[mich2002]

Hi Heather, you talk often about the benefits of Ginger/ mint tea - my question is I make it by peeling some ginger root or using fresh mint leaves and pouring hot water over and drinking this I like it but is this the 'right' way of getting the benefits? and what is ginger / mint best used for (ie bloating etc).Also I have IBS-D and have a problem with weight I def dont get enough calories in a day and breakfast is my worst (I did read your answer to SeanJeff)I feel very queezy in the morning - I try and stay away from wheat, cant have dairy and oats make me bloat too much fruit is also no - at the moment I have a bannana and rice cakes? any other suggestions?

 

[Heather Van Vorous]

Hi Saffie - You're making the ginger and mint tea just perfectly. You don't even have to bother peeling the gingerroot - you can just smash a chunk of it and brew it like that. And if you want to use dried peppermint leaves instead of fresh that will work well too. The stronger you brew the teas the more effective they'll be. Peppermint calms digestive spasms, relieves gas, stimulates bile production to aid digestion, and acts as a smoooth muscle relaxant and pain killer.Ginger relieves almost all general digestive problems, reduces gas and bloating, helps relieve nausea, vomiting, and belching, and increases digestive ability. Ginger also helps bloating.For breakfast, try rice or corn chex, rye or pumpernickel toast with honey, applesauce, homemade breads (zucchini, banana, pumpkin, etc.) with soy milk. Definitely drink the herbal teas as soon as you get up - this will help settle your stomach.Best,Heather

 

[mich2002]

thanks Heather - another quick question avoiding wheat is my own thing dont really know if it affects me as its difficult to figure out what is affecting me - am contemplating an elimination diet - but in the meantime you suggest eating sourbread - what is in normal white bread (except wheat) that could 'bother' someone with IBS?

 

[Heather Van Vorous]

Hi Saffie - Any type of white bread is fine. French, sourdough, potato, plain old white bread, whatever you prefer. The only thing that matters is that the bread is not whole wheat, as the bran that is left in whole wheat flour (it's removed from white flour) is very high in insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is a very powerful GI tract stimulant, and can trigger attacks of IBS. So for a safe staple on an empty stomach, white bread is best. You can still eat whole grain breads, but do so carefully. Never on an empty stomach, never in large quantities at one time, and never without soluble fiber to stabilize you. In practice, this would mean just having a piece or two of white bread and then a small piece of whole grain bread.Here's a link to a more detailed explanation of grains and soluble/insoluble fiber, and especially wheat, as it affects IBS: http://www.firstyearibs.com/day3learn.html Scroll down the page and you'll see the section.Best,Heather