Stress is a response to stimuli that involves the mind and body.  It
should be understood as a biological response rather than a
psychological term. It not only shoots our BG's up, it can cause us
many other problems which I will discuss in this article.

The Stress response can alter the way the brain and the body
interact. For example, stress can increase GI symptoms by changing
how the brain controls unwanted and painful sensations.
These ways of thinking over the years have contributed to the understanding and
treatment of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or SA (Somatization Disorder). It is a chronic
disorder multiple physical complaints and/or symptoms. Women seem to have it much
more than men do.

It usually begins at an early age (around the 30's) and stress worsens the symptoms.

IBS can either cause diarrhea or constipation. It can cause a great deal of pain in the gut
area and nausea beyond belief. For you that have it, you know what I am talking about.

SD (Somatization Disorder) has many of the same symptoms, but seem that the
symptoms are worse than IBS.

There are many meds out there for both. Zelnorm, Reglan, Ery-Tab, Antacids,
Promethazine, HCL, and Zofran, which is a chemo drug for nausea.  I have had them all
and they do help some, but not to the extent that you would wish they would. I still have
the nausea and cannot eat, as I should. I stay mostly on a liquid diet when this flares up.
According to the authorities this is not a good thing to do and have managed to lose 80 in
about 7 months time, that is the only good thing about IBS that I have found. I am going
thru a bought of it now, so am sticking to water and a bit of Diet Pepsi just for something
with some taste. I do drink some Ensure just to get something good inside of me.

Here are a few of the foods that may cause loose stools:
high fiber foods, dried beans, corn, and cabbage
Fruits and juices
Caffeine containing beverages (have a laxative effect)
NutraSweet (problems for some people)
Sugar-free gums and mints contains sugar alcohols (can be a laxative)
Real licorice (not the candy) can have a laxative effect.

Here are some supplements to stay away from if you have IBS:
Active Charcoal (oh, shoot, I so enjoy, eating a charcoal brick while cooking out), bee
pollen, borage bil, cayenne, shondroitin sulfate, DHA, flaxseed oil, glucosamine.

Here are some that help to control: Broth, sports drinks, pedialyte, bananas or banana
flakes, yogurt (unless you are lactose intolerant) smooth peanut butter, lean meats,
cottage cheese, 1-2 tablespoon of veggies at a time, drink beverages at room temp (not
to hot or to cold).

There are many others but they are not suited for diabetics.

Some Supplements that may help are:
Psyllium, blackberry root bark (used in teaand pectin)

So the bottom line is to prevent complications that can result in frequent flair ups:
Identify which foods and fluids are bothersome to you
Drink enough fluids apart from meal times
Make sure you include foods with sodium and potassium daily
Eat less and more often
Sit after you eat

Some of the other things that stress can bring on are: Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome (CFS), chronic pelvic pain.

We can also get migraine headaches, post traumatic stress disorder (PUTS), and painful
urination, non cardiac chest pain, shortness of breath, muscle pain, dry mouth, sleeping
problems, depression, anxiety, and panic disorders.

For many of these problems there is no cure (as we would know them). There is no
magic pill for them! There are many good meds out there to help with the symptoms for
them and that is a good start. For the most part we have to help ourselves.

We have to learn to deal with stress and learn to back off from our stressors and also
learn when enough is enough. In some cases, we just can not get away from our
stressors (like our jobs) but we can learn to take deep breaths, several times a day and
step away from our desks and go to the restroom, and close our eyes and take several
deep breaths and take yourself to a "nice quiet place".

We all need to learn to find a quiet place within ourselves to go when things are just
getting to bad for us. Even if the boss is to demanding, the co-workers are piling
everything on your desk, the kids want everything done for them now or dinnertime was
10 minutes ago (it goes on and on).

There has got to be a nice green pasture, or a bubbling brook, or somewhere you love to
go to relax. You should try to go there everyday! It is good for your mental and physical
health. Even setting at your desk at work or in the restroom or even shutting yourself in
the laundry room.

Shut your eyes and take several long deep breaths, and let them out slowly, go to that
favorite place and relax. Begin at the top of your head, and don't stop relaxing till you get
to the bottom of your feet (this is best done in a setting or laying down position. It only
takes 10 to 15 minutes a day to do this!

I know you will feel really silly doing this at first, but I am here to tell you it does work and
you will feel so much better when you are done! You may have to do it more than once a
day at first.

Listening to some relaxing music can help you.. But you have to get a great deal of the
stressors out of your life, and now or they will kill you!

I don't work, so what do I have to stress over?  Do we pay the bills, eat, or get our meds?
That is a big question for me. That is what has got me going right now. We have very
good insurance, and I should not have to worry about it but we are having us pay for
more of our insurance now, more on our meds. That takes a bigger chunk out of the
budget.
Stressor! Stomach hurts, can't eat. Stressor! Even the small stuff can be a stressor. You
have heard the old saying, “Don't sweat the small stuff” but what exactly is the small stuff
anymore?  Hopefully you will get the point I am trying to imply.

Before I turn this article into a pity party I just want to say, I know we all have many
stressors in our lives and we must learn to get them under control. They will cause
heartattacks, strokes, and may cause us to just collapse from pure exhaustion.

We all need to learn to plan out our days better and do what we can do to please
ourselves first, secondly our family, and then work. This sounds kind of selfish but if we
are not around or if we have a breakdown, then we are not going to be there to take care
of anyone!  Take good care of yourself, pamper yourself and have that bubble bath!
Read that book, plant those flowers, and have that teeny tiny bite of sugar-free chocolate
and savor it and don't chew it!

Blessings and love to you all until next month!
The word for the day is Relax!