I have a story to tell you—do you see yourself in it? | Digestive Disorders, Digestive Health, General Health and more | Holistic Blends Holistic Blends Blog blog

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I have a story to tell you—do you see yourself in it?

 

I have been in the health field since the early 80s and have also been blessed with a very sharp memory. 

As such, I can remember what things were like 40 years ago in terms of people’s health as compared to now. 

And I’ve got to say, hands down, that we are FAR sicker today than we were 40 years ago, and probably have ever been in our existence. 

I was a health claims analyst back in 1982 and the typical claims I saw involved single medical conditions—high blood pressure, allergies and heartburn were the most common concerns. 

Now? 

It’s the norm and not the exception to see someone with an extensive medical history, multiple chronic conditions and of course, taking a variety of medications. 

Here’s what I mean—this is a summary of a client consultation I had that perfectly exemplifies what I’m saying. 

Note that not everyone has exactly the same concerns and illnesses, but there is a definite pattern here, as well as a lack of improvement in both symptomology and the quality of life. 

Here is Lisa’s (not her real name) story: 

Summary of case: 

Lisa is 49 years old, 5’4” tall and weighs 168 pounds.  She has a BMI of 28.8 which is just under the threshold for obesity. 

She reports a history including a childhood tonsillectomy, having two children, and a hysterectomy in 2007.   

She also had an appendectomy in 2012, a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) in 2014, and in 2016 a fecal transplant following four episodes of C. diff.   

Lisa suffers from bloating, abdominal pain and frequent heartburn.  She also reports joint aches in her fingers, knees and elbows.  She states that she would like to lose about 30 pounds.   

She has had various tests in the past and has received diagnoses including colitis, gastritis, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  Tests also show she is low in vitamin D.    

Lisa also said that she is entering menopause and believes she has hormonal imbalances.  She has amalgam fillings in her mouth.    

Her current medications are: 

  • Dicyclomine as needed for bloating and abdominal pain 
  • Ranitidine daily for heartburn 
  • Zoloft daily for IBS 

 

My thoughts: 

It appears that Lisa has significant gut microbiome issues and having C-diff multiple times certainly didn’t help.   

An imbalanced microbiome would most assuredly trigger IBS symptoms, in addition to possible autoimmunity (colitis or Crohn’s), as 80 percent of the immune system is housed in the gut.  

Apparently, Lisa’s gastroenterologist didn’t bother to consider the microbiome in his treatment protocol and opted instead to prescribe an antidepressant (!) and acid reducers, both of which will further disrupt the microbiome (and probably not do a thing for her symptoms).   

Missing her gallbladder is compromising her digestion, especially fats, and this may be causing her bloating as well.   

Being low in vitamin D also increases the risk of autoimmunity as well as making her more susceptible to inflammation and joint pain.  The mercury in her amalgam fillings can also trigger autoimmunity.   

As far as her medications go, Dicyclomine can cause bloating and fatigue, Ranitidine can cause bloating and arthralgias (joint pain), and Zoloft can cause abdominal pain and heartburn, weight gain, fatigue, and joint pain.   

So, it appears that her complaints are caused and/or worsened by her medications! 

Do you see yourself?

Sadly, I see cases like Lisa’s all the time, so I would have to guess that I’m telling some of your story too. 

And if you see yourself in what I have said, know this: A vicious cycle of surgeries, medications and never feeling better does NOT have to be your destiny! 

Here were my recommendations for Lisa, many of which you can probably apply to yourself: 

1- Have a whole foods diet and make your meals easier on your system   

Both my Great Taste No Pain plan (addresses overall health) and my specific weight loss book Want To Lose Weight? Stop Dieting! show you how to enjoy delicious, nutrient-rich whole foods and put together meals that are MUCH easier for your system to break down.   

This can help reduce IBS symptoms, bloating and heartburn tremendously.  And in Lisa’s case, she may be able to eventually reduce or eliminate her Dicyclomine, Ranitidine and Zoloft with her doctor’s agreement. 

2- Take a potent multi-strain probiotic formula. 

This will help repopulate the gut microbiome, encourage better immune function and support smooth digestion and better nutrient absorption.  Our full-spectrum Super Shield PLUS multi-strain probiotic formula includes both Lactobacillus species and Bifidobacterium strains to address the needs of both the small intestine and the colon.  

3- Take a digestive enzyme supplement.  

Without the assistance of the gallbladder to concentrate bile from the liver, fat digestion will always be a challenge.  As such, a complete enzyme supplement that includes lipases (for fat digestion) like our Digestizol Max can help where your body may be lacking. 

4- Consider bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for menopause. 

Bioidentical hormones are hormones that are created to be the same as your body made before menopause. They are synthesized from plant substances and are made to be like your body's natural hormones; as such, they are far safer than synthetic hormone replacement.   

5- Take Vitamin D and fish oil supplements. 

Vitamin D is a quite common deficiency, especially in the northern hemisphere where sunlight is limited, plus there are very few foods sources of vitamin D.  It is crucial that you have healthy vitamin D levels for joint health and to counteract autoimmunity. Our Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B can provide a therapeutic 5,000 IUs of Vitamin D3, plus vitamins K1 and K2 and the mineral boron.     

And Omega-3 essential fatty acids are essential to controlling inflammation, which can manifest in the form of joint aches.  The occasional fish dinner that most people eat will not provide enough for your body’s needs; therefore, you should consider a fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3.  

6- Get regular exercise. 

You should strive to get regular exercise at least 3-4 days per week. You can start with brisk walking or whatever activity you prefer.  

Want To Lose Weight? Stop Dieting! can give you helpful tips on incorporating the right exercise activity for you.  This will help your weight loss efforts and improve your digestion too. 

7- Consider heavy metals testing and having amalgam fillings replaced. 

Heavy metals such as aluminum and mercury are downright deadly to the body.  Aluminum is linked to Alzheimer’s and autism, and mercury is toxic to the brain, depresses immune function and triggers autoimmunity.  

If levels are found to be elevated, detoxification measures may be taken (I can help in that regard).  

Also replacing amalgam fillings will help reduce exposure to mercury. 

8- Talk to me! 

If you feel overwhelmed and just want to bounce your situation off on someone who is knowledgeable and cares about your health, book a FREE 30-minute consultation with me! 

We’ll talk about everything that’s going on with you and come up with an action plan to get you on the road to feeling better! 

To your health,  

Sherry Brescia


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