Comments for For My Tummy

Comment on IBS DIET by tummyblogger

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:58:01 +0000

Hi, Daryl
I apologize for the long delay in getting back to you. I was at a convention and got an amazing response to the material I prepared. I ‘m just getting out from under now.
As it happens, there is a sport protein called New-Whey liquid protein, that comes in either 25gm tubes or 40gm tubes, and several flavors.
Most whey protein is hard for someone with IBS to tolerate. I tried this in the fitness center, and liked it, kept going back because it is so easy to carry, and eventually ordered it. That said, a) I do not tolerate whey very well, b) the New-Whey liquid protein does have two artificial sweeteners, which have caused me problems in the past, acesulfame-K, and sucralose. Sucralose is marketed as Splenda (R).
If your IBS is under control, this product works well. I don’t think it will send you out of control, either. If your IBS goes out of control for other reasons, New-Whey would then top your list of things to stop.
Thanks for writing in, and may the holiday season be all you hoped for.

All the best,
Tummyblogger

Comment on Contact by tummyblogger

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:27:26 +0000

Dear Rodney,
I apologize for taking so long to answer your question. I attended a convention and got an amazing, though time-consuming, response. I am just now getting out from under. From the DA-IBS product line, since they have a separate DA-Constipation product, it seems they have IBS-D in mind. On the other hand, their clinical trial found that DA-IBS was particularly effective in reducing pain. That’s not the case with the research on Align - which is generally effective, and effective with other symptom patterns - just no report of effectiveness in reducing pain, if I recall correctly.
Thanks for writing in, and checking back, too.

All the best,
Tummyblogger

Comment on “Old” Treatments for IBS by Jenny R.

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:41:37 +0000

I found your site in google when I was looking up blogs. I realy like what you have done and just wanted to leave a comment saying so. Cheers

Comment on Contact by Rodney

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:20:21 +0000

Does it take a while for a response here?

Comment on IBS DIET by Daryl

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:50:41 +0000

Hi there tummy blogger,

First, thanks for all the advice. It’s extremely helpful. Second, I have resorted to a vegan lifestyle since reading over the information both here and at Heather’s site, but I am very active (exercise and weight train daily). Is there a protein shake that you would recommend for muscle recovery that fits within the guidelines of an IBS diet? I’ve read about some of the shakes you have listed on this site, but I’m really looking for something I can take with me to school, work, etc. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time,

Daryl

Comment on Contact by Rodney

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:42:50 +0000

I have IBC-C, NEVER IBS-D. What would be better suggested for me. DA-IBS or Align? I don’t care about money, I just need something to help my pain.

Comment on Following a Soluble Fiber Trail across the Net by tummyblogger

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:56:27 +0000

Hi, Diane
Thanks for writing in again.
I would also like to know *how* the Aztecs got the seedpods. The acacia tree is only listed as growing in Africa; the Aztecs lived in what is now Mexico, and didn’t travel across the ocean.

Best,
Tummyblogger

Comment on Following a Soluble Fiber Trail across the Net by diane garoni

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:48:27 +0000

I am so glad the history of “Our Little Fiber Tree,” was posted. I did the same research and found all these wonderful facts when I started Heather’s. I am in Love with this tree. It stands like a weed, but has so many attributes Priceless. I would however like to know:
Where DO you get the Seedpods the Aztecs used as an Aphrodisiac! I am telling you WHAT A TREE!
My husband asked me if the tree was a replenishable crop, that is what got me looking for information!

Comment on IBS Probiotic Align - This Is Not Good by Ryan

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:41:29 +0000

Hi TB,

Thanks for the reply. Not to be misunderstood, while IBS can often be a diagnosis for digestive and other issues, I do believe it is not always the proper diagnosis. Outside of trigger foods, stress and such people can actually have an intolerance to something that is a daily part of their diet. People could have sensitivities to gluten, dairy (lactose or milk sugar), yeast and/or fructose which could lead to IBS type problems. So saying gluten is separate should not be a blanket statement. Often doctors fail to test for those sensitivities. It’s not even a thought in their heads. They just push fiber, probiotics and a light diet and see where it goes.

So I think for some it could be worth it to go through certain restriction type diets or get tested for those sensitivities. They could possibly pinpoint the specific problem, make the necessary changes to their diet, and lead a much better life not being dependent upon fiber and probiotic supplementing. Granted those two things can’t hurt, but why waste money on treating a symptom when you can treat the cause? Not everyone is in this boat, but I think it can be a disservice to just have people treat themselves for IBS when there is a possibility something specific is actually causing those symptoms. Even worse, if there is a sensitivity to gluten, left untreated, can become full blown Celiac’s disease.

So before I give in to IBS being the actual problem, I’d like to rule out other possibilities first.

I mention the marketing to women because most of the searching I’ve done seems to bring up women and Align, though with more women being affected by it than men, it would make sense to skew the marketing in their favor.

And if more and more people find DA-IBS to work just as well, then Align sales will drop and they just might deem it time to lower the price. Might as well hold on to the premium for as long as they can. Heck, I’d do the same thing. But as a consumer I’d be more inclined to keep looking for something else if the price were better.

And for the record, I ordered Align direct and from Costco. The direct route got me my shipment quicker (came on Friday) while I am still waiting on Costco to deliver. And yes, Costco’s deal is not that great of a deal. Only if you’re located near one of the stores that actually carry it which is unlikely on a grand scale as I think less than ten of their stores across the country carry it. Shipping kills the deal where it’s quicker to order it direct from them.

Hopefully you were out of town for fun reasons. Thanks again.

Ryan

Comment on IBS Probiotic Align - This Is Not Good by tummyblogger

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:57:33 +0000

Hi, Ryan
Thanks for your two comments on this post.
I’ve been out of town, and away from the computer, for the past week, and missed your comment before I left. :-(

Taking your comments in order:

On minimizing your symptoms, a probiotic will not do that all by itself. You need three things for this blog’s dietary approach to be effective:

First, be drastic in removing trigger foods from your diet. See “IBS Triggers” in the menu that runs across the top of FOR MY TUMMY.
Second, check out the series of articles on Fiber, by clicking on the Fiber category in the listings on the side.
Third, choose a good probiotic, and take it faithfully for two months, before you rule it out.

Because I like numbers, I’ll say that those three things above should provide relief to your symptoms 90% of the time. On diagnosis, you can ask your doctor “Have I described anything that is inconsistent with a diagnosis of IBS?” or you can (and should) go through all the diagnostic tests to rule out many other gastro-intestinal conditions and syndromes. The major harm in following an IBS-specific regimen, if you don’t have IBS, is that a) you won’t get relief, or b) the relief you get is masking some other condition that would be revealed by all those “rule-out” tests that are so invasive.

Also because I like numbers, using this blog’s approach, I allocate roughly 75% of the relief to avoiding trigger foods, 15% of relief to using a *proper* soluble fiber supplement, and 10% of relief to using a *suitable* probiotic. And that last 10% is very very nice to have.

Going gluten-free is in a separate category from all of the above. I find it helpful, and have gone gluten-free for extended periods of my life. On the other hand, I can break a gluten-free diet period without immediate consequences, so gluten does not act in the same way as trigger foods do. Trigger food act either very quickly — within an hour — or in the next 36 hours or so, what I call the “second-day effect.”

On Align ™ and marketing to women: as far as I could see from the Align web site, accessed today, their front page markets to women and men, with two signed “endorsements” from women, one from a man. The pictures, though, include one woman, a woman and a man, and one man.
Their brief “cartoon” showing stick figures has women, a woman and a man, and then women, so that’s a little lopsided.

Yes, the 28-day supply really bugged me. Now THAT’S what seems to me to be sexist (and ageist) about the way Align is marketed. Dare I whisper: it’s cheaper and for many of us at least equally effective to take one Digestive Advantage-IBS ™ in the morning, and one at night, than it is to take one daily Align.

Welcome to FOR MY TUMMY, and please check out more of the blog.

All the best,
Tummyblogger