Welcome to March Management!
All month long, over on Instagram and Facebook, I have been doing a March Management series on how to manage your Gastroparesis with little tips EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
And I know some of you may not be on social media, so I thought I would help you out and consolidate them here. However, you are welcome to follow along on socials so you don’t have to wait to find out the rest of the tips until the end of the month. You never know which one will be the one to move your healing journey forward.
Some of these you might already know or have tried, but that’s okay! Everyone is on their own journey and some are at the beginning, some are in the middle and some have been at this a while.
All I ask is for you to be open minded and maybe even try things again. Your body responds to different things at different times.
So, here is Day 1-16 to get started.
Know Your Trigger Foods - This is especially important if you are just beginning, but even if you aren't, knowing these can be a great first step. So, keep a notebook, notes on your phone or whatever is easiest and jot down a food whenever you eat it and it brings up your symptoms. This list could get long quick, but don't worry, we will learn how to shorten it right back up. Once you know these, you'll know what to stay away from until you increase your motility. Simple steps make big changes. Start here.
Get Moving - No, I don't mean do a crazy workout. Just a simple 15 minute walk after a meal can make all of the difference in the world for your digestive system.
Keep Hydrated - But Aubrey, my stomach hurts when I drink water.
I get it, I promise and this doesn't always have to be this way, but for now we need to make adjustments in small increments. Do not chug your water or save it for all at once. Small sips and drinks throughout your entire day is what you need to do. This will help keep things moving and help with bowel movements.
Stick with Liquids - If you are really struggling to eat much of anything, then liquids are your friend. I don't mean the clear liquids like the doctors put you on. Liquids are a great way to give your body the nourishment it needs without making it work too hard to digestion.
Think smoothies, juices, soups and broths. I have some guides to help with recipes, if needed.
Don’t Lay Down - I'm talking about after eating. Now, you have probably heard this from your doctor and they will say for 30 minutes-1 hour. WRONG.
If you have Gastroparesis, you need longer. I recommend at minimum 1.5 hours up to 3 hours. You can still sit up, but talk that 15 minute walk and then stay sitting up for a few hours to help your body digest. This is after every single meal.
Eat Small Meals - Eating small snacks and meals allows your body to digest without having to work too hard for a bigger meal. This doesn't mean you will digest easily, but it's a step in the right direction.
Chew Your Food Thoroughly - Yes, even your liquids. Chew them. This helps stimulate digestive enzymes and the connection to your brain to start the digestion process. Chew each bite or sip 15 times!
Include Ginger Anytime You Can - Ginger is a great digestive stimulant that's not too harsh on the body. This can be juiced, in tea, fresh, powder, capsule(not recommended), blended, tincture, etc.
Peppermint Tea - It's known to be great for soothing your digetive system and reducing bloating. So, it might not be a direct Gastroparesis help, but if you can relieve symptoms elsewhere, it will help to take the edge off your GP.
Include Turmeric - In smoothies, soups, broth, etc. Turmeric will help reduce inflammation in your body and I could probably bet everything your body is incredibly inflamed due to all the stress it is constantly under.
Avoid Artifical Sweeteners - Honestly, even if you didn't have Gastroparesis, I would tell you to avoid them anyway. They are awful for your health in general, but in the terms of digestion they can cause bloating, discomfort, inflammation, etc.
Aloe Juice - Aloe can help soothe your stomach lining and help with healing. It also contains enzymes to help break down your food to reduce your bloating, gas and constipation. And it can help reduce inflammation. You can include it in juices, smoothies, take a shot of it on its own, add it to your water, etc.
Focus on Natural Enzymes - Think pineapple, papaya, mango, kiwi, banana, avocado and ginger! Each contains a different enzyme that helps break down different macros to help you digest easier. Consuming these in a smoothie form is wonderful because your blender does part of the work for you!
Cook it Down - We talked previously about keeping a liquid diet, but some people actually don't tolerate liquids as well, so we focus on cooking food down into its softest form to help with digestion. I like to have my clients mix and match with liquids and soft foods and we build on each until they can confidently handle solids.
Include Fermented Foods - These look like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, kefir, miso, olives and more. Start slow with these at first, as they can be harsh for someone with Gastroparesis. Fermented foods support digestion, bowel movements, a good microbiome and so much more.
Reduce Inflammatory Foods - These look like gluten, processed foods, high sugar foods, fried foods, etc. This is not a forever things, but simply a reduction and honestly, if you can eliminate processed foods 99.9% of the time, you'll be better off.
Alrighty, that’s the first of them!
Do any surprise you? Any you haven’t tried, but think you might want to include in your routine?
Stay tuned for part two!
And, if you ever would like to chat about taking your healing to the next level and really kick Gastroparesis to the curb, please feel free to schedule a Complimentary Evaluation Call.
Can’t wait to give you more tips and I hope to meet you and chat soon!
Until next time,
Keep it Fresh. Keep it Simple. Keep it Real.
Aubrey
