the very foods that are upsetting your gut!?! Maybe you are sensitive to a food, but don't realize it, because you have to eat it more than a few times in a row, or in conjunction with another food you are sensitive to... Or maybe the foods you think are healthy are actually bad for you!!! Or worse, the treatments you use to provide quick relief are causing your condition to worsen in the long run!
If you are unfamiliar with the anatomy of your digestive system, we advice clicking the "learn more" button below to better understand our advice on GERD, acid reflux and or spastic gall bladder. To learn more about the anatomy of your digestive system:
GERD (aka Acid Reflux)
Most patient with GERD are suffering because of a slow digestive system, from not chewing their food enough, and/or because the pancreas is not producing enough digestive enzymes to chemically break down the food fast enough.
Without enough enzymes, the stomach takes longer to empty, increasing the likelihood of eating another meal before fully voiding. This adds pressure to the system, causing the food to be pressed up into the esophagus. This food has been mixed with the acid in the stomach and burns the esophagus lining, eliciting the burning pain patients feel when experiencing GERD.
The common medical treatment is to decrease the acid in the stomach so the food mixture from the stomach doesn’t burn so much when it goes up the wrong tube.
I believe this is the opposite of what needs to be done. I recommend increasing the acid and adding digestive enzymes so the food can run through the digestive system without backing up. Sometimes just increasing the acid is enough because the initial digestive process works best in an acidic environment.
That is why taking apple cider vinegar (which is very acidic) often helps with GERD.
Taking an acid reducer (like calcium carbonate or a prescription medication like the purple pill) decreases the acid (and increases the pH) in the stomach. This may make the esophagus less irritated when the food backs up, but you are not fixing the problem, just decreasing the symptom.
You will continue to have a slow digestive system, and worse, your food will not digest as well in this less acidic environment. The weaker your digestive system, the fewer nutrients you will absorb, making you hungrier. You will want to eat more, which backs up the system even more.
Most patients who take acid inhibitors tend to have enlarged, extended bellies from being literally full of fecal material. Every one of my patients on acid inhibitors reported relief from their symptoms when they added digestive enzymes to their treatment regimen.
If you suffer from GERD or any bowel movement symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider about taking a digestive enzyme capsule (with bile in it) with your heaviest meal of the day. That way, you will take the strain off of your pancreas and gall bladder. To learn more about digestive enzymes and other supplements for a healthy gut, click here.
Spastic Gallbladder
Before you have your gallbladder removed, or if you have had your gallbladder removed, watch this:
I have had multiple patients tell me that they had their “spastic” gallbladder removed, hoping it would help with their IBS. Unfortunately, removing this organ did not help.We need our gallbladder. It stores the extra bile produced by our liver and then excretes it when we eat a fatty meal. We need to be able to emulsify our fats with this extra bile so we can digest fat and absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
I advise patients who no longer have a gallbladder to take a digestive enzyme with bile with their heaviest meal. Without these enzymes, the extra fat will not be emulsified and will irritate the intestinal lining, resulting in IBS.
If you still have your gallbladder and it is “spastic,” it is obviously under stress and needs assistance. See if taking a digestive enzyme helps.
I am biased, but often a chiropractic adjustment will help a spastic gallbladder. The nerve running to the gallbladder may be over-stimulating the gallbladder, or it may be pinched as it exits the spine; either condition can cause the gallbladder to spasm.
Regardless, a chiropractic manipulation feels good, and it’s a bonus if it helps your spastic gallbladder.
Gallstone Remedy
If you have gallstones, before trying any remedy, talk to your healthcare provider to see if this is appropriate for you. If it is, it may be advisable to start it on a Monday, incase as your gallstone passes it gets stuck. You don't want to go to the ER on a weekend or Friday night.
To help pass a gallstone, drink Apple cider (not vinegar) and water all day. The very next morning drink a cup of 1/2 oil and 1/2 water with a large squeeze of lemon juice. The mixture will cause the gallbladder to contract and the stones should pass. Again, do it during the week incase it gets stuck. We can't stress enough, do not do this unless under the guidance of your healthcare provider. This information is to arm you with options to discuss with your healthcare provider.
If you are looking for supplements like enzymes and probiotics for gut health, but unsure which one to pick, check out https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/drummond
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Drummond Chiropractic, LLC
More than chiropractors, we are wellness experts.
We can help you with your digestive concerns!
565 N Walnut St
Bloomington, IN 47404
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