IBS RELIEF TIPS

How to make your stomach behave?

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:26:00 +0000

This is very important video : How to remove bloating/constipation by Dr Mercola.

Here is the gist:
1. Your gut is responsible for 80% of your function immune system. Mind and mood is also control by your gut.Your gut is a second brain
2. You basically want to nourish good bacteria and get rid of bad bacteria in the gut.
3. Eliminate sugar even fruit juices and especially artificial sweeteners. They act as fertilizers for bad bacteria.
4. Vegetables are good and pre-biotics. Fermented food are good and they reproduced good. Commercial yogurt and kifer is NOT good. It is not that yogurt/kifer is no good but it is how they are prepared. Commercial ones uses pasteurized milk and sugar as base... (It is a big NO NO) and the bacteria they tend to put in is so small in quantity and short lived. MAKE YOUR OWN...
5. Fermented food are good like Miso, Kimchi, olives
6. Stay away from antibiotics unless necessary.
7. Drink pure clean water. Chlorine kills good bacteria.. Eliminate chlorine by using simple carbon filters. Even boiling water will remove chlorine.
8. TAKE PROBIOTICS...Take probiotics on empty stomach, at least 15mins before meal. Make sure your buy from reputable manufacturer.

Scan and Make a model of your brain with a SmartPhone

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:19:00 +0000

Now, there is a device that can SCAN and MAKE a model of your brain! Imagine that.. Unfortunately, it works only on Nokia ..... no Iphone..... :) and apparently from cheap EEG headset only... WOW, if we could have this to detect growth and even scan stomach area to detect fibroids....

Here is the link to check this out.

One method I have used successfully to prevent IBS

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:24:00 +0000

One of my subscribers ask about meals and IBS. One thing that does the trick for me (which works more often than not and I believe there is a scientific reason to all this) is when I have a meal especially dinner, I will not take any liquid with the meal. After I have completely finish the meal, I'll wait for about 15 mins to 20 mins before I sip a glass of hot "cooled" water-Advice by a Tibetian Lama

About one hour after the meal, I will take fruits especially fibrous ones like an apple. I peel the skin.

Now, what I have observe is that when I do that, my BM the next day is good. If I have a good BM, I will have an excellent day.

Of course the meal must not contain any 'trigger' food. Sometimes it is hard to avoid, so whenever I do not feel good. I will quickly make a glass of cumin tea. Click here for the recipe here

Another possible cause of IBS? - Leaky Gut

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I continue to research on causes of IBS and I came across this topic of leaky gut. I personally do not think I have one but one of my readers seems to having her wits tested in controlling her IBS. We spoke at length about this leaky gut aspect which seems to the cause. Let me explain.

Leaky gut in gist is inflammation of gut lining and when the gut is inflamed, it becomes porous, and become more permeable. Unwanted substances can then leak into the bloodstream. When that happens, toxins often build up in the bloodstream thus causing many different types of ailments. Our autoimmune system will become active to address the toxins presence. If the autoimmune system is over active, it will inflame the gut track and thus creates Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms.

Let me tell you about my friend. She had been suffering from leg issues like tendonitis and bursitis (at least diagnosed by doctors and treated as such). She is also suffering from IBS but manageable. But the last 2 years, her leg problems severely curb her daily routines. She had gone to several doctors, physiotherapies, chiropractor and acupuncturist with no long term healing. We talked and I knew about leaky gut problem and know that if toxins get into bloodstream, it creates all sorts of ailment, sometimes unrelated (like her legs).

I suggested for her to treat leaky gut to see if this could solve or alleviate her problem. She was willing to try anything and over the last one month or so, she told me that her legs have improved tremendously. She can now do a 2km walk without pain. She also said that IBS symptoms have also improved slightly. She is now determined to follow the regiment to see if it does completely heal her leg and hopefully alleviate the IBS as well.

So, what did we do?

1. Glutamine is used to repair gastrointestinal injury. A word of caution on over using this supplementation. There are some unconclusive studies that long term use of Glutamine can cause or aggravate situations like stroke, multiple sclerosis and disrupt pregnancies. So, take only in small doses and short term basis. Let’s take it as such and be safe anyway.

2. Increasing Fish Oil intake especially Omega-3.

3. Increase probiotics intake. The gut is already compromised, so we have to repair them.

4. Cut sugar intake. At least, don’t add any more unrefined sugar or sugar substitutes.

5. I suggested a much reduced carbo-diet approach and continue with high fiber, protein diet instead. So rice, bread, potatoes are very much reduced for her meals.

Something that will delight the women readers...

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:34:00 +0000

Nothing about IBS but I promised to focus once I get this out of my hair.....

What really causes IBS?

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 00:15:00 +0000

The cause of IBS is currently not known, however, it does not stop one from trying to figure this out from one's own perspective.

IBS is also commonly known as "spastic colon". What this means is the the colon has gone 'bonkers' and do not react normally anymore. Either it becomes too active or too inactive at wrong times.

When it is too active, you get spasm and cramps. When this happens you need to soothe it. Things like yogurt, malt drink, cumin tea, rasam are things which can soothe the activities. When this activity is high, there is also a likely chance that gas is also produced and you will feel bloated. If not remove, it can become painful. Either you have to encourage burping or 'pass wind' to get rid of the gas.

When the colon/intestines absorbs too much liquid and the colon compacts the waste too much and the waste do not have enough fiber, you get constipation. That's why we recommend to increase fibre intake and drink lots of water (6 -8 glasses per day spread of the entire day).

Two main causes of making the colon become spastic is 1) Stress and 2) Food we take, especially trigger foods.

It is key to understand Stress and Stress management to help in controlling IBS. Not only when you are stress, more acids are also produced in the intestine which will increase gas buildup.

Pay attention to your colon... It could be telling you something.

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Mon, 02 May 2011 09:27:00 +0000

YOUR COLON

Kids are proud to show off their poop—but most adults rarely glance inside the toilet bowl. But the truth is...Examining your poop is one of the best ways to find out what's really going on in your body. So take this quick quiz to get the inside scoop on your poop!

Question #1: How long does it take you to have a bowel movement?

[ ]Less than 60 seconds [ ]More than two minutes

Answer: Healthy bowel movements happen within 60 seconds of sitting on the toilet. The stool should easily come out without straining, grunting or any discomfort. It should have the consistency of toothpaste. If you have time to read a newspaper while sitting on the toilet—you probably have a problem with constipation or poor bowel health.

Question #2: What is the shape of your stool?

[ ]Long like a banana [ ]round, hard pellets [ ]thin, pencil-shaped

Answer: Healthy stool averages about four to six inches long and are shaped like a banana or a torpedo. Very narrow, pencil-shaped stool is a sign your colon walls are impacted or you have polyps or growths on the inside of your colon or rectum. This causes the stool to squeeze to get through. Stress can also create narrow stool.

Hard, round or pellet-shaped stool is a possible sign of poor liver function, lack of exercise, dehydration or constipation.

Question #3: Is your stool accompanied by foul odor?

[ ]Yes [ ]No

Answer: Gas or odor is a sign of a bacterial imbalance in your intestinal flora. The "bad" bacteria release foul-smelling gases and toxins that can cramp your colon and create embarrassing odors. You can eliminate this odor by removing debris and encrusted feces from the walls of your intestines and restoring the balance in your intestinal flora.

Question #4: What color is your stool?

[ ]Yellow [ ]Green [ ]Brown [ ]Gray [ ]Black [ ]Bright red

According to Mayo Clinic research, all shades of brown and even green are considered normal stool colors. And the foods you eat can affect the color of your stool. For example, beets, tomato juice, blueberries, popsicles and green leafy vegetables can affect your stool color. However, a distinct change in stool color can be a warning sign for health problems.

Yellow-colored stool indicates your food is moving too quickly through your digestive tract—as in the case of diarrhea. If stool is greasy or foul-smelling, it may indicate excess fat caused by malabsorption of nutrients.
Green-colored stool means your food isn't properly being processed through your intestines. As a result, bile isn't broken down—and gives your stool that green color. Green stool can also mean you're eating too much sugar, fruits and vegetables and not enough grains or salt.

Gray or ashy colored stool indicates undigested fats or heavy use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs that contain aluminum hydroxide. It can also indicate a lack of bile in the stool that may be caused by a bile duct obstruction.

Black stool is a serious warning sign for bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract—possibly the stomach.

Bright red stool may indicate bleeding in the lower intestinal tract—possibly the large intestine or rectum. Hemorrhoids may also be the source of the bleeding.

Question #5: Do you pass gas while you're having a bowel movement or have you noticed air or bubbles in your stool?

[ ]Yes [ ]No

Answer: Air or bubbles in stool can indicate an intestinal imbalance. Gas producing bacteria may be overgrowing and competing with the healthier flora in your gut.

Please know this: A normal bowel movement happens within 60 seconds of sitting on the toilet.
There should be no straining, pain, bleeding or foul odor accompanied with your bowel movements.
And wiping afterwards should be easy and simple—using just one or two pieces of toilet paper!

If that's not your experience in the bathroom—then you need to give your intestines a thorough internal cleaning!

When your colon is in danger—it will do anything and everything to send out an S.O.S. for health!
If you notice strong body odor—especially under your arm pits......Or if your friends shy away and frequently offer you breath mints—LISTEN to your colon—it's screaming for help!

And INTESTINAL parasites can also trigger:

Painful gas and bloating
Irritable bowels
Runny stool or diarrhea
Allergies
Skin outbreaks
Insomnia
Poor immune system
Muscle pain and joint soreness
And much more!

Looking Back 6 years ago.. 2 years ago ... and Now

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:24:00 +0000

I am happy!

6 years ago.. I was diagnose to have IBS. The cause of my IBS was antibiotics for my severe sorethroat. I can't even begin to imagine that for such a small thing and I got IBS because of so-called modern medicine.

Well, 2+ years ago my IBS became so bad, I had to quit my job. My job was so stressfull and it was aggravating the IBS. I was only 'well' 2 weeks in a month. That was no life! I was so depressed. Thanks to my wife, I did not sink too deep into depression. The Internet help me a lot. I found forums and had some online support and that pull me out of 'why me' mindset.

I started my 'road to recovery' when I decided this was not the 'life' I wanted. I was not dead. My wife bought an ebook about depression for me and I started to change things in my life, literary starting with my mindset, and then diet and then exercise.

Well, I can't say that my IBS is all gone but I now have maybe one or two bad days a month. I have started my own business now. I am now armed with knowledge of what to do when things go wrong. Most often than not, I can feel when things are not going well, I am on the defence already with my naturual remedies and exercises.

But if you really ask me how I eventually able to get 'control' - I would say - MINDSET and get out of the depression! Because there are remedies out there, you just have to look.

I am happy now!

regards
terry

So what has worked for me to contain my IBS?

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:45:00 +0000

Hi,

A number of readers have asked me this question (or some form of it). "What has worked for you in summary to control your IBS?"

Ok, so here goes.

Basically,

1. Diet was the biggest change for me. Tracking "safe" and "terrible" foods with a cheatsheet was one the best thing I did. Now I am almost a vegetarian now. I do eat fish and occasional meat (chicken). No red meat at all.
2. Ritualised practices (in the morning)

Before I get out of bed, I do a few "sudden kick" exercises, while lying on the bed. The purpose is to get some bowel movement.
Every morning, I have a glass of warm honey (good honey, not commercial ones) before having any breakfast.
Bowel movements is VERY important. I make sure I do this at a specific time every day. If I have a fairly good movement, my day will be great. I get to smell the flowers.

3. I really watch what I eat for lunch, tea and dinner. I basically become less adventurous now with food and it saves my day. I guess it is what we, IBS sufferers have to accept in our life. We cannot be too adventurous with food. Read what happen to me when my greed got the better of me.. I suffered!

4. I try to get some exercise done everyday. Yoga is my minimal workout. I will either get a swim or a jog if I can make it. My yoga exercises focuses on the stomach area. I have a number of yoga stances in my website: www.ibs-relieftips.com. Pick some tips there.

5. For dinner, I eat fruits first. ( I will post something on this later) before my dinner. I finish off with warm water.

6. For a very light snack before I sleep, I take a cup of yogurt. I am lucky that I am not milk intolerant. yogurt basically saved my life. At one time I could not even take soya but after months of healing, I am now able to take soya in moderation. Soya is good stuff.

7. I wind down for the day fairly early. Get as much as 8 hrs of sleep. I start to wind down about 2 hours before either watching a movie or TV or read a book. I sleep at regular hours. I try not to stay up too late.

8. Before going to bed. I meditate. It is really refreshing to calm the mind down. Ops! I just realised I have not posted anything on how to meditate.. I will post one soon. Just sign up or be my blog friend and you'll get the posting soon.

Another important tip. Stress management. I can't really tell you how important this is. For my case, I quit my job to take control of my IBS because I knew one of my IBS major cause was Job Stress. I now work for myself. I guess it is a blessing in disguise. Please I am not saying to quit your job. You will have to evaluate your own circumstances to decide on this. I have learnt a lot from this book I picked up years ago.

This is my regiment, my daily ritual and it has saved me. Maybe it is the ritualized things that I do that started the healing process.

Best in IBS health
Terry

What are the tell-tale signs that you are stressed?

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:24:00 +0000

Hi

I was visited the doctor the other day and I noticed she had a poster up by some drug company. I don't really like drugs but I thought the information provided on the poster was interesting.

Check it out.

Stress is one of the problems that aggravates IBS... in fact , anything. You can't think straight, You get angry very fast. Your high blood pressure shoots up. Your lose your appetite... and tons more.

I will write a tip on how to control stress in another post. However, if you want to learn how to control the "STRESS" click here.

Best in IBS Health
Terry

Stress and IBS

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

HI

When I was really suffering from IBS and was searching for methods to relieve the symptoms, I kept asking why am I suffering like this. Why me?

I often became very frustrated. The more frustrated I was, the more stressed I became. And then I noticed that my IBS became worst.The more stressed I was, the worst my IBS became. It became a vicious cycle.

I have to be honest. I have a terrible temper and get angry pretty fast. So my stress level went up and my IBS got worst.

I knew I had to do something about my stress level, or at least learn to manage my stress level.
One trick I learn from Chris is first face up to my situation - accept my situation. Don't play the "Why me?" game.
It took me some time but when I finally 'conquered' my mind, I also 'conquered my stress'.

This is one of my key strategies to naturally manage my IBS. (Notice. I say 'my', you must accept that it is yours).

So get your stress level down and it will become the basis of your natural healing.

Terry.

How to Calm a Turbulent Stomach?

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Hi

My stomach decided to follow the cycle of hurricanes hitting the world today. If only my stomach could predict the hurricanes onslaught I would 'sell' my stomach away.... gladly.

Anyway, I woke up with one nasty stomach. Actually it started when my 'greed' overcame my 'know it better' thought. I ate some commercial ice cream - it looked so good. Well, I am paying the price now.

Fortunately, I know what to do. Rest the stomach. I am making some chicken soup. Here is the recipe.

1) carrots - cut into small cubes
2) potatoes - cut into small cubes
3) chicken bones or pork bones - to extract out the 'sweetness'. You can use chicken pieces. I rather not take meat. Sometimes I season the meat with Worcheter sauce for about 1 hour.
4) celery - optional. (this gives it a strong taste)
5) peppers seeds - crushed.
6) salt
7) water.

Boil everything in a pot until potatoes and carrots becomes soft. I just take this for meals (lunch and/or dinner). That's it. It always works for me. Basically, I am giving my stomach a "Rest".

Oh, I only take water for liquids. No coffee or Tea. If I really want I make a hot chinese tea (green tea, jasmine tea).

Terry

How to stay healthy by controlling inflamation?

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:59:00 +0000

Hi

I was reading this article from a doctor who was saying that it is not cholesterol which cause heart problems - it is inflammation. It is not animal fat (in moderation) but dietary fat that is bad. Animal fat does not promote inflammation but dietary fat does.

Anyway, I was thinking about my other post about carbo and he seems to agree that carbo is really bad for you and it promotes inflammation. That was what I was interested in seeing what he said.

Anyway, I wanted to summarize the tips he gave to help us IBS people to lead a healthier living.

For a healthy living (I have condensed it)

1) Fish oil - Omega3, get plenty of it. It seems we cannot get enough from our food, so it may be wise to take fish oil supplement. Remember the tip I gave on Fish Oil. Omega-6 is not so good because it causes inflammation. So avoid overloading of Omega-6 oils. Avoid vegetable oils, margarine and foods fried in vegetable oil, and processed or prepared baked goods as much as possible. In fact, avoid all hydrogenated oil. Cook with butter, coconut oil, canola oil or olive oil.

2) Take vitamins and minerals especially anti-oxidants. There are some demonstrations that getting vitamins and minerals from foods are better than supplements but there is no conclusive evidence. Anyway supplementing them moderately does not hurt. Especially Vit C (500mg), Vit E (200 International units per day).

3) Don't smoke and avoid secondary smoke

4) Lose 10% of body weight. High blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol have all been demonstrated to be cured or dramatically improved by weight loss.

5) Monitor your alcohol consumption. Red wines seems to have some interesting compounds that have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects. But also in moderation.

6) Exercise, Exercise and Exercise.

7) Don't worry, Be Happy. Keep stress under control. what you can and accept what you can’t. Ask yourself "Am I living a life that makes me happy?"

8) Take baby Aspirin but of course consult your doctor. For most of us, the majority of us and almost every single one of us, aspirin is extremely beneficial and perfectly safe.

9) Get rid of junk food. Beware of carbohydrate content, trans-fat (typically fried stuff) and when it says low-fat, it usually also means high sugar.

10) Replace vegetable oils with olive oil, grape seed and coconut oil. Use Butter for baking and use olive oil, coconut oil for dressing vegetables

and here is the tip.

"To choose healthy foods, color matters. Don’t eat anything white. Choose colorful vegetables, leafy vegetables and non-starchy vegetables. Choose whole grains and cracked grains when you consume breads and pastas but consume them in moderation. As difficult as it may seem, avoid refined flour products, instant rice and potatoes. Basically, if it’s white, it’s probably not good for you."

11) A tip when going to a restraurant.

"Have a steak but not a potato. Dress your salad with olive oil and vinegar. Take a pass on the bread and dessert. Ask for steamed vegetable or fruit instead of pasta sides or rice. " ( Now, this is going to be tough for me....)

12) We can't really avoid fast food but here are some of tips.

Fast Food
Order a cheese burger, or chickent burger. Discard the buns, remove the sauces (they are loaded with sugar). Leave the fries and order a glass of water instead. ( on a side note, ... I am dead meat.. How am I going to do this?)

Sandwich Shops
Enjoy the meats, cheeses and vegetables—just discard the roll, bread or bun. ... Hmm... not too bad, I can do this.

Fried-Chicken Shops
Avoid barbecued, breaded and deep-fried chicken. Opt for grilled or roasted chicken instead. Stay away from rolls and mashed potatoes (oh man, I love potatoes). Ask for vegetables, fruits or even yogurt as your side dish. ( ok, this I can do).

I am going to try to do this.

Terrence

High Carb Diet and HIgh Protein Diet to help ease IBS

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:55:00 +0000

Hi friends

I was told this sometime ago and finally decided to try this out and recommended to some of my other friends - IBS sufferers to try this and give me unscientific reports.

Generally, all reported after one week, many had some relief from IBS pains and symptons and the additional benefit was that they all felt lighter and more energetic.

Initially to cut carb to the minimum was difficult for some and our IBS team now goes for low carb, high protein diet. I did a bit of research on the net and found this link, which supports this theory.

So what is a low carb diet? Well i will let Laura Dolson explain this in a nice picture "Low-Carb Food Pyramid"
(reproduced here if you cannot find the link)

Try this and it will help.

Terry

Simple foods and my IBS

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:01:00 +0000

Hi

I notice that I am more comfortable eating simple foods e.g. simple sandwiches with plenty of vegetable, congee with steam fish and lightly fried vegetables, plenty of fruits.

When I eat that for lunch or dinner, not only do I feel great and light but somehow it is 99% a good IBS day. However, my business requires me to have business lunches and dinners and most times it is heavy meals with sophoticated cooking styles and plenty of exotic spices. I am a glutton when it comes to food so I normally lend up to having a lousy day. Can you imagine someone who loves food and cannot eat! It is like not having a arm!

Best in IBS Health
Terrence.

RIce, Congee and How it improves IBS symptoms

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:17:00 +0000

Hi

There is a lot of dispute regarding if rice is good for IBS or not. Then there is a discussion of white rice vs brown rice. Of course brown rice has been proven to be better than white rice.

I can only speak from experience. Rice (white or brown) and especially congee works wonders for me. I find that if I have at least one meal with rice I will have a better day. Of course, I eat steamed rice with lots of vegetables and preferably fish.

Here are some information I found out.

Rice apparently has a type of starch called "resistant" starch. Resistant starch benefits are:

Resistant starch consumption is associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Promotes "good" bacteria, and supresses "bad" bacteria and their toxic products.
Promotes bowel regularity.
Resistant starch in a meal is associated with less fat storage after that meal.

Whole, intact grains are decent sources of resistant starch. The starch in pearl barley is about 12% resistant and 43% slowly-digesting. Long grain brown rice are similar.

I have written how to prepare congee. Here is the link

Best
Terrence

Honey in the morning...

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Hi

I have been trying one teaspoon of good, natural honey in warm water every morning and it seems to reduce by bloating and also helps in toilet routine.

I have using this method for the last 2 months. Initially, years ago, I have tried honey and it made my stomach worse. So when someone told me to try natural honey I was a little skeptical. Anyway, my routine in the morning consist of honey drink and 3 scoops of natural yogurt before I have my breakfast.

My research indicates that honey lines the intestinal track before a meal. (I drink this first before my breakfast). Honey also protects the intestinal track.

I have to say that you have to take good honey, not cheap ones where they mixed with sugar.

I have also tried hot tea with honey. And when you have stomach pains, this drink helps quite a bit.

I found this tip how to tell if honey is adultrerated.
Emmanuel Olagbaju from Nigeria provided these tips on how to distinguish pure from adulterated honey:

1. Dip your finger into the liquid. As you lift your finger out, observe whether the substance drops immediately - if it does drop straightaway, then it is not pure honey. (Honey is very viscous).

2. Drop some liquid to the ground and observe. Pure honey does not flatten, but forms small balls: if the liquid does otherwise it is not pure honey.

3. Drop liquid into water and observe. If it sinks without mixing with the water it is pure honey, otherwise it is adulterated.

4. Dip a matchstick into the liquid and then strike the match. If it ignites the substance is pure honey, otherwise it is adulterated or fake.

Life is a Choice

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:27:00 +0000

I was handed this story and I thought it was really apt for us.

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.

When someone would ask him how he was doing, would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today.

You can choose to be in a good mood or .. you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood.
Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life, choose the positive side of life.

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.

You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.

The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."

I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications towe! After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of! intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or... I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Michael continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read "he's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes, I replied." The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Gravity."

Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Enjoy each day, each breath and mostly---each and every friend

Author Unknown

Avoid Beans and Cabbage

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Hi

For IBS sufferers, Beans and Cabbage are "Must" things to avoid. The reason is they produce gas. Some people react terribly to them. It is a trail and error but I have had a lot of people tell me about the problems they have with beans especially.

Althought beans are a good source of fibers but it can create gas which can cause a lot of discomfort.

Actually, it is not fair to blame the beans (or cabbage) because it is not beans which create the gas. It is the bacteria inside the instentines which reacts with the nutritional sugars in the beans, which creates the gas. The gas is then trapped in the gut which can cause real discomfort.

Having said that, some IBS sufferers do not have any reaction to beans. So you will have to try to find out what foods are suitable. Remember developing a food cheat sheet will help you understand what you can enjoy.

So dont worry too much about food. Just try them a bit and see. Of course, don't do this on bad days.

To you IBS health.
Terry
www.ibs-relieftips.com

IBS and allergy

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:37:00 +0000

Hi

I never had any allergies before I was diagnosed having IBS. I just noticed over the years, the allergy has become more pronounced. I checked with other sites
ibsgroup which confirmed my suspicions and what I have going through. I guess now I have to be extra carefull with what I eat.

I can't even take panadol (paracetamol) for flu and cold. If I have to take it I must take it with pariton. Left over foods sometimes triggers the allergic reaction as well. I still get discomfort from IBS when it decides to act up.

My daily rituals have been able to keep the IBS from acting up too much. My daily exercise and diets I use seems to provide me with some control over the IBS.

I sometimes wonder if my IBS will ever go away. I really do hope so!

Can't emphasize enough about Fibres

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:23:00 +0000

Hi

I currently eat a lot of fruits.. to the extend that my friends now call me a 'semi-fruitarian". I have grown to love fruits and I take all sorts that comes my way. Of course I avoid some of the 'rich' in protein ones...but I do take them.. If I do not have fruits, I look for fruit juice.

Looking back, I feel a lot better physically since I started a large portion of fruits.

Perhaps I should consider switching my diet totally...but I have not decided yet..

regards
Terry

MeteoSpasmyl

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Hi

I don't normally suggest anything that is not natural base but I have to admit that some of the milder medicines do help a bit. So i am going to be a little 'off the tangent' here.

I used to take a mild laxative everyday - lactulose but it is sugar based and it's efficacy will diminish over time. So I started to skip some days.

I know how important it is for me to do my 'thing' in the morning - which will determine if I have a good day or a bad day.

Anyway, I found out about MeteoSpasmyl and from what I found out from a doctor, it is okay to take it as maintenance - one capsule a day.

I have been taking this for couple of months now and seems to work for me pretty well. And when I have a difficult day, I will take 2 to 3 blisters a day.

it regulates the intestinal function. It is milder than duspatalin. It can be used on long term maintenance.

So I keep a few of these things by my side.

Hope this helps.

Terry

Baths and IBS

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:23:00 +0000

Hi Friends

Taking at least a bath a day seems to help relieve my IBS. It may sound strange but it seems to work for me!

After a hard day at work, I like to take a warm bath just before going to sleep. I find it relaxes the tense muscles, and helps me sleep better at night. I have found out that it helps in another area – relieving stomach gas that sometimes brings on IBS attacks.

I never really noticed it, but I suddenly became aware of the fact that I burp a lot after a warm shower. So normally after my bath, I continue standing in the bathroom and while drying myself, pat my chest several times to ‘kick-start’ the burping. I find myself burping for quite a while to get all the stomach wind out.

This also helps if you feel bloated. If you feel bloated, try taking a warm bath. But remember, never take your shower right after eating. You need to refrain from bathing until at least one hour after your last meal.

If you can, try and also take a warm shower in the morning. This also helps to get rid of the gas build-up that would have accumulated over the night.

So, aside from feeling fresh and clean, you may find, like I did, that the incidences of IBS attacks caused by excessive stomach gas reduced with taking more baths.

Happy Bathing!

Terrence
for more free tips on IBS, Click Here

Onions and IBS

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:09:00 +0000

Onions are troublesome for IBS sufferers - especially those who have gas buildup problems associated with IBS.

Onions has 'sulphur content' and they produce gas in the GI track. You should not elimated them since they can provide insoluble fiber but you should reduce the intake. They are nutritious vegetable and has many benefits. Onions are also the most eaten vegetable in the world.

Other types of 'sulphur content' vegetables are brocolli, leeks, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts. But again, they are nutritious vege and should not be avoided totally.

Terence
Get tips on handling IBS - IBS relief tips

My regiment for better control of constipation and burping

noreply@blogger.com (th ong) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:52:00 +0000

Hi

Just want to let you know about this regiment I followed..everyday..and it works.

Every morning (breakfast)

1) half mug of yogurt. Not the commercial ones but homemade. How to make yogurt?

2) I cant do without my daily cup of coffee. Of course, you should not take coffee if you suffer from severe IBS.

At night (dinner time)

1) Eat plenty of papaya. Papaya has lots of fiber and papine. Papine is a natural pain killer and can relief discomfort, if any.

2) Remember not to use take any drink while you eat dinner or fruit. Wait for about half hour and take a warm water. This method will reduce bloating and gas buildup.

Also, remember to do your regular trip to the bathroom at specific times in the morning. This not only trains your body to perform the toilet functions but makes it into a habit.

Terrence
Get your IBS book here