Bad Bellies and Travel

Before I begin, I hope that you have enjoyed your holidays, and for those that celebrate it, had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year! 

I apologise as well to my readers that I have not posted for a few weeks – I had been very busy at work, and then was travelling for Christmas, so did not have time to write.

For my first post of 2015, I am going to write about my experiences with my belly over this recent holiday.

POTENTIAL ISSUES WHILE TRAVELLING

I have found that this time around, being the first proper trip overseas since my FM diagnosis, I have struggled more with my belly on this holiday compared to on previous trips. I was travelling in Hong Kong for a week, and had a lot of trouble with reflux in particular.

I believe that there are a few possible reasons for this, as I have listed below:

• Ingredients used in food – Due to the different cuisine and language barriers, it was often difficult for me to ascertain the exact ingredients used in the foods I was eating. Since my belly often reacted negatively after eating, it was likely that some of the ingredients were also my trigger foods.
• Availability of specialty foods – From my experience, particularly in Asian countries, there is less acceptance or understanding of bowel conditions and food intolerance. This certainly seemed to be the case in Hong Kong, as it was difficult to find specialty foods, or restaurants that will cater to my dietary requirements.
• Different water – In general, people with bad bellies can be more susceptible to having problems with unclean water, or even just water that their body is not used to, so this may have contributed to my symptoms.
• General stress of travelling – Travelling can be stressful in general, as you are worrying about flights, packing, accommodation, and so on. As previously discussed in this post, stress can have a negative effect on bad bellies, so this could have also been a factor for me.

MANAGING SYMPTOMS WHILE TRAVELLING

For those with IBS and/or IBD, travelling can generally be challenging. Here are a list of trips for managing symptoms while travelling (summarised from here and here):

• Bring plenty of medication – Make sure you bring plenty of medication with you, and get more from your doctor or pharmacy before you leave for your trip if necessary.
• Access to bathrooms – Where possible, try to be aware of the bathroom situations on transport and in the areas you are travelling ahead of time, in case an emergency arises. If you feel more comfortable, request an aisle seat on planes. It could also be a good idea to look up how to ask “Where is the bathroom?” in the local language.
• Bring an “emergency kit” – I have not done this before, but may do so in future. This means having some supplies in your hand luggage in case things go wrong, and may include items such as a change of clothes, spare medications, copies of medical documentation, baby wipes, snacks, tissues, and so on.
• Be careful with the water – Where possible, always boil water before drinking it, or buy only bottled drinks. Also be careful when eating uncooked vegetables and fruit. This will also help you to avoid “traveller’s diarrhoea,” which can be worse for people with IBS or IBD.
• Bring snacks – Rather than avoiding foods and therefore not eating enough, bring your own snacks so you know that you always have something that you can eat.
• Speak to people around you – If necessary, speak to your friends or people such as flight attendants about your condition upfront, so that if there is an emergency, they will be more understanding and better able to help you.
• Avoid stress – Try to relax before and during the trip as much as possible, so that you keep your belly as stable as possible. Ways to do this involve carefully planning your trip in advance, including making sure you are properly covered with travel insurance, and being careful with eating on the day of travel.

Do you have any other tips for managing bad bellies while travelling? Please comment below.

Bad Bellies and Different Cuisines

This past weekend, my partner and I met some friends for lunch at a Chinese Yumcha restaurant, and it made me think about my experiences with FM and other cuisines. In some ways, different cuisines can be better for my belly, and others can cause problems. 

This week, I would therefore like to share my experience with FM and different types of foods.

ADVANTAGES OF DIFFERENT FOODS

I have found so far that the main advantage of different cuisines, particularly Asian-based cuisines, is that there is very little reliance on wheat products. For example, rice flour is used in noodles, such as in vermicelli, which is particularly common with Chinese and Vietnamese food. Additionally, rice flour is used in batter with Japanese tempura. In Middle Eastern or South American cuisines, it is also more common to find other types of grains with meals, such as quinoa.

I have also found that although they still tend to contain wheat flour, French and Turkish breads seem to be made differently to other “regular” bread, and are often slightly better for my belly.

CHALLENGES WITH DIFFERENT FOODS

On the other hand, one of the main challenges with other cuisines is that in comparison to in “Western” cultures, there is less acceptance, or perhaps awareness, of different dietary needs. In fact, I have been told that in some Asian cultures, having a bowel condition is seen as “embarrassing” and “troublesome.” This means that it is often harder in these types of restaurants to find gluten free or fructose friendly meal options. Additionally, I have found that menus in these restaurants seem to have less complete ingredient lists for their dishes, which can make it hard to determine whether they are fructose friendly.

Along with this, I have found that across most cuisines, onion and garlic tend to be very popular, and this of course makes things difficult with FM. In particular, lots of different sauces use both of these ingredients. Onion is also very common in dishes such as Chinese stir fry, and Koren bulgogi, or in fillings for different types of dumplings.

One of my weaknesses when it comes to Asian food is Thai green curry, and as I’m sure you can imagine, this can be problematic – curry can be a problem for people with “regular” bellies, and the effect can be much worse with a belly like mine!

MANAGING CHALLENGES WITH DIFFERENT FOODS

While it can be challenging for people with FM to eat foods, I have found some methods that can help to manage this when eating out:

Ask questions – If you are unsure about the dish, ask for clarification on the ingredients. I find in this situation that rather than trying to explain my FM, I just ask whether the dish contains onion, for example.

Request for problem ingredients to be removed – Sometimes, if you make a special request, the restaurant may be able to accommodate you. I have previously had some success with asking for onion to be removed, and simply explaining that I am not able to eat it.

Before going to a new restaurant, particularly if you are not very familiar with the food, do some research – I often look up the menu online if it is available, or ask around about the food served there. This can sometimes just help me to prepare for what I can expect in terms of the food, and what to look for that will be more suitable for my belly.

Do you have any tips for FM and foods from different cuisines?

Bad Bellies and Stress

It’s been a bit of a tough one this week. :(

Things have still been very busy and stressful at work, which was not helped by the fact that it was a short week, due to a public holiday on Tuesday. As a result, my health has also been affected - I have had difficulties sleeping, low appetite, and my belly has felt off all week. Yesterday, work was busier than usual, and I was really struggling - by the time of my lunch break, I was feeling overwhelmed and drained. I am generally quite introverted, so I found that having some quiet time by myself, and playing Candy Crush Saga for a few minutes to give my mind a break, seemed to help. However, by the end of the day, I was exhausted. At that point, relaxing in front of the TV also seemed to help, but I was also very glad to crawl into bed later that night!

Today was a little better, but still stressful. My appetite has improved slightly, but I am still very tired and my belly has been a bit shaky. Again, having some quiet time at home tonight has helped, and I am also very glad for the weekend!

Do you have any tips for managing stress? Please share below.

Bad Bellies and Appetite

This week I have experienced some loss of appetite, which is not usually something I have trouble with. Therefore, this week I would like to explore the causes of loss of appetite, particularly with a bad belly like mine, and share my thoughts on how to manage this symptom.

COMMON CAUSES OF LOSS OF APPETITE

There are many possible causes of loss of appetite, and I have listed the most common ones below (summarised from here, here and here):

• Bacterial or viral infection
• Stress
• PMS
• Hypothyroidism
• Pregnancy
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Side effect from medication
• Depression
• Kidney, liver or heart disease
• Colon cancer
• Eating disorders

When looking at this list, I think that my problems with loss of appetite this week have been mainly caused by stress from work, as I have taken on a new role at work recently, and it has been very tiring. I am pretty sure that I do not have an infection or cancer, am not pregnant or suffering from an eating disorder, and do not have kidney, liver or heart disease. Also, I am generally excited about my new role, so I don’t think depression is a factor.

As previously discussed, stress can also exacerbate the symptoms of IBS and IBD, and I did also have quite a bad belly week in general. Additionally, loss of appetite is also common with both IBS and IBD. In particular, loss of appetite can be caused by many of the other symptoms or complications of these two conditions – bloating, nausea, pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and even mouth ulcers. You can read more about the relationship between appetite and IBS here, and with IBD here.

MANAGING APPETITE

Although some people might say it can be useful to lose weight, and look for appetite suppressants when on a diet, loss of appetite is generally not a good thing. It is especially problematic for people with bowel conditions, as the body may already be missing out on some nutrients.

Therefore, I believe it is important to find ways to increase appetite when experiencing loss of appetite. Here is a list of possible ways to treat loss of appetite (summarised from here, here and here):

• Treating the underlying condition, usually with medication
• Eating smaller meals, to help avoid bloating
• Eating food you enjoy
• Eating bitter foods, which can stimulate digestion
• Eating foods that can help settle the stomach
• Maintaining a regular meal schedule
• Creating a relaxing environment when eating

In my situation, I found that my appetite improved when I was more relaxed, and also when I was eating foods I liked. Stress relief activities also helped, such as dancing to my favourite music, or talking things out with people close to me.

Additionally, there are ways to prevent loss of appetite from occurring, as discussed here and here. In particular, these methods include changing your eating habits, avoiding stress, exercising, keeping hydrated, changing your routine, or adjusting medications.

Do you have any tips for managing your appetite? Share below.

FM and Going Gluten Free

When I was diagnosed with FM, my dietician suggested that “going gluten free” may help, as this would also help to decrease my intake of fructans. This is because wheat contains high amounts of fructans, as discussed in this previous post, as well as gluten. However, gluten free is not always fructose friendly, and this is something that I often struggle with, particularly with the current popularity of gluten free foods. This week, I will discuss the possible connections and differences between gluten free and fructose friendly foods, and my personal experiences with this.  

GLUTEN FREE FOODS

It is very common today to find gluten free variations of many foods which are typically made with wheat flour – bread, pasta, wraps, pizza bases, cakes, biscuits, and even Weet-Bix! I have to say that in my experience, these gluten free foods are sometimes unpleasant – they can be dry, heavy, and even tasteless. Additionally, I find that gluten free pasta does not fare well as leftovers, as they often lost their consistency. However, there are also some things that are very well made – flourless cakes, for example.

Here are my favourite gluten free products so far:

Peckish Rice Crackers

Butterfingers Gluten Free Shortbread 

Table of Plenty Rice Cakes

San Remo Gluten Free Pasta

Buon Appetito Gluten Free Pasta

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLOUR

In order to make things gluten free, i.e. wheat free, there are many different flours that are used. This website gives a comprehensive list of possible alternative flours, but the most common ones in my experience are as follows:

• Maize/corn flour

• Potato flour

• Rice starch

• Spelt flour

• Tapioca flour

These flours are often made in combination to help get a good balance of textures, like in the recipes listed here. If you are mixing your own gluten free flour, the basic formula to follow is 40% whole grain flours, and 60% white starches.

The problem for those with FM is that some alternative flours are high in fructose or fructans. As previously discussed, I am very sensitive to corn flour. This can also be a problem when different flours are used as thickeners in sauces or stocks.

POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO GOING GLUTEN FREE

In my experience so far, it is sometimes better to find other alternatives to gluten free foods. For example, I find that sourdough bread is a good alternative to gluten free bread, as it does not contain problematic ingredients like corn flour, and still tastes good. On the other hand, when ready-made gluten free foods are not suitable, a good option is to make your own flours, stocks or sauces.

What are your experiences with FM and gluten free foods? Please share below.