Dallas County Living Well Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 14

Tips To Eat Healthier – And Skip
A Trip To The ER For Stomach Pain
By Michelle Underwood, RN, MBA, BSN, CEN, VP Emergency Services, HCA North Texas Division

I

• Watch portion sizes and keep
t’s so easy to stray from good
track of what you eat – try to stay
eating habits or to overindulge
within the recommended calorie
on occasion. Who hasn’t suffered
intake guidelines for your age,
a bit from a few too many spicy
gender, and frame.
chicken wings at a game-day
party, or stuffing ourselves like a
• Drink more water – limit sugary
Thanksgiving bird, or reverting back
sodas and alcoholic beverages.
to our inner kid over a super-sized
• Stop when you’re full – save or
helping of ice cream?
take home the leftovers for a next
day’s meal.
A fact of life is that as we age, our
metabolisms change. Overeating or
not following dietary restrictions for
certain chronic medical conditions
can set a person up for real trouble,
especially if the condition is
undiagnosed. Suddenly, that third
trip around the buffet line may wake
you up in the middle of the night
with severe stomach pain.

• Make healthier choices – load
up on the veggies and fruits,
and eat fewer fatty meats and
starchy carbs.
• Check ingredient labels when
cooking, and ask how food is
prepared when eating out –
reduce your intake of foods that
are high in fat, salt and sugar, and
if you have food allergies avoid
ingredients that can trigger a
reaction.
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• Fainting, dizziness, confusion,
or difficulty waking.
• Tenderness or distension of the
abdomen, or pain that reaches to
the back.
• Persistent diarrhea, nausea,
vomiting, or inability to keep food
or liquids down for more that 2 days.
• Signs of dehydration (increased
thirst, dry mouth, swollen tongue,
heart palpitation, inability to sweat,
decreased urine output).
• Blood in stools, vomit, or urine.
• Constipation, especially with
vomiting.

Practicing mindful eating every
day may just help you avoid an
unexpected trip to the ER. Being
more aware of the foods you intake
and making better nutritional choices
is key to keeping your body healthier
and more resilient.
Tips for healthier eating:

• High fever lasting more than 3 days
(100.4°F in infants 0-3 months;
102°F in children 3 months to age
17; 103° F in adults).

• In children: blue lips or rash, or a
child that cannot be comforted.
• Pain occurring during pregnancy.

Maintaining good, balanced nutrition
is important for your metabolism and
digestive system to continue working
efficiently. Sometimes though, severe
stomachache can happen for other
reasons.
Go to the nearest emergency
department for any of these
symptoms:
• Persistent, severe pain
• Difficulty breathing.

DALLAS COUNTY Living Well Magazine | WINTER 2015

Many people shrug off stomach
and abdominal pain thinking it is
something that will pass quickly.
Do not underestimate your body’s
important warning signs. Severe or
frequently recurring bouts could signal
a potentially life-threatening illness or
a chronic condition that could worsen
over time without proper treatment.
When in doubt, go to the ER.
HCA North Texas has 17 emergency
locations in Dallas-Fort Worth. Average
wait times are posted online to help
you get the care you need fast. Visit
FASTERTX.com to find the HCA ER
near you.