Chiropractor and Acupuncturist Chapel Hill, NC
One defines ‘digestion’ as a person’s capacity to break down food into substances the body can use. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay asks each patient about their digestion because it impacts their healing and ability to heal in vital ways. When one’s digestion is good, everything else can improve. What one chooses to eat is essential, but how the body deals with food eaten is also important. Read more to learn about the role of digestion in healing.
Indigestion problems such as gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea are symptoms the digestive system isn’t up to par. Food eaten may pass through the alimentary canal undigested, allowing vital nutrients to escape. Nutritional imbalances can impair glucose control, inflammation, muscle and joint pain, hormonal imbalance, brain fog, impaired immune response, and other disorders. Alternative medicine treatment for digestive disorders is multifaceted because the problem impairs so many things.
At our office, Dr. Oskardmay asks patients what and when they eat, what they drink, how they move, and what activities they do throughout the day. Food and beverage choices, timing of eating, and even the temperature of food and beverages can all influence the stomach and small and large intestines. Too much cold food and sugar dampen the actions of the earth’s channels – the spleen and stomach, where digestion is prevalent. Dampness and stagnation can result in weight gain, bloating, and other digestive disturbances.
It is essential patients inform us what medications they take because many drugs can affect digestive health in destructive ways. Antibiotics, in particular, kill off necessary good gut bacteria and create a hostile gut microbiome. Food choice and supplements are crucial to restore gut flora in this situation. Medications for gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), such as TUMS and Prilosec, reduce stomach acid, which decreases the stomach’s ability to break down certain foods. We help patients explore other options and learn how their medications might impact their digestive health.
Dr. Oskardmay applies chiropractic adjustments to the spine to support nerve flow from regions affecting digestive health. Nerves arising in the cervical thoracic and lumbar spine all impact digestive health in some way. When subluxations exist, we see altered nerve flow, muscle tightness and instability, and pain and irritation. She corrects spinal misalignment to improve posture and increase patients’ ability to move with less pain throughout the day, which also improves blood flow and aids digestion.
Acupuncture is an additional means through which we help patients digest food better. Dr. Oskardmay, a licensed acupuncturist, chooses which channels and points to use for each patient to help them naturally feel better. Soothing treatments to restore qi flow in the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine channels help to quell indigestion.
For more information about the role of digestion in healing or to make an appointment, contact the acupuncture and chiropractic offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website at acudocnc.com.