Managing blood sugar can be one of the most important parts to creating dietary and lifestyle wellness, and reduce or delay risk for serious complications. I love to support people in learning how to take control of their blood sugars to the best of our ability.

If you find this useful and want more guidance, sign up for a visit with Erix under “Find Your Path.”

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease has some wonderful free resources to get you started.

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diet-nutrition

ECHO is my go-to source for all information in working with people living with any of the EDS types. Please check out the support groups, patient education, and other great materials they offer. https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/eds-hsd-community/ I am a professional member, but receive no financial compensation for recommending this connection for patients and caregivers.

Getting a diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) (pronounced ee-oh-sin-oh-fill-ick ee-soff-uh-ji-tus) after an episode of choking on food can be quite scary. Here are some quick tips to make sure you get the care you need:

1. If you don’t yet have a gastroenterologist, ask your PCP for a referral.

2. Look up the gastroenterologist on line if possible, or call their office, to see if they have experience working with people who have EoE.

3. Ask for a referral to a knowledgable GI Dietitian if you are considering managing with food changes instead of medication alone.

4. There are several different food elimination and challenge options but require detailed understanding of how EoE occurs in the body, and how different foods trigger that disease process. This is why a knowledgable team is critical for your care.

If you find this useful and want more guidance, sign up for a visit with Erix under “Find Your Path.”

Learning about living Gluten-Free for life with a diagnosis of Celiac Disease (CeD) or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) can be quick and easy. Just go one step at a time, and within a few weeks you can be on the path to your best health!

Testing for Celiac Disease

1. Minimum of 6 weeks eating 2 servings of gluten-containing food: one serving is equal to one piece of any wheat bread, 1/2 cup of wheat or barley pasta, 1/3 cup pearl barley, or 1 good size slice of rye bread.

2. Blood test for TTG/IgA (Tissue Transglutaminase which is a form of Immunoglobulin A) and a total IgA because if the total IgA is low the TTG could falsely be low.

3. Depending on your age and medical condition, you may also be referred to a gastroenterologist to have a small intestine duodenal biopsies (minimum of 6) that show villus atrophy - the blunting of the little finger-like projections that absorb nutrients in the small intestine.

4. Get a referral to a knowledgeable Dietitian who can help you understand the intricacies of CeD or NCGS and cross-contact.

If you find this useful and want more guidance, sign up for a visit with Erix under “Find Your Path.”

I've spent four decades managing IBS in my life. from the time I was very little through today I've had to find a host of tools and resources to build my skills and resolve for managing this lifelong chronic condition. Along with dietary and lifestyle supporting tools one of the most influential for me personally has been the nerva app. I cannot overstate how much benefit I personally received from going through this program. when I did it I was able to dedicate a half an hour every single day for 6 weeks to read the lessons and listen to the program. I had been on a personalized FODMAP diet that was very strict for 7 years prior to finding the nerva program. it was when my youngest child was starting to experiment with and eat a wide variety of food that I realized how limited our diet was and I didn't want to limit hers. By working through the nerva app I was able to expand my diet enormously and can now eat things like onion and garlic, asparagus and mushrooms, cherries and watermelon. I'm still careful with my food and my other lifestyle skills of sleep, exercise, and stress management but this app literally changed my life and my ability to eat.  

If you're curious you can click on the one page explanation link or go directly to the mindset health to learn more about this program and if it's right for you. Please make sure you're working with your personal dietitian or knowledgeable gastroenterologist who can help oversee your medical care as you go through this program so that if there are other dietary lifestyle or medication management to a company this program and support your health it can all happen at the same time. 

Information about the Nerva app from Mindset Health: https://connect.mindsethealth.com/referral-one-pager

I receive no compensation for recommending this app aside from the great feeling I get when it makes a difference in someone else's life too. HIPPA-compliant sign up through your provider.

If you find this useful and want more guidance, sign up for a visit with Erix under “Find Your Path.”