# Dried Blueberries



## mr.no life (Jul 6, 2007)

Hello to all, I went to my doctors for a follow up for my IBS_D I told her about the calcium that we all tried, and that it was making me gassy, and was having belly pains. Are you ready for this!!!! MY DOCTOR WHO I LOVE AND THINK SHE IS THE GREATEST. TOLD ME TO TRY TAKING DRIED BLUEBERRIES BEFORE BEDTIME, IT WILL ABSORB THE WATER IN YOUR BOWELS JUST LIKE THE CALCIUM AND IT IS TOTALY NATURAL. TOO MANY MEDS ARE NO GOOD SOMETIMES. WELL I HAVE BEEN TAKING TWO TABLESPOONS OF DRIED BLUEBERRIES EVERY NIGHT FOR THE PAST FOUR WEEK . AND IT REALLY WORKS, I'M A NEW PERSON NOW, THANK GOD AND MY WONDERFUL DOCTOR( SHE IS VERY SMART).I GOT THE BLUEBERRIES AT TRADER JOES, MY WIFE SAW THEM AT COSTCO"S, DON'T GET REGULAR BLUEBERRIES THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE -D. PLEASE ALL OF YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS. THE REASON I WAITED TO TELL YOUWAS, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WORKED FIRST. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE. P.S. THEY TASTE GOOD TOO!!!


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## 19506 (Oct 7, 2006)

I will try this Mr.nolife. I still worry about my kidneys what with taking the calcium three times per day. I haven't checked yet, but I believe you can get these online from Bob's Red Mill.


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## Prudy (Jan 21, 2006)

What about the seeds in them..??? Those of us with diverticulitis can't handle those seeds????


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## 19506 (Oct 7, 2006)

Prudy, I am almost certain blueberries don't have seeds. You may be thinking of blackberries...


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## 14013 (Nov 12, 2005)

what sort of D did you have though? was it like you would get up in a morning and you would have D straight away? or might it work for people like me who get D occasionally or sometimes have bad bouts of D? if i took some daily.


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## Jeffrey Roberts (Apr 15, 1987)

I don't know how to comment on this because I cannot understand how a doctor could provide advice like this. I seriously doubt that they are taking your IBS-D seriously if they provided this kind of remedy.Jeff


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## 20749 (Apr 22, 2007)

This is not the first time I've heard this about blueberries. There's another person who had the same experience --- there's some kind of biochemical basis for it, but I can't remember what it is (or anything else, for that matter







)Anyroad, I'm going to try it. I like blueberries! Angie in Texas, US


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## mr.no life (Jul 6, 2007)

Hey Jeff, with a attatude like yours you'll never get better, where all here trying to help each other,your a very negative person. Do you have a better solution??? My doc. is the best as far as I'm concerned.


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## 14013 (Nov 12, 2005)

personally, id love a doctor who offered these ideas up. due to the limited help for IBS there is available, the tried and tested methods dont work for everyone, and the ones they do they dont do everything. if a doctor is interested enough in something that causes their patients alot of pain and suffereing, to look for alternative treatments, they certainly are going out of their way to help. id say that makes a pretty darn excellent doctor.


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## Prudy (Jan 21, 2006)

Yes... blueberries have very tiny seeds in them.. believe me.. I would eat them if they didn't.. if it would help my IBS..I have to agree also... there are alternative things besides medicine that help people.. How do you think some of these medications were made.. there are many derived from herbs... senna, foxglove, for example.. I once heard eating pretzels at bed time would help with D... they do.. just like eating rice.. and bananas help.. I read medicinal herb books all the time hoping to find something to help.. Just because something isn't trouted by a pharmacutical company doesn't mean is isn't ethical.. Eating blueberries for D.. would be just like someone eating oatmeal, for high cholesterol... and many doctors recommend that.....


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## Thai (Aug 22, 2007)

Went looking for dried blueberries today and found them at my local Bulk Food Store.However............they were $26.00 a pound!!!I measured out what I thought would last a week at 2 tbsp a day, weighed it, and it came to almost $16.00!I was flabbergasted and the blueberries remain in the store.There was hardly anything in the bag for crying out loud.Now I must say I live in Canada and am wondering for those in the States, is this way more expensive than what you pay or is this what the cost is??I spend the winter in Florida, and am thinking if they are way cheaper down there, I will stock up to come home, if indeed they do work for me.Being as they are dried, they should last forever, right?Thai


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

Just got back from Sams Club, $8.83 for 14 oz. bag:http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/search.do...impleitemtype=0BTW, the are located in the same asile as coffee. I'm glad that I asked before I went to the store or I would of looked all over.


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## 14048 (Mar 1, 2007)

If the dried blueberries work, then cost is not an issue. Think of the cost of the prescriptions that you take. Even fresh blueberries are expensive and you do get a lot in that 14oz bag. Nobody said how many to take so I presume that is an individual trial and error process. I do believe that I will get a bag of them and see what happens. If nothing else, blueberries are good for you. Sometimes, it is the simple things that do us more good than drugs. Linda's calcium regime is a prime example. Thanks for the suggestion. GadJett


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## 19506 (Oct 7, 2006)

If you have no Sam's Club nearby, bobsredmill.com does have them for mail order. They are quite expensive, though - $9.49 for a half pound plus shipping.


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## mr.no life (Jul 6, 2007)

Thank You soffie22.


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## Thai (Aug 22, 2007)

Lee, thanks for the info on Sam's Club. Being Canadian, this may seem strange, but, you need a membership for Sam's, right? Will be in Florida for the winter and can probably hunt up a Sam's but was hoping to get some before then..........oh well, patience is a virtue..GadJett, I am glad that cost is not an issue for you but it is for me. At less than half a pound for $16.00, that is way out of my price range, even if it was helpful. As for the cost of the prescriptions I take, there is only one, it is less than $5.00/month AND I don't pay for it, my retirement benefits plan does!Empress on the Throne, thanks for the web site but the time I get them shipped to Canada, again..........very pricey.And last but not least, to Mr No Life, THANK YOU for sharing your experiences with us all. I seriously am not concerned about how silly or strange or bizarre any remedy is.........if it works for me, then IT WORKS and for that I am happy. And I am grateful for people like you who take the time to relay to us an option for us to try.Thai.....who sleeps with a bar of Ivory Soap in her bed for Restless Legs Syndrome!!!!


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

Thai said:


> Lee, thanks for the info on Sam's Club. Being Canadian, this may seem strange, but, you need a membership for Sam's, right? Will be in Florida for the winter and can probably hunt up a Sam's but was hoping to get some before then..........oh well, patience is a virtue..


Yes you need a membership to shop at Sam's Club. Come to AZ this winter and I'll take you to the store!!! In reading about dried blueberries, they must really be a healthy food, they help with both diarrhea and constipation at the same time: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=f...pice&dbid=8


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## Jeffrey Roberts (Apr 15, 1987)

I truly wish countering the symptoms of IBS were this simple. Good luck with your blueberry diet.Jeff


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=f...pice&dbid=8This is so very worth reading. To be able to address all of these issues with antioxidents, whether the be from whole foods or supplements, mirrors exactly the experience I have had. "I truly wish countering the symptoms of IBS were this simple." There is no way of knowing for whom these kinds of remedies will work and for whom they won't; but scepticism and cynicism are the least productive approaches. We are all in this together. Mark


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## Thai (Aug 22, 2007)

overitnow.....I agree totally!Just look at the number of people on this forum who have gotten their lives back ....... just by taking a simple little calcium supplement with every meal.For some it CAN be this simple, for others , not, and that is unfortunate BUT one will never know unless one tries.Let's all try to remain positive in this search for answers.Thai


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## 14048 (Mar 1, 2007)

I totally agree. We are all different and what helps one, may not help another. Sometimes, it is the little things that make a complete difference in our lives. Who are we to question what may or may not work? I say give it a try and see what happens. If it works, great; if it doesn't, then you have had an excellent antioxident and good things for your body. What a small cost for something that could turn your life around. I am going to try the blueberries. I eat the fresh ones all of the time, when in season, so why not try the dried ones? Good luck to all...GadJett


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## Prudy (Jan 21, 2006)

well.. since dried blueberries.. are just fresh blueberries dehydrated... For those where it is too expensive to even consider.. Wouldn't it be worthwhile.. to check on drying your own???? Heck.. one may be able to pick up a dehydrator at a garage sale.. for a few bucks... I don't think they are expensive to buy either way.. Or you may be able to do it right in your oven.. Check online and look up dehydrating foods and see..


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

Has anyone tried blueberries? I don't have IBS but I did have a lot of D for some reason yesterday so I ate 1/3 cup just before bedtime and I was normal this morning. It is possible that I could of been normal without eating them, but who knows? My wife is going to try them tonight with her 4th antibiotic pill.


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

I would have to say that the blueberries worked, almost too well. Maybe I was eating too many but I'm close to C now. I have been eating 1/4 cup (about 20-25 berries) every night but stopped the last 2 nights.In a previous post, I said that I don't have IBS, to be more accurate, I'm borderline IBS if there is such a thing. I have proctitis from radiation for prostate cancer. At times I have unexplained D that has no relationship to anything that I've eaten. Other times there are obvious triggers that cause it, once after lunch with shrimp and shrimp cocktail, I had uncontrolled D at a Sam's Club, very embarrassing.Getting back to blueberries, I can see where they might help control D. I remember as a young child, I was eating raisins and my mother told me to not eat too many as they could cause C.Maybe Mr. No would update us on his success?


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## bfk (Aug 2, 2007)

I'm definitely gonna give the dried blueberries a try. I love blueberries (they're one of the few fruits I can eat without drastic consequences), so I'm definitely giving them a tried. I'm going to try them at various times during the day and see what happens. They're good for you anyway, so if you can eat them, they'll make a healthy snack if nothing else! I agree with practically everyone else that whatever works for you, works, and just maybe, it will work for someone else too. I think you have a terrific doctor to recommend some safer options that go beyond medications. Good for her! And, since it works for you, even better.I'll let you know what happens as soon as I try them.


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## dreday (May 4, 2007)

I am going to trader joes tomorrow to see if I can get some dried. Fresh blueberries give me D bad, and recently I found that raisens also do too, when they NEVER used to. But I was wondering if we just chew a couple before bedtime, or we swallow them like pills one at a time? ahah I know that sounds stupid, but I want to make sure I do it right.


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## dreday (May 4, 2007)

also, wouldn't it make more sense to swallow or chew (whichever one it is) after every meal to absorb any excess water and D that could occur with something u eat during the day?


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## CharminLover (May 16, 2007)

Thai,I am also in Ontario. There are Sams clubs stores in Toronto, London and Cambridge. I'm sure if you do a google search on Sams Clubs (They are Walmart club stores) you can find all the locations. You do have to pay a membership fee though just like Costco. I also believe costco carries the dried blueberries (you may want to call and check first before going in though as Im' not positive, I just think I saw them last time I was there)Hope this helpsAmi


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## Thai (Aug 22, 2007)

Amy,Thanks for the info. I am never in or around Toronto, London or Cambridge but do have a membership at Costco.Will certainly check it out next time I'm in Barrie.Thai


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

I think that I saw a post that Costco has dried blueberries. I'm guessing that if Sams Club has them so do Costco.Here's where we are on dried blueberries, if I eat too many, I'm close to C. My wife had a few before bedtime and had D the next morning, it was the skins from the berries that caused it. So, right now, we aren't eating any.


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## DAY2DAYIBSD (Oct 2, 2007)

I SEE IT'S ALMOST BEEN 2 MONTHS SINCE YOU BEEN TRYING THE DRIED BLUE BERRIES I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. HOW BAD WAD YOUR IBSD ?, DID YOU GET SICK IN THE MORNINGS MOSTLY ? DO YOU TAKE ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES THE BLUEBERRY'S AND ARE THEY STILL WORKING


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## suffering (Sep 16, 2005)

Yes blueberries have tiny seeds. And I don't eat blueberries anymore because they tend to give me D. But I will have to try dried blueberries. If they work as well as calcium, and I am reluctant to take calcium for fear of getting kidney stones.


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## 20749 (Apr 22, 2007)

I simply can't believe this. In the month since I tried eating a few blueberries in the evening, I have had NO painful IBS attacks.After 45 years of messing around with this stuff, I just can't believe it. I know it sounds crazy, but these little boogers really work! I use the frozen ones, because they are not all that expensive, and I eat maybe 6-8 of them after dinner.And it worked.The calcium brought the D under control, but I still had these monster pains. Now, at least for a little while, none.Worth a try?I'd say definitely!Angie in Texas, US


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## mdonbru (Oct 15, 2003)

This actually seems like it's worth a try. There is a bunch of info. on the net (I know - not the most reliable source) that dried blueberries have been used as a treatment for diarrhea in Europe forever. According to what I read, there is a lot of pectin in blueberries that helps to act as a binder in the digestive tract and helps to slow down transit time, thereby allowing more water to be absorbed. Now this makes sense to me - the only thing that has worked for me is cholestyramine, which does the same thing. I like the idea of using something more natural, and also more tasty! I'm stopping at Trader Joe's on my way home from work today.Marty


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

Nice to read this, Angie. And I hope it works as well for you, Marty. There is an additional benefit, in that blueberries, as apart of the flavonoid family and anti-oxident, may also help with improved eyesight as we (ahem) age.So Mart, it sounds as though Sue en famille (or perhaps army) will be coming to visit this summer. Should I start making that puff pastry and fattening the calf or will you be stuck in the Cheese factory this year?Mark


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## mdonbru (Oct 15, 2003)

Mark-I think it's high time my husband and I got to your neck of the woods. Start fatting the calf... we'll hitchhike if we have to.I thought about the anti-oxidant properties of the blueberry, too. Now that I have to hold books, newspapers, menus etc. at arm's length to read them unless I have my "cheaters" on, anything that can help that from getting worse is good in my book.


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