Do you care enough about your digestive health? Especially if you are one in three who suffer from symptoms such as constipation, bloating or gas.
Tomorrow is World Digestive Health Day and we would like to remind you that the digestive system – which includes the giant tube that runs from the mouth to the anus, the liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas – needs care.
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For a more comfortable belly, don’t rush food, skip meals or eat large meals before bed.
Excess weight, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can increase the chances of acid reflux and heartburn.
And de-stress! Stress can slow or speed up digestion and lead to unwanted symptoms.
If you feel overwhelmed, inhale for a count of four and exhale slowly until you have no more breath.
Most of us don’t eat enough fiber.
Easy ways to add it include a large serving of fruit or vegetables at each meal, adding a can of beans or lentils to dinner, and choosing brown versions of starchy foods like pasta or bread.
Here’s a selection of what readers asked this week.
BRUTAL FLARE-UPS
Q: I have suffered from diverticulitis for ten years. I had two serious crises that left me in the hospital.
Is there anything I can do to help myself when I feel this coming on? It usually lasts up to two weeks at a time, but it can be brutal.
A: Diverticulosis is a condition that affects the large intestine, known as the gut.
This is when people have small pockets in the wall of the intestine called diverticula, and if they become inflamed or infected, it causes diverticulosis.
Symptoms may include diarrhea, bloating, constipation, and stomach pain that worsens after eating but improves after breathing or having a bowel movement.
The pain tends to be in the lower left area of the abdomen and sometimes people have blood in their stool.
Treatment includes painkillers, laxatives, medicine for stomach cramps, and antibiotics if an infection is present.
You don’t mention your weight or whether you smoke, but the condition can worsen with excess body weight or smoking.
So what can you do? We know that consuming a diet rich in ultra-processed foods – such as packaged foods or anything that is not in its original, raw state – can worsen symptoms.
In fact, some studies suggest it is a condition caused by Western diets. So avoid highly processed foods and eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole foods.
A high-fiber diet has also been shown to reduce episodes of diverticulitis, so foods such as avocado, broccoli, almonds and lentils may help.
A word of warning though. While increasing your fiber intake is something most of us will benefit from in the long run, it’s important to increase it slowly and gradually, otherwise it can cause abdominal discomfort, bloating, and other unpleasant symptoms.
What is menopause and how does it affect women?
Menopause is a transitional period that all women go through in middle age.
Hormones related to the reproductive system become depleted, namely estrogen, over a period of time.
This doesn’t just make your period stop. Sex hormones work throughout the body, from the brain, skin, vagina and more.
Therefore, dozens of symptoms affect all areas of the body, to varying degrees.
Women’s experiences with menopause vary greatly. While some go through this, the lives of others are significantly affected. It may seem like it lasts a few years or decades.
You can’t predict how each woman will do.
When is menopause?
Perimenopause occurs when symptoms begin but menstruation has not yet stopped, although it is irregular. This may begin in the early 40s.
Menopause occurs when menstruation stops completely for a year. The average age for this to happen is 51 years old, but it can be between 45 and 55 years old, according to the NHS.
The term ‘menopause’ is used to describe the overall experience.
Menopause before age 45 is called early menopause, affecting five percent of women. Menopause before age 40 is called premature menopause, affecting one percent of women before age 40 and 0.1 percent of women under age 30.
This can happen for no clear reason, but also as a result of surgery, genetics or medication.
One year after the last menstrual period, a woman is considered to be entering the postmenopausal phase.
How does this impact a woman’s life?
Menopause can be an extremely difficult time in the life of a woman and those around her.
The body is undergoing a significant change and the accompanying symptoms can seem strange, with women sometimes describing a loss of a sense of self.
Physical symptoms include hot flashes (sudden feeling of heat in the face, neck and chest), difficulty sleeping, night sweats, heart palpitations, headaches, muscle and joint pain, heaviness in the skin, skin changes, reduced libido, dryness vaginal and much more.
Symptoms that affect mental health or cognition include mental confusion, memory loss, low mood, anxiety, low self-esteem, and irritation.
There are ways to manage symptoms and cope with menopause – and women need to know they are not alone in facing it.
Medications, such as HRT or estrogen gel, can help attack symptoms.
However, experts often say that a comprehensive approach that incorporates good lifestyle habits, such as a balanced diet and less alcohol, is needed.
Many women report that their life began after menopause, after it attracted them to a healthier way of life.
However, it is important for society to recognize the enormous burden it can have – at work, in family life and beyond – as adapting policies at work, for example, can make it easier for women to maintain their work.
Read more about the menopause in The Sun’s Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
Q: MY daughter is 39 years old and has been suffering from perimenopausal symptoms for a year.
In addition to night and day sweats, she experiences forgetfulness, mood swings, painful periods, poor sleep and loss of interest in sex.
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She saw several doctors and they basically said, “It’s one of those things” or “She’s too young to be going through this stuff.”
I’m sure my daughter isn’t the only one who suffers like this. She tried herbal remedies without success.
She’s a busy, hard-working, generally healthy mom, but I can see the change in her over the last year.
Do you have any advice?
A: It’s not uncommon for women in their 30s and 40s to begin experiencing symptoms of perimenopause, which for many can last four to eight years.
The average age of menopause (one year after the last menstrual period) is 51, but about five percent of women experience it by age 45.
At what age did you reach menopause? Numerous studies show that genetics plays an important role in determining the age of menopause.
Black or Asian women reach menopause earlier, on average, than white women, according to a huge US study.
Given the severity of her symptoms and the impact on her quality of life, your daughter needs to find a doctor or nurse who will take her concerns seriously and offer support and appropriate treatment options.
It is also important to rule out other conditions such as abnormal thyroid function, anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and hypertension if this has not already been done.
Ask her to ask if the office has a doctor or nurse who has a special interest in women’s health.
She can submit an electronic query online if she is reluctant to return.
Of course, she could see a private menopause specialist if financially possible.
If HRT or another medicine is started, she can ask her NHS doctor to take over the prescription.
It’s important that we all advocate for ourselves during medical appointments, and it’s easier to do this if we’ve done some research beforehand.
Good resources include nhs.uk, patient.info and, for menopause-related questions, thebms.org.uk.
Make a written list of symptoms and be prepared to provide a timeline of how and when they started and how they affect everyday life.
High BMI is preventing son’s hip surgery
Q: FOUR years ago, my son was injured at work and broke his hip. He is 42 years old.
After an examination, the surgeon said her BMI of 35 was too high for a hip replacement. He stated that it needs to be 30.
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My son is struggling to lose weight because he can’t exercise or move very easily. He returned to his family doctor, who advised him to “starve to death.” What would be his advice?
A: This is a really difficult position for your child. COOL Arthritis guidance states that BMI should not be used to exclude people from referral for surgery – but restrictive policies are still in use in some regions.
In your son’s case, it appears that the problem is due to a hip fracture rather than the arthritis itself.
While we know that hip replacements work well when they have less weight to support, it seems unfair to me that a person would be excluded without receiving professional weight loss support.
In some areas, surgical teams delay surgery but offer a weight loss support program.
My advice is to go back to your GP and see what support is available for your child.
If he tries this and still has a BMI of 35 then I think you are within your rights to look for a second opinion with another surgeon, possibly in a different hospital.
You can check the average waiting time to be seen at different hospitals at myplannedcare.nhs.uk.
In the meantime, some dietary tips for him: He needs fiber, fluids and whole foods and should avoid processed white carbohydrates as much as possible.
Oatmeal, peanut butter on whole-grain toast, or eggs are great breakfast ideas, and roasted vegetable salad or soup (with protein) are good for lunch.
Dinner should consist of lean proteins, such as chicken breast with lots of salad or vegetables.
Drink water instead of soft drinks and, over time, ditch the sugar in tea and coffee.
Some evidence suggests that eating all your meals within an eight-hour window may also help with weight loss.
Tip of the week
PRESCRIPTION costs have risen again recently, to £9.90 per item. But many people can get theirs for free, including those over 59 or some people who receive, or live with someone, support benefits.
Find out if you are eligible on this website: check-for-help-paying-nhs-costs.nhsbsa.nhs.uk.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
