Think Youve Got Food Poisoning?
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It was the start of a new era of gastrointestinal issues my mind and body was not prepared for.
You likely have gastroesophageal reflux disease, better known as GERD, my gastroenterologist explained.
She recommended I undergo an endoscopy to diagnose it for sure.
Which end does the endoscope go in?
clinical psychologist with Columbia Health
It goes into your mouth, and down your esophagus, she explained.
And youre under anesthesia the entire time, so you wont feel anything either.
You wont be awake at all.
The process took less than two hours, with the actual endoscopy part lasting less than 15 minutes.
It felt like Id been asleep for days.
When I was more coherent, my doctor showed me images of the results.
We normally have hydrochloric acid in our stomach to kick off the digestion process.
The medicines provided some relief, but it was clear I also needed to make some major life changes.
That was extremely challenging.
clinical psychologist with Columbia Health
I especially loved cooking my Italian grandmothers recipes.
She was an amazing cook, and she understood the transformative power a shared meal could have.
That was extremely challenging.
Lira de la Rosa points to a 2019study1that examined the mental health effects of GERD in 258 people.
Separately, nearly half had depression and more than a third had anxiety.
More research is currently being explored to better understand themind-gut connection, he adds.
This was especially true in my case.
Often, Id end up with a dry salad, sans dressing or other toppings.
It was common for me to just not eat if the meal preparation was not in my control.
My depression would cause me to binge eat for a sense of comfort, but it always backfired.
Striking a balance
I knew I had to find healthy ways to treat my GERDandmental health conditions.
I also began to spread out my dining times by eating several smaller meals instead of three large ones.
But Im glad I did, because she was able to help provide useful strategies to manage it all.
First, she asked me to write out my emotions and read them to her every week.
Next, my therapist asked me to keep a food diary.
Write down not only the meals you eat, but the ingredients in them as well, she suggested.
Right down to the seasonings and spices.
I also had to write down any moments of discomfort and the times they occurred.
My therapist made a point that I shouldnt feel guilty about having non-GERD-friendly foods every now and then.
Lira de la Rosa also recommends seeking out positive social connections to help manage food-related mental health conditions.
2019 Nov 8;11(11):e6103.
Erratum in: Cureus.
2019 Dec 10;11(12):c25.
PMID: 31763106; PMCID: PMC6858267.
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