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Pelvic Health Physical Therapist, Karen Liberi, talks about one of the "committee members" in the brain that sends pain 🚨 signals: STRESS 😖 ...And strategies for quieting this stress committee member. Breathing Video Referenced by Karen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opwbHqAHCjQ
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Ever heard words like "we don't know the reason for your pain" or "it must be in your head"? You're not alone! It's a bit "taboo" so if you embarrass easily, don't watch 👀 😳 Food Sensitivities Explained Part III: Optimizing Digestive FunctionHere’s a list-style overview of what we’ll be talking about relating to Optimizing Digestive FUNCTION: Environment Chewing Stomach Acids Digestive Enzymes Intestinal Lining Health & Gut Microbiome Hydration Note on SIBO We’ve previously visited the topic of RESTING the Digestive SYSTEM. Both resting of the system (via an elimination diet) AND optimizing digestive function must be happening at the same time if we’re going to heal the entire compromised digestive system and get back to eating most foods. So when we talk about optimizing digestive function we’re mainly talking about nutrient absorption. Because you’re following an elimination diet followed by the re-intro phase your body is getting lots of good macro and micro nutrients. YAY! But what good do all those nourishing nutrients do for you if your digestive system can’t absorb them so that other body systems can use them? What other body systems? Literally everything that your body does. Nutrition is the foundation for maintaining health. Think … Organ Detox Hormonal Balance Cellular Function Metabolism Energy It’s sort of like a car. You can put gasoline in it (the fuel that it needs to run) but if the fuel can’t be used to create mechanical energy then the car aint moving. Maybe the fuel pump isn’t functioning so the gas can’t get from the engine to the tank. It can’t “absorb” the fuel it’s been given. Environment: Let’s start with environment. How true are these statements of you:
If any of these are true for you then you’re at least sometimes eating food under stress, whether you realize it or not. Remember when we’re talking about stress response we’re talking about physical processes in the body by way of the HPA Axis and the release of cortisol; essentially your body in “fight or flight” mode. And operating in fight or flight mode turns the body’s attention away from digestion. And instead concentrates on increasing your heart rate and your blood pressure. Resolve right now to come up with ways, maybe with the help of a friend or a health coach, that you can create relaxing, calm, stress free environments while you eat. WATCH THE VIDEO:Chewing: Research has found the evidence-based amount of times to chew hard foods (like nuts) is 40 times. Participants who chewed 40 times, their smaller particles of food were absorbed faster than those participants who chewed 10 or 25 times. Participants who chewed only 10-25 times, their larger particles weren’t absorbed at all, the body just eliminated them! So, chew your food. 25-40 times. More like 40 for hard to chew foods like nuts. Stomach Acids: While the vast majority of nutrient absorption is in the small intestines, the stomach does play a role. And the stomach must be acidic enough for proper nutrient absorption during that stage of digestion. Low stomach acidity is called “hypochlorhydria”. It can be caused by long term use of PPIs, genetic predispositions, stress, chronic pain, aging, drinking too much liquid with meals, and often it’s found in people with blood type A. If you have weak or peeling nails, iron deficiency, or undigested food in your poop you may want to consider this issue. Natural sources to encourage appropriate stomach acid levels are:
A more aggressive approach involves taking Bentaine HCL capsules with Pepsin to test your body’s response to this supplemental source of hydrochloric acid. Do NOT use this method with PPIs or antacids or if you have ulcers or ulcerative colitis. Digestive Enzymes: When food transitions from the stomach to the small intestines, the pancreas releases digestive enzymes to break down nutrients in this stage of digestion. To determine if you need supplemental digestive enzymes you can just try plant-based digestive enzymes and see how you feel. Here’s a link to a good one: https://www.amazon.com/Designs-Health-Digestive-Vegetarian-Protease/dp/B000FGXL50 Or your functional medicine practitioner can order testing. Naturally stimulate digestive enzymes with:
Intestinal Lining Health & Gut Microbiome: We could talk about the gut and gut microbiota for days and days. For our purposes today let’s just highlight a few things:
To re-cap, to Optimize Digestive Function: Eat in Stress-Free Environments Chew Your Food Maintain Adequate Stomach Acids Maintain Adequate Digestive Enzymes Support Intestinal Lining Health & the Gut Microbiome Hydration!! Until next time! Food Sensitivities Explained: Part II |
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First, let’s have ultimate clarity on what we’re talking about. Food ALLERGIES and Food SENSITIVITIES are different. Allergic reactions to food are modulated by Immunoglobulin E (or IgE) which are antibodies produced by the immune system. Symptoms of allergic reaction are typically seen very quickly after exposure to what the immune system has determined to be an allergen, say peanuts for instance. So rather immediately you notice itching, rashes, hives, and in extreme cases even swelling of the throat & tongue which can restrict your breathing and is life threatening, requiring emergency room care.
Food sensitivities or intolerances on the other hand are a whole other discussion. It’s a controversial topic among the medical community in general because we don’t yet understand the mechanisms behind it. Several theories have been researched, including the possibility of a different class of Immunoglobulin, IgG, that may modulate food intolerance responses. But evidence for this theory is still lacking in the literature. So, as of this moment in history, we don’t really know. But I’m sure science will eventually answer that question for us.
In the meantime, we do know by why of observation that food sensitivities and intolerances exist. They can be tricky to track down because unlike allergies, symptoms often appear much later, typically 48-72 hours after exposure. So pinpointing what exactly you’re reacting to can be difficult.
Food sensitivities or intolerances on the other hand are a whole other discussion. It’s a controversial topic among the medical community in general because we don’t yet understand the mechanisms behind it. Several theories have been researched, including the possibility of a different class of Immunoglobulin, IgG, that may modulate food intolerance responses. But evidence for this theory is still lacking in the literature. So, as of this moment in history, we don’t really know. But I’m sure science will eventually answer that question for us.
In the meantime, we do know by why of observation that food sensitivities and intolerances exist. They can be tricky to track down because unlike allergies, symptoms often appear much later, typically 48-72 hours after exposure. So pinpointing what exactly you’re reacting to can be difficult.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
Let me just take a time-out real quick and touch on lactose. Lactose is the sugar molecule in milk. And in order for the body to break it down and absorb it, the enzyme lactase is required. Some people don’t make enough lactase to fully digest lactose in the small intestines. Therefore, undigested lactose passes into the large intestine where it is fermented. Fermentation = gas. So you end up with the typical signs of lactose intolerance: bloating, cramping, etc.
Dear Lactose & Lactase, Thank you for being so straightforward. Sincerely, Everyone
However, maybe we can learn something about other sensitivities from lactose/lactase? After all, the lactase enzyme is produced by the cells that line the wall of the small intestine. And we know that when the tight junctions between the cells of the lining or “wall” of the small intestine becomes compromised that the intestines “leak”. In other words, particles that aren’t supposed to pass back and forth through the wall now do. And as a result, some of these particles are recognized by the immune system as antigens or invaders and an attack against them is mounted. And this is the basis for at least some autoimmune related reactions in the body.
Anyway, all of this to say: maybe the question for the moment isn’t: HOW do we explain food sensitivities? But instead: WHY is your body’s digestive SYSTEM compromised?
So if you’re having symptoms of food sensitivities which could include:
Then consider taking a systems approach to RESTING the digestive system because clearly the whole system is under stress and needs rested. The question is: Why? Why is this happening? The answer is in both your physical and your emotional stressors. For instance, did you know that blood sugar imbalance is stressful on your systems? If you eat the standard American diet it is quite likely that your blood sugar is often dysregulated and that is stress on your body. Poor and inadequate sleep is a physical stressor. If you’re emotionally stressed out and constantly rushing, constantly “doing”, you’re up-regulating your central nervous system and spending life in “fight or flight” mode. All of this stress is contributing to the dysregulation of your Stress Response System (the HPA Axis), which increases cortisol. And we know that cortisol breaks down the lining of the small intestines! Other things that damage or break down the lining of the small intestines:
So the goal is: take the stressors off the digestive system while optimizing digestive function. Then, get back to eating most foods. (Break out in Dance or the Hallelujah Chorus). That’s right! The goal is to go back to eating most foods. Take for instance, lectins. Lectins are antinutrients found in a number of foods: grains, beans, nuts, and nightshade vegetables (like tomatoes and peppers and eggplant). And our bodies should have the capacity to break them down. But in a compromised digestive system, we maybe can’t. So after resting the system AND optimizing digestive function, you can reintroduce or “challenge” lectins. And it’s possible that you can then tolerate all or least some lectin-containing foods.
How does one rest the digestive system while optimizing digestive function? Join me next time and we’ll dive into it!
Dear Lactose & Lactase, Thank you for being so straightforward. Sincerely, Everyone
However, maybe we can learn something about other sensitivities from lactose/lactase? After all, the lactase enzyme is produced by the cells that line the wall of the small intestine. And we know that when the tight junctions between the cells of the lining or “wall” of the small intestine becomes compromised that the intestines “leak”. In other words, particles that aren’t supposed to pass back and forth through the wall now do. And as a result, some of these particles are recognized by the immune system as antigens or invaders and an attack against them is mounted. And this is the basis for at least some autoimmune related reactions in the body.
Anyway, all of this to say: maybe the question for the moment isn’t: HOW do we explain food sensitivities? But instead: WHY is your body’s digestive SYSTEM compromised?
So if you’re having symptoms of food sensitivities which could include:
- Runny nose / Sinus congestion
- Stomach aches
- Headaches / Migraines
- “Brain fog” or inability to concentrate
- Joint pain and inflammation
- Skin issues like acne and dermatitis
Then consider taking a systems approach to RESTING the digestive system because clearly the whole system is under stress and needs rested. The question is: Why? Why is this happening? The answer is in both your physical and your emotional stressors. For instance, did you know that blood sugar imbalance is stressful on your systems? If you eat the standard American diet it is quite likely that your blood sugar is often dysregulated and that is stress on your body. Poor and inadequate sleep is a physical stressor. If you’re emotionally stressed out and constantly rushing, constantly “doing”, you’re up-regulating your central nervous system and spending life in “fight or flight” mode. All of this stress is contributing to the dysregulation of your Stress Response System (the HPA Axis), which increases cortisol. And we know that cortisol breaks down the lining of the small intestines! Other things that damage or break down the lining of the small intestines:
- Dehydration
- Over exercising
- Proteins in gluten
- Genetic Modification of food
- Pesticides
So the goal is: take the stressors off the digestive system while optimizing digestive function. Then, get back to eating most foods. (Break out in Dance or the Hallelujah Chorus). That’s right! The goal is to go back to eating most foods. Take for instance, lectins. Lectins are antinutrients found in a number of foods: grains, beans, nuts, and nightshade vegetables (like tomatoes and peppers and eggplant). And our bodies should have the capacity to break them down. But in a compromised digestive system, we maybe can’t. So after resting the system AND optimizing digestive function, you can reintroduce or “challenge” lectins. And it’s possible that you can then tolerate all or least some lectin-containing foods.
How does one rest the digestive system while optimizing digestive function? Join me next time and we’ll dive into it!
Dry Needling: An overview of benefits and risks for chronic pelvic pain patients
Dry needling, also called Intramuscular Manual Therapy, is a treatment technique recognized by the state licensing board in 33 states to be within the scope of practice for physical therapists. It was first cited over 25 years ago but has picked up in popularity in just the last 5 years. It involves a solid needle similar in diameter to an acupuncture needle that is inserted into tissues for the purposes of managing pain and/or dysfunction. This is typically achieved through placing the needle in a muscle trigger point but could also include targeted areas of tendons, ligaments, scar tissue, and peripheral nerves.
Based on current research and clinical success, dry needling is generally thought to be effective in offering relief for a variety of neuromusculoskeletal conditions. There are several theories as to how exactly dry needling causes the relief of pain. It could be that several of these theories are interconnected and working together.
Though dry needling offers an avenue for pain management, several cautions should be noted if you are considering this line of treatment.
*References:
1. Halle S John Halle J Rob Pertinent Dry Needling Considerations for Minimizing Adverse Effects – Part One. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. (2016); 11(4): 651-662
2. Halle S John Halle J Rob Pertinent Dry Needling Considerations for Minimizing Adverse Effects – Part Two. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. (2016); 11(5): 810-819
Based on current research and clinical success, dry needling is generally thought to be effective in offering relief for a variety of neuromusculoskeletal conditions. There are several theories as to how exactly dry needling causes the relief of pain. It could be that several of these theories are interconnected and working together.
Though dry needling offers an avenue for pain management, several cautions should be noted if you are considering this line of treatment.
- Research has documented adverse effects as a result of dry needling. Typically, these adverse effects are mild such as bleeding and pain, which do not require additional treatment. But there has been cited in the research rare cases of dry needling causing hematoma, peripheral nerve tissue damage, and impacts on the spinal cord.
- Dry needling is an evidenced-based treatment modality when applied by a skilled professional. Inquire as to the professional’s training in this area. The clinician must have expert level knowledge in the understanding of the underlying anatomy. For instance, take the gluteus maximus, often used in entry level training programs because it is a large muscle and relatively safe for needle placement. Even as such, the clinician would need to know the course of the sciatic nerve underlying the muscle to avoid any potential risk of damage to this nerve.
- The clinician (and you) should be aware of what’s called the vasovagal response. Certain stimulus that causes fear such as seeing the needle, seeing blood, or experiencing pain can cause on autonomic response leading to lightheadedness. The practitioner should be skilled in recognizing these symptoms and in patient positioning so that there isn’t a risk of falling and creating a harmful situation.
- Keep in mind that dry needling is one among a variety of treatments available. It shouldn’t be seen as a cure-all or stand-alone treatment but rather a complimentary treatment inside a holistic treatment approach that seeks to address the underlying, root cause issues.
*References:
1. Halle S John Halle J Rob Pertinent Dry Needling Considerations for Minimizing Adverse Effects – Part One. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. (2016); 11(4): 651-662
2. Halle S John Halle J Rob Pertinent Dry Needling Considerations for Minimizing Adverse Effects – Part Two. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. (2016); 11(5): 810-819
How (& Why) to Easily & Quickly Make Your own Housecleaning Products
Grab a pen and paper real quick to take notes so you can refer to them later when you're making the cleaning products!
Author
Stephanie Yeager: Passionate about spreading the word of hope and healing for those like her, influencing a paradigm shift in the medical community toward greater understanding of chronic pelvic pain disorders, and prevention initiatives that may protect young women before onset can occur.
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