Cause, consequences and the foods that help
If you ever had an open sore in your throat, stomach, or upper digestive tract, you understand the pain and the debilitating facts of this blog. From acid burns in your esophagus to burning center-chest stomach flares and agonizing soreness when eating and drinking, inflammation of your gastrointestinal (G.I.) system will upend your peace!
I will “group” the listed medical-identified issues into one giant blog to help anyone with similar experiences immediately and efficiently adjust food intake. As most of you already know, I always suggest consulting with a medical practitioner, adopting a curative outlook, and focus on a lifestyle change that will aid your recovery process:
Heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease – GERD), Gastric and Peptic Ulcers (stomach and intestine sores that can start in the esophagus), Gastroenteritis (stomach bacterial toxicity and viral infections), Ulcerative Colitis (long-lasting chronic inflammation of colon and rectum), Crohn’s Disease (inflammatory bowel disease – IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS – diarrhea or/and constipation – unregular stool), Diverticulitis (pockets forming in the intestine – usually left side dissenting colon), Celiac Disease (autoimmune disorder), and Cholecystitis (Gallbladder inflammation due to stone formation).
With the exception of Celiac Disease (I wrote an extensive blog on this topic), the following suggestions are all adaptable to help you overcome the above listed health dilemma. This requires a strict adaptation of eating and drinking correctly with adding lifestyle choices of exercise, mental health adjustments (yoga and meditation), and foremost, communicating with your medical provider any choices – based upon this blog – to reduce your Western medicines that often only help to deal with the symptoms but rarely treat the underlying condition, the cause of your illness.
I believe in modern science and have a massive respect for the pharmaceuticals we have available to aid when dealing with a debilitating and painful issues. Sometimes, I come across clients where the prescription medications are actually part of the cause of their dilemma. Modern science does not always embrace well-documented, established methods that have successfully helped millions of people. Gastrointestinal issues are not always easy to correctly pinpoint, and some doctors seem to “over-treat” patients, maybe because of the way we explain our issues or often because we have consulted the internet and are preconceived about an illness that has nothing to do with how our body reacts.
From my perspective, and most TCM practitioners embrace this view, Gastrointestinal dilemmas often affect people who have a compromised immune system. The physiology of inflammation has been well documented in modern science as a cause of stressed individuals or people simply ignorant of the many processed foods they consume.
Just last week, I had a friend reaching out, expressing that she was convinced that gallbladder stones caused her painful belly ache. After a few tests (via cellphone correspondence), I suggested she fit the profile for a lower stomach ulcer (hypogastric or duodenal inflammation) – carefully guiding her to embrace a different prognosis.
After an emergency intake, my fluke diagnosis was confirmed. Although I “invite” people to reach out when you maintain a health issue that requires food adjustment to rebalance a healthy physical function, often, because we are conditioned to believe a doctor is the messiah of our health outcome. Most of my friends void further communicating assistance for help. Or, to my irk, they would rather ask their best friends who have little knowledge about TCM wisdom and divert right back to the food sources that might have been the cause of their inflammation.
With my neighbor, too: The following discussion was her convincing me that the fresh foods she now bought were “ready to eat” and, although packed in plastic containers, are not processed foods. It was, after all, fresh avocado with nothing added. She defended that the perfectly green, skinned fruit had an expiration date of ten days in the future, and this seemed to trigger no sense about added preservatives to prevent oxidation. When pointing out that the perfectly unified green colors amongst the 200 ‘organic stamped’ plastic tubes stacked for “immediate” consumption were indeed “processed” by a human (or a human-replacement robot), she gave me a dismissive side-eye gesture. That an avocado tree farm can call its “fruit” organic while the soil is pesticide-laden deserves its own blog.
I brought her four items I suggest everyone adopt when dealing with diagnosed intestinal inflammation. Yes, I strategically placed my recommendations at the “anus” of my blog because I wanted you to read through the entire digestive blog. Pay attention from the beginning to what comes out (and how) at the end… (I’m not kidding.)
Honey, unprocessed or raw:
This treat has been treasured for its medicinal properties for centuries. Uncentrifuged honey contains anti-inflammatory powers, like flavonoids and polyphenols, that help reduce G.I. tract issues. It is known for its anti-microbial activities, containing antibacterial properties, and similarly acting like hydrogen peroxide in balancing acidity pH levels. Honey helps combat harmful bacteria in the gut and promotes healthy digestion. This bee product (I call it jokingly bee-puke) has been recorded worldwide for 3000 years for its curative effect on ulcers. Modern science can prove now that honey has a potent benefit when people experience peptic ulcers, and it aids in gastric lining recovery.
Honey fights free radicals an essential benefit for people with Crohn’s disease: They should make it a ritual to eat a spoon of honey three times a day. A client insisted that honey was terrible for her; she was a self-acclaimed vegan. Holding on to your religious view while unnecessarily suffering something that can be regulated in weeks has always baffled me. Honey blocks H1 receptors preventing swelling, itching and rhinitis (swelling). Although Honey is low on antihistamine it is unlikely you become resistant to this natural remedy. Honey can be topically applied to your skin to reduce redness and plant induced skin reactions.
Beyond the medicinal use, if you had an evening of delicious foods and overate, instead of gulping Pepto-Bismol, take a spoonful of healthy honey. Unpasteurized honey can be tested by dipping it into water; you should observe that it fizzles but does not dissolve.
Never double-dip your spoon in a healthy honey pot—your saliva will kill what is so beneficial.
Fermented cacao beans: What eventually becomes chocolate.
Fermentation is a natural metabolic process where microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, and fungi break down organic substances, most commonly carbohydrates like sugars and starches, into simpler compounds. Think beer, kefir, Kombucha, and kimchi (none of which you should consume during recovery). Generally, 99% of the Kombucha drinks sold in supermarkets are, in fact, the cause of gut inflammation. I know you dislike hearing this: so do the factories producing this junk!
The natural fermentation process not only preserves food but also enhances its nutritional profile, contributing to various health benefits, so dive into it. Sun-dried cacao beans are loaded with probiotics. A microbial-healthy household correlates with a healthy heart and active brain function. Fermented cacao beans are rich in polyphenols, specifically flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Snacking fermented cacao beans eliminates inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). All you take is four to six cacao beans in a blended smoothie, or just eat them. Fermented cacao beans contain pre-biotics that help support the growth of your gut bacteria: Hence, the enzyme’s activity helps better nutritional absorption, and it protects the mucosal lining.
Side Note: Dark chocolate is respected for its antidepressant properties. However, it’s not ideal to eat when you haveinflammation in your digestive tract.
Dandelion root (“DandyBlend” a coffee replacement):
Dandelion root has been used for over 2000 years to treat gastrointestinal inflammation. Monastery monk scriptures in China and in Europe documented this benefit around the same time. Today, medical research confirms the beneficial effects of “lions-tooth” root, which is loaded with essences that have anti-inflammatory properties, aiding gastrointestinal recovery. They stimulate the production of digestive juices, including stomach acid and bile, which help break down and absorb nutrients.
Dandelion root is respected for liver detoxification; it helps remove toxins from the body. This yellow Daisy contains inulin, the type of prebiotic fiber that promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria. Inulin is not digested by stomach acids and will travel into the lower digestive track where it alleviates constipation and boosts immune response. The myriad health benefits of this roots are “re-discovered” by modern medicine for their diuretic effects on the human body, helping to flush out excessive fluids (water retention caused by heart issues) and toxins trapped in fat tissues. Reducing water retention and reduced bloating, make you feel more comfortable while consuming foods during recovery from GI disorders.
Dandelion tea or coffee (DendiBlend) is rich in antioxidants. It reduces soft tissue stress (stomach lining) and adjusts constipation or diarrhea. It regulates bowel consistency, firming it when too soft or making it smoother if too hard. DandiBlend is a coffee replacement that can easily be incorporated into your daily routine because coffee is an inflammatory substance and should not be taken during any condition affecting your gastrointestinal health.
Quality Fish Oil:
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Everybody knows that EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are loaded with anti-inflammatory properties. People with IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, should take 1000 mg of a reputed brand twice a day. Fish oil from natural sources (Salmon belly) boosts cell membranes in the lining of the digestive tract.
Fish and Plant-based Omega 3 oils are not just “brain foods,” i.e., brain support; they are now studied worldwide and are recommended in contributing to slowing down autoimmune conditions and even reversing the progression of early Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and should be a staple food for people recovering from head injuries. Substituting fish oil will reduce abdominal pain and quickly ease bloating, and promote the healing of damage to the mucus lining of the gut and the stomach. Your healthy digestive bacteria will love you for adding walnuts, lentils, beans, eggs, shrimp and avocado to your food choices.
Side Note: A few almonds chewed for a long time to a mush will lubricate your lung in dry heat and prevent a “tickling throat.” Use olive oil as a cold dressing only, and don’t cook or roast with it during recovery. Use gee or coconut oil instead.
The above four food items you should regularly take. Prevention is the best method to cope with a ‘wild life-style in a toxic world’… laugh with me!
The main food sources during a two-week “healing period” should consist of berries (any of them), daily bananas (they are berries), oatmeal, cooked and mushed carrots, yams or potatoes, bean anything, chickpeas, eggs, shrimp, salmon and well-cook broccoli and cauliflower, and glazed (or cooked) white onions.
During a digestive “rebalancement” therapy you cannot eat any sugars, especially NOT artificial sweeteners (that includes stevia and monk sugar). NO flavored sodas, NO carbonated drinks, NO pasta, or anything that contains sugar or corn oil. If you crave rice, use Basmati (low sugar index) and void anything raw: Salad leaves, uncooked greens, or celery are strenuous for digestion. Be aware of salted foods and reduce the intake of unpeeled fruits: apples, pears, eggplants, or peaches, which must be peeled if consumed; no tomatoes, citrus fruit, or fruit juices of any kind.
No coffee, but teas are okay, even if they contain caffeine. Although coffee is not acidic, it stimulates gastric juices. Coffee triggers this more aggressively. Reduce dairy products; however, well-aged cheese (parmesan) or plain unsweetened yogurts are fine. No to white breads but well toasted grain-rich breads are good. When you eat nuts, chew them very well! Try out (research) miso, natto, and tempeh: they eliminate phytic acids that interfere with mineral absorption, like iron, zinc, and calcium. Fermented foods increase the entire vitamin B chain in your gut!
For ten days, no processed foods! Anything you buy frozen or processed in any way, even if the label claims to be fresh, organic, or, even more misleadingly, “natural,” while wrapped in plastic is processed food!
Instead, eat fresh avocado with a bit of Tahine or soy sauce. Enjoy snacking apple slices: apple pectin is produced with digestive acid and is not broken down like fat and proteins. That chyme moves from the stomach into the small intestine, where pectin forms a gel-like substance helping to lubricate and disinfect open sores. In the large intestine, your bacteria break down the apple substance into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate. These SCFAs are then absorbed and provide energy to the cells of the colon and boost the recovery of damaged tissue.
This happens even when you do not have inflammation. According to today’s research, the preventative approach of eating an apple a day (by itself) or once a while is indeed a scientific fact. Besides, did you know that apples are antidepressants? I don’t care if the apple is organic or not, the benefit outweighs such concerns!
The recovery treatment for digestive disorders is a simple adjustment; comfort yourself with the knowledge that this is only for a limited two weeks until you get back on track. If you take care of yourself, you might discover that after enduring years of chronic illness, you suddenly do not have to depend on pharmaceuticals that can keep you trapped in endless disharmony without success.
My effectiveness includes many clients who brought me aboard for two weeks and experienced an astonishing recovery—something their doctor had forewarned would be their lifelong dilemma.
Just try it! Be diligent, pay attention to your food sources, and eat small portions five times a day. Chew your foods well, and drink plenty of ice-free beverages in between – 30 min before or after eating. Iced liquids slow the digestive process, leaving foods “liquified” in your stomach, attracting even more digestive bile needed to break down poorly chewed foods.
Side Note: If you experience frequent urination during the night sleep, eat one Kiwi before bedtime.
Reach out if you have questions!
TCMchef Raphael