There is a stomach bug going around, giving diarrhea and "bad feelings".
If you get it, remember to drink lots of fluids, like pedialyte and gatorade, and to eat starchy foods, with nothing greasy or spicy.
You can try the BRATTY diet:
Bananas
Rice
Apples / Applesauce
Toast
Tea
Yogurt.
Please see your doctor if you have severe abdominal pain, high fever, blood in your stool or frequent vomiting and you can't keep down anything.
Otherwise, it should pass in a few days. You can take tylenol for pain and peptobismol or imodium to help with the diarrhea.

There is a stomach bug going around, giving diarrhea and "bad feelings".
If you get it, remember to drink lots of fluids, like pedialyte and gatorade, and to eat starchy foods, with nothing greasy or spicy.
You can try the BRATTY diet:
Bananas
Rice
Apples / Applesauce
Toast
Tea
Yogurt.
Please see your doctor if you have severe abdominal pain, high fever, blood in your stool or frequent vomiting and you can't keep down anything.
Otherwise, it should pass in a few days. You can take tylenol for pain and peptobismol or imodium to help with the diarrhea.

Gastroenteritis is going around. It's usually caused by a stomach virus. If you are having vomitting and diarrhea, the most important thing is to keep up with your fluids and avoid dehydration.
Here are some suggestions:
 You should drink something every time you have an episode of vomiting or diarrhea. Take small slow sips of a cup Pedialyte or  Gatorade. You might also try drinking clear soda, such as 7UP or Sprite; clear broths; or non-caffeinated sports drinks, such as Gatorade. Affected adults should try to drink plenty of liquid every day, taking small, frequent sips.
 Ease back into eating. Gradually begin to eat bland, easy-to-digest foods such as soda crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas, rice and chicken. Stop eating if your nausea returns. 
 Try the BRATTY diet: Small amounts of Bananas, Rice, Apples / apple sauce, Tea, Toast, or Yogurt
 Avoid certain foods and substances until you feel better. These include dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly seasoned foods.
Adapted from the Mayo Clinic.

To avoid heartburn:
Don't overeat. Decrease the size of portions at meal times, or try eating four to five small meals instead of three large ones.

To avoid heartburn - Avoid heartburn triggers. Stay away from foods and beverages that trigger your heartburn symptoms:
Alcohol
Carbonated beverages
Chocolate
Citrus fruits, such as oranges or lemons
Coffee or tea (regular or decaffeinated)
Fatty or fried foods
Foods containing tomato, such as spaghetti sauce, salsa, or pizza
Garlic and onions
Mint
Spicy foods, such as those containing chili or curry

Don't go to bed with a full stomach. Eat meals at least two to three hours before lying down. This will give food time to digest and empty from your stomach, and acid levels a chance to decrease before putting your body in a position where heartburn is more likely to occur. Don’t snack close to bedtime or lie down right after a meal.

To avoid constipation, increase your water intake. Try to drink a glass of water before each meal - that helps you to lose weight also. Eat fruits or vegetables with each meal. Increase your fibre intake - eat your fruits and veggies, eat peas and beans, have brown rice and bread instead of white.
Exercise regularly, that also helps to keep things moving. Try not to strain, you are more likely to get hemmorhoids/piles that way.
If you still have problems, try fibre supplements like metamucil or benefiber, but remember if you take these you must drink more water, or your constipation may get worse. These supplements draw water into the gut, so you have to increase your fluid intake.
If you still can't pass, have blood in the stool or abdominal pains, please see your doctor.
Love yourself, take care of your health! 

Diarrhea and vomitting seem to be going around again. They are often caused by a virus or something you ate. If it is not a stomach virus, conch, fish and fast food are the prime offenders. The most important thing is to stay hydrated, that is, to get enough to drink. You should take slow  sips of pedialyte or gatorade every time you vomit or have diarrhea to put back the fluids you are losing. If you are unable to keep anything down, please see your doctor urgently.
If you can tolerate the fluids, you are likely to get better on your own. When you feel better you can move on to solids. The BRATTY diet is recommended, Bread, Rice, Apple, Tea, Toast, Yogurt. Small amounts please. Avoid greasy or spicy foods.
If you have a high fever, can't keep anything down, have blood in your stool, have sever abdominal pain, or your symptoms persist, please see your doctor.
Love yourself, take care of your health! 

Come see me at the clinic if you are not feeling well or if you need a check up. Do you need a Life Coach, are you stuck and need some motivation to actually start doing the things you say you want to do in life? 
Call 327-6407 for an appointment or walk right in.
[email protected]

Gas and bloating can be caused by many different things. Lactose intolerance can cause it, as discussed yesterday. Constipation can cause it, so if your stools are hard and infrequent, you should drink more water and eat more fiber - that means fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. Exercise also helps to get things moving.
Gas can result if you swallow air while eating, so eat slowly, chew thoroughly, avoid chewing gum, and stay calm.
Keep a food diary to see if your symptoms are caused by certain foods. Some common offenders are: Vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, peas, beans and other legumes, fruits such as apricots, bananas, melons, peaches, pears, prunes, and raw apples, wheat and wheat bran, eggs, carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, beer, and red wine, fried and fatty foods, sugar and sugar substitutes. That list seems to include almost everything, so that's why a food diary is helpful to figure out exactly which food is causing your problem.
Overeating can also cause bloating, so eat in moderation.
If your abdominal pain is severe, if you can't touch your tummy because it is too tender, if you are vomiting or passing blood in your stool, please see your doctor.
Come see me at the clinic if you need a check up.
Love yourself, take care of your health!

Do you have stomach upset, gas or diarrhea when you eat dairy products? You may be lactose intolerant - you may not be producing enough lactase enzyme to digest the milk you are taking in. To avoid these embarrassing symptoms you can eliminate dairy from your diet all together, or take lactase enzyme tablets (e.g. Lactaid) every time you eat dairy. A lot of foods contain dairy, so if you are very sensitive to lactose, you may also have to avoid certain desserts, cakes, mousses, creamy soups, and creamy salad dressings that contain milk or cheese. I once even had symptoms after eating fish that had been soaked in milk and then fried. I hadn't taken any lactase because I didn't expect there to be milk in fried fish! 
Don't despair, Soy Frappuccinos are quite nice :-), and if you really need that ice cream, milk shake or cheese cake, take some lactase first. 
If you are not sure that your tummy symptoms are due to lactose intolerance, try drinking a glass of milk one morning, and don't have anything else to eat for a few hours. If you experience symptoms within an hour or 3, you are probably lactose intolerant. Do this on a day when you don't have to go to work :-).
If you do decide to eliminate dairy from your diet, it would be good to take a calcium supplement, since you will be missing out on a great source of calcium.