Forum Replies Created

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  • Daniel

    Member
    April 24, 2023 at 11:32 pm in reply to: Legs and Feeting Swelling

    Hey ,

    When I formulated the first version of my answer in my enthusiasm I recommended magnesium citrate since I was focused on writing tips that address constipation. I corrected this response quite fast, but for some reason, you still have read the older version.

    With CKD-3, magnesium taxes the kidneys and it is important to stop supplementing. The best recommendation here is to avoid magnesium supplements unless her doctor advises her otherwise.

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 24, 2023 at 10:58 pm in reply to: Hi B,

    Hey ,

    There can be several reasons why your mouth feels irritated or your tongue feels scalded and your suspicion is right: acid reflux/gastritis is one of them. Keeping an open mind is important since there can be other reasons like allergies, post nasal drip and infections for example.

    Some other lifestyle factors could also cause an irritated mouth. For example acidic foods & (soft) drinks, dental materials and overuse of mouthwashes. Some people push their tongue against their teeth, bite the tip of their tongue or grind and clench their teeth. All these things can cause or contribute to these symptoms as well.

    Gastritis/Acid Reflux
    Since you mentioned you have gastritis and acid reflux symptoms, I will zoom in on this part. Here are some common causes:
    • H. Pylori overgrowth. H. Pylori is a bacteria that most people have and it normally lives in small numbers in or on the lining of the stomach. When the stomach becomes less acidic, H. pylori can start growing and cause some damage causing inflammation in the stomach (gastritis). In the gut health masterclass we have a video about how to reduce an H. Pylori overgrowth – just click here.
    • Stress reduces the secretion of digestive juices like stomach acid. You can see that living and eating in a stressful state can be the root cause of gastritis. With low stomach acid, you could also experience acid reflux. The reduced acidity of the stomach can lead to acid leaching into the oesophagus, where the tissue is much more sensitive to the acid.
    • Food sensitivities can also cause acid reflux. If you as well experience a post-nasal drip, then eliminating dairy might be a good starting point.
    • Nutrient deficiencies can also be at play. PPI’s reduce stomach acid, but stomach acid is needed to digest iron & vitamin B12 as well. These nutrients, when you lack them, can also cause a scalded tongue or an irritated mouth. Other nutrient deficiencies that could play a role are zinc, folate and vitamin B6. Usually, with nutrient deficiencies, the presence of these symptoms is not developing over a night. But at the very least it would be a good idea to check your iron & vitamin B12 serum levels when you are using PPI’s for a longer while.
    • Hiatal hernia. When your stomach is pushed through the diaphragm we talk about a ‘Hiatal Hernia’. This can also cause the stomach to produce less stomach acid and can be at the base of developing gastritis as well.
    • Hypothyroidism can slow down stomach acid production causing low stomach acid as well.

    In the library, there is a handout about acid reflux which you can find here. I recommend you take a look at it. Much of the advice above you will find in a summarized version over there with many practical tips on what you can do to reduce symptoms of gastritis and acid reflux.

    When your tongue is scalded because of acid, the tongue is damaged and will need to heal first. This can take a couple of days in many cases, but it could take up to 1-2 weeks in more severe cases. But here are some tips that could help you reduce the irritated feeling in your mouth or reduce the scalded tongue.
    • Salt water solutions can cleanse your mouth and help when bacteria are causing an infection following a tongue burn. Take care not to overdo it, though. Too much salt can irritate the injury. Dissolve about 1/8 a teaspoon in eight ounces of water, rinse and then spit out the saltwater mix.
    • Cool drinks, cool foods or sucking on ice could help reduce some of the pain your feel in your mouth.
    • Coat your tongue with milk. Many people use milk to reduce the heat when they have eaten spicy foods. Milk can also soothe a burned tongue.
    • Coat your tongue with manuka honey. Honey has antibacterial properties. Keeping your mouth free of bacteria can prevent infection while your tongue is healing.

    I hope these tips can provide you with some relief!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 24, 2023 at 12:24 pm in reply to: Legs and Feeting Swelling

     Just to be sure: on the images with the list of medications you posted, she only uses Furosemide?

    As Bernadette mentioned, getting her to move more and addressing her insulin resistance can help her reduce stress on the veins and heart. In this case, relatively easy advice (walking more, reducing sugar/carbs, etc) can already impact her health a lot.

    Adding in some practical advice to address constipation:

    • Eat plant foods. Make sure she gets enough fibre
    • Physical inactivity can also contribute to constipation
    • Healthy fats like Extra Virgin Olive Oil and avocado can improve gut motility as well. 
    • Drink enough water (but this one should be consulted with her doctor because she is in the third stage of Chronic Kidney Disease and uses perhaps medications on which drinking too much can be contraindicated). Water is also important for gut motility.
    • Be aware that magnesium supplements that are often recommended for constipation are not good advice because this can tax her kidneys.

    Good luck!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 23, 2023 at 8:13 pm in reply to: Legs and Feeting Swelling

    Hey ,

    Usually, water retention can happen because of various reasons. Sometimes it is just as simple as that a person doesn’t move enough, since lymph fluid moves in the body through body movement. But a lack of movement can also cause slower blood flow in the veins in the arms and legs since blood in these parts isn’t only dependent on the heart pump function.  

    Other problems that could cause water retention are kidney issues, liver cirrhosis, heart problems use of medications and hormonal changes.

    How old is your mother? Perhaps you could share more about your mother’s health (including other current medications she might be using) to narrow things down.

    Assessing pictures only without context can cause misinformation. Perhaps you know if her doctor diagnosed her with venous insufficiency? Or something else?

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 21, 2023 at 10:19 pm in reply to: Navigating Toxic Behaviour & Relationships

     Yes, the article was written with this in mind.

    This stuff isn’t thought in school, but in my opinion, it should be. We all have used one or more of these methods ourselves. They are common.

    Recognizing these methods can be the first step toward personal growth. Manipulation isn’t always used ‘to get what you want’, but it can also be a way of protecting your self-image for example. 

    Once you can see through these tactics, you can actually learn a lot about yourself! And as a bonus, you can learn a lot about others.

    If you know how to recognize these patterns, you can also start finding out how to say the same in a way that actually can strengthen your relationships or keep them more ‘clean’.

    Reasons, why people use these methods are often related to insecurity and low self-esteem. These types of feelings are just as well a form of stress that can contribute to disease! 

    For most people, when they use these tactics, it gives a lot of stress as well. Situations often escalate. Provided that narcissism doesn’t play a role, people often end up with feelings of guilt or shame about their behaviours as well.

    These feelings of shame and guilt can strengthen low self-esteem making it more likely to resort to these methods.

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 21, 2023 at 7:53 am in reply to: Navigating Toxic Behaviour & Relationships

    , thank you for sharing this. I think you bring up a valuable point here as well! There are definitely things we can do as friends and family.

    Survivors that are in these toxic romantic relationships can feel isolated. Partly of shame or feelings of being judged by friends and other people. And this comes on top of the self-judging these survivors are already doing.

    Often these people are best helped by friends who don’t judge – even as it is quite hard as a friend to express your concerns. Learning about these manipulation techniques can help you understand what they are going through.

    Understanding the basics of these behaviours as a friend can help them retain the confidence that they have left… and even build it up!

    I will make sure I spend some time explaining how to do this as well!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 21, 2023 at 6:06 am in reply to: Eid Mubarak

    Eid Mubarak !

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 18, 2023 at 3:57 pm in reply to: Growth hormone

    Hey ,

    I don’t know any doctors in Dubai, but perhaps could help you with this.

    Some important details for us to help you with better guidance:
    • Why do you believe your kid is growing slow? Have you for example noticed that your kid was always small? Or has there been a change in the growth rate?
    • How old is your son?
    • How long is your son?
    • Does your kid eat well?
    • Does your kid feels stressed?
    • How did you and the father grow around this age?
    • Did you use any medications during your pregnancy?
    • Did your son use any medications in his first year? For example inhalation steroids?
    • Did your son used medications used to treat ADD?

    Usually, there needs to be done some more investigation to examine if growth hormone is a solution. Often bones are examined on their ‘age’ and are compared with the biological age of the kid. This is usually done by X-ray. Most bones contain ‘bone growth plates’ from which bones can grow.

    Here are some reasons why kids can stay small:
    • If a kid is very active and doesn’t eat enough compared to his activities, it will be hard to grow.
    • Nutrient deficiencies can play a role like vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin K2 (which redirects the absorbed calcium to the bones)
    • Absorption problems can cause a slow growth rate. Coeliac disease for example.
    • Hypothyroidism can slow down the growth rate as well – if you are going to test I recommend watching this video first!
    • With stress, the growth rate can be suppressed as well. If you like to explore his stress hormones, I would recommend doing the DUTCH test for example.
    • There can be genetic issues
    • And sometimes someone is healthy, but just doesn’t grow as much…. or very late.

    If you worry, just ask a doctor! I hope Bernadette can help you with some starting points in finding a doctor!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 18, 2023 at 3:13 pm in reply to: Bitter Gourd

    Hey ,

    It looks really good. We should share more recipes together!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 18, 2023 at 3:10 pm in reply to: URGENT HELP NEEDED

    Hey ,

    Keep us updated about the process if you like! And no need for apologies here!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 17, 2023 at 10:38 pm in reply to: Epstein-Barr Virus

    Hey ,

    Even if both tests examine Epstein Barr Virus(EBV), the results mean different things.

    When the GI maps stool test tests positive, this means there is an active Epstein-Barr infection going on somewhere in the GI tract.

    In the blood test, you can see the antibodies present as a result of the immune system trying to deal with a viral load. So the blood test is more indicative of evidence of previous infections as well since the virus, once infected, will always be present in the blood. It hides in the B-cells (a specific immune cell), but also in the nerves and the dorsal root ganglion.

    EBV is transmitted through body fluids and is most often transmitted through saliva. In fact, most people worldwide carry the virus with them dormant after the infection.

    EBV is a virus from the herpes family, one of eight that are known to routinely infect people. It can cause symptoms like fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands, most often in the neck.

    Reinfection can occur sometimes, especially with stress. In these cases giving the immune system support can help. Supplements like cat’s claw, reishi mushrooms and monolaurin and larch arabinogalactan can help reduce the viral load.

    But I would recommend you to read this handout about reducing viral loads if you need support with that.

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 17, 2023 at 9:14 pm in reply to: Hi B. and Daniel,

    ,

    How did it taste?

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 14, 2023 at 11:34 pm in reply to: Quercetin

    Hey ,

    Bromelain is slightly acidic, that’s true. I just realized, are you still taking PPI’s? And if so, what medication are you currently on? Just checking for possible contraindications here!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 14, 2023 at 8:53 pm in reply to: Hi B. and Daniel,

    Sure, why not? Go for it!

    … I hope it will taste nice!

  • Daniel

    Member
    April 14, 2023 at 8:49 pm in reply to: Thorne Vitamin D/K2

    I would advise you to combine it with food. It wil be better absorbed since they are both fat-soluble vitamins. I never recommended my clients to divide the dosage over the day. You can take it all at once.

    With levels of 29 mg/ml, I recommend my customers usually to start with 2000 IU (or 50 mcg) vitamin D daily for a few months and then measure their serum vitamin D. However…

    Were you already taking vitamin D before your functional DX? If so, how much and how long? To get serum vitamin D concentration in the optimal zone, there are some personal differences as well.

    For example, to keep my vitamin D levels in the optimal zone I personally need 4500 IU daily.

    Here is a handout that I would recommend you to take a look at as well. It goes in depth on vitamin D and vitamin D supplementation.

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