Happy Tummy: Found and Lost (or, Remembering to Slow Down)

Storefront, Metro Drugs (Upper East Side, NYC)

Something has happened over the past few months to re-ignite my GERD symptoms:  the clenched throat, nausea, fullness and regurgitation episodes.   Since I've mostly had this under control the past year (!) this is surprising and frustrating.  "Oh no, not AGAIN."  

Why?

• Have I been eating too fast lately?   (Yes.  For some reason, I'm inhaling my meals.)
• Eating too late? (Definitely.  Late hours at work.)
• Eating too much?  (Calorically, I think I'm okay, but I do think I'm eating too much bulk-wise.  Because I'm eating too quickly.)
• Eating too much chocolate?  (Most likely.)
• Not enough Tai Chi or breathing exercises?  (Blame the hectic work schedule and falling out of the habit.  I've recently returned to this wonderful stress reliever.)
• Too much black tea?  (I bought some high quality Darjeeling and other black tea, which I've been enjoying alongside the usual oolongs and puehr -- have I overestimated my ability to easily tolerate this again?)  
• Not enough vegetables lately?  (My hectic schedule the past 4-5 months has definitely impacted my capability and desire for home-cooking, especially my greenmarket produce.)
• Not enough sleep?  (If I'm being honest, yes.  See all of the above.)
• A compromised immune system (Due to not enough vegetables or sleep?  I just got over a 2-week cold -- my first in years.)   
• Too stressed out (leading to a compromised immune system, leading to the return of my GERD/gastroparesis) (See above, again, most likely yes yes yes?!!??!)

Sigh! 

Just around this time, I noticed this elaborate chalk drawing in a storefront in Manhattan promoting probiotics for a "happy tummy."  

Maybe I'm easily impressionable, but this drawing reminded me to take a step back -- take ten steps back -- and BREATHE and put my body first.   More and more studies are showing the strong connection between gut health and overall health, especially the immune system.  (I have some new links to share, stay tuned, future post!)

RESOURCE:  2016 GUT MICROBIOTA FOR HEALTH WORLD CONGRESS  

I was excited to come across a link for the Gut Microbiota for Health World Congress meeting taking place March 5-6, 2016 in Miami, Florida with panels such as Gut Microbiota as Therapeutics, Life Events that Alter Gut Microbiota, and other timely titles.   See the whole program here.

The meeting site includes a link to this excellent academic site for gut microbiome news:

• Gut Microbiota for Health: Public Information Service from European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility

Digestion Does Not Begin In Your Mouth: Your Brain on Hand Food

Potato-garlic pierogis and spinach.  Applesauce on the side.

I wouldn't call pierogis "hand food."  (Pierogis, if you don't live in parts of Brooklyn or Buffalo or another Polish community, are dumplings filled with mashed potato, or potato plus another ingredient -- common fillings include spinach, mushroom, meat, or, as Veselka has mastered, sweet potato).   They're eaten with forks, slathered in applesauce, sour cream, and/or sauteed onions.   Still, when I cook up a portion, I can't resist eating part of one with my fingers.  It just tastes better.

I'm like that with other non-finger foods, as well.  Roasted potatoes.  Brown rice.   Beans.   Lasagna.   Broccoli.  Most of this is done while cooking just for a taste but sometimes after the meal, too, while putting leftovers away.  And I've been known to outright "eat with my fingers" at my desk at work when no one is looking. :)

I am convinced food really does taste better "from hand" to mouth.  One of my theories is that the food gets closer to your nose, thereby ramping up the eating experience.

Not quite, but almost.   I discovered (after looking into this -- surely I couldn't be the only person willing to admit I'm an enthusiastic hand-eater) scientists are finding a connection between how you eat -- with your hands or with a utensil -- and how the brain responds.   Indeed: the act of picking food up with your fingers triggers a response to the brain and your guts -- your second brain -- to get ready for digestive action.   It's a more "whole body" experience that encourages mindfulness while eating -- you are really engaging with your meal.

Gastro Note:  I've found pierogis are a favorite "easy to digest" food of mine.   When my guts are churning, if I have nausea or other gastro issues, I can always tolerate and enjoy pierogis.  Sometimes it gets crazy -- I've had weeks where I've wanted nothing but pierogis for three days in a row!  (They are insanely delicious, especially in my neighborhood, where they are made fresh just down the street.  The "pierogi factory" -- really! -- makes a few varieties but my favorite is garlic and potato, which are also vegan.  Yeah!)  I eat mine with applesauce -- double points if I've made my own applesauce that week!


SOME LINKAGE ON THE SUBJECT...

NPR's The Salt:  Is Everything More Delicious When You Eat With Your Hands?

Express Tribune:  5 Reasons Why You Should Eat With Your Hands

HinduismToday:  The Ways and Joys of Eating With Your Hands

HinduHumanRights: Vedic Wisdom Behind Eating With Your Hands

Organic Olivia:  How Eating with Chopsticks Massages Your Organs and Stimulates Digestion  An interesting related article...

NY Times:  Mind Your Manners:  Eat With Your Hands

SFGate: A New, Old Restaurant Trend: Eating With Your Hands

March Madness

Winter comfort -- wonton soup at Peacefood.

Winter is one of my favorite times of the year -- one can wear turtlenecks, walk briskly without sweating, and have an excuse to drink hot chocolate!    Still, this winter has become tiresome here in New York!   Is that why I've stopped blogging for several weeks?  Or is it the exhausting pace of life lately?  I recently read another blogger's post about letting her blog unexpectedly "languish" and how she begs readers to forgive her.   That's how I feel -- I'm thinking of you all, really!   Each week I resolve to write a new post but "life happens."  

Well,  onward!

RECENT DISCOVERIES

My motility issues have worsened over the past weeks, along with my stress levels, daylight saving time, winter weather, and a hectic schedule.   Thankfully, I discovered respite with a few events and resources:

1)  The big bowl of vegan wonton soup from Peacefood -- pictured above.   If you are in NYC, go and order a bowl!  I tried this one evening and now it's a daily craving, salve for any colds, winter doldrums or nervous stomachs.  The broth is a miso base full of carrots and slivers of other sweet tasting vegetables, and the wontons are full of ginger, tofu, and more vegetables.

2)  MooShoes' Whalentine's Day bake sale benefiting the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (those amazing folks who take direct action to save whales and other sea creatures from death and injury).   Here is our cheerful take-home stash of vegan cookies and bread:

Part of my Whalentine's Day Bake Sale stash.

No visual for this one but the other day (after our Peacefoods wonton soup meal) J. and I wandered 14th Street and discovered Namaste, a bookshop owned by people formerly involved with the terrific East-West bookstore that closed a few years ago.  Near Union Square, Namaste is well stocked in goods and good energy -- shall I take a sound meditation class?  I think so!

More to come...

How to Have Your GERD, and Your Tea, Too (Report from NYC Coffee & Tea Festival)

From Michele Brody's Reflections in Tea

NOTE:  Whoa!   Far too long between posts!   In case you're wondering, I  have not abandoned this blog, far from it -- I've just been side-tracked by a few trips out of town, long work hours, housecleaning projects, and, frankly, the temptation to play outside instead of sitting in front of a screen, now that Spring is here.  Lots of stockpiled GERD/guts/recipes/related topics ahead, so back to it, on a regular schedule, then!

After a few months of increased GERD and far too many TUMS, I am, somehow, feeling better.   Thank goodness, because a few weeks ago, I attended the 2013 NYC Coffee & Tea Festival (a sold-out frenzy that weighs heavily in favor of tea aficionados, with more leaf than bean again this year -- it's one of my annual highlights).  I wondered how my gut would handle more tea than usual, more black tea than usual, and more excitement than usual -- this year's festival coincided with a visit by my parents and an exceptionally hectic work-week.    

I am convinced after much trial and error that you can have your tea and your GERD, too -- you just need to figure out what works for your guts, tea-wise.  It may be drinking only with meals, avoiding strong black teas, or reducing the amount of tea/drinking it every few days, or perhaps going full-on herbal (I never thought I'd drink this much chamomile, but I've found a few varieties that are a delight).  As I've mentioned elsewhere on this blog, oolongs and pu-ehrs give me little to no problems, but YMMV.

THE TEA-HOUSE  

I started my festival day by wandering the aisles and found this at one end -- Michele Brody, a performance artist, engaged in Reflections in Tea, an interactive work where people enter a copper-and-teabag-lined structure to share a cup and stories of tea.  (For more on Michele's work and her Tea Reflections piece, see this interview from the Villager.)    The walls were created with tea-stained fillable tea-bags which had been covered with people's handwritten experience with tea.  I entered the structure, Michele's first participant of the day.   There was a calm but palpable energy in the tea-house, making me feel like I had entered a sacred space like a kiva or shaman's tent.   We shared cups of puehr and I was invited to write my own "reflection in tea."  (I wrote about navigating GERD as a tea-aficianado.)  

The tea-house:

Some of the "tea reflections" on used tea bags:

 

GREEN TEAS

I've been drinking a lot of green tea lately, usually mid-day and the afternoon.   My GERD tolerates "high quality" loose-leaf teas, particularly delicate ones.   One of the draws of the festival for me is buying from merchants I don't usually find in my local stores, like Sara's Tea Caddy, which specializes in fine-grade Japanese tea.   I sampled the Genmai Hojicha and should have purchased it, but splurged on the Fukamushi Sencha instead.  (Next time, I'll get both.)

I can tolerate high quality, delicate green tea.   While all loose-leaf is superior to pulverized tea in a sealed paper bag, I think GERD-wise, for me, it matters even more to seek out loose-leaf green tea, and a source that has been handled well.   I am steeping mine for about 1 minute, for a very light result.  Tip: If you want stronger tea, do not increase the steep time -- increase the amount of tea used.  (This applies to all tea.)

OOLONGS AND PUEHRS

The festival had many opportunities to try and buy my two favorite teas (as you may know from my earlier posts), puehrs and oolongs.   I especially liked the red oolong I sampled at Lotus Leaf Tea.  Here is one of the Lotus Leaf owners preparing a taste:

I bought the red tea and and a very rich puehr (shown below).   I learned some puehrs are artificially fermented with chemicals (!) (source for this pending, but that is what the Lotus Leaf purveyor told me); this one is naturally aged.  Another thing to consider when I buy puehrs!

One of my favorite New York tea suppliers was at the Festival -- Fang Gourmet Tea, a Chinese tea shop based in Flushing, Queens.  Fang's stand is always mobbed!   They have excellent tea in quality and variety, and the wonderful Fang staff gets a shout-out for perfectly matching one's tastes, budget and needs to the right tea.   I was tempted by a few of the costlier rare teas, but one of the tea sellers suggested I wait and come to their store where I can sample them -- make sure I like it before buying it. A trip to Queens is pending.  (Here is a nice article about Fang from Serious Eats.  And Fang's breadth of tea experience is demonstrated in this article about their pestle tea.)

I sampled the Four Season oolong, and decided to take a stronger variety home.   I drink oolong tea almost daily, with little impact on my GERD except in a positive way:  I feel calm, healthy, and happy when I drink it.  

A new Festival favorite, Everlasting Teas, is a company founded by a father-son team, Alan and Sammy Levine.  They stress unflavored teas, including a few rare varieties for the connoisseur (oolongs aged for over 30 years, etc.).  I was thrilled to be part of a small "tea tasting" at the stand, where we heard about each tea and tasted several varieties.   Sam's dad, Alan, had medical issues and drinking tea was one of the life-changes he made for better health.  (For more about Alan and Sam, see this blog entry from Chelsea Market Baskets, which also sells their teas.)

Alan and Sammy Levine at their stand, during a tasting.

Everlasting Teas -- exquisite selection and presentation!

 I picked up a Mountain Oolong and an aged oolong (Note: that is not me in the photo).

Another discovery for me at the Festival was The Tea Merchant, an organic, fair-trade tea company with the full variety of teas.  Full disclosure:  the booth invited bloggers to sample teas (and, one suspects, hopefully write about them) and I received samples of the Wuyi and Biodynamic Darjeeling.  I had GERD issues with the Darjeeling (see section on black teas, below), but enjoyed the Wuyi -- though I was a little underwhelmed, maybe due to my preference for Fang's and Everlasting Teas' varieties.

BLACK TEAS

Well, I think I've had it with black tea.  After sampling several stands at the fest, it was only when I consumed black tea that I started feeling my gut percolate.  Day to day, I avoid black teas except the occasional Tazo "Joy" tea (a blend of Darjeeling, Green and Oolong), and the Charleston plantation tea I picked up on our Southern road trip last year.  And then I drink them only late in the day, after I've had meals.

Still, at the festival, I was charmed by Ajiri Tea, a mother-daughter run company (with their dad/husband helping out at the booth) whose name means "to employ" in Swahili, and provides "a sustainable cycle of community employment and education" for women in Kenya.   (See The Mantle's interview for more about Ajiri's social mission.)  The boxes are works of art, literally, hand-crafted/designed by Kenyan artists and children.   I already had a box at home that I found at the Smithsonian, and was delighted to meet the Ajiri owners.   While I appreciate the high quality of this tea, I am forced to admit it is too harsh for my GERD sensitivity, and I cannot drink much of it.  So, I'll share the tea with friends, and enjoy the colorful boxes.

One of the most popular stands was the Bingley's Teas Limited booth, with its literature theme (teas are named after Victorian characters such as Mr. Knightly's Reserve), dramatic and detailed presentation (check out the photo below for tiny glimpse, and their Pinterest board), and -- unique, quality black teas.   I was tempted (by the self-titled Tea Temptress) by the Jane Austen Sampler, but decided to avoid buying black teas at the Festival (aside from Ajiri) since I am resigned to my inability to really drink them.  (Sigh.)  

My Festival bounty!

Secret Weapon: Ice Cubes (or, How to Drink Water When You Have GERD)

The blue-woman glass is the GERD-friendly glass.

Over the past several weeks, I decided to listen to my body and avoid guzzling water with my meals -- something I usually do when given a tall glass.  Especially with the hot weather, I found myself drinking 1-2 glasses of water very fast and then suffering that "food in throat" feeling and uncomfortable fullness.

Tired of this self-inflicted situation, I decided to drink nothing with my meals -- but that was also uncomfortable.  Half-way through my meals, I'd get thirsty for just a sip.  I'm training myself to drinking nothing during meals but I found another solution: rationing my water with meals by serving myself a glass full of ice cubes and just a few inches of water in the glass.   (See photo of glasses above; the middle glass is a typical amount.)  This trick allows me to enjoy a few sips of liquid but limits how much I can consume at the table.   Brilliant!

IT'S NOT JUST ME!

The water-heartburn/GERD connection is documented around the web.   (Another case of "it's not just me!")   In everything from quasi-medical sites to bulletin boards with threads like, "Why Does Water Make Me Sick?"   Nutritionist Joy Bauer explains how drinking during meals can be a problem for GERD-prone guts in her 10 Tips to Alleviate Acid Reflux:

If you suffer from GERD, limit your fluid intake with meals. Liquids add to the volume of food in your stomach and increases stomach distension. A full belly puts more pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the muscle that normally prevents food from moving back up into your esophagus, and thus adds to your risk of reflux. To minimize stomach volume, take small sips of water while you eat, and try to drink mostly between rather than during meals.

But Dr. Picco, a gastroenterologist from the Mayo Clinic, disputes this:

There's no concern that water will dilute the digestive juices or interfere with digestion. In fact, drinking water during or after a meal actually aids digestion. Water and other liquids help break down food so that your body can absorb the nutrients. Water also softens stools, which helps prevent constipation.

That's a great example of "medical advice" versus the lived experience of those with GERD who do feel water intake is an issue.  Perhaps, then, it's not the water itself but quantity/speed at which it is consumed.  (Which is why my ice cube method allows me to take in some water during meals with no concerns.)

A related tactic I've been using to take in liquid but not "guzzle" it down -- eat juicy foods when I'm thirsty, especially around meals.  Watermelon, cantaloup, applesauce -- all are great solutions for me.

MORE LINKAGE

An Ayurvedic perspective on the issue

The Reluctant Eater: Don't Drink Water (Or Anything Else) During Meals

Does Drinking Water Increase the Symptoms of Acid Reflux?  Another quick review by the Livestrong team.

Primal trainer Mark Sisson's blog entry on health and water consumption.

Resources: The Acid Reflux Solution by Dr. Jorge Rodriguez

I was excited to learn about The Acid Reflux Solution, a new book for treating GERD.    Published in March, this eating-for-an-acid-free-life plan was developed by a gastroenterologist who himself suffered from reflux, and makes sense to me.  Dr. Jorge Rodriguez advocates controlling reflux by changing your relationship with food and, in a word, mindfulness.   Particular "trigger" foods are discussed, but "Dr. Jorge" also advises it's not just particular foods -- but timing, portions, and other factors that come together to manage reflux.  His advice for a healthy gut includes:

• Small portions
• Trigger foods (caffeine, animal fats, fried foods, etc.) in moderation
• Good motility -- lots of fiber to keep things moving
• Reducing water intake during and around mealtimes

My lived experience coincides with his findings, and I love his easy-to-understand explanations and common sense, holistic approach.

Note:  In full disclosure, I have not yet read the actual book but I have a good sense of his philosophy from his website/blog, TV appearances and reviews.  Apparently, Dr. Jorge is on his way to becoming the next Dr. Mehmet Oz!

Dr. Jorge's professional website

Healthy World blog (Dr. Jorge's blog about reflux, eating for health -- well-organized with tags)

Dr. Jorge on The View (April 2012)

Is That a Lump In Your Throat, or Do You Have a Globus Pharyngeus?

Aha!  


While searching the web today, I found Pukeko's personal account of enduring Globus Pharyngeus -- that "lump in the throat" sensation that I am experiencing nearly every moment of every day.   


She notes her symptoms:

It started about a month ago with a feeling of a lump in my throat. It is as I would imagine I would feel if someone were choking me, but not quite enough to actually block the airway. 

Then I became aware of a few more symptoms. Here is a list: 

• Feeling of a lump in my throat, which eases during eating 
• Mild chest pain 
• Heartburn and gas, bloated stomach 

Feeling of lump in throat -- check!  (Though mine can continue through eating…)  Mild chest pains -- no, thank goodness.  Heartburn and gas -- check, check!  Bloated stomach -- yup!


Pukeko found the following changes helped manage her "lump in throat" issue:

• Reduce stress.
• Elevate my head when I sleep, so my neck is above my stomach.
• Eating certain foods only in the morning, like dairy, acidic fruits (oranges,  kiwi fruit, etc.) and not more than one cup of coffee per day. 
• If I have a morning cup of coffee, I need to drink an equal amount of water.
• Avoiding fatty foods a few hours before bedtime, and no eating at all within an hour of going to sleep.

She also notes she was on medication for one month.   Managing coffee intake by taking an equal amount of water is interesting.   I wonder if this would work for my tea consumption and controlling reflux.   


As always…it's challenging finding "authoritative" sources for anything medical online.   I do find the "firsthand accounts" often posted on medical bulletin boards and advice sites valuable, a way to gauge and compare my own situation.  And, it's heartening to read about someone else's similar experiences.   Take this post on ehealthforum, for instance:

I have been having food stuck in my throat for two years now. It is a constant feeling after anything I eat. The feeling of the food stuck always starts at the top of my throat than moves to the bottom of my throat just above my collar bone. I have been to 6 ENTs and nobody knows what it is. I have had MRI (nothing shown), I have had CT scan (showed mild calcificaiton of the Styloid Process) not significant enough to cause my problem, I had a motility test (showed slight motility disorder) nothing you can do about it. I had 24 hour PH test (showed mild acid reflux) I am taking Prevacid Solutab 30 MGs every morning, doesn't help). I have also had three endoscopies (showed smaill hiatla hernia, had another endoscopy showed it went away. Showed H Pylori as well. I took antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria. Now, I don't have H-pylori but, I still have the feeling in my throat). I have also had 6 lyarenoscopies and never shows anyhting. I also had three barium swallow and nothing. Any ideas

Here are some materials regarding Globus Pharyngeus from medical sources:




Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust patient info sheet


Clinical Trial: Prevalence of Salivary Hypofunction in Patients with Globus Pharyngeus, Samsung Medical Center


ARTICLES


Most require paid access (or free institutional access) but here they are, for your reference.  Also note most academic articles come out of the UK….

Study on the function of pharynx & upper esophageal sphincter in globus hystericus, World Journal of Gastroenterology 

International Journal of Otolaryngology: A Natural History of Globus Pharyngeus


Management of Global Pharyngeus: Review of 669 Cases, Journal of Laryngology and Otolology (abstract only)


Globus Pharyngeus and an Approach to Dysphagia, Medicine Today: The Journal of Peer Reviewed Clinical Practice


Globus Pharyngeus: A Postal Questionnaire Survey of UK ENT Consultants, Clinical Otolaryngol Allied Sci




RELATED


And this blog post, Globus Hystericus Relief - I Almost Died in My Sleep, an article on a commercial site for panic attack sufferers.    

Report From My Gut: Action Plan - Operation De-Stress!

Flower in NYC park -- how can you be stressed out looking at this?

As promised, here is a summary of my follow up with Dr. C.  This report is well overdue, but it's been a busy few days!   

We talked about the past months and what has worked for me, and what are still issues.   Dr. C. wonders if I am experiencing bile reflux, not acid reflux, based on my symptoms and my experience with acid medicine last year, which did not work.   He seemed concerned about my ongoing "food stuck in throat" feeling and chronic sensation of wetness in my chest, as well as fullness after eating and overall sensitivity to an unhappy gut. 

As for belching, Dr. C. thinks this is due to the high fiber content of my diet -- it's just another form of "gas."    

BILE BINDING -- THE SOLUTION?

I emphasized while my symptoms aren't pleasant, I can certainly "live with" them, but I was most concerned about long-term effects and risks (i.e. Barrett's esophagus).  Dr. C. agreed my symptoms are something to watch, and try to get under control for long-term health.  So, we talked more about bile reflux,  and trying medicine which "binds" to the bile, suppressing the reflux action.   He prescribed for me a bile acid sequestrant --  specifically, cholestyramine.   I am still processing information about this drug, but so far, I am not thrilled to take this and have not yet picked up my prescription.  

My concerns:  

It affects liver function and is often prescribed for high cholesterol.   I don't have any concerns with cholesterol, and would hate to mess around with something already functioning well.  Who knows what this med would do?  

I also don't like the side effect of the med "binding" to everything -- other medications, nutrients -- it is contraindicated for people with vitamin deficiencies.  My recent annual blood test indicates some low calcium/Vitamin D and with my vegetarian/near-vegan diet, getting my B vitamins is a concern, too.  I don't want to compromise nutrition because of this drug.  Bile acid sequestrants also have a side effect of constipation -- and we know that is not an issue I need to complicate!

I asked Dr. C. how long he thinks I would need to be on a bile-binder regimen, and he suggested if it works, until I moved out of NYC.  He thinks -- and I agree -- it is the stress of living in New York City that is triggering my GERD/bile/acid reflux.  (We briefly talked about my age, and how this might be a factor as well -- I am pre-menopausal.)

MY COUNTER-PLAN:  OPERATION DE-STRESS

So, after considering the medicine option, I am deciding to give a non-medication route another try.  I have successfully minimized some symptoms with mindful eating.  Why not give mindful de-stressing another attempt?   I'd rather tackle the cause than the effects for long-term relief.  I have also looked into natural medicine approaches, and discovered chamomile tea is an alternative medicine remedy for bile reflux.  I am going to see how a non-drug regimen works; if things don't improve in several weeks, I can rethink the cholestyramine.   (Dr. C. says I have very minimal damage according to the upper endoscopy we did, and suggested there is time to figure out a treatment -- there will not be more substantial damage "overnight," so I feel confident that I can give my body time to find a way to heal.)

My counter-plan:

1. Get out of New York City more often via day-trips and overnight mini-vacations.   I should leave the city at least once a month.
2. Get into nature more via the parks that are all around me.  One thing about NYC -- the city respects its residents' need for greenery.  From Central Park to the "Greenstreets" program, there is no shortage of trees and grassy areas to recharge.  I aim to take more advantage of the wonderful park opposite my apartment building.  (How easy is that?!)
3. Continue exercising, including the stationary bike.   Since February, I've been climbing six stories in my work building twice a day, and I've noticed it's an excellent de-stressor.  I am committing myself more fully to doing my core workout (necessary for a hip/back issue) and stepping up my time/effort in Tai Chi.
4. Natural reflux remedies/bile sequestrants such as chamomile tea and licorice.  (Slippery elm and marshmallow are also noted to be bile reflux remedies, but I need to read more about this more potent herbals…)
5. Self-talk/self-hypnosis.  The other day in the shower, I meditated on my body, and "told" myself to just pull myself together.  My job, activities and overall life is good!   Stop being so stressed out!  Relax, body!  NYC is fantastic!  And so on, in a mantra kind of way.  It helped.  I did self-talk again later in the day during a GERD episode, imagining my body healing and sphincters returning to normal, imagining my pink stomach and guts working together, peacefully.  Moments later, my symptoms had subsided.  Self-talk can't hurt -- it's something to explore. 

Onward!

BILE REFLUX LINKS

When Your Stomach Hates You:  Living With Bile Reflux Disease is a fantastic first-person account of BRD by DragonLady.  The comments are a good follow up discussion, too.   

And then check out When Your Stomach Hates You, Part 2.  I love her attitude -- you are in charge of your health!

A thorough resource is the excellent Bile Reflux Disease Support Group -- a web space for discussion, information, stories.

The Mayo Clinic's bile reflux page

And the Mayo Clinic's article, Distinguishing Between Bile Reflux and Acid Reflux Can be Difficult

CNN's Health Library entry for bile reflux.  Mentions alternative medicine therapies.

Resources: Medical Journals and Tea Studies

Harney & Sons gives free samples in their SoHo shop -- decadence!

In honor of this upcoming weekend's coffee and tea festival, Despite not being able to get into this weekend's Coffee and Tea Festival (it was sold out!), I am celebrating one of my favorite things -- tea -- and how I'm hopefully able to incorporate it into a GERD-friendly diet.

As I noted the other day, it is difficult to find "legitimate" references online to tea and health benefits (including its positive effects on digestive health).   

By trying a few different searches, I finally found the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website, which includes abstracts of tea-related studies and other excellent references to tea and health.  

Another excellent resource is the University of Maryland Medical Center's Complementary Medicine webpage, which includes a bibliography of "scientific studies" regarding tea on health.  Especially noteworthy are these references:

1. Borrelli F, Capasso R, Russo A, Ernst E. Systematic review: green tea and gastrointestinal cancer risk. Aliment Pharmacol Ther Mar 1, 2004;19(5):497-510.
2. Cooper R, Morre DJ, Morre DM. Medicinal benefits of green tea: Part I. Review of noncancer health benefits. J Altern Complement Med. 2005;11(3):521-8.
3. Kimura K, Ozeki M, Juneja LR, Ohira H. L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biol Psychol. 2007;74(1):39-45.
4. Koo SI, Noh SK. Green tea as inhibitor of the intestinal absorption of lipids: potential mechanism for its lipid-lowering effect. J Nutr Biochem. 2007;18(3):179-83.
5. McKenna DJ, Hughes K, Jones K. Green tea monograph. Alt Ther. 2000;6(3):61-84.
6. Sano T, Sasako M. Green tea and gastric cancer. N Engl J Med. 2001;344(9):675-676.
7. Setiawan VW, Zhang ZF, Yu GP, et al. Protective effect of green tea on the risks of chronic gastritis and stomach cancer. Int J Cancer. 2001;92(4):600-604.

Updates for a Lazy Sunday

A cool and sunny Sunday -- just perfect for a morning bike ride once my flat tire is repaired.  The unexpected downtime this morning is pleasing.  I'm cleaning the apartment, listening to This American Life podcasts, engaging in more de-cluttering (once you start…), and I've been looking around the web and found a few places of interest:

zenhabits

Mindfulness, minimalism, and making your life less complicated.  And one of "the Top 25 blogs and Top 50 websites in the world."  I expect to spend some time on this site.

No Meat Athlete

Runner Matt Frazier's popular site full of his personal insights on the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle.   Poke around, there's a bunch of information and inspiration here.

Min Hus

One woman's chronicle of life in a mini-house.   Well-done blog with loads of photos and anecdotes.  I love the "min hus" and its owner's point of view.  Anyone who calls books "sacred clutter" goes to my church.

NOTE ON MACROBIOTICS POST:  

Thanks to Anonymous for the feedback regarding macrobiotics and the suggestion to follow the macro principle of "chewing until liquified."  I agree this may help -- the extra saliva can only aid digestion once the food hits my stomach, not to mention the act of slowing down may reduce the amount of food I eat altogether, keeping me from over-eating at a given meal.

This morning's breakfast was my first effort to really chew well before EVERY swallow, and it was more difficult than I expected to keep up that slow pace.   (Wow, do I really eat that fast?)   Should I try a week of this mindful chewing and blog about my results here?

Resources: GPS for Your Gut!

Dr. Andrew Weil is raving about his colleague's new book on gut issues, The Inside Tract: Your Good Gut Guide to Great Digestive Health.    The author, Dr. Gerald Mullin, seems credible enough -- he works at Johns Hopkins where he is the Director of Integrative GI Nutrition Services.  I haven't located this book yet, but here's an interview with Mullin that offers a peek at his philosophy.

Gastrointestinal Patient Symptom Tool -- I am curious about this!

Resources: Lazy Stomach

Interesting post about gastroparesis from another good blog resource, The Digestion Blog. The term "lazy stomach" is discussed, and how we characterize our symptoms can lead or mislead doctors, us, and others about what is really going on with our guts.

Who in their right mind actually refers to Gastroparesis affectionately and uses the term “lazy stomach”? Oh “my stomach is just lazy!”, wrong! How about we just leave it at “my stomach is partially paralyzed and/or malfunctioning” which doesn’t sound quite as cute…


"Lazy stomach" article angers many