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How do you get rid of bad bacteria in your stomach?

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First the summary:
1. Kill the bad bacteria
2. Starve the bad bacteria
3. Support the good bacteria
4. Promote motility within your gut
5. Reduce inflammation
6. Practice good oral hygiene
7. Address specific infections

Now the how-to:
You can kill bad bacteria with natural antimicrobials such as garlic (if you have acid reflux see if you tolerate garlic or not), mastic gum (particularly good to eliminate H. pylori infections), green tea extract and manuka honey. Get the best quality honey - a UMF of 10 plus or a MGO rating of 260 plus - the latter indicates the antibacterial strength. I have a video on manuka honey to explain these benefits further.

You starve the bad bacteria by dramatically decreasing the ingestion of refined carbohydrates and sugar. Why? Because the bad bacteria love to eat them and it helps them multiply.
Limit alcohol and ultra-processed foods - better yet, eliminate them.
Stop grazing - best to not eat for 4 hours between meals and follow a 12 to 14 hour fast overnight. This allows enough time for your body to "clean house" and rid you of some bad bacteria.

Support good bacteria by eating fermented foods, prebiotic-rich foods (onions, garlic, leek, asparagus) and soluble fiber (chia, psyllium, flax, cooked and cooled potatoes).

Promoting motility prevents the bacteria from stagnating and thereby multiplying. Try ginger tea, take a light walk after meals and learn diaphragmatic breathing (look at how to perform Box breating online).

Reducing inflammation yourself by taking curcumin, omega 3 fatty acids, aloe vera juice. More chronic inflammation may need the help of a clinician in the functional medicine space. We are here to help if you'd like.

Practice good oral hygiene - see your dentist and make sure you don't have gum disease. This can affect your gut health as well as your heart.

Address infections directly - this means testing to identify specific infections present that can be treated naturally but it's impossible to guess what they are specifically without testing.

If you'd like help we're here for you. The best next step is to contact us for a consultation and then we can determine if what we do is a good fit for you. Call 727-335-0400.

#guthealth #acidreflux #rootcausemedicine

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Vitamin D is Dangerous - Yes? No? Actually it's yes and no.
It's dangerous when it gets to toxic levels
You take a synthetic form of vitamin D
You take vitamin D2
You're deficient in a very important mineral - Magnesium

Explaining the above further:
Toxic levels can elevate calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia), causing stomach upset, vomiting, weakness, arrhythmia of your heart, bone pain and kidney stones.

Is it something to worry about? Leading researchers in the field of vitamin D haven't seen it in their patients so concern can safely be cited as highly unusual.

The next concerns are definitely more common.
Synthetic forms of vitamin D (D2) are not very effective, so ultimately a waste of money. Look for Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol (means the same) on the label.

Terms such as "irradiated ergosteral" or "calciferol" means they're using the synthetic vitamin D2 form.

The "danger" really comes from not getting adequate, absorbable vitamin D3. 70% of Americans have inadequate levels of vitamin D3 and that percentage worsens with age.

Why is vitamin D3 so important? First it's good to know that it's actually a hormone, even though we call it a vitamin. It regulates the expression of over 900 genes in your body, turning them on and off as required.

Vitamin D is critical for the health of your immune system, bones, protects against MS, certain cancers and premature brain aging.

It definitely is worth the effort to get your vitamin D3 to healthy levels - over 50 ng/mL (that's how we measure it in the US). It's also important to take your D3 alongside vitamin K2 to ensure that calcium is depositied where you want it - into your bones, rather than your kidneys or blood vessels.

A daily dose is 2,000 to 4,000 IU but you should discuss it with your doctor while testing the levels in your blood fairly often.

But what if you ARE taking a supplement, getting some sunshine and your levels are still low? This could be due to deficient magnesium. Considering half the population is deficient, you're in very good company.

What does magnesium do? Many things but most pertinent you need it to convert vitamin D to its active form. If vitamin D isn't active it won't do any of the wonderful protective measures its designed for.

Magnesium is needed for DNA repair contributing to overall health, reduces risk of premature death from elevated blood pressure, protects against colorectal cancer and prevents calcium from building up in the blood and causing clots.

Magnesium is best found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, legumes and fish. A good supplement source is magnesium glycinate about 120 mg (this is not a recommendation, but rather a comment on an often utilized dose). The daily need of magnesium is about 350 mg/day.
Stress depletes magnesium.

Vitamin D3 is best found in fatty fish, egg yolks and liver.
Exercise improves the metabolism of vitamin D3.

If you'd like help we're here for you. The best next step is to contact us for a consultation and then we can determine if what we do is a good fit for you. Call 727-335-0400.

#vitamind #magnesium #rootcausemedicine

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What's the Best Home Treatment for Hiatal Hernia? Let's get into it.

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Avoid: onions, tomatoes, garlic, fatty foods, carbonation, chocolate, coffee and mint.

Eat smaller meals - don't over stuff yourself

Walk after meals - a light stroll for about 15 to 20 minutes

Wait 3 hours after you eat before lying down.

Learn box breathing - you can look this up online. The great thing about this technique is that it moves you from fight or flight to your parasympathetic nervous system - rest, digest, relax. You can use this technique before meals, when you feel anxious, short of breath, or have heart palpitations.

Intermitten Fast - but not longer than 12 to 14 hours. Why? After 14 or 15 hours fasting will put stress on your gallbladder, an organ that is frequently already stressed with hiatal hernia.

Support gut motility - you want to avoid constipation or treat it if it's present. Magnesium citrate, hydration and eating foods high in soluble fiber can help. [Note: I am not prescribing any supplements and I am not your doctor. Review this with your doctor first.]

Trial betaine hydrochloride - I say trial because this is definitely not for everyone. If you have a stomach ulcer or esophageal ulcer this is NOT for you. Review this with your doctor first. The reason for this trial is to see if your problem is too little stomach acid. This is frequent in those over 40 and can give similar symptoms of acid reflux, despite the problem being low acid. Same note here: [Note: I am not prescribing any supplements and I am not your doctor. Review this with your doctor first.]

In this video I teach a maneuver that can help reduce the spasming of your diaphragm and stomach and give you some relief. Go to the video to watch how this is performed.

This video is meant to give you some treatments that you can do from home but there are no guarantees that this is all you need to do to resolve your hiatal hernia.

What's missing?
Evaluation of your microbiome
Testing for food sensitivities
Evaluation of your liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and more depending on your health history.
Testing for toxins: mold, heavy metals, etc.
Assessing vagus nerve malfunction, muscle and nerve imbalance

If you'd like help we're here for you. The best next step is to contact us for a consultation and then we can determine if what we do is a good fit for you. Call 727-335-0400.

#hiatalhernia #acidreflux #rootcausemedicine

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The function of your thyroid can put you at risk for acid reflux and hiatal hernia.

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How?

First, a look at the statistics:

Low thyroid or hypothyroid is one of the most common hormonal disorders, especially in women and older adults. It is however, often underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated.

The risk for hypothyroid increases after age 40. Subclinical hypothyroid affects up to 15% of the population.

Thyroid hormones are critical for maintaining muscle contraction and nerve conductivity. When thyroid function is low, smooth muscle tone decreases, including the tone of the LES (lower esophageal sphincter or valve) and other GI sphincters.
This leads to reflux.

Slowed digestive motility is also an issue with hypothyroid. The low thyroid causes gastroparesis (slowed movement of food through the stomach) and slowed intestinal transit. This increases intra-abdominal pressure, worsening reflux and putting
strain on the sphincters.

Chronic bloating, constipation and straining are all symptoms associated with hypothyroid and they all result in increases intra-abdominal pressure. This increased pressure weakens the diaphragm hiatus (the opening through which the esophagus passes), contributing to hiatal hernia and a reduction of the integrity and function of the LES.

Other sphincters in the GI tract, including the pyloric sphincter (connecting the stomach to the small intestine) become sluggish leading to bloating and poor digestion.

Therefore it is extremely important to assess and treat, if necessary, a low thyroid. In the video I review some ideas of how to do so.

If you're suffering with these digestive issues or suspect low thyroid, we're happy to help. The best next step is to contact us for a consultation and then we can determine if what we do is a good fit for you. Call 727-335-0400.

#thyroid #acidreflux #rootcausemedicine

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Acid reflux and hiatal hernia both are extremely common.

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The main triggers are not well known. So let's start with the triggers, then move on to the solutions.

The Reasons Underlying Your Acid Reflux:
1. Weak LES (lower esophageal sphincter/valve)
2. Hiatal Hernia
3. Delayed stomach emptying
4. Low stomach acid - yes LOW!
5. Poor eating habits
6. Obesity, especially belly weight
7. Vagus nerve dysfunction
8. Stress - chronic
9. Microbiome imbalance

The 9 reasons share common underlying root causes which is good news, because what's good for one is also beneficial for others.

1. A weak LES can be causes by obesity, a hiatal hernia, increased intra-abdominal pressure, and certain trigger foods such as alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, mint and fatty foods.

2. A Hiatal Hernia is definitely a cause of reflux, but the good news is that addressing these 9 factors (or whichever of them applies to you) will also improve your hernia.

3. Delayed gastric emptying means the contents of your stomach are moving through too slowly. You'll feel overstuffed, bloated, gassy and uncomfortable. The causes include vagus nerve dysfunction, low stomach acid, microbiome imbalance, and chronic stress. Again, these are all treatable naturally.

4. Low stomach acid may sound surprising when you have acid reflux, but you can still have the symptoms of reflux with low acid levels. The causes include long-term use of PPIs, chronic stress and aging. I cannot prescribe for you nor do I intend to, but finding out if this is a problem for you is fairly easy with a trial of apple cider vinegar or hydrochloric acid capsules. Talk to your doctor about how best to try this and if it makes sense for you.

5. Poor eating habits is of course a huge culprit for Americans. We eat low fiber and high processed foods, bad oils and high sugar. Getting back to real food, balanced with protein, fruit, vegetables, fiber and healthy fats is not difficult to do and well worth your effort.

6. Obesity, especially around the mid-section creates a lot of pressure in the abdomen and is a main contributor to acid reflux and hiatal hernia. It takes some time of course to determine the best route to lose that weight, but everything mentioned above is a good start.

7. Vagus nerve dysfunction puts you in fight or flight mode and prevents the sphincters/valves of your gut from working properly. It can also trigger heart palpitations and anxiety. There are exercises to do for the vagus nerve which are very easy: eye gaze, humming, gargling that you can try. We also utilize a vagus nerve stimulator that I can give you information about to get a discount.

8. Chronic stress causes the vagus to not function optimally, which we just reviewed, but it also upsets the microbiome which we are about to discuss, in addition to offsetting hormone imbalance. The cause of the chronic stress must be identified and treated naturally, and may require a rebalancing of hormones.

9. Dysbiosis, or an imbalanced microbiome, is the cause of the increased intra-abdominal pressure but also inflammation and hormonal imbalance. It has far-ranging effects upon your health but isn't difficult to normalize once you've tested it and identified what precisely the imbalances are.

The treatment we utilize is natural, drug-free, and it works. But it's not a quick fix. It takes time. You just need some patience to identify which of these 9 causes that we just reviewed applies to you and find a clinician who is well versed in how to handle them.

If you'd like help we're here - the best next step is to con

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What's the "no-acid" food causing your acid reflux?
Sugar.
I think you'll be surprised at all the ways this common ingredient is causing and aggravating not only acid reflux but hiatal hernia as well.

1. It increases intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure within your abdomen puts pressure on your stomach and diaphragm, weakens the LES (Lower esophageal sphincter) and increases your risk of acid reflux and hiatal hernia. Sugar leads to gas and bloat, and frequently is found in individuals with poor digestion or dysbiosis.

2. Feeds gas-producing bacteria. Sugar alters the microbiome, especially in the small intestine, contributing to SIBO. The "bad bugs" ferment sugar into gas causing bloat and gas.

3. Slows gastric (stomach) emptying. Sugar impairs your stomach's motility, especially paired with high fat foods. Food sits in your stomach longer, pressure increases, bad bacteria reproduce and reflux and hiatal hernia occurs.

4. Increases insulin and inflammation. Sugar spikes insulin which leads to systemic inflammation. Inflammation impairs sphincter (valve) function, delays tissue repair in the esophagus and causes hypersensitization of your nerve where you feel more burning or pain, even with mild reflux.

5. Weight gain and visceral fat. Sugar directly contributes to weight gain, especially in the abdomen. Increases belly fat raises pressure on the stomach and diaphragm making it an especially strong risk factor.

6. Triggers reflux-promoting foods. Sugary foods are often eaten with other reflux triggers including chocolate, caffeine, mint, and fatty foods.

In summary, sugar itself isn't acidic but it's a reflux amplifier.

Listen to the full video for my tips on how to reduce your sugar consumption without being miserable.

If you'd like help we're here for you. The best next step is to contact us for a consultation and then we can determine if what we do is a good fit for you. Call 727-335-0400.

#sugar #acidreflux #rootcausemedicine #guthealth

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If you have acid reflux or hiatal hernia you want to avoid this drink.

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What is it? Alcohol.
Why is it a problem?

1. Alcohol relaxes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) that prevents reflux from occurring up into your esophagus from your stomach. The sphincter to work needs to be toned; when it relaxes it allows the movement of stomach contents to back up into your esophagus - reflux. It also worsens or can contribute to a hiatal hernia.

2. Alcohol increases stomach acid production. If your stomach acid is creating irritation of your esophagus or stomach, increasing it can cause symptoms of burning and irritation, worsening your condition.

3. Delayed gastric (stomach) emptying. Alcohol causes your stomach to stay full longer which increases pressure within your stomach, increasing the likelihood of both reflux and hiatal hernia, especially after larger meals. Slowed gastric emptying also increases the risk for infections and the development of SIBO.

4. Irritates lining of your esophagus. Alcohol burns when you swallow it normally. Add that to an esophagus that is already inflamed and you'll worsen the irritation to the lining, increasing your risk of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal cancer over time.

5. Aggravates nocturnal reflux - people tend to drink at night and eat their larger meal then as well. When you lie down to go to sleep you'll have an increased risk of reflux, interrupting your sleep.

6. Impairs healing - alcohol causes a chronic cycle of inflammation, a weakening of your immune system, decreased nutrient absorption and antioxidant interruption, all resulting in impaired healing.

Specific alcohols and their issues:
Red wine is acidic and high in histamines
Beer is carbonated, increasing bloat and pressure
Mixers are carbonated and sugary. [Watch my video on the problems with sugar and reflux.]
Cocktails with citrus - the acid of the citrus is an aggravant.

Tips:
Drink rarely
Avoid alcohol at least 3 hours before bed
Avoid carbonation and citrus
Stay upright after eating for a few hours
Avoid high fat with alcohol

If you'd like help we're here for you. The best next step is to contact us for a consultation and then we can determine if what we do is a good fit for you. Call 727-335-0400.

#alcohol, #acidreflux #hiatalhernia

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There is certainly an enormous amount of discussion regarding GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic,, Semaglutide, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. And it's no wonder considering 70% of Americans are either overweight or obese.

To optimize gut health and avoid acid reflux and hiatal hernia, losing weight is a key component. It's not the only factor, but an important one.

GLP-1 drugs mimic the action of the hormone GLP-1 which is released into your small intestine from L cells in response to eating.

GLP-1 slows gastric emptying and therefore promotes satiety. It also stimulates insulin release and decreases fat accumulation in the liver. It supports gut barrier integrity (preventing leaky gut) and due to this modulates the immune system and inflammation.

Considering inflammation is at the root cause of most of the diseases we are trying to avoid such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases, having adequate GLP-1 production is very foundational to optimal health. It decreases inflammation in your brain as well, decreasing neurodegenerative diseases.

Some of us are "under-responders" meaning that we naturally make less GLP-1 than desired. Such people, me included, suffer with cravings, easy weight gain and more.

It is the under-responder who might really do well to increase their GLP-1.
Can you do it naturally? To a degree, yes.

The following are some diet and lifestyle habits that will raise your GLP-1 naturally that are safe and beneficial to your overall health regardless.
1. Increase the soluble fiber in your diet. e.g. chia, flax, psyllium, beans, oats/oat bran, many fruits and vegetables.
2. Increase your polyphenols found in berries, olive oil and dark greens.
3. Use intermittent fasting - 12 to 14 hours, not beyond.
4. Exercise - movement and resistance training
5. Balance your gut microbiome - I know that's a big one and you'll have to work with a trained clinician to tailor a program to you. We are here to help you with that.

Now on to the problems with GLP-1 drugs:
1. The basic dose is too high for most people. I review in the video what I recommend.
2. Loss of appetite can result in skipping meals and not being mindful about getting healthy macronutrients into your diet.
3. Loss of muscle mass can occur if you don't include resistance training and eat enough to keep up your energy.
4. Constipation can occur. I review in the video some steps I took to counteract this.
5. Not focusing on the meal sizes that work to maintain your healthy weight, but instead eating very little, skipping meals, etc.

I tell my personal story with using Semaglutide in the video. Why I tried it and the results I saw.

Finally, my ultimate solution: Calocurb. A product I have no personal affiliation with, but one that I've been very impressed with.

It was researched for 14 years in New Zealand. It's a hops extract (gluten-free) which increases GLP-1 levels by 600%. For under-responders this is a game changer. It has been shown to reduce hunger by 30%, cravings by 40% and calorie intake by 12 to 18%.

It is NOT for people suffering with IBD.

If you are having trouble with weight and want sensible help while avoiding the very real dangers associated with these drugs, we're happy to help.

If you'd like help we're here for you. The best next step is to contact us for a consultation and then we can determine if what we do is a good fit for you. Call 727-335-0400.

#glp1 #hiatalhernia #rootcausemedicine