Bare Minimum Supplements
#281837 - 09/12/06 12:10 PM
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demo
Reged: 08/15/06
Posts: 48
Loc: New York
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In the past few months, I've spent a fortune on different supplements. I'm now down to acacia (take 1 tsp. 2X day), FiberSmart (take 4 once a day) and a whole food vitamin.
I still feel awful. I'm IBS-C and have bad episodes of gas and bloating every night. Can anyone recommend the most important things to add to my diet to bring some relief? I don't think enzymes do anything for me, and probiotics are contained in the FiberSmart. (I tried taking other probiotics and don't think they helped, either).
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You are eventually going to learn that what type food is going in your stomach rules the roost and sets the tone for all your problems. You can take all the supplements you want but if your putting poison in your gut nothing good is going to happen. You have simply got to change your eating habits. I feel confident in telling you this and I don't even know what you are eating. I just know that if you are having problems, you first have to go back to basics. Try http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/faq.asp#break_cycle
and after your stomach ailments subside you can start adding things back into your diet. If you have problems after eating something new, put it on your list of things not to eat.
One other thing. I've not seen this mentioned before but I've had it occur to me many times in the beginning. That being that I use to have a bad habit of eating too fast. In return my stomach would swell up like a ripe watermelon, and be very firm to the touch.
So, in closing, keep up with the Acacia, peppermint tea, and eating only what is mentioned here on this site and eat slowly. You'll be happy you did!
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Sometimes I walk backwards to see where I have been!
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I also usually have my worst symptoms in the evening. A few questions for you:
Do you exercise regularly? In addition to 30-60 minutes of daily exercise, I find it makes a huge difference if I can go for a 10-15 minute walk after each meal. Since after dinner it's typically too dark, I busy myself in the kitchen with cleaning up and preparing my lunch for the next day.
Can you increase your acacia dosage anymore?
What are you eating for breakfast and lunch?
Are your BMs normal and regular?
Also, fennel is much better for gas/bloating than peppermint. Unfortunately, Heather's fennel tea doesn't seem to work for me, but I try to drink a big cup of Yogi Teas Stomach Ease Tea after each meal. It contains fennel (among other things) and helps a lot with digestion. I have found my gas/bloating have decreased since using this tea.
Last one: Have you considered trying the hypnosis CDs?
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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i would say to try a different brand of probiotics and enzymes, really strong ones, i can't stress enough how i mportant they are, but brands are different.
try renew life's digestmore ultra and build up to taking about 2-3 at each meal for a while. For probiotics, try primal defense, it has been the best one for me so far and fibresmart doesn't have nearly enough probiotics in it.
other important things to try are fish oil capsules for inflammation and lubrication, a cal/mag 1:1 citrate or gluconate form in liquid or powder if possible, just not tablet, for bloating and muscle tone of GI tract, also helps move things in general, having th ehigher magnesium ratio and l-glutamine take 3500mg of glutamine split into two doses forst thing in th emorning and last thing at night, build up slowly, this helps with GI muscle tone to help the peristalsis work properly and heals any issues in the gut that it can, it has been working really well for me, helps heal leaky gut which makes us extra sensitive to foods on top of what ibs does to us.
Wjat whole foods multi are you taking?
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I love beano. I take two before each meal. I feel it helps me a lot with gas.
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Courtney (IBS-D)
"Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible." Romans 12:18
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that is a lot of stuff, but i guess whatever works. can i add all at once? can i take flax oil rather than fish oil? brand recommendations? i tried a cal/mag supplement that gave me diarrhea. i do have constipation, but i don't want diarrhea instead. i'm taking rainbow light's women's one multivitamin.
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i'm guilty of not exercising enough. today, I'm upping my acacia dose to one and 1/4 tsp in morning/ one tsp. at night (i added 1/4 tsp.) i should stay there for how long?
i just started eating a lot more if with sf base. i have about two bms a week, usually on weekends, because i have a work bathroom phobia and i usually don't have to go there anyway. i stopped taking peppermint yesterday for the pain b/c i think it might be causing the burning sensation in my stomach. fennel tea sometimes helps a smidgen, but i also tried the yogi tea on your suggestion and don't know if it works that much better for me, honestly..i wish it did! i mostly have to take simethicone (phazyme) every single evening. i have gas in bed anyway, but it helps with the gas pain. ugh.
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Hmmm... the "work bathroom phobia" thing sounds like an anxiety thing, which the hypno CDs may help with. I can also recommend taking "Natural Calm" (I've found it at Wild Oats) every night before bed, which really helps me to have a BM every morning. It's a magnesium citrate supplement. I take both that and acacia.
If you are very sensitive to increases in the acacia (i.e., you get gassy when you increase too quickly) I would only increase by 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon per week.
Exercise really helps! Could you start going for a walk each day?
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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my whole foods doesn't carry it, but i'll try somewhere else i guess.
i will start walking more.
thanks, everyone
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Hey demo,
This is just one of probably several sites you can order Natural Calm: web page I purchased my 16 oz bottle of it at Wild Oats for about $22, so this is a comparable price.
Good luck! Keep me posted!
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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