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Mary's Stellar Nutrition Blog

What can help Acid Reflux?

19/11/2019

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Most people have experienced symptoms of acid indigestion, such as heartburn and acid reflux at some point. A gnawing, burning sensation in the chest and throat that seems relentless and takes away the joy of eating!

It’s really common during pregnancy, during a stressful period and for many people it's common on a daily basis. During the holiday period, or when we overindulge, symptoms can become much worse as naturally we tend to overdo things... 3-course lunches, canapés and fizz...

​In this blog post I’ll explain how you can support your digestion, and get to the root cause of acid reflux so you can:
  • Be free of painful symptoms once and for all.
  • Enjoy the occasional pizza or cup of coffee without hours of burning and discomfort afterwards. 
  • Feel confident that you're nourishing your gut with all the right things so you are getting the most from the food you eat. 
  • Enjoy your favourite foods again!
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How to stop acid reflux and heartburn

Prevent acid reflux and heartburn for good in two key stages:
  1. Cut back on irritating foods and high-protein foods like caffeine, alcohol and meat, which I've listed below. This certainly helps reduce the immediate irritation (usually temporarily)
  2. Then address the lining of the stomach with more targeted nutritional support. The root of the issue is often that the lining of the stomach has become irritated and this is why you start to feel the burning sensation of stomach acid. It’s unlikely that your stomach is suddenly producing excess stomach acid, a commonly mis-held belief.  Under normal circumstances, our body is well equipped to protect itself from its own normal digestive juices!

What foods cause acid reflux and heartburn?

Avoid the following list of foods as they may irritate an inflamed stomach lining which when healthy would produce its own protective barrier.
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine (tea, coffee, cola)
  • Wheat products
  • Spicy foods
  • Meat, eggs, cheese and other concentrated protein foods
  • Fried or greasy foods
  • Chocolate and mint tea as these interfere with the muscular tone of the sphincter between the stomach and the oesophagus and may increase reflux symptoms.
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as Aspirin and ibuprofen. (Never discontinue medication without speaking to your doctor).​

What foods are helpful for acid reflux?

  • Zinc rich foods. Zinc is essential to skin healing. Zinc rich foods include pumpkin seeds, plain natural yoghurt,  shellfish and quinoa. 
  • Vitamin A rich foods. All the lovely orange and yellow colours found in pumpkins and sweet potato. Plus animal based vitamin A (retinoid) found in prawns, yoghurt and sardines.
  • Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet incorporating foods like oily fish, nuts, seeds, plenty of vegetables, legumes and olive or flaxseed oil. 
  • Incorporate foods that are calming on the nervous system like magnesium found in dark green leafy vegetables and black beans.
  • Make use of mucilage producing supplements such as slippery elm, marshmallow root and liquorice that soothe and support the mucous barrier. Remember, a healthy stomach lining would normally produce its own protective mucous secretions. You may temporarily need help rebuilding this barrier! Check out this great tasting slippery elm recipe for starters. 
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The impact of too many anti-acid pills

  1. We need stomach acid. Stomach acid is our first line of defence against infections (basically sterilising the food we eat) and killing off unwanted bacteria. For example, a common infection linked to low stomach acid and stomach ulcers is H. Pylori.  
  2. Stomach acid is essential for the absorption of vitamins and minerals from our food.
  3. We need stomach acid to digest protein properly. Symptoms of low stomach acid can include very foul-smelling gas and an increased risk of food intolerance due to protein maldigestion in the small intestine. 

These are a few reasons why regularly relying on anti-acid tablets (e.g. Rennies, Gaviscon, Omeprazole and Lansoprazole) to manage acid reflux and heartburn symptoms is not ideal, unless essential. They neutralize and block the production of acid - the very substance our body needs to keep bacteria at bay, absorb nutrients and digest protein optimally.
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Natural solutions for acid reflux.

In order to return to eating your favourite foods, the lining of the stomach still needs the right nutritional support to heal properly. Get in touch with me here for a more personalised step-by-step plan on how to resolve the root issue - the irritated stomach lining. ​Without addressing the root cause, symptoms are likely to keep recurring. 

As a Registered Nutritional Therapist, I can advise on a suitable supplement programme for you if you are experiencing symptoms of acid reflux, or wish to reduce your reliance on anti-acid medications, (with support from your GP, of course). Let's book a call now and we can discuss your particular circumstances in more detail.
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You don’t have to suffer with symptoms of acid reflux, heartburn or acid indigestion. It’s maybe common, but it’s not normal!  

Red flags to watch out for.

If you experience repeated acid reflux it is important to see your GP to rule out any underlying triggers such as hiatus hernia, stomach ulcer or H pylori infection. 
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BBC One Laid Bare Nutritionist

31/10/2019

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I'm SOoo excited to finally tell you about the BBC TV series I’ve been involved in called Laid Bare.

​​What's the TV show 'Laid Bare' about?
The series follows the lives of Scottish people struggling with their health due to diet and lifestyle choices. The participants are people who are leading very complex, busy lives, like most of us today!

On the face of it, these people look healthy but actually when we dig deeper we find that the health choices they are making are actually brewing long term health problems.

My role as the BBC Laid Bare Nutritionist...

​
​My role as the Laid Bare Nutritionist
 was to create personalised nutrition plans for each participant so they could get clear on what foods to eat to optimise their health. 

​We covered so much, I'm not sure which portions made it into the show! You’ll need to tune in to find out exactly how we used nutrition and dietary changes to improve their health.

​It’s all ‘Laid Bare’ on the doctor’s table in a post-mortem style expose as Dr. Punam Krishan reveals the before and after.
Here's how to catch me on the Laid Bare tv programme.
In the UK, you can watch it live on BBC One Scotland
. There are three episodes in total and they are all available on the BBC iPlayer to watch again, for a limited time.

Remember you’ll need to change your BBC settings to "Scotland" if you are elsewhere in the UK.

Do you wish you could get expert nutrition and lifestyle advice? Just like we see on these TV programmes...? 
Work with me one-to-one for 30-days and you too can make similar transformations to your health and wellbeing, without telling the nation!

Imagine... 
  • Feeling more energised.
  • Being confident, knowing you are finally making the right dietary choices. 
  • Getting clear on portion sizes without having to count everything.  
  • Not choosing what to wear based on how bloated you feel that day! 

You'll receive weekly calls, meal plans and check-ins, just like the participants I worked with on this TV show! 

Are you ready to be... Laid Bare? 
​
Book a call now and we can discuss how you too can get the results you want. ​​
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Three great takeaways from my Learn to Love your Gut event

25/9/2019

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Thanks to everyone who came to my sell-out event Learn to Love your Gut on the 14th September! It was a huge success and a fabulous way to spend a Saturday morning with 14 fellow gut health enthusiasts.

​In case you missed out this time, I’ve put together three great takeaways to help you on your gut healing journey. 

I've also popped a slideshow at the end. We were having so much fun in the kitchen I wish we had remembered to take photos of the actual food but hopefully you can still capture the essence of the morning from the slideshow below.  ​

Lastly, make sure you are on my mailing list so you don't miss out on my next event!

Mary x

1. Trust your Gut

If you have an upset or inflamed gut you are much more likely to feel depressed, anxious and miserable.
Did you know much of our serotonin (the happy hormone) is made in our gut, not our brain? ​This communication between gut and brain is known as the gut-brain axis. Supporting our gut may have health benefits that reach far beyond good digestion. From less inflamed joints to more stable moods and less anxious minds. All great reasons to support your gut!
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2. ​Nourish your skin from the inside out.

Another takeaway is to think of our gut as a continuation of our skin. There is no seam! The cells lining our intestines are easily damaged (causing leaky gut) and we can use nutrients and foods to help nourish our skin cells on the inside as well as at face value. 
Repair, nourish, and glow from the inside out
Remember gut healing is much more than food elimination diets! Food elimination diets help to reduce inflammation and take the pressure off the gut but that’s only the beginning of the gut healing journey.
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3. Fantastic Ferments

Have you tried any fermented foods recently? We sampled Edinburgh Fermentarium’s delicious fermented sauerkrauts and kimchi and discussed how we could incorporate them into our meals every day.

Fermented foods are rich in probiotics and in-short, help support the balance of bacteria in the gut. If you like pickled things you’re sure to love fermented vegetables and your gut will thank you too! That said, do start slowly if you’re new to fermented foods as they can be quite strong. 

What about probiotic supplements?
If you aren't ready to try fermented foods, (perhaps your gut is still too sensitive), you could consider supplementing with a good quality probiotic supplement. I've written about what to look for when choosing a probiotic supplement here. 

Need some help putting a gut healing plan in place?

Get in touch and we can arrange a chat. My 90-day package is the perfect way to start your gut healing journey with lots of one-to-one support and monthly meal plans using all these wonderful gut-friendly foods along the way! 
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You've tested positive for SIBO, now what?

27/8/2019

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If you test positive for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, (SIBO), it means you may have bacteria in the small intestine which may be addressed medically (with antibiotics) or naturally (with anti-microbial supplements).

A SIBO friendly diet should also be introduced (more on that to come) and steps taken to support your general gut health. SIBO can be chronic in some people which suggests it may not be the root cause and further support and gut healing may be necessary. 

If you test negative for SIBO, other causes of excessive bloating and gas could be food intolerance, digestive enzyme deficiency, bile insufficiency and/or bacterial imbalance in the large intestine. A comprehensive stool test may be helpful as it includes many of these markers. You may also enjoy reading my top five tips to prevent bloating. 

Find out more about how we can work together to find the best approach for you here. If you'd like to arrange a time to chat we can discuss the best way forward for you here.
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Mary Cotter, Registered Nutritional Therapist, mBANT, CNHC
Clinic appointments: EH1 Therapies, 28 Forth Street, Edinburgh EH1 3LH. Also in EH16 
Email: marycotter@stellarhealth.co.uk Telephone: 07756118639


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  • Home
  • About Mary
  • Nutrition Packages
    • 30-Day Kickstart Package
    • 90-Day Gut Health Plan
    • Corporate Wellbeing
    • Cooking Classes
  • Clinical testing
  • LIVE EVENTS
  • Blog
    • Recipes
  • Get in Touch