I wanted to take some time to discuss the truth about coffee and why it broke my heart. I have been known to drink 5 cups of coffee in one sitting, enough to become an honorary Gilmore Girls member. However, I have found while I may love coffee, it does not love me back. Thus, I wanted to explain how and why I went from a hyped-up coffee addict to a zen tea lady (well still working on the zen part). Two little words had a big effect on my diet: ACID REFLUX. If you have experienced acid reflux then you know these can be two very painful words. Painful enough to put down the coffee cup and leave your love of coffee behind.
When we think about diet, we mostly think about food instead of the liquid portion of our diet. However, the liquid portion is just as important, especially when it comes to acid reflux. It is extremely important in a condition like mine, Esophageal Crohn's, that I be very careful and cautious to control my acid reflux. In fact the only warning I have before my ulcers appear is severe acid reflux and swollen lymph nodes for a month. Thus, the acid reflux can really play a major role in my condition and irritate or trigger my esophageal ulcers. If you are someone who has a condition like Crohn's or Colitis, or even someone that suffers from acid reflux, then it is extremely important to get this painful condition under control. If you have ulcers then it is crucial that you control the amount of acid you produce so that they are not worsened or so more ulcers do not appear.
This brings me to the next crucial point. Some of us produce too much acid and some of us produce too little. Both can contribute to acid reflux and problems with digestion. Knowing your body is extremely important because they are treated differently. Please always listen to your body! If one of these recipes does not work for you, then you may want to try one of the others. You may think you're an under acid producer, when really you are an over acid producer. This happened to me. My friends were under acid producers and they gave me recipes for increasing your acid. When I tried their recipes, I burned in my esophagus and felt like I was going to throw up after drinking their concoctions. I continued to try to "be strong," but thankfully with the help of my holistic doctor I learned that I was an under acid producer and he gave me a very tasty remedy.
If you are an under acid producer, like me, then I highly recommend Yogi Egyptian Licorice Tea (find it at Amazon here). As someone who used to despise the taste of black licorice, I have come to love this tea. It is sweet, spicy, and exotic. I try to drink this tea before meals. I usually drink it 3-4 times a day and it is extremely comforting, not only the taste, but the quote that comes with the tea bag. I have begun to really enjoy and relish my tea time. It's a time to relax and re-focus. The next post will be a continuation about teas (click here), but for now this is my go-to tea. My body has started craving this tea and I have been able to wean off of my prescription proton pump inhibitor. I had my mind made up that I was going to wean myself off of my prescription proton pump inhibitor, Omeprazole, because I heard of friends developing polyps in their colon from this medication. (Yes, we will be talking a lot about medical and "TMI" subjects so this blog is not for the faint of heart! lol). Anyway, I have successfully weaned off of this medication. Drinking an amazing tasting tea a couple times a day versus prescription medication with side effects is well... a no brainer. I saw changes almost immediately and I was able to start weaning off my medication. This tea changed my life! So please enjoy :) I also started eating licorice chewable tablets after breakfast and dinner. This also helped a lot and may be something you might want to ask your holistic doctor about if this tea works for you!
P.S. This tea is already sweet so I recommend not adding any sugar to it!
If you are an over acid producer, then there are two recipes that my friends have found helpful! Personally, both these recipes burned me up. If you find that it burns you up as well, then try the Egyptian licorice tea and see if you notice a difference. If you thought you were an under acid producer and tried the Egyptian licorice tea and didn't notice any change then it may be time to try some of these recipes! You may be an over acid producer and need to try these recipes for over acid producers.
1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar (click here) in 6 oz of water (can lessen to 1/2 TBSP if needed). Drink before meals. Can also try apple cider vinegar tablets (click here).
OR
1/2 lemon squeezed, 4 oz of water heated, 1 tsp ginger, and 1 tsp honey (always try for local honey). Drink before meals.
Since I try to avoid adding any sugar to my liquids, I would suggest trying the first one of these recipes. It is faster to make and easier to remember to drink before meal. Try drinking these before meals to help produce more stomach acid so that you are able to digest your food better!
So many autoimmune conditions have GI problems that go along with them. Even if you don't have an autoimmune condition such as Crohn's or Colitis, you could still experience GI problems with your autoimmune disorder and definitely benefit from the remedies above. I know with Lupus (from experience and friends) that there can be severe GI upset that goes along with this condition. So besides the remedies listed above, it is time to go over the list of liquids to avoid. This includes unfortunately the "Holy Grail" of liquids... coffee.
I must admit that I was extremely reluctant to give up coffee. At first I had it only on occasion, but still it wrecked havoc on my GI tract. In a pinch, coffee can be a great laxative, but there are great tea alternatives (click here) and it is not worth the continued irritation it will cause your GI tract (yes, I really meant there was no such thing as "TMI" on this site!). So finally I relented and I have noticed a big difference. If I were to have coffee now, I would notice a huge change in how I feel and my GI health. Without further ado, things to avoid:
Coffee :( (I have found a healthy coffee replacement that I enjoy every morning. Read about it here). I also have found a caffeine replacement for help with headaches. I avoid caffeine, but when I have a really bad headache or migraine the caffeine helps. I love the Primal Kitchen Matcha Powder (find it here).
Fruit Juices (this was a huge difference for me!)
Spicy Drinks
Smoothies with seeds (Smoothies without seeds are great)
Alcohol (nothing burns ulcers like alcohol! However, there are clean wines now without sulfites and there are several alcohol options that are gluten free. If you are going to have a drink for a special occasion, I suggest finding one of these options. Hoping to write a blog post on this soon.)
Artificial sweeteners (I have even passed out from one of them... more on this later.)
Non-purified water (spend the money on purified water! Drink at refrigerator temperature, don't add ice!)
Sodas/caffeinated drink
I have found some supplements that also help with acid reflux. I use licorice chewables twice a day at meals. These are the two licorice chewables I like to use: Integrative Therapeutics licorice (find it here) and Natural Factors licorice (find it here). I also finally found a natural antacid that works better than any antacid I have ever used. It is Gaia antacid (find it here).
Be strong and notice a difference! These small things made such a difference in my GI and overall health! I hope they will for you too!
May you be well :)
~Brooke
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me -Philippians 4:13
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