Self Care Articles | Granite Peaks Gastroenterology

3 Ways to Keep Your Gut in Good Shape

Posted on September 16, 2021December 27, 2024 by fuelmarketing

Keeping your gut moving is important to your digestive and overall health. There are a few reasons why your gut may not function as well as it could, ranging from poor diet and lifestyle choices to illness or disease. This may lead to constipation, sluggishness, and bloating. With the items you can control, like diet and lifestyle, making smart decisions can help you feel better. What can you do to keep your gut in good shape the way it should?

Eat Healthy Fats

Fat sometimes gets picked on when people talk about eating a healthy diet. Healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, in the proper amounts, are essential to good health. Healthy fats help you feel full, reducing the chances of overeating. Fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, plant oils and fortified foods are good sources of the omega-3 fatty acids. Add these along with plenty of nutritious fruits, vegetables and water to your healthy diet.

Manage Stress

When you’re stressed, your body tends to experience the “fight or flight” response. This is in direct opposition to the “rest and digest” response that your body tends to have when you’re eating food. Stress diverts blood away from your digestive system, making it more likely that you might experience poor digestion. Practice stress management techniques that may include regular exercise and meditation for ongoing stress relief, and ultimately, better digestion.

Eat Attentively

Sometimes the simplest solution is the key. Eating slowly and with intention can help your digestive system perform better. Chewing your food thoroughly helps your body absorb nutrients more effectively. The longer you chew, the more saliva you produce, which breaks down food before it hits your stomach and intestine. This gives your body more time to register how much you’ve eaten and send the signal to stop before you over-eat.

Living a healthy life includes caring for your digestive system by making smart choices. Eat a well-balanced diet of nutritious foods and healthy fats and get a little physical and mental exercise to help manage stress. Your digestive health is important to your overall health. Make the diet and lifestyle choices that help you keep your gut in good shape and help you feel your best.

Introducing the Liver: Your Body’s Second Largest Organ

Posted on August 26, 2021December 27, 2024 by fuelmarketing

Introducing the Liver: Your Body’s Second Largest Organ

Your skin is the largest organ of your body. Did you know that your liver is the second largest? That makes it the largest solid internal organ you have, weighing in at 3-3.5 pounds. It is located underneath your ribs, lungs, and diaphragm, and on top of your gallbladder, stomach, and intestines. What does it do and how do you keep it healthy?

Your Liver’s Role

The liver serves as your body’s detox center. When you hear people talking about cleanses and detox regimens, don’t need to feel the need to join in. When your liver is healthy and functioning, it does a great job of removing toxins, and processing drugs and alcohol. Your liver also produces blood, stores vitamins and nutrients, and helps you combat infections.

Ways to Protect Your Liver

First, eat a healthy, balanced diet of fresh foods to maintain a healthy weight. Exercise! See your physician to keep your vaccines up to date and check your bloodwork. Follow good hygiene including washing your hands and following safe sex practices (to reduce the risk of Hepatitis B and C). Take medications as directed. Prescriptions, supplements, and over-the-counter medications can be damaging, or even deadly, if you take more than directed or in conjunction with the wrong medication.

Things to Avoid

For your general overall health, avoid smoking, illegal drugs and substances, and limit alcohol consumption, if you drink. Be smart when choosing where you may receive piercings or tattoos, or any other services that may pierce the skin. As much as possible, be selective when eating outside the country – watch that food vendors you choose follow good hygiene practices.

Things to Know

Know your family history, vaccination history and possible risks to your own health. Share information with your physician to give them the best shot at keeping you healthy. Take good care of yourself. Your body (and your liver) will thank you for it.

Ready to learn more? Read this next: https://www.granitepeaksgi.com/condition/liver-diseases-liver-disorders/

The Facts About a Colonoscopy

Posted on August 5, 2021December 27, 2024 by Granite Peaks

A colonoscopy is a simple procedure during which a gastroenterologist uses a Colonoscope to view the entire colon of a patient. This procedure may be used for diagnosing various gastrointestinal disorders, such as colon polyps, colon cancer, diverticulosis, inflammatory bowel disease, rectal bleeding or abdominal pain.

The unique benefit of having a colonoscopy colon cancer screening is that the test is also the treatment for colon polyps. While the gastroenterologist is viewing the colon, they remove polyps before they have a chance to grow and develop into cancer.

What to Expect Before Your Colonoscopy

The bowel prep is what most patients dread the most, and it’s actually quite simple. For most people, not all, they will be on a clear liquid diet the day before their procedure. They will begin drinking the first dose of bowel prep (in most cases, a tasteless powder mixed with the clear liquid of your choice) between 4-5:30pm that evening. After spending some time in the bathroom, you should be able to get some sleep, waking up 4 hours before your appointment to drink the second half of your bowel prep. Here are some other expectations you should have before your colonoscopy:

Plan for your driver to remain at the facility during your procedure
Plan to be at our facility for approximately 2 hours
Complete paperwork
Nurses will admit you and place your IV
Meet your procedure team – Doctor, CRNA, Technician
Your Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) will sedate you using Propofol

What to Expect During Your Colonoscopy

Our gastroenterologists use a flexible instrument with a light and miniature camera on the tip, called an endoscope. The “scope” is placed in the rectum and advanced through the colon. The camera displays magnified images on the TV for your gastroenterologist to evaluate while performing the colonoscopy. Miniaturized instruments can be inserted through the scope to obtain biopsies of the colon, remove polyps and to help diagnose or treat your condition. Bonus: a hemorrhoid banding is required, it can be done at the end of your procedure, while you are still sedated.

What to Expect After Your Colonoscopy

You will awaken in the recovery area where your driver may join you, if you wish
You’ll need to pass gas – do this as much as possible to prevent cramping
Your doctor will discuss his/her impressions of the exam
Your nurse will discuss discharge instructions with you
Dress, go home and EAT (unless your doctor instructed otherwise)
Any biopsies taken will be sent to a lab for evaluation
Expect Lab Results in 7-14 days, depending on the type of tests
You may not drive, make legal decisions or perform functions requiring judgment or balance for 4 hours
Our nurses will call you the first business day following your procedure to check on you and to address any issues or questions you may have. Please let them know if you are experiencing any problems after your procedure.
When results are available, your physician’s medical assistant will call you to share results and any orders the physician feels are important for your continuing digestive health care.

A colonoscopy is a simple procedure with excellent success rates for catching colon cancer in its early stages. If you are 45 or older, or have a family history of colon cancer, schedule your colon cancer screening colonoscopy today with the physicians at Granite Peaks Gastroenterology.