# My list of helpful things



## gfinster (Jan 11, 2001)

Here's my list of things that I do to help me live with IBS:1. Take deep, slow abdomen breaths periodically during the day instead ofchest breathing.2. Recognize physical tensing of muscles during the day and relax stomachmuscles and muscles all over body (15 times a day)3. Try to remember to chew my food twice as long as I used to (saliva andteeth are first stages of digestion we eat too fast and ask our bodies todigest whole chunks of unchewed food!)4. Eat 6 times a day (graze). I try not to eat large meals. Our culturehas bound us to the three meals a day routine. BREAK OUT! Your gut willthank you.5. Drink a glass of water after each meal.6. Drink as much water during the day as I can think about and consume.7. Minimize as much white sugar and starches as possible (ferment causegas, feeds fungus and spikes blood sugar levels)8. Try to maintain a steady blood sugar level. (goes along with frequenteating)9. Get the right amount of sleep to maintain seratonin level and minizefatigue.10. Eliminate as much caffeine as possible and drink herb teas plum,perpermint, etc.11. Walk as much as my schedule allows. Regular is best.12. Eat a bran muffin in AM and PM for fibre (my top advice!)13. Use Dramamine for nausea during spasms - ï¿½ tablet to start full tab ifneeded (works better for me than compazine and phenergan)14. Eliminate use of senna found it very irritating and caused spasms andepisodes.15. Eliminate alcohol it really made me sick with D. I do miss good winesbut found some great non-alcoholic beers on the market.16. Use Milk of Magnesia for bad C (more than three days) I try extrabran muffins and sometimes three doses of Metamucil a day first.17. Quit or scale back working responsibilities my husband has beensupportive there's more to life than money!18. Surround yourself with supportive, understanding people. Have at leastone personal friend you can talk to about your IBS. I have a friend withLupus that has similar gut problems we share farting C and D stories allthe time.19. Stay determined to find a combination of things that will help andbelieve things can improve.20. Accept the fact that this is a disability and will intrude on my life atthe best and worst times.21. Maintain a sense of humor about the gas, D, C nausea.22. Monitor diet for foods that trigger attacks. For me it's whey, somepreservatives, too much fibre, too much cheese, caffeine, too much sugar,soap, raw onions, alcohol, peppers of all kinds and others yet to be found.23. Don't use too much dishwasher soap and use the sani rinse tocompensate.24. Rinse my dishes a second time to ensure they are free of dishwashersoap.25. Be extremely grateful this is NOT a life threatening disease and remindmyself I CAN live a happy life with it.26. Don^Rt be afraid to change Docs until you find one that listens andunderstands the disease and will HELP you.27. Get the colonoscopy! It helped my mental state a great deal knowingthere was not something else more serious going on.28. Read the bulletin board on a regular basis and remember I'm not alone.29. Stay informed on the latest discoveries regarding IBS.30. Help others by sharing my story on the BB and with people I come incontact with.I still have episodes but I know that I have done my best to control thedisease, I know what it is and I know what to expect.


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