You've Got the Power: Choose Wisely for A Healthy GI

When I arrived early this morning in the press room for Digestive Disease Week 2007 (DDW), I claimed my spot at one of the long tables alongside journalists from all over the world (ah, brings back memories of my former life as a newspaper reporter), set up my laptop and made my way to the coffee station.
I was pleasantly surpised when I spotted a breakfast buffet of scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, fresh fruit, danish, crossiants and a variety of cereal. After arranging a colorful plate of melon and berries I came to a (plastic) fork in the road. Lemon-filled danish or raisin bran? Well, I did what any gastro-logical girl would do and confidently and unapologetically placed a lemon-filled danish next to my fresh fruit. Good choice? Of course not! But I take full responsibity for my irregularity today. See, it's past 3 p.m. and nothing's moving yet.

Guess, I should've gone for the raisin bran.

So what's the point you ask?

Well, I had the good fortune of attending an insightful press conference yesterday where gastro experts presented research that all stressed the same conclusion: that lifestyle choices when it comes to things like diet, for instance, have a huge impact on our overall gastrointestinal health.

While we can't choose our genetic make-up or whether it rains on our parade, we can make certain lifestyle choices like choosing what we eat your or ordering an appetizer for dinner. And you know what is so key: these choices, while they may seem small may have a significant impact on our gastrointestinal (GI) system, and affect our risk for certain diseases,our weight and our general GI-related activity, which is basically everything that happens from our mouth, down our espophagus, inside our stomach, throught our intestines and out.

“Many factors come into play when managing a healthy lifestyle. While some factors may be difficult for patients to change, other simple adjustments, such as adopting a vegetarian diet early in life or ordering the appropriate soup while eating out, may result in decreased risk for obesity and colon cancer," said Alan Buchman, M.D., MSPH, AGAF, Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University School of Medicine. “The studies presented today further demonstrate how researchers are beginning to understand the links between digestive diseases and lifestyle – most notably, diet.”

You go Dr. Buchman! I'm forever grateful for your statement!

See,these findings are so important and I finally feel vindicated for what some may call "my annoying pronouncements" about the importance of our digestive health in relation to our overall health and well-being. In fact, much of what has been discussed at this conference showcases the relationships between digestive health (digestive diseases) and other health conditions/diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, asthma, reproductive health, nutritional deficiances, and mental health.

By the way, my gastro-friend and co-worker Jennifer Randall scribes her daily choices in her blog, "Jennifer Randall is Having her Cake and eating It Too" Check it out for inspiration!

Here's a summary of what was presented and what you need to know:

Source: DDW 2007.

Life Long Vegetarian Diet Reduces the Risk of Colorectal Cancer

In case you weren't aware: The average person’s lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) is about seven percent. The role of diet in preventing colorectal cancer is still under debate. Most of all, previous studies foucused on middle-aged people, which suggested that colorectal cancer development could start before common interventions.

These facts prompted sesearchers from Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) in Mumbai, India, to determine whether a vegetarian diet helps reduce the risk of colorectal cancer if started very early in life.

In this study, researchers used a prospectively created database of 8,877 Indian patients managed in a clinical nutrition service from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2005, to examine the association of life-long vegetarianism with incidence of CRC. During the evaluation for nutrition support, a history of life-long vegetarianism (due to religious reasons) was obtained from all patients to plan an appropriate diet. Twenty-seven percent of subjects (2,092 patients) from the control cohort were life-long vegetarians and 22.4 percent (178 patients) of subjects with colon cancer were vegetarians.

Bottom line:
“A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs,” said Yogesh M. Shastri, M.D., of Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany and previously a co-author of this study at TMH, Mumbai, India. “The exact mechanism by which life long vegetarianism may reduce the risk of sporadic CRC needs further investigation. Prolonged vegetarianism starting in early life may be a viable lifestyle option for those at risk of developing the disease.”


Interesting....


Dinner plans? Have a "Fatty Soup" as an Appetizer And You'll Eat Less


Many people believe that ordering an appetizer can actually make you hungrier and that you tend to eat more of your entrée as a result. But, researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, feel that what you order as a starter determines your overall appetite, as absorption of fat in the small intestine induces the feeling of being full and slows down gastric emptying. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a fatty soup consumed before a meal might reduce food intake in both lean and obese subjects and whether this possible inhibitory effect would be related to changes in gastric functions.

Here's what they did:

For the study, investigators recruited 12 lean and 12 obese healthy subjects and invited each group to the lab for two sessions (eating both fatty soup and protein soup with the same number of calories and volume). Each session consisted of a 30-minute baseline of soup consumption, a 20-minute post-soup period, an “all you can eat” pizza meal, and a 60-minute post-meal period. Electrogastrogram (a test recording the electrical activity of the stomach, EGG) and electrocardiogram (a similar test recording electrical activity of the heart, ECG) were recorded during each session. Food intake was assessed by the caloric count of the consumed pizza. Several symptoms, including satiety, appetite and nausea, were rated at different times of the study. In a second study, subjects were given the soup appetizer and then taken to an “all-you-can-eat” pizza buffet together in a social setting.

When compared with the protein soup (in this case it was a two-egg soup), the fatty soup (Campbell's Cream of Chicken) significantly reduced the amount of caloric intake with the following meal in both lean (962.0 vs. 1,188.5 calories) and obese (1,331.9 vs. 1,544.6 calories) subjects. A similar reduction in caloric intake was noted in lean subjects eating in the social setting (1,555 vs. 1,825 calories), except that significantly more food was consumed in social sessions compared with the lab setting.

Bottom line:

“In this study, we found that fatty soup as an appetizer reduces food intake by about 20 percent in both lean and obese subjects and may have a therapeutic potential for obesity,” said Jiande Chen, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Medical Branch and senior author of the study. “Our hope is that further studies with similar outcomes may curb those myths and that people will think about what certain foods often thought to be off-limits may be able to achieve for their overall health and weight.”

Feel the Flow: IBS With Constipation? Lubiprostone May Help!

I'll tell you one thing, constipation isn't a problem here at Digestive Disease Week 2007, which is by the way the largest annual international meeting of digestive disease specialists. Whoa, That's a lot of Gastros and their groupies (like me) in one place!

And yes, a steady, sometimes quick stream of news and information is flowing like you wouldn't believe. No bowel obstructions of any kind.
And this perfect regularity has nothing to do with my taste-testing Benefiber down at the Novartis booth. Way better tasting than Metamucil (and no lumpy, choke-hold swallowing problems getting this stuff down, either). Suzanne, the kind demo-lady was taking her Benefiber in a cup of Cappuccino. Oh, la, la. Is this the beginning of it's hip, cool and wow to get your fiber on along with your foam? I bet we'll soon see girlie girls ordering grande-decaf-non-fat-extra-hot-fiber-filled-sugar-free vanilla lattes! Just remember, you heard it here first!

Anway, when I asked Suzanne for a sample of a fiber-filled cappuccino, she laughingly said, "OH, no you better wait until tomorrow." She was looking out for Gastro soundness since I already guzzled the Benefiber in a nice cup of Spring Water. Nothing's moved yet, in case you're wondering.

Anyway, back to the reason for the post. Oh, yea, the new study that shows the active ingredient in AMITIZA® (lubiprostone), given 8 mcg twice a day, may improve symptom relief rates in adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).

"In this study, patients receiving lubiprostone were nearly twice as likely to achieve an overall response from symptoms of IBS-C compared to those receiving placebo," said Douglas A. Drossman, M.D., primary investigator, UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina, and the Chair of the Rome Committee. "As a result, lubiprostone may represent an important treatment for IBS-C sufferers."

In case you didn't know, IBS affects about 58 million Americans and accounts for 25-50 percent of referrals to gastroenterologists. IBS-C symptoms include abdominal pain or discomfort associated with defecation or a change in bowel habits with features of disordered defecation. Not fun!


Join A Discussion on this IBS drug in Revolution Health's Community Forum

Have You Tried Amitiza (Lubiprostone) for IBS-C?

If you were taking Zelnorm, read what others are saying about Amitiza

Lubiprostone is marketed in the U.S. as AMITIZA, a 24-mcg gelcap that was approved for use for chronic idiopathic constipation in adults on January 31, 2006.

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals expects to submit a supplemental New Drug Application for IBS-C to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by July 2007.

The following is from the DDW 2007 press release (wanted you to have this info quickly so I've posted it here:)About the Study for IBS-C (lubiprostone 8 mcg)

"In two phase III, multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, 1,171 adults diagnosed with IBS-C (Rome II Criteria) were enrolled and received lubiprostone 8 mcg taken twice daily (783 adults) or placebo (388 adults) over a 12-week period.

Primary efficacy was determined by a unique question: "How would you rate your relief of IBS symptoms (abdominal discomfort/pain, bowel habits and other IBS symptoms) over the past week compared to how you felt before you entered the study"" A 7-point balanced scale with a strict evaluation using the two highest scale points to qualify as a responder was used. Patients were considered monthly responders if they reported at least moderate relief four out of four weeks or significant relief two out of four weeks. To qualify as an overall responder (the measure used in the primary endpoint), patients had to be a monthly responder for at least two out of three months. During the evaluation period, patients discontinuing for any reason or reporting an increase in rescue medication use, lack of efficacy or moderately or significantly worse relief were deemed non-responders. These responder rates may not be comparable to those in other studies since the new scale was more restrictive than those used in previous reports.

The findings demonstrated that patients receiving lubiprostone 8 mcg twice daily were nearly twice as likely to achieve overall response compared to those receiving placebo (lubiprostone 17.9 percent vs. placebo 10.1 percent, P=0.001). There was a similar incidence of serious adverse events (1 percent in each group) and related adverse events (lubiprostone 22 percent vs. placebo 21 percent) compared to placebo. The most common treatment-related adverse events (>5% of patients) were nausea (8 percent vs. 4 percent, respectively), diarrhea (6 percent vs. 4 percent, respectively) and abdominal pain (4 percent vs. 5 percent, respectively)."

Confessions of A Gluten-Free Diva Wanna-Be

Hold the wheat, the barley, the rye. Who needs these grains? Not I! Gluten is like so last decade. So over-rated. Who needs it? I mean really---gluten is passé folks. Spread the word: Gastro Girl says it’s hip—and pleasantly tasty, or as a friend of mine would say—scrumpdumpdeleeicious baby---to go gluten-free.

After my slicing, dicing, chopping, stirring--not to mention slipping and sliding a little in a kitchen so big it made the Julia Child in me emerge with such force I was able to stand the heat in the kitchen—cranking my triceps madly round and round, moving a massive pot of grits towards an amazing gluten-free dish—I realized I’ve been torturing my gut with gluten(ney) needlessly for years.


Now I’m not saying I have Celiac Disease but I sure notice a difference in my Gastro Girliness when I avoid gluten. And after my recent gluten-free extravaganza a week ago—I’m voluntarily going on my own little gluten-free spree.
Last Friday, I had the honor of participating in a Gluten-Free Cooking Spree in Washington, D.C. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness ( NFCA) hosted the event along with the gorgeous CNN anchor Heidi Collins (gosh, she looks even prettier in person and I did tell her exactly that when I met her).


She has Celiac Disease and is the spokesperson for NFCA.
By the way, the highlight if her remark came at the end- when she uttered the words, diarrhea, diarrhea, diarrhea in rapid succession. How Gastro Girl cool is she!

Heidi, you rock!

You can see CNN coverage of the event here.

Anyway, the cooking spree was amazing—I was on one of ten teams (made up of a prominent chef, a doctor and a media person). Our Team—dubbed Team Rock (after our awesome chef/team leader from the famed B. Smith’s—Rahman Harper (called Chef Rock) was me, Gastro Girl and Dr. Val Jones from Revolution Health. Dr. Val and I did Chef Rock proud.




Dr. Val scribed an even more detailed account of our gluten-free cooking fun in her insighful blog. Dr. Val and I almost had to cook sans our Chef Rock--I'll admit we were a bit worried.

Our dish? Shrimp and cheese grits.

Here we are serving up our gluten-free dish! I had a blast helping serve the hungry--and quite appreciative crowd.



Now, let me just say, I’m not a fan of Southern Food (sorry Chef Rock.) But I must say our dish was superb. And entirely gluten free. The shrimp was prepared with an array of savory delights including lemongrass, garlic, bacon, onions, plum tomatoes, chilies, jalapenos, shitake mushrooms, chives and chicken broth. Oh, my taste buds were in heaven.

As for the grits: let’s just say they tasted more Italian than Southern with a blend of parmesan, mascarpone and smoked cheddar cheeses. Yea, I still fit in my Rock n’ Republic jeans. (Scooped up for a bargain at Filene’s basement, girls). So for me gluten-free equals bloating-free. I could just kiss those grits!

Back to the food. I was amazed at all the wonderful dishes prepared by the teams, which included chefs from Cafe Atlantico, Zaytinya, Maggianos, Old Ebbitt Grill and P.F. Changs’s.

And yea, I was sharing a huge stove space going metal spoon to metal spoon with Chef Omar from Zaytinya who was making a quinoa dish on one side and the broccoli-steamin’ ginger chicken stir-frying Chef Jim from P.F. Chang’s. Our shrimp and cheese grits-- looked and tasted way better. Sorry Chef Omar. Please don’t cry Chef Jim, although I will say you steam some mean and very lusciously green broccoli. Thanks for the free facial by the way. My purified pores love you.

Its mind-boggling how many ingredients were used to create these fabulous dishes—and not one was wanting for gluten.

Some gluten substitutes, especially when it comes to flour and flour-based products included these from Bob’s Red Mill: Almond meal/flour; amaranth grain; coconut flour; roasted kasha; potato starch; quinoa (pronounced keen-wa); brown rice flour; white rice flour; sorghum flour; tapioca flour; guar gum; and all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.


This awesome event also featured desserts—all gluten-free—and those who struggle trying to find flavorful and fabulous gluten-free food –were in heaven. I’ve never seen such delight over sweets without caloric worry.

Myself included: I indulged in a chocolate torte so exquisite that I didn’t think twice about the slice of luscious lemon meringue pie I chased the chocolate with. All of the desserts: made by Sweet Sin Bakery and Cakes by Happy Eatery. Pure heaven. And I’m not a dessert lover. Ok, I have to be craving something sweet-which is rare.

By the end of the night gluten was neither part of digestive system nor my vocabulary. And I didn’t miss the dirty-little word.

I'm on the end next to Chef Rock, Dr. Val, NFCA President Alice Bast and Revolution's amazing non-profit guru Dominick.




So the point of the cooking-spree was well taken: yes, you can cook and eat wonderful, flavorful foods without gluten. AND you can enjoy eating out at good restaurants!

By the way, we were asked lots of questions on the Metro Ride home after the event. I never get tired of talking about digestive health, Revolution Health, and my role as Gastro Girl!


Snack attack? You can happily munch gluten-free

No event is complete without an array of samples stuffed into generous-sized goodie bags. Think you can’t get you salty or sweet or crunchy snack on? You are so very. Very wrong.

Trust me. I’m picky when it comes to this stuff. Everything I list here I’ve tried and enjoyed.


Pamela’s products (I tried her amazing chocolate chocolate chip cookies YUM—but she also makes baking mixes, other cookies, min cookies and biscotti.) Her site also has recipes.

Gluten Free Foods by George (Oh, the brownie I tried was divine--he has mail-order)

Mr. Krispers (I dare to you eat just one of these savory crunchy chips)

Redbridge (beer made from Sorghum)

Ina Garden (Gourmet gluten free bakery--great breads/melba toast)

Enjoy! And remember—gluten is so overrated! I was so inspired by the NFCA event I picked up some brown rice (gluten-free) pasta yesterday at Trader Joes. I’ll let you know how it tastes soon!

Celiac Disease is Serious: Why You Should Get Tested
Now for the serious stuff.

Celiac disease is serious folks--and many if us may be suffering with the symptoms of this common autoimmune disease that is triggered by the protein—gluten. See, if a person with celiac disease eats foods that contain gluten, an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine that results in damage to the villi, making them unable to absorb nutrients from food.

Why is this alarming? Well, a number of medical problems can accompany undiagnosed celiac disease including: cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes Type 1, thyroid problems and reproductive health issues.

But 97 percent of people with celiac disease don’t even know they have it. Could you be one of them?

While celiac disease is hard to diagnose, common symptoms include chronic diarrhea, constipation, weight loss, anemia, abdominal pain, headaches, joint pain, and fatigue.

You can learn more about this disease by reading about it on Revolution Health , visiting our community section where you can learn from others and visiting the NFCA website, which has tons of resources, inlcluding this symptomschecklist which you can fill out and take to your doctor.

One of my favorite blogs: Gluten Free Girl will inspire your cooking and eating whether you need to eat gluten-free or not. And she’ll also touch your heart with her beautiful and sincere writing and photographs.

Another of my favorite blogs: Celiac Chicks is a cool guide to a a hip and healthy celiac lifestyle. Great resources, especially to eateries in NYC that are hip, now, wow and gluten free!


Gastro Girl (aka Jacqueline Gaulin) is Revolution Health's Digestive health center community manager and is not a licensed professional in this field. Opinions expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health. Ask her about anything digestive-health related or just tell her what's on your mind.

Beyonce Still Liverlicious After Hepatitis A Threat

Who dares eat at a Sports Illustrated party to celebrate the Swimsuit Issue? Apparently not the bootlylicious cover babe (former Destiny's Child and now solo pop star) Beyonce Knowles.
But Beyonce's choice (for whatever reason) to diss the sushi and salad at the Valentine's day Hollywood soirée, may have saved her from becoming infected with Hepatitis A.
Yea, girl, I'm with you here--and you're HOT. I mean REALLY. Food would be the last thing on my mind if I, too, was a busty bikini babe surrounded by other babes, all of us watching one another to see who is eating and who isn't (isn't that what luscious women do?)...and food sure as heck would be even more taboo if I wasn't a busty bikini babe at this party celebrating the end result of successful swimsuit shopping--something I have aspired to achieve since I was twelve-with minimal success. Ok, I can accept the fact that I will never fill out a suit like Beyonce, but it's not because I eat (or don't eat) at parties.

Ok, who's surprised Beyonce didn't eat? She just proved what I always thought was true-that the food at those celebrity parties is for show, or at least for the assistants and wannabe's to nosh on when no one is looking.

Now that I've got your attention-know that Beyonce is one lucky gal. Hepatitis A is no joke-and while it isn't as serious as the other types of viral hepatitis (Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C) it's still affects your liver.

According to published reports, Beyonce was tested for Hepatitis A (as were other party guests), after the cook was diagnosed with Hepatitis A.


Don't mean to make assumptions here, but you would think a cook working for Wolfgang Puck--that famous and ubiquitous chef turned major corporation--would be more careful about washing his hands.

Hepatitis A is usually transmitted via the fecal-oral route. That means that someone with the virus handles food you eat without washing his or her hands after using the toilet. You can also contract the virus by drinking contaminated water, eating raw shellfish from water polluted with sewage or being in close contact with a person who's infected - even if that person has no signs or symptoms. In fact, the disease is most contagious before signs and symptoms ever appear. Source: Revolution Health
Stories like this make me think twice about eating out. They really do. But folks-this can happen at home or at your friend's house too. Hepatitis A is highly contagious. Highly. So good hygiene is key.

I know I say this a lot-but wash those hands! What else can you do to avoid putting yourself at risk? Learn about prevention, risk factors, causes and signs and symptoms. And if you're ever on the cover of the swimsuit issue and get invited to the bikini bash-do like Beyonce-and starve.

Gastro Girl (aka Jacqueline Gaulin) is Revolution Health's Digestive health center manager and is not a licensed professional in this field. Opinions expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health. Ask her about anything digestive-health related or just tell her what's on your mind.

Drowning Pre-Wedding Jitters in Hand-Sanitizer?

As I walked by a co-workers desk with my ceramic cup of Blueberry Tea (yes, it's an afternoon ritual for me and yes it is a nice blue color)--I noticed alcohol aroma wafting through my path.

"Whoa, I smell alcohol," I announced with a Gastro Girl-silly laugh.

"Me, too," said another co-worker a bit more seriously.

Hmmm, I mean it's crazy busy here, but it's only Tuesday, can things really be that bad?"

Then she (our lovely bride-to-be) showed me her hands.

Waving them around, she then displayed a rather jumbo-sized bottle of hand sanitizer as though she was Vanna White showcasing a vowel.


Ah ha.

"Yea, hand sanitizer is like 60 percent alcohol," a male co-worker piped in.

Now the bride-to-be is getting married on Saturday--so I pried, "honey, the wedding stress is not that bad, now is it?

"What do you mean?" It says on the bottle it kills germs, why wouldn't it be good for me?"

Well, first of all--on the matter of swallowing germ-killing liquid--I wonder if it could kill off the good, beneficial bacteria enough to make your digestive system so clean leaving you with all sorts of digestive distress. Now this is my hypothetical assumption and I'm in no way saying this would or even could happen this way as I don't even think there have been any studies on the relationship between swallowing hand sanitizer and your digestive tract. (It would be interesting though).

However, studies have shown that the use of hand sanitizer (the proper way , as directed, of course) prevents lots of tummy aches and gastro sickness. The whole dirty-hand-eating thing--so sanitized hands are key here.

Now listen, I could totally be wrong--and this is probably way too simplified but from what I know about digestive diseases like Crohn's and Colitis--the digestive tracts of people who have these conditions are a little well, "too clean"--without the proper balance of bacteria to fight of inflammation --body's defense against microbes is off--(now I've simplified this a lot--so please consult the medical information we have on out site for more factual information.

Don't drink and sanitize

Here's what you probably really want to know--can I get drunk from slurping the sanitizer?

Well, sort of.

"At least two people have become intoxicated by drinking hand-sanitizing gels, a potentially deadly habit, doctors reported Wednesday. A prison inmate and a hospitalized alcoholic both were treated for poisoning from the gels, which contain alcohol -- but not the same kind as found in beverages.

Evidently people misunderstand the labels that show the gels, foams and liquids contain alcohol, the doctors said in separate letters to the New England Journal of Medicine. Cases of people drinking the hand gels because of their alcohol content have not previously been reported in major medical journals." From the Alcohol and Drugs History Society

Our male co-worker offers this to our bride-to-be:

"So, is it open bar at your wedding reception? After the first 2 or 3 drinks, who’s gonna really notice if they’re drinking a Dirty Martini or a Dirty Purell-ini ?!?!? Just make sure to include an olive or two in the glass!

Need further insight? Check out our Revolution Health posts on the topic.

Don't Drink the Purell

Clean But Sober

See my original post and the comments on this post at Revolution Health.

Gastro Girl (aka Jacqueline Gaulin) is Revolution Health's Digestive health center community manager and is not a licensed professional in this field. Opinions expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health. Ask her about anything digestive-health related or just tell her what's on your mind.

Everybody Poops: Thanks Oprah for Showing Us the S Curve

Digestive dialogue is going mainstream. Gastro Girl is smiling big today. And not just because of her morning flax-seed laden strawberry smoothie.

A friend just told me that a recent Oprah Winfrey show, The Insider's Guide to Make You Younger and Healthier included a segment, called Everybody Poops. This is so cool. Oprah, girl, you make me wannna shake your hand! Don't worry, I wash them frequently.

Anyway, the show included a Health IQ quiz.

Guess what? First two questions were related to our digestive health:

1. What shape should your poop be?

a. Pancake-shaped
b. S-shaped
c. Pebble-shaped
d. I refuse to look.

2. How much fiber should you eat per day?

a. 10 grams
b. 15 grams
c. 25 grams
d. 55 grams

You'll have to watch the segment to find out.

Check out Revolution Health's Digestive Center for more information and resources.

Have questions? Ask the Revolution Health community or read what other's are talking about related to digestive health, like acid reflux, IBS, gluten-free living and Crohn's disease.

When Your Boyfriend (or anyone, really) Brings Forth Wind Noisily From The Stomach (Over and Over and Over Again)

Real-World Dilemma
"Why does my boyfriend burp so much,” co-worker G asks with the ever-so-calm demeanor that doesn’t quite mask the sheer annoyance in her voice. Her question came swift and serious over the cubicle screen as though I was hearing confession and nothing was sacred or forbidden or—expected.

I know, I know, by now I should be used to the openness that has blossomed around here. Hey, hold on (not too long—so not good for you) no one said this job was easy or predictable—kind of like the digestive process if you really, really think about it. Anyway, in her confession co-worker G (like her beloved belching beau) didn’t hold back.

I’ve met her beau (let’s call him Triple B) a few times and now picture the baby-faced man in the shower (behind the curtain of course) his guttural air expel-ations harmonizing with the bathroom steam.

“Ah, where’s your loyalty Gastro Girl: Are YOU picturing HER boyfriend in the shower?”


Get those minds out of the toilet folks. Co-worker G specifically described in detail the ritualistic evening arias, baritone loud, permeating her eardrums with the most explosive sound.

As Chaka Khan, says in a most danceable way (if I may add)—dear, dear co-worker G, “I feel for you.” In fact, I think we all do!

Girl, What’s Up With Your Belching Beau?

Although I couldn’t absolve anyone of anything at this point, I did the Gastro Girl thing and put myself in Coworker’s G’s shoes, or was it her slippers?

My mind raced around Triple B’s belching—is it a habit? A serious gastro problem? A cruel and wicked curse? Or simply something that I so want to know more about and darn it, I’m going to flip (for answers) through all the educational materials that cover my desk like overgrown wildflowers (note the image I want you to draw here: quite pretty, colorful and a bit scattered, unorganized organization—you know how those flowers grow.)

Even the Simpsons had fun with belching.

Then I found it—just the explanation needed—all compiled neatly in a blue and white pamphlet from the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD).

Here’s the Scoop:

First: A little word about the words.

When Triple B belches he is, according to the dictionary, bringing forth wind noisily from the stomach. Did you know that while some of you may use burping and belching interchangeably—the word, burp doesn’t even appear in some dictionaries—but appears to mean, according to the IFFGD, “cause to belch,” as one would burp a baby. Betcha didn’t know that little tidbit, did ya? Me neither!

Bringing Forth Stomach Wind: What’s Normal

Belching after a large meal is a physiologically normal, indeed a necessary venting of air from the stomach. In some countries, nothing says thanks for the great meal like a resounding belch. And, says the IFFGD, belching even has comic associations as with Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.


By the way, Co-worker G just informed that she was, “Sir Toby Belch” for a high school play—years later. And given her current situation---how truly apropos.

When You Should Worry About Belching

Some people are plagued by sudden attacks of belching, which is intrusive and embarrassing. IFFGD says these folks are often convinced that the gas or air that is belched comes from the stomach---indicating an underlying gas-producing condition. But folks, that’s rarely the case.

What is it then?

All available evidence points to swallowed air as the source of the stomach gas and the perceived need to “bring it up.” (Source: IFFGD)

And there’s a word for this process of “bringing it up”: Aerophagia

Sure, air swallowing is normal. Did you know that newborns have no gas in their intestines until they take their first breath? Then the air shows up progressively down in the gut. It’s normal for the esophagus to contain some swallowed air. But if you have a disorder called achalasia, where the valve at the lower end of the esophagus (gullet) can’t relax, your stomach contains no gas at all. (Source: IFFGD)

Here's what happens when you swallow air:

1. When you inhale, the pressure in the esophagus (gullet) falls, drawing in air.

2. Deliberate inhalation against a willfully closed windpipe draws even more air into the esophagus. This air can be forced out again as pressure within the esophagus increases with exhalation. (Remember grossing out (or amusing) your family and friends with those “forced” rather baritone burps?—yep, this is how you did it!)

However, this action is beneficial to those who have lost their larynx (voice box) because of cancer: this learnable skill allows these people to generate esophageal speech. I think this is quite interesting! (Source: IFFGD)

Still Not Sure

Co-worker G’s says she isn’t sure what is causing the chronic belching in her beau. A part of her thinks his actions more habitual than anything else. See, she borrowed the IFFGD pamphlet and learned that commonly, aerophagia is an unwanted habit in those who repeatedly burp, sometimes in response to a sense of abdominal bloating (but keep in mind that belching and abdominal bloating often occur independently).

So does Triple B fall into this category? Only a doctor can help determine this.

See my original post and the comments on this post at Revolution Health.

Gastro Girl (aka Jacqueline Gaulin) is Revolution Health's Digestive health center communicty manager and is not a licensed professional in this field. Opinions expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health. Ask her about anything digestive-health related or just tell her what's on your mind.

Baby Let Me Show You How to Move a Little Somethin' Somethin'

When Tina passed by desk last week she stopped, held her stomach, grimacing in pain.


“I haven’t gone all week,” she grumbled.

“What,” I said trying to hold back my laughter, never sure if folks like her are giving me, Gastro Girl, the run around. I’m not used to people being so open about these sorts of things. While I take my role in the Digestive Health Center rather seriously—some around here can’t believe I’m so into it—well folks, the Digestive System is where all the, umm…where it all happens in the body. And it impacts e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.

Still some try to mock my serious role. (for those of you who fall into this category—beware. Someday, you’ll have a gastro question, a concern, an issue…where will YOU turn?)

Anyway, back to Tina, who had such a tense look on her face that I knew she wasn’t playing.

“Are you serious,” I asked her.

Now, I will admit I’m kind of flattered by the random comfort folks are feeling around me these days. But all the pressure to restore regularity is—ah— not all fiber-filled fun.

Tina proceeded to ask my advice on the best ways to end her lack-of-movement misery.

Gazing at my hub of Gastro-goodies, she was instantly entranced with the selection of fiber products that co-worker K and her sidekick brought back from Vegas.

Scanning the stuff, Tina looked desperate. I had the goods. At least of sample of some of them anyway. She needed relief. I gave her an overview of my offerings. Just mere seconds passed before she and her sweet-loving self went straight for the cookies.

She took the two-cookie sample pack and promised a report if and when the ever elusive movement occurred.



Tina is not alone in her quest for ongoing smooth moves.

In fact, approximately four and a half million Americans are constipated most or all of the time. And women—you’re more likely to be affected than men. It figures, right? Children and the elderly are also susceptible to frequent constipation.

So what is constipation anyway?

In case you haven’t a clue (lucky, lucky you) constipation is the passage of small amounts of hard, dry stool, usually less than three times a week. People who are constipated may find it difficult and painful to have a bowel movement. Other symptoms of constipation include feeling bloated, uncomfortable and sluggish. Take it from Tina.

“Not being able to go, really impacts my life. I feel sluggish, tired with no energy. I don’t even want to exercise and I eat all the wrong things..like rich and heavy comfort foods, which probably make things worse. In a word, I feel uncomfortable. Like everything I eat just stays in my body.”

To make matters worse, Tina has a public bathroom-phobia.




“I won’t go unless I’m at home and I seriously will hold it all day.”

Yo, Tina, not giving in to your body’s natural urge to eliminate—will only make things worse, which could very well contribute to your chronic constipation, girlfriend.

If you’ve never experienced what Tina lives with most of the time—it’s not a pleasurable state.

Did you know?

Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the U.S. Most people treat themselves without seeking medical help instead spending $725 million on over-the-counter laxatives each year.

So what’s normal?

Many people think they are constipated when they are not. There is no correct number of daily or weekly bowel movements. Normal may be three times a day or three times a week depending on the person.

Here's the Bristol Stool Chart, which is the standard way of describing, um, well, Poop. It's helpful when you are trying to describe this to your doctor. Stop laughing. This is serious stuff.


Who suffers?

Almost everyone gets constipated at one time or another. Poor diet and lack of exercise are usually the cause. In most cases, constipation is temporary and not serious. How can you prevent constipation? Increasing fiber in the diet, drinking more liquids and exercising regularly alleviates most cases of constipation. Tina, are you paying attention?

Ok. In case you're wondering how Tina’s experiment with a couple of cinnamon cookies, went…or rather if Tina went…

Here’s her play-by-play:(no, kids, it's not graphic)

Friday, October 13, 2006 2 p.m.


What she did: Took two Metamucil fiber wafers

What she thought: “Tastes like cinnamon graham crackers—the package said take two and luckily I only had that 2-wafer sample pack or I could have eaten more. I know I need to be careful because these are also laxatives."

Chased with: Lots of water and a ½ cup of coffee

Gastric Rumbling Meter:


Friday: No rumblings down below. Stomach calm. “In fact, my stomach felt calm for the entire afternoon…noticed no difference.”

Saturday morning: Tina said she felt the earth move deep within around 7 a.m.

“The rumblings were in my stomach, my lower intestines. My butt tickled, you know the signs your body gives you when its time.”

Shortly thereafter…

"I felt lighter—not sluggish,” said Tina. “I had more energy towards end of day.


And girlfriend said she was blessed three more times in the next four days. You go girl!


Would she gooble those gastro cookies again?

"You betcha," she said.

Not so fast Tina, dear.

Laxatives can be used and abused. And once you fall into that ever-addictive cycle, where your body depends on a laxative to go—it’s hard to break and not-so-good for you overall health.

Check out these reads for more info.

Constipation

Use Laxatives With Caution

What Tina Tried


Gastro Girl (aka Jacqueline Gaulin) is Revolution Health's Digestive health center community manager and is not a licensed professional in this field. Opinions expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health. Ask her about anything digestive-health related or just tell her what's on your mind.