This week I had a phone appointment with my doctor about the suspected acid reflux episode that I wrote about last month (September 20, 2020) that got me all choked up. Literally. But before that appointment -- as an interim measure -- I started using non-drug, over the counter IBgard, a natural health product recommended for bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and other annoying digestive conditions caused not only by diet but also stress. Living in the time of Covid, we all suffer from our own levels of stress.
I have been taking the time-release capsules of peppermint oil 30 to 90 minutes before dinner. I have been a new woman ever since. I now make sure to eat dinner earlier in the evening so that I don’t go to bed on a full stomach.
When I told my doctor what I was doing, she said, “IBgard is great”! “Continue what you are doing, along with diet modification.” I’ve cut out spicy foods, I’ve modified the no-caffeine rule by sipping weaker coffee with extra almond milk, I’ve cut out chocolate (sigh), and I watch out for dairy products, onions, and garlic, among other things.
On the other hand, I learned that non-fat Greek yogurt, one of my favorite foods, is excellent for controlling acid reflux (when stomach acid creeps into the food pipe causing terrible irritation in the esophagus). I confess that in recent weeks, I have not indulged in my evening dessert of Greek yogurt and honey because of late-night dinners leaving me too full.
A probiotic, Greek yogurt provides healthy bacteria that benefits the digestive tract, in turn benefiting the whole body. No wonder the Mediterranean diet of the Greeks is considered the best in the world. When I traveled around mainland Greece, virtually every meal finished with a no-frills serving of Greek yogurt topped with local honey.
Then I learn about another food product that aids the digestive system: Tequila. For real. Enjoyed as a digestif following a full meal, it helps with digestion. But it must be 100 percent made from the blue agave plant because it contains high levels of inulin, which grows good bacteria that a healthy digestive system needs.
No wonder tequila was served all night at Louie’s cousin’s black-tie wedding in Monterrey, Mexico. With a second dinner served not too long after midnight, we danced until sunrise.
No hangovers.
Could this be why tequila is so hard to come by lately?
Washing Hands + Wearing a Mask + Social Distancing = Saving Lives