Hey guys how are you all doing? I hope you are doing well, staying safe, and healthy during these times.
I just wanted to update on my acid re-flux. To start I can say it has almost been a full year since I have taken any acid re-flux medication. I stopped taking prilosec when I found out I was pregnant and even after giving birth last October I never continued with prilosec and zantac was being pulled off shelves due to that fact that it was found it could cause cancer. Even though I haven’t been on any medications does not my re-flux has resolved. I still get re-flux symptoms but they have been stable and mild. If you have acid re-flux it is important to make sure that you don’t sweep it under the rug. That’s what I did many years ago and then it just kept getting worse and worse from that point. I haven’t had a major re-flux episode (acid hitting my throat) since 2017 and I want to keep it that way. I also want to continue to help you all on your journey.
The re-flux journey is not an easy one but it takes a lot of time to get better and you must evaluate the foods the you are eating which are your trigger foods. As we know many foods are acidic then alkaline so you have to find the right balance in order to minimize those symptoms. I am excited to be back and to continue to help you all on this journey!
Pregnancy is one the most exciting times in a women’s life. To experience the joy of bringing a new life into this world. Throughout the stages of pregnancy and three trimesters the body will go through a series of changes one of the most notable things being weight. That may be the one part women dread the most about pregnancy the weight gain that comes with it. Then you start to think will I be able to lose this weight after?
For me weight gain was not a major issue in the beginning of my pregnancy. During my journey I was not able to eat much at all. Once the nausea started it pretty much stayed with me throughout my whole pregnancy and never went away. For most women nausea usually goes away by the second trimester. It was a tough battle to tackle the nausea and dry heaving on top of already having a history of acid reflux. Most days I didn’t even feel hungry I had no appetite because of the nausea but I still made sure to eat anything I could of course not anything but nutritious foods for me and the baby. Then eventually as time went on I had to drink ensures for extra calories. My weight pretty much stayed stable until about 25 weeks of pregnancy. I started weighing 138 pounds and by the end of my pregnancy I was 160 pounds. Not bad right? A month after giving birth I weighed in at 146 pounds. Now today I am 156 pounds so I am almost back to my end pregnancy weight. Even though I instantly lost weight I seemed to gain it back. Even though the pregnancy is over the real work has just begun and postpartum weight also counts.
How did I get back 156 pounds ? Well the good news is that it wasn’t instantly but gradually. During postpartum you go through a whirlwind of emotions. Your getting used to having a new baby, juggling bottles, diapers, pumping, or breastfeeding and no sleep is not easy! And in between all of that you have to figure out when will you have time to eat and do you even have time to cook? For me, I just pretty much ate anything whenever I could. Most days I wouldn’t eat until at 4 PM. I ate a lot of chips , chocolate and anything that was easy fast food. It seemed as though all my healthy ways of eating had gone through the window.
Now to this present day I am getting back on track with how I used to be I am eating healthier, meal planning, and even exercising something that I never was really used to doing much at all. I am making sure to drink a lot more water and not beat myself about my current weight. The point of this post is to tell you mamas out their not to be upset about weight gain and to embrace it. The post postpartum journey is not easy but once you ease into a routine and also fit in time to take care of YOU, everything will fall into place.
I must admit, I was never the one to exercise much or go to the gym. A lot of it had to do with time. Working full-time (lifting patients) and being a full-time college student is not easy, as it is not for a majority of us juggling so many things today.
Two years ago I was in a very bad place with my health. I was struggling with managing my Acid Reflux and I also was struggling with my physical health. In September 2015 I obtained a neck injury after going indoor rock climbing with a friend. After that for the next year and a half my physical health was not the same . It felt as though everyday my physical health was declining. I could not function due to having headaches almost every week, I suffered with neck pain , back pain, and chest pains. Later on I learned that the chest pain was a condition called costochondritis which is an inflammation of the joints as the breastbone which can be aggravated by any strenuous activity .
As each day went on I felt weaker and weaker and this was when I discovered the importance of physical health. If I had paid more attention to my physical health by exercising or working out I would be stronger and have more strength to not obtain injuries while doing activities.
If I can stress one thing I say do not take your physical health for granted.
The Stomach contains what is known as Gastric Acid, Gastric Juices, or Stomach Acids. The reason why we have all these acids in our stomach is due to the fact that acids are responsible for breaking down the foods we put into our bodies. Foods such as Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins. The stomach acids do not work alone, certain enzymes are also needed to break down the foods we eat. (Digestive Enzymes to be exact!) Digestive enzymes are made in the pancreas, stomach, small intestine, and salivary glands.
What are Enzymes?
They are proteins
They help to “speed up” chemical reactions
What are the different Stomach Acids?
Hydrochloric Acid (HCL)
Potassium Chloride (KCL)
Sodium Chloride (Nacl)
So when it comes to Acid Relux these acids can be damaging even though these acids are need by the body.
Two important proteins when we think about Acid Reflux are Pepsinogen and pepsin. Pepsinogen is an inactive protein that is found in the lining of the stomach walls. It becomes activated when digestion begins and enters into the stomach. Once in the stomach Pepsinogen is mixed with Hydrochloric Acid where it then becomes pepsin. Pepsin is highly acidic. That is why when we have Reflux that Reflux contents contain pepsin and that is what causes damage to the esophagus and the throat (for people with LPR).
So the next time you think about Acid Reflux think about what are all these acids and why do we need these acids.
NutriFoody Wholly Holism 