The Impact of Stress
It’s no question that stress is not a fun experience. Besides causing emotional distress and worrying, it can impact your health.
The physical signs of stress include:
• Increased heart rate
• Sweating hands
• Release of hormones
• Increased blood pressure
• Occasionally an energy or adrenaline boost
• Increased acid production
So, what does this have to do with gastroenterology? Well, stress can cause increased acid production in the stomach. This can cause an existing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to become more noticeable and prominent.
It’s true: stress can increase heartburn and GERD symptoms.
If you’re feeling stressed, you can help counter those feelings by:
• Increasing exercise to boost positive feelings
• Identify if you can make a change. Sometimes, stress is tied to a particular event or situation.
• Rest more! Sleep helps in many aspects of health. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try cutting back on caffeine, avoiding screens a few hours before bed, and creating a nighttime routine and sticking to it.
• Get help. In significant amounts, negative stress harms your body. If you’ve tried everything else you can think of to help reduce your stress and still feel it, consult with an expert.
If decreasing stress doesn’t help alleviate your symptoms, there may be another factor aggravating your symptoms. We can help with that!
Our New Office Location
We’re so excited to share an update on GSG’s new office that is currently being constructed at 50 Michael’s Way, Londonderry, NH! It’s looking great and we can’t wait until it’s finished.
Patient Education
Preparing for a Colonoscopy
Getting ready for a colonoscopy can seem daunting. However, it’s worth doing for your health. Again, colorectal cancer can be preventable. The only way to find polyps or colorectal cancer is through a colonoscopy.
Preparing for a colonoscopy takes a total of about 16 hours on average. The prep is a critical piece of the colonoscopy routine because it prepares your body for the procedure. A colonoscopy requires clean bowels to see any polyps or potentially cancerous lesions.
Two to Three Days Before
The best way to prepare for a colonoscopy is to start eating a low-fiber diet a few days in advance.
One Day Before
The day before your appointment, you will be restricted to a clear liquid diet.
What are clear liquids? They can include:
• Water
• Clear broth
• Black coffee
• Clear juice (juice you can see through) such as apple juice
• Sports drinks
• Clear soft drinks
Essentially, you can drink any liquid that will not hinder the visibility of the colonoscopy.
In the afternoon or evening (depending on the time of your procedure), you will drink the provided preparation liquid. Ideally, drink the entire amount of preparation in the allotted time we have suggested. This will ensure the preparation works and cleans out your system well enough for the colonoscopy.
Day of Colonoscopy
Continue a clear liquid diet until after the procedure. Do not eat or drink anything, even clear liquids or gum, four hours before the procedure.
The preparation for a colonoscopy may seem overwhelming and uncomfortable but it is worth it for your health!
Office Updates
At Granite State Gastroenterology (GSG), we strive to make a difference in the lives of the patients and the communities we serve.
We’re currently hiring for the following positions:
- Medical Admin
- Professional/Patient
- Care Coordinator
- Medical Assistant
- Nurse Practitioner
If you or someone you know is interested in applying for one of the above open roles, please head over to our careers page to learn more and apply! https://granitegastro.com/careers
As a clinician-led independent specialty group practice, we can focus on why we got into healthcare in the first place: to make a difference in each patient’s life. As a valued team member, GSG will invest in your growth and development, offer competitive benefits and wages, and help prioritize work-life balance.