bloating cures

[Curious]

Does anyone know of any macrobiotic healing techniques for uncomfortable bloating a day, not merely after a meal. More specifically it is intestinal inflammation and I suspect it might have something to do with toxins being released and my body simply protecting itself. Any suggestions? I've been trying ginger compresses.

Do you think this might be characterizied as a yin condition?

Thanks a lot!

[Blue Dolfin]

You have given far too little information for anyone to begin to get an idea of the reason for this bloating.

Water retention (yes, a yin condition) can and does have many possible causes and underlying conditions that can be aggravated by consuming too much salt (including miso, tamari, umeboshi, salty condiments) and/or animal food, but sugar and other yin foods and liquids can also cause bloating.

You seem to to saying that your bloating is confined to the belly and that your intestines are inflamed. In that case you might find some helpful info here: http://beyondwellbeing.com/ibs/yangxu.shtml

[Curious]

hi blue dolfin, i would tell you more but i have no idea what the cause could possibly be. i eat relatively lightly and certainly do not have an inclination for salt - if anything, i have too little. sugar is a more probable answer though i've reduced my intake considerably to virtually nothing recently. my stomach is not bloated, only my intestines.

thanks for the website! if anyone else has any idea.. please let me know.

[Blue Dolfin]

Hmmm... I am subscribed to this thread but got no notification of your reply. Checked my spam quarantine too and it's not there.

As to your problem, I am very hesitant to guess at what's going on but I can make a few suggestions that might help and certainly can't hurt you.

First of all, since it sounds like you do have some abnormal condition in the intestines, if I were you I would be sure I was eating some unpasteurized fermented foods every day. One of the best is natto. If you buy it frozen you just let it thaw, mix with minced scallion and some shoyu, and eat as a side dish. There are other ways to prepare natto but this is the simplest. Don't use the flavoring packet that you might find in the package, because it probably contains MSG, but the mustard is OK.

Also, find some unpasteurized sauerkraut or kimchee, or make pickles at home. Make sure your miso is unpasteurized and don't cook the life out of it.

If you're short on time and can't find the right fermented foods, get some probiotic capsules in a health food store.

Avoid cold drinks and cold foods until this condition clears.

A few miles of brisk walking every day would also be helpful. I don't mean use a treadmill. Get outside onto irregular terrain. Take off your shoes and walk with bare feet in the grass or on sand for a while if it's not very cold.

If you have access to a good TCM practitioner, have him or her check you out and give a diagnosis. Then you will at least know where your imbalances are. Liquid metabolism issues can be tricky and if this is enough to cause pain and concern then it's worth getting a checkup done by someone with a deeper understanding of oriental medicine.

Hope this helps.

[Curious]

Wow, Blue Dolfin. Much thanks. I know my condition is very isolated to my intestines. I'm not sure why. I had strong symptons of IBS since I was in High School and I never ate heavily and I was fairly food conscious due to my pain. However at the time I opted for a raw diet with very little, if any whole grains. Though I ate cereal occasionally, I think a lack of any fiber for a few years has had a toll on my system.

I found Macrobiotics for this reason & I've had really great psychological & physical effects though I've experienced constipation, probably due to the steady increase in fiber, which has finally cleared away, leaving me very uncomfortable bloating.

I also occasionally experience pain in isolated regions of my lower abdomen and I often 'feel' the food passing through my intestines through the act of peristalsis which makes me think I'm a fairly sensitive individual.

I will definately take your advice on the natto; I've found miso soup to relieve pain greatly but not bloating. It's weird - I can go half a day without eating a thing but my abdomen is extended. My doctor found my blood tests to be superb for my age and just reccomended more fiber. A TCM practitioner sound like a good idea though.

Thanks a lot for your advice! I've been struggling with some sort of digestive disorder/sensitivity for years now - elminating all kinds of foods, limiting portions. I must say macrobiotics has made me feel the best yet, but I'm just a beginner. Again, much thanks.

-Curious

[lysia jones]

You may consider a candida cleanse, apparently it can be all over in your system. I just read a book called The yeast connection. I too have the sensitive belly. Lysia

[Curious]

I've heard about this - Are there any tell tale signs that one is in need of a cleanse? What are the main strategies of attack? Thanks! Curious

[lysia jones]

Hello, well my head is sort of swimming with the info amy shared with me on a yeast thread I started, and from what I have read in The Yeast Connection. Basically the foods that are modern tend to make us acid, and creating the perfect thriving environment for candida- an organism, like all the kinds that live in us normally at small levels. Also it thrives all throughout men women and kids in all systems of the body, bowel, uninary, ect, and can cause a wide array of symptoms as trivial as a little confusion, spacey, to constant bladder infections, ect... Apparently it can sort of colonize in your intestines and root into the walls, spreading all through the body. Anyway usually the woman is the bearer of great news of too much company from theses micro organisms so a clue to you may be do the women in your life suffer from these problems. To not have overabundant yeast is rare in this age. The advise I got included enjoying alkaline producing foods, taking grapefruit seed extract, drinking extra water, exersise-yoga, walking. I FOUND NOT EATING FLOUR PROUCTS FOR SEVERAL DAYS IS GREAT. I still dabble with eating alot of breads during the week and notice a big difference in how every one feels in my family. It is like living and dying. I am still learning how to eat more healthful than not with the constant need for food prep in a family of four, trying to get them to eat it if it doesnt have cheese, and the right texture. Good luck, Lysia

[sua721]

This is most interesting as I find myself going back to eating baked products and a little dairy after more than 2 years of starving my candida pets - I recently moved to the US and I find it hard to adjust to the lifestyle (in the Philippines, I had house maids who would cook for me all day) - I have to prepare all my food and with the other things that I need to do, and my family as well, cooking or even finding 'macro' food is not too easy.

Anyway, my question is - now that I've been eating small amounts of bread, some food mixed with butter or cream (note it's very little - but very little, can be a lot already - as I was told) - what would be a good way to cleanse - or reverse the effects of my 'new' (hopefully temporary) diet? I can already feel the bloating and acidity back in my instestines - not as bad as before I went to macrobiotics - but it's back!

I have also stopped taking miso soup (I am still waiting for my much delayed miso online order from the cybermacro online store!!) - but will be taking it as soon as I get my order -

I also stopped taking umeboshi plums (used to take it everyday - but got hesitant - I left 1k of umeboshi out of the ref for 7 days - IS IT STILL GOOD?)

I still do have soup with wakame and tamari / shoyu.

What else can I do?

thanks!