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Public protocols

2 of Self Health Strategies's general recommendations, available to anyone who visits this store.

  • Reflux Support - Self Health Strategies

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    Hi, I'm Jenessa. I started Self Health Strategies because I like to identify simple nutrition and lifestyle strategies that measurably improve your health, are sustainable, and fit into our modern lives. If you appreciate the advice I offer here, I have much more to offer you. Schedule a Self Health Assessment for practical suggestions for improving your specific health concerns: Self Health Assessment with Jenessa . GERD is the reflux of stomach contents through the "valve" at the top of the stomach and into the pharynx.  It’s worse after a meal or when bending over.  It occurs because of “relaxations” (aka lowered resting pressure) in the "valve" (lower esophageal sphincter--LES). It is worsened by slow or delayed gastric emptying, decreased salivation, impaired acid clearance, and the presence of a hiatal hernia. If untreated, over time it causes damage, inflammation, esophagitis, or a condition called Barrett’s esophagus. My suggestions are for symptom relief, improved LES strength, esophageal healing, speeding gastric emptying, minimizing exacerbating dietary and lifestyle factors, and prevention of complications. Esophageal Guardian tablets are very effective at preventing or resolving immediate symptoms of heartburn and protecting the lining of your esophagus. These work by creating a "raft" that blocks the stomach's contents from rising through the lower esophageal sphincter. Because of this mechanism, best results with these chewable tablets requires that you remain upright, and not laying down. Chew one to two tablets and drink a full glass of water. Melatonin is known to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter, aka the "valve" at the top of your stomach. This helps prevent acid from rising into the esophagus. Additionally, melatonin acts as an anti-inflammatory for esophageal tissue. Eight weeks of 3mg melatonin lozenges improves GERD symptoms. DGL is a chewable derived from licorice, a demulcent herb. Demulcents promote a healthy protective layer which coats the delicate lining of the esophagus for a soothing effect. Chew a tablet before a meal. Healing the esophageal lining and preventing complications can be accomplished with any combination of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories (but NOT ibuprofen):  vitamins C & E (berries, sunflower seeds), selenium (2 Brazil nuts per day), beta carotene (25mg/day or 250ml carrot juice), and/or zinc-carnosine. Herbs for healing include:  comfrey, aloe vera, chamomile, calendula, and meadowsweet.  Probiotics to speed gastric emptying:  Gastro-Ease by Life Extension speeds gastric emptying, reduces gastric distension and reduces episodes of regurgitation in four weeks of supplementation.  It also contains zinc-carnosine to repair the mucosal barrier. Yakult drinkable yogurt also contains a very well-studied strain of probiotic (L. casei Shirota) which may be helpful in normalizing gut transit time.  You can buy it in the yogurt section at Fred Meyer and Local Acres. Their website has a grocery-finder function to see where it is locally. Dietary and lifestyle factors:  eat smaller meals and slowly, avoid fluid consumption with meals (hydrate between meals), chew xylitol-based gum 30 minutes after each meal and before bed, do not eat anything for 3-4 hours before bed.  Sadly, the following foods and beverages worsen GERD by increasing acid secretion, reducing LES strength, slowing gastric emptying and motility—avoid them as much as possible:  alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, fatty foods, and peppermint.  Other GERD irritants to avoid are gluten and dairy, if you’re intolerant.  Gargling speeds the vagal (gut-brain) connection and could help with motility and gastric emptying.  Try gargling for 30-60 seconds a couple of times per day! I encourage you to pick the strategies that make the most sense for your life rather than endeavoring all of these options all at once. For more detailed nutritional strategies and guidance, please reach out to me! I recommend purchasing your choice of products through Fullscript. It ensures you're getting quality products that are carefully vetted for safety and efficacy. Learn more about the benefits of using Fullscript in the attached handout. Fullscript vs. Amazon Handout

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  • Travel Gut Health - Self Health Strategies

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    Hi, I'm Jenessa. I started Self Health Strategies because I like to identify simple nutrition and lifestyle strategies that measurably improve your health, are sustainable, and fit into your modern life. If you appreciate the advice I offer here, I have much more to offer you. Schedule a Self Health Assessment for practical suggestions for improving your specific health concerns: Self Health Assessment with Jenessa . Travelers' gut health is a common issue. I take a proactive approach to protect myself and my family from common disturbances by using specific prebiotic formulation and probiotic strains. These recommendations have shown benefit in reputable published research. This strategy begins two weeks before travel and ends when I am home. Two weeks before departure, start with one capsule per day of LGG probiotic (brand name Culturelle). Chewables are available for children, or adults who prefer chewables! Both varieties of Culturelle do not need refrigeration, making them excellent for travel. Continue at one dose per day with a meal until travel is complete. If digestive disturbance occurs while traveling, increase to twice per day with meals. MegaPre Capsules by Microbiome Labs contain a well-studied prebiotic fiber. This product will selectively feed known beneficial bacteria in your gut to prevent opportunistic gut bugs from taking hold during travel. Start low (one capsule) and slowly increase over two weeks to five or six capsules per day (ex. three with breakfast, three with dinner). If you prefer a powdered product mixed in liquid, choose the MegaPre Precision Prebiotic and begin with 1/4 scoop dissolved in liquid. Increase the dose every 2-3 days until you tolerate one full scoop per day in a beverage. Continue for the duration of travel. *It may be easier to travel with capsules than a powder if going through TSA/customs; capsules can be opened to dissolve in liquid just as the powder is used. The LGG strain of probiotic (Culturelle) and GOS prebiotic (MegaPre) have both shown reductions in illness and GI upset when traveling. Both are temperature stable for travel. An additional or alternative option is to choose the Saccharomyces Boulardii by Jarrow Formulas. This is a combination product of an extensively studied yeast-based probiotic strain and includes a prebiotic called MOS in the capsule. The MOS is suggested to act as a decoy for opportunistic gut bugs. I recommend purchasing your choice of these products through Fullscript. It ensures you're getting quality products that are carefully vetted for safety and efficacy. Learn more about the benefits of using Fullscript in the attached handout. Fullscript vs. Amazon Handout To reduce the financial burden of these specialty products, I offer my clients a standing discount for any purchases made through Self Health Strategies in partnership with Fullscript.

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