I started this blog a few years back and didn't keep up with it. I actually 'lost' it on the web (shows how computer savvy I am) and 'found' it again.
The past year of my life has been somewhat of a nightmare dealing with my health. I had been off work for 6 months altogether and just recently came back full-time. I am finding it a struggle some days because I still don't have my health problems and sleeping in check.
I also had a few people tell me, when I first started this blog, that they were excited to read it. That I could possibly help others who have IBS, intestinal disease, and/or auto-immune diseases. I really took that to heart and believe, the things we go through not only make us stronger, but help others going through the same.
So here I am. Blogging about living with IBS including the constant bloating, stomach pain, constipation and diarrhea problems, and gas that accompany it.
Auto-immune symptoms such as iritis, insomnia, eczema and other skin issues including acne and rashes.
My health as a whole. It seems my body is very sensitive to illness. The slightest cold or sickness throws me for a loop. I cannot just take any ole' medicine from the doctor because it usually causes a reaction. So I fight sickness with natural cures. I'll be blogging about ways to fight bladder and kidney infections without antibiotics and certain foods that heal.
I guess this is a miss-mash of health issues. The main being intestinal disease.
My goal is to write a blog at least once a week. Salute!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Day Numero Uno
So I thought I would explain Carol Sinclair's 'IBS Low Starch Diet' book a little more. It is really a fascinating read and a huge eye opener to how much food impacts our health. I've always said that 'refined sugar is a sweet, slow death'. Sugar does nothing but a whole lot of bad things to our bodies. Some people are just not as 'lucky' as me to have those effects show up immediately. But they always do down the road in the form of sickness and accelerated aging.
Anyways, before reading this book I had already known that sugar brought on a nasty attack of the symptoms as soon as I eat it. Not only do bad things happen in my stomach but I get insomnia..even from the smallest crumb of sugar. It's so weird actually.
But this book goes even further to point out that starch, in the form of grains especially, is the root cause of inflammation and disease in the body. Under normal circumstances, inflammation is the bodies way of fighting to protect the body from bacteria and disease. But something happens with people with IBS, IBD, Lupus, Cancer, Crone's Disease, MS etc. where the bodies defense mechanism turns on itself and starts attacking it's own good cells, along with the bad ones too. In my case, all the other health problems I have, Iritis, insomnia, the bloating and IBS symptoms are all inflammation that stems from an underlying condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis. This is a form of arthritis in the lower region of the spine. Now not everyone with IBS has AS, and although I have not gone and got tested for the carrying gene yet, I believe I have found the answer to the IBS symptoms I've had for years! What is happening is the inflammation is spreading from the back to the rest of the body including my intestinal tract, bowels, joints, and eyes. Doctors won't tell you this but the only way to control this and prevent progression of AS is to eat a low starch, refined sugar free (and in some cases like mine dairy free) diet. Carol goes into detail with the why's and how's. It seems extreme but I'm okay with extreme if it means getting rid of the IBS and keeping my back normal and straight. With this diet..it's not only possible but proven. Carol Sinclair is the proof along with many others she talks to.
So for the beginning of this I'm going to keep it simple. Eggs, low starch raw veggies and fruit, poultry, beef, and healthy oils like coconut and olive. That's it. You can make things out of almond flour but I'll wait on that.
Off to the gym!
I wish I was a scientist and I could explain this better.
Anyways, before reading this book I had already known that sugar brought on a nasty attack of the symptoms as soon as I eat it. Not only do bad things happen in my stomach but I get insomnia..even from the smallest crumb of sugar. It's so weird actually.
But this book goes even further to point out that starch, in the form of grains especially, is the root cause of inflammation and disease in the body. Under normal circumstances, inflammation is the bodies way of fighting to protect the body from bacteria and disease. But something happens with people with IBS, IBD, Lupus, Cancer, Crone's Disease, MS etc. where the bodies defense mechanism turns on itself and starts attacking it's own good cells, along with the bad ones too. In my case, all the other health problems I have, Iritis, insomnia, the bloating and IBS symptoms are all inflammation that stems from an underlying condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis. This is a form of arthritis in the lower region of the spine. Now not everyone with IBS has AS, and although I have not gone and got tested for the carrying gene yet, I believe I have found the answer to the IBS symptoms I've had for years! What is happening is the inflammation is spreading from the back to the rest of the body including my intestinal tract, bowels, joints, and eyes. Doctors won't tell you this but the only way to control this and prevent progression of AS is to eat a low starch, refined sugar free (and in some cases like mine dairy free) diet. Carol goes into detail with the why's and how's. It seems extreme but I'm okay with extreme if it means getting rid of the IBS and keeping my back normal and straight. With this diet..it's not only possible but proven. Carol Sinclair is the proof along with many others she talks to.
So for the beginning of this I'm going to keep it simple. Eggs, low starch raw veggies and fruit, poultry, beef, and healthy oils like coconut and olive. That's it. You can make things out of almond flour but I'll wait on that.
Off to the gym!
I wish I was a scientist and I could explain this better.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
My first blog.
Wow! This is exciting. I have wanted to start a blog for awhile now but I never knew what I should focus on. Then an idea came to me.
I have lived with IBS-C which stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with constipation, since I have been 18. I am now 27. There have been times that the bloating and pain in my gut have been so bad I am literally doubled over on the floor to keep myself from passing out. I have gone up to 3 weeks before having a *ahem* poop. As you can imagine I looked about 9 months pregnant and felt horribly sick.
When I was younger it started out only on occasion. I would get constipated when I went away from home. Then it started happening randomly for no apparent reason. I went away to college at 19 years old and all hell broke loose. I was so sick, constipated, and in pain that entire year of school. I only left my room to go to class and the gym when I felt up to it. I made a good friend, Ben was his name, the first week and lost him as a friend because I could do nothing but lay in bed.
When I came home at the end of my year it seemed I would be sick forever. I became very depressed. I started taking laxatives on the weekends and starving myself to keep the pain and bloating away so I could go out with my friends. Then Monday would come and I'd survive through the week only to take a pile of laxatives Friday night. Sometimes I would feel like I was living a double life. A semi 'normal' person on the weekend (also a very hungry person), and a very sick, depressed person through the week.
Other things started happening in my body as well like insomnia, back pain on and off, heart burn, indigestion, headaches, and the scariest one of all..Iritis. I soon learned these things are all related.
To make a very long story short I recently found a book titled 'IBS Low Starch Diet' by Carol Sinclair. I believe every word of the book and so I have decided to blog my experience doing this diet. Also to blog what life is like living with IBS. It is not 'all in my head', as I have been told by various, ignorant people and doctors..it is a very real, horrible sickness.
I'll write more about the book and the diet tomorrow. Today I am going shopping for low starch food.
I have lived with IBS-C which stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with constipation, since I have been 18. I am now 27. There have been times that the bloating and pain in my gut have been so bad I am literally doubled over on the floor to keep myself from passing out. I have gone up to 3 weeks before having a *ahem* poop. As you can imagine I looked about 9 months pregnant and felt horribly sick.
When I was younger it started out only on occasion. I would get constipated when I went away from home. Then it started happening randomly for no apparent reason. I went away to college at 19 years old and all hell broke loose. I was so sick, constipated, and in pain that entire year of school. I only left my room to go to class and the gym when I felt up to it. I made a good friend, Ben was his name, the first week and lost him as a friend because I could do nothing but lay in bed.
When I came home at the end of my year it seemed I would be sick forever. I became very depressed. I started taking laxatives on the weekends and starving myself to keep the pain and bloating away so I could go out with my friends. Then Monday would come and I'd survive through the week only to take a pile of laxatives Friday night. Sometimes I would feel like I was living a double life. A semi 'normal' person on the weekend (also a very hungry person), and a very sick, depressed person through the week.
Other things started happening in my body as well like insomnia, back pain on and off, heart burn, indigestion, headaches, and the scariest one of all..Iritis. I soon learned these things are all related.
To make a very long story short I recently found a book titled 'IBS Low Starch Diet' by Carol Sinclair. I believe every word of the book and so I have decided to blog my experience doing this diet. Also to blog what life is like living with IBS. It is not 'all in my head', as I have been told by various, ignorant people and doctors..it is a very real, horrible sickness.
I'll write more about the book and the diet tomorrow. Today I am going shopping for low starch food.
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