Gluten intolerance is so amazingly prevalent. Most people equate problems with gluten to actual Celiac disease and feel that if they are not dealing with intense abdominal pain, or if their celiac testing has come back negative, then gluten is acceptable. However, a gluten free diet is the single most powerful suggestion I can make for about 90% of my patients. Eliminating dairy and sugar have also proven to be valuable for most.

Gluten is a protein present in wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt that can cause an inflammatory reaction in the gut, either mild enough to cause constipation, or intense enough to cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas and even bloody stools! This inflammation and irritation can throw the good bacteria off kilter and increase risk of secondary bacterial overgrowth, causing additional problems.

Try going off gluten for 4 weeks and substitute brown rice, wild rice or quinoa. Don't spend a lot of money on gluten alternatives until you are sure it is making a difference. You can get gluten free bread, pasta, cereals, etc. so that you don't feel like you have to stop eating your favorite things. After 4 weeks, add gluten back in a small amount and see if it triggers your symptoms again. If so, eliminating it all together is a small price to pay to feel better!

If after 4 weeks you feel better but not completely cured, consider food allergy testing. We can get this covered by insurance and with a simple blood test, determine which foods your body mounts a response to. Elimination of reactive foods can cause miraculous changes in all areas of health.

Yeast (or candida) overgrowth in the gut is most often a secondary problem that comes about after long term gut irritation (such as undiscovered gluten intolerance). It can also come about after frequent use of antibiotics or correlating with diets high in sugar, alcohol and refined carbohydrates. The best way to discover whether or not yeast is a problem is through stool testing. We can actually have stool analyzed for yeast, parasites, good and bad bacteria as well as get an assessment of how well the gut immune system is functioning! This stool test is most often covered by insurance. 

Alternatively, going off gluten and sugar as well as refined carbohydrates and alcohol while drinking 3-4 cups of Pau D' Arco tea is a safe way to rid the gut of yeast issues and safe enough to be done on your own. Quality probiotic supplementation is also a good idea. However, since most of the probiotics sampled in both traditional grocery stores and health food stores contain inactive bacterial strains, it is best to purchase these through my "shop" website link. You get what you pay for with probiotics!

"Point to the place in your body where you put stress, anxiety and negative emotions." This is a question I ask all my patients with GI trouble. And most all of them point to their tummies. 

Our physical body is just a big sponge for our emotional body. Since symptoms are our physical body's way of "talking", we often "talk" with our gut. Many of my patients with constipation have a hard time "letting go" and "hold on" to negative emotions. We can sometimes really improve bowel regularity by talking about emotional upsets and finding external tools to express feelings. Dancing, singing, writing in a journal, exercise, or talking about feelings are all ways to channel the negative feelings outside the body. When we express our feelings externally, our body does not need to hold them for us anymore. 

Find a journal, no need to be fancy unless you want to, and every time you feel stressed or upset sit for 2 minutes (or more if you have time) and write "stream of consciousness" style. Don't worry about dotting "i's" or crossing "t's" but just write until you have emptied all of your thoughts and feeling. Then close the journal and put it away. Don't re-read it. Just give your journal permission to hold it for you.

In the spirit of gluten free, try this amazing dish. One of my all time favorites!!

 

Quinoa is not only gluten free but is packed with complete protein and tons of fiber. It is also high in magnesium, calcium and B vitamins...

 

4 green onions, finely chopped

 

Prepare quinoa according to package directions, rinsing first if necessary. Make sure there is no water left in the bottom of your quinoa pot at the end of cooking. If there is, uncover the pot and continue cooking over a medium heat until the remaining water evaporates.

 

While the quinoa is cooking, whisk together the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger. Set aside. In a small pan, toast the sesame seeds for a few minutes over low heat, until they become fragrant and start to change color. Set aside.

 

Toss the dressing, toasted sesame seeds, edamame, and onions together with the cooked quinoa until they are well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve cold or room temperature.

I am currently in the middle of updating my website to include a review page. If you have a review of your experience with me that you would like to share, please send it to my email at shahfamilymedicine@yahoo.com with permission to share publicly. Additionally, I am always appreciative of constructive criticism as my goal is to be the best provider I can be so send it along good or bad!

Much gratitude in advance!