Fennel
#128577 - 12/07/04 08:53 PM
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Taylahmai
Reged: 11/03/04
Posts: 257
Loc: Western Australia
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I suffer from really bad bloating, and fennel and peppermint tea don't seem to do much. I was wondering though whether the vegetable fennel is known to help. Or is it only the seeds that have theraputic benefits?
For those who fennel tea has helped with bloating, how many cups a day do you drink? I chug down tea like its going out of fashion, and wonder whether perhaps the bloating is made worse from so much fluid consumption!?
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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Re: Fennel
#128586 - 12/08/04 12:03 AM
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marymary
Reged: 11/01/04
Posts: 43
Loc: Zurich, Switzerland
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Hi there, I suffer from C and bloating and slight acid reflux so no peppermint tea for me. I drink a cup or two of fennel tea a day and another tea called Yogi Stomach-Ease tea (my absolute favorite). I start off the day with a cup of chamomile though (just to give myself a calming start). I hardly ever drink while I eat - either 30 mins before or toward the end of the meal (if I am having a glass of wine for ex.). I drink a few glasses of room-temperature water in-between meals (sounds like I'm drowning here...). Basically I have a glass of something standing next to me on the table at work (never "force" myself to drink of course). In regards to the vegetable fennel - I eat it with basically everything. Yes, I have heard that the vegetable aids digestion (as do the seeds I imagine, but haven't used them in cooking yet). I slice it thinly and put it raw on a sandwhich with tuna or tahini, I cook it in the oven, you name it. Always have a few bulbs of fennel in my fridge. Feel that it helps me. Sorry for the long answer - hope it can help you as well. ciao, mary
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Hi Marymary, do you find the fennel bulb helps with your digestion and bloating? I drink about 4 - 6 cups of peppermint/ fennel tea a day but I suppose its hard to say whether it helps because I also try so many other things (eg aloe vera, IBS diet, small portion sizes, probiotics). I don't mind the taste of the mixed fennel/ peppermint (and I love peppermint on its own) so I may as well keep guzzling it. Can't do me any harm 
And I'm very pleased to say that today - so far fingers crossed - is the first day in weeks that my bloating has been manageable. I usually get bloated no matter what I eat or don't eat. The only thing I've done differently today is eat less, so perhaps the answer for me! Damn!
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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Hey again! Same problem, very annoying - I tend to overeat and it is my main culprit when it comes to bloating (even overeating my portions aren't HUGE, but I notice how much better I feel with small portions) . I do find that the fennel helps me (maybe psychological?). I love peppermint tea so thanks for the peppermint/fennel mix tip! Hadn't thought of that. Will try a bit and see how I react. Happy to hear (and knocking on wood) that your bloating is manageable (I almost had a flat tummy this morning! hurray!). I have to say that exercise is what has helped my bloating the most. Regular exercise (doesn't have to be extreme, but for me: I start the morning off with home exercises, always walk up 3 flights of stairs to work, etc.). I am determined to fight back and GET RID OF THE BLOAT!
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marymary
#128600 - 12/08/04 04:13 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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Unfortunately, I have found that the fennel tea has also done little for my big time bloating!  I drink 2 cups a day at least. One after lunch,and one after dinner.Perhaps Heather's tea is stronger?
Also, thanks for the vegetable fennel tip. Shouldn't the fennel be cooked if put onto sandwhiches, etc? I know raw veggies are bad for me.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Re: marymary
#128603 - 12/08/04 04:35 AM
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marymary
Reged: 11/01/04
Posts: 43
Loc: Zurich, Switzerland
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Hi Augie, I tolerate raw fennel quite well (slice it thinly), but you can boil it or cook it in the oven as well (very yummy!). Just a thought - do you drink the tea DIRECTLY after your meals? I usually find that I benefit from waiting a while before drinking (so that I don't dilute the digestive juices in the stomach). Like I said, just a thought. Evil bloating.
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Re: marymary
#128616 - 12/08/04 06:03 AM
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Augie
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 5807
Loc: Illinois
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I usually drink a glass of citrucel before the meal, and have a cup of fennel tea right after. Is it okay to drink the citricel before the meal? And how long do you wait before drinking the fennel tea after? thanks
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I also find that when I am really in a bloating streak the fennel/peppermint tea doesn't cure it by any means. I wouldn't say it is useless though. Anyway I read through this thread and have to caution about fennel/anise bulb. It is a very insoluble fiber vegetable! I eat it but with soluble fiber and never raw (although I was going to make this salad I saw with it  ). But it definitely needs caution and there is a possibility of it helping digestion (the way I heard artichokes do and they have artichoke capsules now) but it is the seeds that help bloating and I am not sure but I think it would be the essential oils in the seeds like are in all herbs. (Note the oil slick on top of the tea). I think that is what it is called anyway. But please be careful with fennel bulb.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Hi there, I don't know what citrucel is (we don't have a wide variety of drugs and supplements over here...) I tend to wait about (at least) 30 minutes after I've finished a meal to have a cup of tea. Note: I am C and find that this diet doesn't provide enough insolubles for me, which might be why I tolerate the fennel bulb well. Just a note for Khrycat (sp?) who mentioned that it was difficult. Amazing how similar we are but still different...
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an SFS that you put in a cup of water. So, I am drinking this before meals. Not sure if it is okay to drink before the meal if it is an SFS. I thought SFS was suppose to be taken before the meal.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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One other person on the board reported that fennel gives her gas. Has anyone else found that to be true for them. I drink fennel everyday and am wondering if I shoud stop as I too have major gas??
I thought fennel was a safe thing for everyone. I'm confused on this one.
Feedback?
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I sometimes think bloat has nothing to do with gas. At least that's how it seems to me. When I'm bloated all the fennel in the world doesn't seem to alleviate it.
Bloat seems to have more to do with irritation of the digestive system. Almost like stuff gets swelled up. And when it's irritated, there ain't NOTHING you can eat that isn't gonna inflate you. But I just don't think it's gas.
Do others of you have the same experience?
Anybody know about this, or am I nutty and just imagining it??
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Fennel can make you fart  as it sorts all the bloating out. But IMO, gas out is alot better than trapped gas or major bloaing, believe me!
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That makes sense, and I agree. Rather the gas leave than be trapped and cause pain. Trapped gas hurts like ##$#!
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hi marymary, I've found that since stopping the SFS (I was taking acacia) my bloat has gone down tremendously, but my BMs are still good! So I was obviously reacting badly to the acacia. I actually had a flat tummy this morning too!! Isn't it soooo exciting when it happens! Exercise works wonders for me too, I walk my dogs for about 45 mins each morning and find a flat tummy and a healthy BM usually follows. Oh its so good to feel slightly normal again!! I love mornings, but I still find the evenings is when bloat returns and I get disappointed again. Sigh, I'm still optomistic tho that one day soon I'll be symptom free. I too am DETERMINED to beat this damn bloat!!!
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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To ptillen
#129376 - 12/09/04 08:20 PM
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Taylahmai
Reged: 11/03/04
Posts: 257
Loc: Western Australia
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OMG yes, thats me exactly!! No wonder the fennel hasn't been working too well, my bloating is all bloat and no gas. I didn't realise the fennel worked by getting rid of gas..... very interesting. Well no wonder I've found the peppermint seems to work better.
I did read an article about gastrointestinal (?? I think thats it??) response to food, and Heathers info describes this as well. Certain food triggers bloating as soon as you eat, however in my case any and every food triggers my bloating. Portion sizes are reaaallly important for me. If I eat more then a cup or so of food in one sitting my basketball belly returns. And if I eat too much food over one day I will gradually bloat as well.
I've been experimenting this week by really lowering portion sizes and eating less. It seems to be really helping. I think my problem is I get bloated, which makes me miserable, which makes me eat and eat and eat Food is an automatic response to depression for me so if I can beat the overeating (not that I pig out or anything but for anyone with IBS, eating too much is a killer) I think I can beat the bloat - fingers crossed!!! I also need to address the problems with getting drepressed, but who of us out there don't get depressed when we cart around a basketball belly all day and nothing can help get rid of it!!
Its so good to have people here for you. I'm determined to get better soon and really hope everyone else benefits from this chatroom as much as I do 
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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Good on ya! I love mornings too - it's like you're clean because the tummy is (relatively) calm. Unfortunately, I have a difficult time achieving regular BM. I've never taken a SFS and am not particularly inclined to because I think that a good diet and excercise (and some form of relaxation) should make it manageable.
Here's to a life free from ibs symptoms!!
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Bloating
#129398 - 12/10/04 01:20 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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Bloating is gas that can't get out!!! That's where the fennel can help alot, but you do need to make it strong and hot.
Try combining all the helpful stuff - peppermint caps, fennel, yoga, exercise, etc. It all helps, so you might as well keep it up even if one thing on it's own can't get rid of the problem.
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Yes very very true! On the other IBS forum I used to go to, this subject was debated a lot. There was a jerk there that wouldn't ever let people think bloating was just trapped gas. I had to ask my GI doc about it and he said it is gas in there, but there is more to it than that. IBSers according to tests have no more gas than regular people but it is how our body deals with it that is the problem. It gets distributed badly and our intestines get all surly and irritable. My bloat lately hasn't been trapped gas as the main culprit since it is not relieved by passing gas. It has been crabby bowels that need to settle down. So as I have said before you can't treat bloat in and of itself; you have to treat the whole body. That is why huge quanitites of fennel cannot cure the bloat, yet fennel is helpful. But strictly following Heather's diet and avoiding stress will keep bowels as happy as possible.
As for small meals- that is my thing now! And I have high hopes that it has been overeating that has caused my flareup. Eating correctly and exercise and moving around all day are also imperative.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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"Basketball belly", yes, that's a darn fine way to describe it. Sometimes I feel like the subject of a really bad SciFi story- the Incredible Expanding Belly. And I'm like you in that the bloat increases over the course of the day, no matter how much/ how little/ what time/ what order/ with water/ without water/ SFS/ no SFS/ fennel/ peppermint/ no herbs. Aiee!
Quote:
I think my problem is I get bloated, which makes me miserable, which makes me eat and eat and eat
Yeah, I too sometimes feel like if I'm paying the penalty, I might as well enjoy committing the sin.
Part of the problem is that I've found it really difficult to nail down what "triggers" are for me. I was doing quite well with portion control, but then got quite sick and for several weeks I was happy to be able to choke down anything. Now I realize I have to get vigilant again about portion size, amount, etc, etc. (Gee, just in time for the holiday party season.  )
I'm just coming out of one of those miserable phases when you blow up if you drink a glass of water, let alone eat anything. That's what makes me think it ain't just about gas.
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Augie, I take a glass of metamucil before each meal. It seems to have really helped me a lot. I'm IBS-D. It is good to cushion your intestines with the soluble fiber before you eat.
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I'm almost certain that in my case, my bloat isn't caused by gas. Like you, a glass of water can set it off! I'm glad I'm not the only one! I've also just come out of a phase where everything and anything set off the expanding belly so I'm sooooooooooo relieved to say the bloat has been manageable for almost a week now - raaayyyy.
However the way IBS affects my mood is frightening. I'm still under the impression that I will beat the C and the bloat and my life will improve for the longterm. But I'm scared this may never happen indefinately and that I will one day become despondent and give up. Eeeep! I'm feeling really good now so I HOPE I survive the silly season and continue feeling good, otherwise I'm terrified of feeling so depressed again.
Well here's some xmas wishes for us all to get better and stay that way!!
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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"Silly season" indeed. Avoid stress right about now is one of the bigger laugh lines I've heard lately.
I could appreciate if you'd talk more about keeping the bloat manageable. And, what you observe about what sets it off. It might make me more aware of what's going on in my body.
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Hey ptillen! I'm sorry to butt in - i read your message to Taylahmai. I have been managing my bloat for about a week and a half (hurray!!!) and now wake up with a flat tummy! The biggest change I have made is to keep control of portion size, but also, to try and take things as they come. I was stressing about when I was going to eat, what i was going to eat, where, etc for such a long time. I still do, but I try not to focus too much on it because if things don't work out as I've planned, I freak out and it starts my bloat. I totally avoid cold drinks and foods. Room temperature is fine for me though. I have started off my mornings with a cup of camomille tea before my shower so that some time will go in between the fluid and the rest of my breaky. I try to eat slow, to avoid isberg salad and cucumbers (major triggers for me), I've cut out all dairy (except parmesan...). I could blabber on more, but not sure which direction will help you (if any of what I have mentioned does?). I exercise regularly which is a must for me (I'm a C). Slowly but surely I feel as if the vicious bloating circle is losing it's hold on me. Slowly. I will succeed...
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Well I'm a little bit down at the moment because I've found out that aloe vera juice is no good for you I'm concerned about stopping it in a hurry in case the bloat returns with a vengence and the BMs stop. Urrgghhh why did this have to happen!! Of course there's a possibility the aloe vera was doing nothing to control the bloat and encourage the BMs so we'll see once I stop it.
As for my ways to control bloating. Well it happened all of a sudden once I'd stopped taking SFS and once I'd reduced my meal portion sizes. I'm also thinking it has to do with a good dose of magnesium twice a day, a daily dose of probiotics and digestive enzymes with every meal.
Other that, excercise makes a huge difference. I have actually been cheating a little bit with food and alcohol lately but what can one expect at this time of year!! I always am careful with what I eat and drink and if I get bloated straight away I'll generally stop what I'm doing wrong. If I can survive unscathed then I'm pretty happy with myself
I suppose the biggest change came from controlling how much I eat in one sitting, and over the course of a day. But unfortunately when you're having an attack of the bloat it doesn't matter what you do and don't eat, as you would know.
Good luck! Send me an email if there's anything else I can help with.
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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Hi Marymary. Congrats to the two of us!! I too have had a flat tummy for a bit over a week now - hoorraayy!! The portion controlling really does work doesn't it. It seems to be the only thing that has worked well for me.
So am feeling pretty good at the moment. And just in time for xmas
Hope you have a good one!
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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Hey T! Yes, portion size is crucial for me. Congrats to us both for fighting against the bloat! Cheated a bit yesterday evening so have slight bloat today, but feel more in control so I think it should be gone in a day or two. On another note, I am really excited because I have heard about a liver / kidney flush that can be a help to "curing" our bloating and ibs symptoms. Will keep you posted, but in the meantime - has anybody heard about this?
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Hi MM. Do you know the name of the product? I'd be keen to know more about it. Well I have been a little bit naughty with food too so have a bit of a bloat, but nothing major which is great. We have quite a feast planned for xmas day - its summer here in Australia so we've got a lunch seafood BBQ and afternoon at the beach planned. I'm planning on being reaaaaaallly good in the lead up to xmas day so I can get away with a bit of a food and drink splurge
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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A sunny Christmas - I'd go for that! It's cold and dark and grey at the moment here in Switzerland. Have been a bit naughty with the eating so have the same strategy in mind for the next week: eat well, exercise, sleep, so that I am fit for fight during Christmas...I have decided to try the liver flush in January. Here is some info: liver flush liver & kidney flush It talks about digestive disorders and food sensitivities as a possible result from parasites as well as a "heavy" liver. A friend of mine with ibs did this a month ago and has been feeling better. She is going to redo it with me in January. I'll keep you posted! Btw, pictures a bit icky sometimes, just so you know!
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