Tips and Tricks for a Troubled Tummy

I have always had digestion issues which I was able to reasonably manage by avoiding dairy products.  However, this past year they got a bit out of control (e.g., bloating, intestine cramping, stomach ache, diarrhea, constipation, gas, vomiting) and I had a difficult time managing them.   I am now feeling much better and would like to share some of the tricks and tips that I had to painfully learn.  I am very lucky to have a warm and helpful support group.  Many of my family members experience digestion problems.  I learned most of these tips from my family – which am I very, very grateful for.   

                 1.  Think about the foods that you are eating 

·         Avoid foods that cause you gastrointestinal distress.  What foods you need to avoid is very personal.  Everyone has a different body with different needs.  What is essential food for some can easily be a poison to others (so don’t let people bully you into eating foods that make you ill).  Many people find relief from gastrointestinal distress by simply avoiding dairy products and gluten.  If avoiding just dairy and gluten is not enough for you, consider a low FODMAPS diet.  The low FODMAPS diet helps you to eliminate foods that are typically difficult for your small intestine to absorb.  If it is difficult to avoid certain foods or you find that you are avoiding too many foods and it is impacting your quality of life, you may consider NAET treatments.  NAET can help your body overcome food sensitivities.  

·        Find your comfort foods.  You need to find some foods that you can eat even when you are feeling your very worst.  My two comfort foods are lemonade and chicken soup.  Once you find your comfort foods you need to make sure you always have the ingredients on hand (or even better prepared and stored in the freezer or refrigerator).  When you are having a difficult day you can just pull out your comfort food and nourish yourself.  When you are not feeling well you don’t always have the strength to make the food that you need or the wits to make it.  

·        Peel your potatoes.  Eating the peels that come with your foods can cause a sensitive digestive tract to be overworked.  Peel your potatoes and other foods that have a thick skin (e.g., cucumbers, sweet potatoes, eggplant) to give your digestive tract a break. 

 ·       Eat smaller quantities.  It takes more work for you to digest large amounts of food.  If you eat frequent smaller meals, this may help your digestive system cope easier

                 2.  Consider taking supplements

·       Standard Process.  I love Standard Process, but let me caution you that most Standard Process products aimed to help with digestion issues contain wheat and/or dairy products.  If you are super sensitive to milk (like me) the products containing lactose or other milk based products may hurt you more than they help.  

 ·      Probiotics.   Very strong probiotics have been proven to help with digestion.  Probiotics, like Standard Process, do often contain milk and are derived from milk, so you just have to be careful and patient when you are finding the right product. 

 ·      Herbal Teas.  My favorite herbal teas contain ingredients that help with digestion.  My favorite every day teas are Egyptian Licorice tea (Yogi Tea) and Licorice Spice (Stash).  When I need a little extra help Traditional Medicinals has a couple of teas that I use.  Throat Coat contains slippery elm which helps to sooth your digestive tract and Smooth Move helps to push things along.  

 ·       Black Current Oil.  I take black current oil every day.  It helps to reduce inflammation and boosts immunity, which my intestines need help with every day.  

 ·       Essential Oils.  Rubbing essential oils on your upset stomach (mixed in with a bit of coconut oil) can really help.  My two essential oils of choice are peppermint and frankincense.  doTerra makes a product called DigestZen which is also helpful.  DigestZen can be taken internally, which can help to calm a sour stomach.  

 ·       Cell Salts.  Cell salts can help you replenish you when you are depleted. If you are feeling weak and sluggish or if you have been throwing up and are dehydrated cell salts are an excellent choice.  

                

                 3.  Reduce your Stress

·        Stress and negative feelings do not help when you are having digestion problems.  I have found that when I am upset or stressed out that can push me into an “episode” faster than I would have gone without.  It is important to keep your negative feelings and stress in check.  When you feel them bubbling up inside you need to quickly resolve them.  It is helpful for me to identify the stress or negative feelings quickly, understand why I am experiencing them, and come up with a plan to resolve the stress or negative feelings.  

Please let me know if you have other helpful tips or tricks for a troubled tummy.