Daily Contest Saturday May 20
Today's Theme: Cardiovascular Health Read about today’s theme and then answer the question to enter the daily contest. Remember to tag as many people as you'd like in the comments...
Daily Contest Monday May 16
Today’s Theme: Digestion Health
Read about today’s theme and then answer the question to enter the daily contest. Remember to tag as many people as you’d like in the comments on Instagram and Facebook because each tag is a new entry!
Gastric hydrochloric acid is secreted from highly specialized cells called parietal cells in the stomach. As well as playing a very important role in digestion, allowing your body to effectively extract and absorb nutrients from your food, gastric acid is responsible for killing pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses that enter your body through your gastrointestinal tract.
Low gastric acid, or hypochlorhydria, is very common and is most often caused by aging, chronic stress, chronic overeating, and pharmaceutical drugs such as proton pump inhibitors and histamine receptor blockers.
Symptoms of hypochlorhydria include bloating, gas, heartburn, feeling uncomfortably full after a regular-sized meal, nutrient deficiencies, and gastrointestinal infections like H. pylori or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Naturopathic treatment of hypochlorhydria aims to address the root cause, which can include one or several of the factors mentioned above. Some very basic ways to stimulate healthy gastric acid production include:
- Try to relax as much as possible before eating – take 5 long slow deep belly breaths to shift your nervous system into “rest and digest” mode
- Avoid overeating
- Consider drinking 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in a bit of water before meals; the bitter flavour of the vinegar stimulates your body’s production of gastric acid
Today’s Contest Question*
True or false:
True or False: Chronic stress causes an increase in stomach acid.
Today’s Featured Doctor: Jessie Short, ND
Dr. Jessie Short, Naturopathic Doctor Inc.
Zenith Physio Pilates
25 Keddy Bridge Rd.
Mahone Bay NS B0J 2E0
902-529-1331 Phone
Dr. Jessie Short is a board-certified naturopathic doctor. In practice, she believes in addressing the root cause of disease by developing individualized, multi-faceted treatment plans that allow her patients to reach a state of sustainable health. She has a special interest in women’s health, particularly in helping women navigate hormonal imbalances, digestive concerns, stress, and anxiety.
Dr. Jessie is currently practicing at Zenith Physio Pilates in beautiful Mahone Bay. In her free time, you are likely to find Jessie outside, exploring the coast on foot, by bike, paddleboard, or sailboat. When she isn’t outside adventuring, she loves to practice yoga and to eat as many locally sourced vegetables as possible.
Dr. Jessie completed her Bachelor of Science with a combined honours in marine biology and oceanography at Dalhousie University in 2010, and her Ph.D. in marine biology and oceanography at The University of Western Australia in 2014. Dr. Jessie completed her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine at The Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in 2019.
Her background as a research scientist has provided her with a deep respect for evidence-informed medicine, as well as a constant desire to keep learning how to best support her patients.
Dr. Jessie is a professional member in good standing with the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors (NSAND), the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND) and the College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta (CNDA).
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