Main » June 2005

June 20, 2005

Men = IBS

They say to cut out stress and aggravations from your IBS lifestyle. In that case, can we eliminate the men? Often clueless puppies and other times conniving vultures, I’ve had my fill. With one boy, I’m slightly smitten, so I hold my breath in anticipation when I’m around him. A huge no-no since I’m trying to stay at a healthy calmness. Another boy that I care for stresses my patience and incites me into arguments of relationships and future plans. Yet another boy who I thought was wonderful potential, managed to hide the existence of a girlfriend from me.

I’m starting to think that they are the cause of 50% of my sickness.

Posted by Christine at 1:25 PM | Comments (4)

June 14, 2005

Coworker CarrotCake Conspiracy

There are those social work obligations that cannot be avoided. Dinner with the boss, happy hour, company picnics... and cake. Every time a co-worker turns leaf, I am faced with the perplexing question, "To cake or not to cake".

To cake is surely a death sentence. Not to cake is a corporate faux pas. I see creamy mousses, shivering ice cream concoctions, chocolate delights and, my favorite, carrotcake. You fight to say no, but of course its rude to do so. And honestly, I don't really want to. I try to fight it, sometimes I feign a full stomach, but then carrotcake is served.

Carrotcake is a devious little vixen. She's made out of carrots - and carrots are a vegetable, hence healthy for you. She's made out of nuts, walnut, a prime source of needed fiber. When you logically deduce its benefits, you cannot possibly turn down carrotcake.

I had two slices, one for each birthday.

I had an IBS episode for three hours.

Posted by Christine at 6:08 PM | Comments (1)

June 10, 2005

Trip'n: Traveling with IBS

My last Trip'n entry was abroad to London. While New York is well within the United States, its nevertheless quite a journey for an native Los Angelean and IBS sufferer. Life is tough enough here in Los Angeles; New York is a whole new strategy. As my cousin put it gently, IBS sufferers' anxiety can be even worse in a city such as New York, where you must rely on other people and stringent timetables to move about.
I flew Song this time around and was mildly relieved by the 'purchase-only' menu option. We were given plenty of choices to purchase overpriced, yet very healthy and somewhat IBS friendly food. The fruit, nuts and cheese platter was filling, just make sure you give away the cheese.
I'm sure all of you know that lack of sleep will throw IBS in a tiffy, so our choice to pick the red-eye was pure genius. I spent the next few days with my stomach in knots and rather groggy. So don't be ignorant - pick a flight time that is the most leisurely, even at the expense of losing half day sightseeing. You'll lose the time anyhow if you have an attack.

For those of you who are heading to NYNY for the first time or first time in quite awhile:
- Don't even think about entering Central Park without a map and clearly note the bathrooms. Sometimes they are easy to find and other times you'll find yourself walking in painful circles. And say no to the hotdog but feel free to grab a pretzel from their stands.
- I'm totally carb addicted. New Yorkers make the most amazing bagels in the world - hands down. Pick up a sourdough to calm those IBS rumbles. I just about died at Barney's Greengrass when I tasted the lightest Sturgeon possible. Eating smoked or flavored fish was a treat - and it made me happy knowing it would be fine to digest.
- Stay away from Carnegie's. Very oily, non-IBS friendly and overpriced. In fact, my friends-with-iron-tummys all got sick.
- Scout out fruit stands and corner markets brimming with fresh fruits. In LA , we are rather wary of makeshift shops, but here ... its all about convinience. Most places even offer fresh juice OJ - perfect to start your digestion (constipation sufferers only).
- The city isn't known for their Japanese food, a staple for me, since almost everything in that cuisine is IBS-friendly. However, you can find some decent Thai and Vietnamese food. Fresh veggies and noodle soups are the way to go.
- Feeling the tummy go south? There is a good chance that you are in a touristy area. We ducked into the Sheraton near Times Square and camped out for half an hour. They won't kick you out and the bathrooms are definitely clean! Starbucks is a good bet too, but most New Yorkers stop there for a restroom break as well.
- Always have enough cash to make it back to your hotel/residence by taxi in case an attack comes on and you want to split from the group.
- Plays (and most last 2 hours) may not have the best facilities and are notoriously cold. I had a horrific attack in the middle of Chicago and they closed the only set of bathrooms in the building. I ran in anyhow. At intermission, they didn't offer anything that was warm and drinkable. Next time I plan to smuggle in hot tea in a thermos.

I was in the city for 5 days - so I only got a glimpse of this incredible metropolitan. I was a bit anxious the whole time, traveling by train and walking from place to place, but by the 5 day I fell a little in love.

Posted by Christine at 7:21 PM | Comments (3)