Wow..Three years!! It has been a journey of many ups and downs, but I would not trade a day of the ups and downs for life before my Nissen Fundplication. This surgery has given me the ability to live again.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
GUT Health & Our Immune System
Let's talk about GUT Health & Our Immune System...
You are what you Eat and what Lives in your GUT..
It is said that up to 80% of our immune health lives in our GUT (intestinal tract) flora, which plays an crucial role in our overall health. Which is predominantly made up of bacteria meant to aid in digestion, the absorption of nutrients and the ability to fight off diseases. So it goes without saying that if your GUT is out of wack you could run the risk of compromising your health.
One of the first indications of a leaky gut is the rise of food intolerance's. If left unhealed, this can lead to immune abnormalities and eventually autoimmune conditions and other health issues. Some of these include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, depression, migraine headaches, muscle pain and fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, type 1 diabetes, Graves’ disease, colitis, thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, scleroderma, Crohn’s disease and Addison’s disease to name a few.
So what can cause issues in your GUT? are you or have you been antibiotics, do you have a poor diet, eat processed foods, take medications such as NSAID's, do you have stress (don't we all), pollutants & toxins in our environment (out of our control) or this one that I didn't know - drink chlorinated water ??
How can you fix (replace the bad with good) in your GUT?
- Remove the poor quality foods from your diet
- Eat right
- Taking a good ProBiotic (I use ProBio5 with BioCleanse)
- Replace with good supplements multi-vitamin. To better allow the absorption of B12, magnesium and iron
For without a Healthy GUT your immune system can not do it's job properly and your body can be left defenseless. Let's get healthy together!!
Friday, April 3, 2015
Gas Bloat Post Nissen Fundoplication
What is Gas Bloat Syndrome? and how does it Effect me?? and how can I change my diet to help relieve the symptoms???
Gas Bloat Syndrome is an range of complaints due to the inability to vent gas from the stomach to the esophagus post Nissen Fundoplication. The main complaint is bloating but not limited to, it also can include distension, early satiety, nausea, upper abdominal pain, flatulence, inability to belch and the inability to vomit. The cause of this condition is unknown but it has been stated that the following could effect/set off the condition - the inability of the LES to relax (not allowing your body to release the trapped gas in your stomach), Aerophagia, a common habit among patients that suffer(ed) from GERD - which can cause a problem post op as you are no longer able to vent gas, Mouth breathing, Dumping Syndrome and surgical injury to your Vagus Nerve.
To understand what this means, I'm going to break it down for myself and try and figure out how lifestyle changes can help this condition.
Bloating with or with out distension - Here is a good link that explains the condition http://www.iffgd.org/site/manage-your-health/symptoms-causes/bloating-distension
As always check with your doctor as the condition could be caused by something other them just post op complications. Better safe then sorry!!
Satiety - Feeling Full after a meal. Remember the function of your Fundus is to store undigested food and gas released during digestion. See a pattern yet?
Nausea - the excess gas trapped in your stomach can cause nausea
Upper Abdominal Pain - This pain can be the worst..mine sits right on my breast bone and sometimes mimics heartburn.
Flatulence - if you have had a Nissen Fundoplication you know all about this...probably much more then you will ever want to admit.
Inability to belch - I do not suffer from this so I am not able to commit on this topic. Have been able to belch since the procedure. My boys actually taught me how to belch when I was suffering from GERD. Gotta love having three teenage boys!!
Inability to vomit - the number of people who are like what?!? you can't vomit that doesn't make sense. Then the short version of what a NF is and how it works is sure to follow. Have been blessed that this has not been an issue..(knock on wood) I have not had the urge or when i did I relaxed to the best of my ability and the urge passed.
Understanding the Causes:
LES not relaxing the is a given since the surgery is designed to prevent gas stomach acid from backing up into your esophagus..So this one is a given.
Aerophagia/Mouth Breathing - Once this air is in your GI tract any that is not absorbed into the small intestines has to go somewhere. After a NF this generally leads to bloat/abdominal pain.
Dumping Syndrome - please have this checked out - better safe then sorry!!
Vagus Nerve Damage - This is something that I just started researching. Some feel the positioning of the surgeon during the procedure can make a difference if the nerve can be damaged during surgery. Will post on this later when I have more data. SAGES has a lot of information related to vagus nerve injuries and how to prevent.
I believe that increased gas bloat needs to be addressed through a healthy Gut First: How to achieve a Healthy Gut? A good ProBiotic is the first step to healthy gut, exercise and eating vitamin enriched foods.
Good ProBiotics can be found in foods such as: Yogurts, Miso Soup, Sauerkraut (juice), Kefir, Kombucha, Microalgea, pickles, tempeh, kimchi, Poi
The following is a link to products that I have started taking and selling..If you choose please check out this site as my overall Gut health has thanked me. Personally, I am taking the TriPlex Combo & X Factor Vitamin- this includes a good ProBiotic, A cleanse, multi-vitamins and slim to regulate my blood sugar levels.
Pink Mom and Her Three Sons - Click on the link Facebook Page
Pink Mom and Her Three Sons - Click on the link Plexus Page
Please check out my website as it truly has changed my life. Let's get Healthy Together!!
Gas Bloat Syndrome is an range of complaints due to the inability to vent gas from the stomach to the esophagus post Nissen Fundoplication. The main complaint is bloating but not limited to, it also can include distension, early satiety, nausea, upper abdominal pain, flatulence, inability to belch and the inability to vomit. The cause of this condition is unknown but it has been stated that the following could effect/set off the condition - the inability of the LES to relax (not allowing your body to release the trapped gas in your stomach), Aerophagia, a common habit among patients that suffer(ed) from GERD - which can cause a problem post op as you are no longer able to vent gas, Mouth breathing, Dumping Syndrome and surgical injury to your Vagus Nerve.
To understand what this means, I'm going to break it down for myself and try and figure out how lifestyle changes can help this condition.
Bloating with or with out distension - Here is a good link that explains the condition http://www.iffgd.org/site/manage-your-health/symptoms-causes/bloating-distension
As always check with your doctor as the condition could be caused by something other them just post op complications. Better safe then sorry!!
Satiety - Feeling Full after a meal. Remember the function of your Fundus is to store undigested food and gas released during digestion. See a pattern yet?
Nausea - the excess gas trapped in your stomach can cause nausea
Upper Abdominal Pain - This pain can be the worst..mine sits right on my breast bone and sometimes mimics heartburn.
Flatulence - if you have had a Nissen Fundoplication you know all about this...probably much more then you will ever want to admit.
Inability to belch - I do not suffer from this so I am not able to commit on this topic. Have been able to belch since the procedure. My boys actually taught me how to belch when I was suffering from GERD. Gotta love having three teenage boys!!
Inability to vomit - the number of people who are like what?!? you can't vomit that doesn't make sense. Then the short version of what a NF is and how it works is sure to follow. Have been blessed that this has not been an issue..(knock on wood) I have not had the urge or when i did I relaxed to the best of my ability and the urge passed.
Understanding the Causes:
LES not relaxing the is a given since the surgery is designed to prevent gas stomach acid from backing up into your esophagus..So this one is a given.
Aerophagia/Mouth Breathing - Once this air is in your GI tract any that is not absorbed into the small intestines has to go somewhere. After a NF this generally leads to bloat/abdominal pain.
Dumping Syndrome - please have this checked out - better safe then sorry!!
Vagus Nerve Damage - This is something that I just started researching. Some feel the positioning of the surgeon during the procedure can make a difference if the nerve can be damaged during surgery. Will post on this later when I have more data. SAGES has a lot of information related to vagus nerve injuries and how to prevent.
I believe that increased gas bloat needs to be addressed through a healthy Gut First: How to achieve a Healthy Gut? A good ProBiotic is the first step to healthy gut, exercise and eating vitamin enriched foods.
Good ProBiotics can be found in foods such as: Yogurts, Miso Soup, Sauerkraut (juice), Kefir, Kombucha, Microalgea, pickles, tempeh, kimchi, Poi
The following is a link to products that I have started taking and selling..If you choose please check out this site as my overall Gut health has thanked me. Personally, I am taking the TriPlex Combo & X Factor Vitamin- this includes a good ProBiotic, A cleanse, multi-vitamins and slim to regulate my blood sugar levels.
Pink Mom and Her Three Sons - Click on the link Facebook Page
Pink Mom and Her Three Sons - Click on the link Plexus Page
Please check out my website as it truly has changed my life. Let's get Healthy Together!!
Year Two ~ Health, Diet & Exercise
February 2014 ~ Marks Two Years Post Nissen Fundoplication
Let me start off by saying..I should have stayed on smaller portions!!
Personally, I have gained back all the weight that I lost over the past two years. Pretty much like at year one eat and drink what I want..I added soda back into my diet (not recommended - the bloat is not worth it) Went back to work and that was the only thing to drink one day, didn't feel like water I was feeling sluggish and needed caffeine. So soda it was Cherry Coke wish that I had never taken that sip. After adding soda the weight increased and increased, back to my original weight. It wouldn't have been so bad but over the years I had not been putting pressure on my wrap and I was healing fine. Which leads me to my dilation. With the weight gain (almost 35 lbs) and my poor eating habits..I went in for my yearly check up and EGD. My EGD showed that my wrap was intact but to relieve the pressure my GI did a dilation - lower esophageal dilation (LED). This helped in the moment but I worried about the long term effects it could have on my wrap. Never have been one of those people who worry about the integrity of my wrap, having faith that my surgeon knew what he was doing and that he gave my wrap the best chance of surviving. What I've come to realize is that I need to take care of myself in order for my wrap to have the best chance of staying intact.
Notes: No heartburn, No reflux and Gas Bloat still an issue.
Diet: Normal, Eating regular meals
Exercise: Normal could/should do more (fractured my patella so this has been a bit of a setback)
All in All I am so happy to have had this procedure and look forward to my continued health.
Let me start off by saying..I should have stayed on smaller portions!!
Personally, I have gained back all the weight that I lost over the past two years. Pretty much like at year one eat and drink what I want..I added soda back into my diet (not recommended - the bloat is not worth it) Went back to work and that was the only thing to drink one day, didn't feel like water I was feeling sluggish and needed caffeine. So soda it was Cherry Coke wish that I had never taken that sip. After adding soda the weight increased and increased, back to my original weight. It wouldn't have been so bad but over the years I had not been putting pressure on my wrap and I was healing fine. Which leads me to my dilation. With the weight gain (almost 35 lbs) and my poor eating habits..I went in for my yearly check up and EGD. My EGD showed that my wrap was intact but to relieve the pressure my GI did a dilation - lower esophageal dilation (LED). This helped in the moment but I worried about the long term effects it could have on my wrap. Never have been one of those people who worry about the integrity of my wrap, having faith that my surgeon knew what he was doing and that he gave my wrap the best chance of surviving. What I've come to realize is that I need to take care of myself in order for my wrap to have the best chance of staying intact.
Notes: No heartburn, No reflux and Gas Bloat still an issue.
Diet: Normal, Eating regular meals
Exercise: Normal could/should do more (fractured my patella so this has been a bit of a setback)
All in All I am so happy to have had this procedure and look forward to my continued health.
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