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Mike (my husband)
Peristalsis!I am feeling really good today - even though I didn't sleep well last night.
Why so good?
Peristalsis! And not just any peristalsis. Really satisfying, complete peristalsis.I know the combination of flax and the new probiotic are the fundamentals here. Of course it helps that I had mostly cleaned out the old stuff for a coupla days, including the colon hydrotherapy. It also helps that I have reinstated my running, full yoga, and de-stress routines. De-stress is simply getting up and walking around when I become too overburdened by the tasks at hand (often writing and/or studying).
This morning I made a smoothie = yummy! One organic pear, organic orange, a heaping tablespoon fresh chopped ginger (we go through so much that sometimes we have to buy the non-organic b/c that's all there is!), apple cider, frozen peach slices (these alas were not organic), and three heaping teaspoons of ground flax seeds.
What a way to get fiber!
Yesterday I heaped the flax on my lunch of organic beets and their greens with a side of chicken leftovers. Yum.
And in the morning I had my usual banana, this time with almond butter and, you guessed it, flax.
That nutty flavor is addicting.
The power of flax is also addicting. It is much better than psyllium in many respects.
One, you actually get nutrients. Not so with psyllium.
Two, it tastes good. I always had to mask psyllium in juice or I would gag big time.
Three, flax has oil in it, thus slips through the tummy more readily.
Four, and mucho importante for IBSers - no flatulence!Now for the probiotic info: the product I picked up the other day is made by a company called New Chapter and the product I picked up is called All-Flora. They have others but that is what my local Warehouse Vitamins outlet had in stock. Check out the probiotic company online. They are unusual.
I like the product, although there is another specifically for sensitive tummies that I want to try when this bottle is finished.
Lessons learned - somehow I think I must have to learn the same lessons over and over. For example, there is no smooth path toward perfect health. The body adjusts through fits and leaps, sometimes (often!) including some backpedalling.
Also, never become smug or too content. The nature of IBS is that it will suddenly change when you are just becoming used to a particular comfort level or routine.
Sigh.More later.
posted by LST 11/27/2001 07:23:40 AM
26.11.01
Peristalsis!What happened?
Well, I let a few days go by without taking psyllium, and cleaned out most of it from my system (only a complete colon hydrotherapy session will wash out the remainder). I went shopping for a new probiotic, and found one with the L. plantarum and assorted similar, and began using that yesterday - one in the morning and one in the evening, both on empty stomach.
I ate only plant foods for 24 hours, and then only added a small bit of animal protein (~ 1 oz) after filling stomach with plant foods.
The big plus was adding flax seeds to my diet yesterday. Total of four tablespoons, two in the morning in my fruit-only smoothie, which was really yummy, and two in the evening on my salad, also really yummy.
Also, I reinstated my full yoga practice (e.g. 75-90 minutes, no less), and concentrated on holding several important hip-opening poses. Whew!
Equally important, I slept a lot over this holiday weekend, and relaxed with my love.
What will I do different?
Realign my morning routine for more variety and flexibility.
Still start with probiotics, and hope that the new one will work better. If not, I now have better knowledge (from that Alt Med magazine article, discussed in the last blog), and can research sources for other probiotics to try.
Second, keep my fresh apple break-fast, and follow either with a fruit-only smoothie including flax, or with whole fruit and flax, maybe mixed with almond butter or sesame butter. All organic where possible.
Third, Try to incorporate ten minutes of yoga into work-at-home mornings, and maintain full yoga practice on a daily basis. Run at least three days/week (four would be better).
Flax seed intake replaces psyllium overall, with possible occasional exceptions.Flax is better for me than psyllium anyway, although initally I thought it less convenient than a once a day juice/psyllium gulp. Really, psyllium has no nutrients I know of, and flax will give me many, especially those coveted EFAs.
I am so excited! Peristalsis!
posted by LST 11/26/2001 09:02:38 AM