Me and food sensory

Following from my last post, I am going to mention other foods that I don't like because I feel that they taste raw to me. Thinking about potatoes made me recall these.

Avocado – I know that some people do like these, but I don't. The only time I tried one, years ago, I didn't like it because to me it tasted too raw to me. I know it is a raw food but I just don't like them.

Asparagus – Again I have tried this only once, when I was at a writers' dinner and I thought let's just try it to see what it's like. Nope. Didn't like it. Tasted of nothing to me. Maybe it has that raw feeling for me too.

Broccoli – I tried this once as well and didn't like it. Too bitty for me. I now believe that it had that raw taste to it too.

There are other raw foods that I can't eat such as apples and pears, but that is because they are high in FODMAPs which give me IBS. In other words, they are too much fibre for me. A lot of foods that they say are healthy and good for you, I can't eat because they are too much for me, namely dark green and leafy vegetables. I can eat Brussels but only a few at a time, otherwise they will give me stomach pains. I think this is a reaction against the warfarin I have. Brussels contain vitamin K, and too much of that can have an effect on the warfarin and change the INR levels (blood clotting levels). 

ASD and IBS

April is Autism Awareness month, and IBS and Stress Awareness month, and all three of these can be closely connected. People with autism often have gastro problems, which IBS is one of, and stress from autism can cause IBS, and this is why I am posting about all three now.

I have autism and IBS. My IBS started when I was an adult in the 90s. Most of the time it is caused by foods. Other times it is from nerves, anxiety and stress.

My tips if it is due to foods is to work out which ones cause the problem and eliminate them for a month, then add them back in to your diet one by one with a few days in between. That way you will get to know what the foods are to avoid. My foods are many. I'm intolerant to dairy, gluten. I can't eat raw apples, carrots, or dark green veg, except a few Brussels. I can't eat too much fibre either. I have since found out that many of these are high FODMAP foods. (Fermented, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monos and Polyols (sweeteners ending in 'ol')).

If you know for certain that a particular food causes a problem eg stomach upset, then avoid it altogether. I avoid all dairy and gluten foods, esp butter which makes me v ill, except Marmite. I esp avoid wheat as I know that does give me IBS flare ups.

So that is what to do if food causes you gastro problems. What if it's anxiety and stress? Read my next post for that topic....

An Aspie and her anxiety

My anxiety about going out has come back. I believe it is because after I had the kidney infection, I stayed indoors for over a week, with the only outside space I went to being the garden. I can go over the road to get the paper OK. But when I go shopping locally, I've felt my stomach flip with anxiety either before I go or within half an hour of being out. This causes an IBS flare up.

On Friday, I went shopping with my mum. I was fine before we went, so I thought that I would be OK. But, no, just as the bus got to the centre, I felt my stomach flip. I tried to put my anxiety into words; why did I feel anxious? I've been here before and I was OK. (Something I read to do in the current issue of Top Sante). It worked for a while but after walking round shops for half an hour, I had to stop. Luckily the centre has public toilets where I went. I was fine after that. It is so frustrating to me me and my mum as I feel that it spoils the shopping trip for us. I might have to sit for longer before I go out, or try the talking out my anxiety more. I hope to get back to normality soon.

Writing diary - Week 3

Here is how I am going.

Saturday - Author biz content day. I was going to go to the first RNA London meeting of the year, but had so much going on during the week I chose not to go. So I worked on content instead. I continued working on m client's picture book stories. I also wrote and typed up more exercises for the writing exercise ebook I am planning to publish, hopefully, later this year. I also had time later in the day to work on the pocket novel. Word count is now 45,219.

Sunday - Worked on the pocket novel and short story.

Monday - Was due to meet author client but he postponed the day before due to snow. So in the morning I had to take something to the hospital then went on to shopping. Had time to work on the pocket novel - word count is now 45,248. Finished editing the short story.

Tuesday - Had first blood test of the week this morning. Getting used to needles now. Typed up new Xmas story. Word count is 494 words.

Wednesday - Author biz day. Worked on finishing my client's picture ebooks, inc adding activities that children can do that are related to the stories. Wrote up in a pad the list of the ebooks that will be in the series. Also, emailed my lists with newsletter about tenses with an exercise. Later on I worked on the pocket novel as getting so near to the end of it. Word count is now 45,487.

Thursday - Had second blood test of the week. (This one for the hospital and my IBS). Worked on pocket novel, Wrote more of the Xmas story now called 'The Magic Wand'. I also emailed a letter to Writing Magazine about retreats.

Friday (today) - No blood tests! Hurrah. Finished a new chapter I started writing for the pocket novel. This concludes the sub plot in it. Wrote more of the Xmas story. Later I shall type up more of the PN.

Eating out on a day trip - then and now.

This is one of the posts I will write about food intolerances and travel. When I was able to eat certain foods and now that I can't. I shall start with day trips out to the seaside.

Years ago, my mum and I would go to Eastbourne for the day, a couple of times, during the summer. Way back then, I was able to eat dairy. So, during our day out, although we'd take our own lunch with us to eat, we would pop to the sea front and buy ourselves Magnum's. I used to love the caramel choc ones. So yummy. I'd enjoy sitting on a bench, looking towards the sea, and eating it with relish. One of the other foods I used love to buying and eating was fudge. It was one of my fave sweets. I loved the creaminess of it. It never used to last long when I got it home. But that was then, when I was able to eat dairy.

Now is a totally different story. The last time we went to Eastbourne was in 2005, when my mum passed out and broke her wrist. We've not been since as Mum hasn't done any long train journeys, and doesn't know how she'd cope with one. Anyway. in 2005, I knew I was dairy intolerant, so I couldn't eat what I used to. We still took our own lunches, but we'd take snacks with us, too. We'd have crisps and fruit bars to eat instead of buying ice creams and sweets. This is what we take when we go out for days now. How I miss those Magnums. But I know I wouldn't be able to eat them because they'd give me bad IBS, and I don't what that whilst I'm out.

So, do you have food intolerances? Do you have memories of what you could eat before you were diagnosed? And what are they? Let me know. I might do an article about this some day.

Coping with IBS at home and leisure

Back to my series about coping with IBS, or not. Today I am going to post about how I have coped, or not, with IBS at home and leisure time.

First, at home. I am talking about when I am at home and about to go out shopping. For quite a while, earlier this year, I would have breakfast, get ready, then go shopping with my mum to get the weekly food shopping. Mistake. As I've said in my previous post, it is a good idea to sit and rest for 20 mins or so after eating because your food won't digest properly. I know this now from experience. When I did this, and started walking round the store, half an hour in shopping I'd say to my mum that I had a stomach upset and needed to go somewhere. Feeling that I was spoiling the shopping trip, made me anxious and made my stomach feel worse. I hated this happening. Not only because it spoiled our experience shopping, but due to having Asperger's Syndrome I'd get anxious about not finding my mum when I came out. (That is another post about coping with AS). Thankfully, this hasn't happened for ages, and I intend it not to happen again. If it does, my mum and I have a strategy to meet up.

Secondly, leisure time. I am talking about when you are going out to meet friends. I often go out and meet writer friends for talks, or brunches and lunches. There was one occasion recently when the weather was v hot (in the 30s) and I was going to be meeting friends for brunch and had to sit outside. I got really anxious about this and ended up with a stomach upset from IBS. I didn't go in the end, with the excuse that sitting in the heat was bad for me and my heart (I have a hole in it, and was said that people with heart problems shouldn't stay in the heat), and wasn't well. I get nervous about going to talks in general, but try to stay calm and relaxed before hand. I think in that instance, it was a case of going into the unknown as well as going to a place I'd not been to before that set it off.

So, if you have IBS, how many times has it stopped you enjoying pleasant experiences such as shopping and meeting friends? With me, lots of times.

Coping with IBS whilst working, or not

Having IBS really affected my life when I worked. In the morning I sometimes had IBS after breakfast, so it would delay my leaving time to get to work. If there is one thing I hate it is being late to anywhere (something connected to my Asperger's, I think). I remember a time many years ago when I was on what was then the Youth Training Scheme (one thing that I feel should be still available today to youngsters leaving school. Esp young ones who are like me quite shy and not sure about working straight after school), there was a period when I had pseudo diarrhoea. That is when you feel you want to go to the toilet time and again but can't go. Later on when I worked properly, just before I found out I was intolerant to dairy, it really affected me like that again. I kept going in and out of the toilet (I know it's not nice to talk about, but that is what IBS is). It really affected my work performance, in that I couldn't do all the work I had to. It affected me on and off over the years until the last time it really affected me again was due to stress - after I was told I was being made redundant from my job of 20 years. I found this really stressful, and it didn't help that a colleague wasn't very nice to me. When we had this altercation, it really stressed me out, and brought on IBS again, v badly. So badly that everytime I did a number two I bled.

So it appeared that stress made my IBS flare up badly when I worked. Next time I shall post about IBS, it will be about how it has affected my home life. But my next post will be about the workshop I attended yesterday and what I learnt and what I did. Until then...

How to cope with IBS - all other meals

Today I am going to tell you how I cope with IBS for lunch, dinner and supper. I do have tablets half an  hour before meals to help with my IBS, but these things also help me. Never rush meals. Sit still for a couple of minutes after eating and before you get up. Don't move around too much after eating. Don't bend down after eating. If you want to, leave at least half an hour. I have found this disturbs digestion and therefore gives you a stomach upset. Chew your food properly. Don't rush eating eg wait until you have finished one mouthful before putting another into your mouth. (I know someone who does this, and I don't know if they can taste their food at all). There is one bit of advice that is important at all meals - always sit a table to eat, not in an armchair watching TV. The straighter you are sitting up the better the food will digest. So, if you must sit in an armchair whilst eating, make sure you sit up right as much as possible. And sitting at a table, with your family, is also a good way to catch up with family stuff and be a proper family.

So, don't rush your meals. And sit at a table to eat. These are two of things that I've read recently that do cause IBS, and I have experienced this myself. If you don't have IBS, and I can assure you that you don't want it, please take heed of what I say as I know from experience that these things aren't nice and do great effect my life. Saying that, has given me an idea of what else I can post here about IBS. Next time I will let on how it is has effected my life.

How to cope with IBS in the mornings

I have suffered with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for years, but mostly in the mornings. Over the years I have found ways to cope with it, and to make it less of a problem.  Here are my few tips.

1. If you are going out anywhere after breakfast, always put your shoes on before eating. Bending down after eating causes digestive problems.

2. Again, if going out after breakfast, sit and rest for a couple of minutes at the table after eating before you get up to go. This does help.

3. If you have time because you don't have to go out straight after eating, then sit and rest for at least 20 minutes before getting up to go out. I have found this really helps, esp before a shopping trip. I used to get up and get ready straight after breakfast, then walk round the shops. It ended up with half an hour into shopping, me telling my mum, 'I need the toilet'. I hate having to go while I am out shopping, esp a number two. This used to happen a lot to me when mum and I went food shopping during the week. Mum would carry on with the shopping. When I came out, I couldn't see her and panic (the Asperger's kicking in). Now I don't have this problem.

So, those are my tips for coping with IBS in the morning. Next will be about coping with it at other meals and during the day.

Let me know if you have any other tips about IBS and eating.

IBS and FODMAPs

I have read that some children with Asperger's/autism have digestive problems, and I am one of them. For years I have suffered with IBS on and off and most recently it has flared up. So, I have been trying a new food regime. I have also read about FODMAPs, and don't ask me what they all mean as I'm not sure. I know the F stands for Fermentable (things like apples, honey), and the P stands for Polyols which are foods, mainly sweeteners that end in 'ol' like sorbitol. I know that I can't eat apples and I sometimes can't eat lots of sweeteners, also dark green veg, which are meant to be good for you, not me.  I read others on the list are wheat (which I can't eat too much of in a day) and onions. So, I have cut out wheat and onions for the last couple of weeks to see what happens. My IBS has been up and down since, but not as bad as it was when I ate onions. I have cut out chives, which I usually have nearly every day. I am away this coming weekend and will prob be eating wheat then, so shall see what happens when I do, having not eaten it for a while now.

I shall blog the results next week when I come back.

IBS and Medication - Update

This is an update to where I am with IBS and my medication. Over a week ago I decided to stop my IBS medication as my IBS had flared up badly. I thought it was either not working or working too much. Well the results so far have been good. My IBS has calmed down a lot now and I feel better in myself. My insides also feel better. So I am not going back to having them again for at least another couple of weeks. I need to update my prescription for one of them, so when I see my GP again (in two weeks time) I shall ask her to do so but tell her that I've stopped taking them for now as I feel a lot better without taking them.

I shall give another update then.  Next time I will have an update on how my face is going with not using products with any form of alcohol in.

IBS and medication

For years on and off I have suffered from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It came to a head in 2001 and I went to the GP and was put on two tablets. I have been taking these ever since, but the last week I have been thinking that they may not be doing the work they should be doing or working too much for me as I have been more times than usual (sorry, I know that TMI). So, since Monday this week I have started an experiment. My mum used to have the same problem and was put on the same medication, until she stopped hers and got lots better. So, I am doing the same. I had the two tablets on Monday morning and not have had any since then. The results - I have been a lot better stomach wise and feel better in myself. I might carry on for another week to see what happens, then go back on them for a couple of weeks to see if I go back to what I was like last week. So I shall let you know what happens. Watch this space...