When Nausea Takes Over - Creating the Alternative Tummy Toolkit

Note: This is one of my most viewed posts, originally shared in 2012. It has been updated with some tips and products that I have found helpful over the years and hope you do too!  

One of the most unsettling and tough to manage symptoms of gastroparesis is nausea. It can be hard to explain why we are fine one moment and the next sick with the stomach/body spins. Yesterday, as my husband and I were out running errands and laughing about something on the radio, it hit me like an unforeseen tsunami. I could only compare it to the feeling of just stepping off the tilt-a-whirl at the amusement park, wobbly and unstable as though the blood had actually rushed out of my body.

So, what can we do in these unplanned, insufferable situations?

My best advice is to, one, be prepared with a "tummy toolkit," and two, practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques. Yes, I know, I see the eyes rolling, but trust me that it may at least bring a bit of relief. Here are some tips and tools to prevent nausea from taking over.

1. Tummy Toolkit
Think of it as a first aid kit for the belly. Nausea can be soothed through many of our senses like smell, taste, touch, sound, and sight. Here are some of my favorite tips for each:

Smell
The aromas of peppermint, ginger, and lavender have been shown to help ease symptoms. You can find these essential oils in single bottles or look for combos with other blends to help fight nausea. 

• Essential7 oils, created by someone who has lived with digestive trouble and specifically made for those living with GP. She carries one I love called Queeze Away that has been thoroughly researched and proven to help reduce these challenges. Apply a few drops to the bottoms of your feet or inside wrists for best results or simply inhale. 
• Quease Ease Aromatic Inhaler is another product that can be used and easy to take on the go.

Taste

• Ginger tea, ginger chews and ginger candy may help to calm the belly as well as indigestion. My favorite products are made by The Ginger People, wich most stores and Amazon carry. I've even found ginger salt that is not only great for nausea but for those of us who need the extra salt to help with the symptoms of dysautonomia. I carry the Ginger Rescue Strong tablets, which trust me they are not joking when they say strong but they have been the best when it comes to severe nausea hits, especially when I'm on a long car ride or flying! 
• Lavender tea is not always thought of but I've found it helpful as well, not to mention calming at bedtime. 
• If you are able to eat, though it may seem counterintuitive, finding something small to snack on can be very helpful. Protein is ideal but even a couple of crackers can make quite the difference to help things settle. 

Feel

• Acupressure wristband - These are often used when going on a cruise or a boat for seasickness. The band gently stimulates a point on the wrist known in Chinese medicine as nei-kuan. A big fan of acupuncture and previous student of it, I really believe this can be helpful. If you don't have the band you can massage the point yourself. To learn more check out this video and simple instructions from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 

Hear

Music therapy and guided imagery - Both have been shown to reduce nausea and anxiety. If its an option, keep a playlist on your phone, music player, or CD with tunes that make you feel calm and relaxed. Just Google "nausea and sound therapy" for endless videos and information!

• Binaural beats are an emerging form of soundwave therapy in which the right and left ears listen to two slightly different frequency tones yet perceive the tone as one. Search for samples online to try, there is a lot of research linking this type of sound with nausea relief as well as other challenges like anxiety and stress.

Sight

Or rather the opposite! Keep reading to learn more about closing your eyes and taking some deep breaths to help calm many of the challenges we live with like nausea, pain, and trauma. 

2. Breathing Techniques

When nauseous, or in any pain for that matter, its easy to sort of freeze up, focus on the pain and forget what the body naturally wants to do...breathe. So, I encourage you to make this a habit whenever that unpleasant feeling starts to take over and begin to make this a daily practice. This can be done anywhere you go so its one of the best "items" in your toolkit!

Alternate Nostril Breathing
"...you can improve sleep, encourage a calmer emotional state, boost your thinking power and soothe your nervous system."

Diaphragmatic (Abdominal) Breathing

"...when practiced regularly, lead to the relief or prevention of symptoms commonly associated with stress, which may include...stomach conditions, depression, anxiety, and others."

If you want to learn more about tips and tools for living with gastroparesis, hear interviews stories from others who understand, join my friend and co-author Chalyce Macoskey and I as we dive into these topics and more on our new live (and recorded radio) show beginning Friday, August 17th!
Episode One - What Does Healing Truly Mean?

PTSD Live Talk

Last month I shared an update on my return to TPN, IV nutrition, due to severe weight loss, despite making huge strides in food intake and what we thought was a life beyond GP. Not only did this feel like a big, fat blow to my confidence and hope, but a physical and emotional roller coaster of once again accepting that my body does not function properly. Followed by hospital visits, procedures and once again managing daily medical intervention has been challenging to say the least. Enough to cause random panic attacks out of nowhere, fear of what might go wrong next and confusion about how to plan for the future. 

Why is this happening?
How did I get here? 
What can I possibly do?

6th Annual A-Wear-Ness Walk for GP - Tees

It's that time again and we have chosen the colors for this year's Awareness Walk for Gastroparesis and Digestive Health. The event will take place on Saturday, September 9th here in Bellingham, WA, down the trail along the bay that connects the downtown farmer's market and Boulevard Park, with its beautiful island views. 

13 Reasons Why I Can

Ok, so I probably should have shared this when I started the #13reasonswhyIcan, but you know how life gets so here I am on day 14...after the fact. Better late than never!

If you read the book 13 Reasons Why, written back in 2007 by Jay Asher, or watched the recent Netflix series adaptation, you will get the reference here. I had only heard of the story and didn't catch on until a few months back when I binge-watched the series like a bad train wreck; I could not stop despite how painful and heartbreaking each episode became. While there is a lot of controversy happening over the story of the 13 recorded confessions (and ultimate decision to take her own life) shared by the protagonist, Hannah, her teenage experiences are not uncommon. In fact, it took me a couple weeks to really recover from the raw reality of this show.

What Does Healing Truly Mean?

“It is better to believe than to disbelieve; in so doing you bring everything to the realm of possibility.” 

-Albert Einstein 

I've been sharing quite a bit lately about "healing" in reference to gastroparesis. It honestly feels like a double-edged sword at times, using these terms together. Your reaction may be one of hope and excitement. Or you might feel that healing is impossible and want to laugh at the idea of that word used with the awfulness of what you are dealing with. That's totally understandable. It's all very confusing, I know. So I'm going to shed some light on what healing truly means and how this has impacted my own life, when dealing with nearly a decade of living with a pretty severe case of gastroparesis and health challenges.

Book Review: The Gastroparesis Healing Diet

A few months ago I was curious what else was out there on the topic of "healing gastroparesis." As some of you know, I've been writing for the Healing Gastroparesis Naturally website for some time and working on the book this past year (to be released end of May!). To my surprise, the image for The Gastroparesis Healing Diet came up with its upcoming release date in March. I could not be happier to see we were not alone when it came to using the word healing. Not to mention the cover looked so delicious and inviting! 

I contacted the author Tammy Chang, a nutrition coach and cook living in the San Francisco Bay area. While she does not have GP herself she has knowledge of how the gut functions and experience with creating nourishing meals to help heal the body, having worked one-on-one with clients and wrote her first book, The Nourished Belly Diet. She admitted this was not an easy task, finding GP to be the complicated disorder that many of us know firsthand. But she shared in her book that she "found the GP community, along with it's taking in people's harder days, is also extremely loving, supportive, and strong." Between the medical research plus interviewing and talking with those who live with GP (some of whose stories you will find in the book), she was able to get a good understanding of how to create ideas for a healing diet. 

Upcoming Webinar - Foods for Healing GP

Top 5 Foods for Healing Gastroparesis 

with Chalyce Macoskey

Join us as we explore the top 5 foods that can help you gain back your quality of life when living with gastroparesis and learn what the term healing can mean for you. At the end of the talk, there will be a Q&A session to help answer any questions you may have plus ideas on additional resources.

Health coach and certified aromatherapist Chalyce Macoskey will share an approach she has used with hundreds of clients over the years to overcome some of the most difficult challenges when it comes to digestion. She has helped to change my own life for the better and it is my hope she can do the same for many others living with GP. You can read more about when I was first introduced to Chalyce and her work here. 

We look forward to chatting with you soon! 

When: Date and Time: Wednesday  2/01/2017  11:00 AM - (US/Pacific) Duration: 1 hour Audio: Dial-in Number:   (712) 770-4652 Access Code: 711781 International Dial-in Numbers: View List Online Meeting: Screen Sharing / Video Online Meeting Link: https://join.freeconferencecall.com/journeywithgp Instructions: At the scheduled date and time of the meeting, dial into the conference line. When prompted, enter the Access Code followed by the pound key. To join the online meeting, click on the meeting link listed above and follow the prompts to join the meeting. For 24/7 customer service please call (844) 844-1322

Navigating the Holidays with GP

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”
— Albert Schweitzer

There are times when we may feel like the world is falling apart, when our bodies cannot withstand the challenges they annoyingly present at the most inconvenient times, when our mind feels overwhelmed and exhausted.  It is during these times when finding gratitude and what to be thankful for, are absolutely necessary. 

The holidays can stir up a lot in our lives and perhaps that in itself is something to be grateful for. We are forced to step outside our routine, our comforts, and deal with more than we are used to dealing with. In the midst of all of this, we must also acknowledge what is good and find gratitude. As I'm sure you see, the internet is filled with tips and tricks for surviving the holidays, reducing stress, and of course, being thankful. It is also filled with food, food, and more food! Does that depress or inspire you? If you are someone who really struggles with eating then it can feel pretty isolating. So, let's talk about some ideas that may be helpful for you and those you love these coming weeks. 

Hope and Inspiration Part 2 - Essential7 Oils and Support

In the previous post I shared some pretty amazing stories of recovery and as promised will share more in a moment.  I woke up with some thoughts about how to talk about these approaches, being I myself still struggle quite a bit.  The last thing I want to do is provide false hope or offend anyone. So, just a brief idea of where I'm coming from as five years of blog posts may be a lot to review or remember!

Coping, Stress and Anxiety Summit Giveaway

I'm not sure how many times I can say this but, "where did the time go?!"

This year has been a busy one between traveling, work, organizing the GP Walk, home life, and of course my own self-care.  The summer is coming to an end and I hope to have some time soon to share more stories, updates, and photos.  However, today I have a wonderful giveaway and event that I am very excited to tell you about!  

4th Annual GP Walk & Ride!

The last few months have been busy and though I've been a bit absent on the blog there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes.  Aside from the advocacy work I do with ThriveRx (supporting others with living on enteral and parenteral nutrition support), the next GP walk has been in the making.  

This year will mark our 4th annual event, it's hard to believe how far we have come since the first walk, small but immensely effective, in 2012. Due to personal plans in August and September the walk will be held on July 25th, again here in Bellingham, WA.  We've added bike riding as an options so the official name of the event is now: 4th annual Walk & Ride for Gastroparesis and Digestive Health.  Now that's a mouthful but pretty much covers our intentions!  

Inspiring Video: Story of a Girl Who Cured Her GP

"It is better to believe than to disbelieve; in so doing you bring everything to the realm of possibility. 
-Albert Einstein

I recently came across a video on YouTube titled Gastroparesis (GERD) Cured, My Journey to Recovery.  Of course this intrigued me as would anyone so I quickly clicked on the link, anticipating a story that was probably too good to be true.

A beautiful voice began singing Blackbird by the Beatles, the sound so sweet it gave me chills.  Tess, diagnosed with severe idiopathic gastroparesis and GERD, begins by going over the definitions and prognosis of both, then talks about her experience as she became sicker and sicker, and the limited options that were available in Western medicine, none of which provided her relief.  Both her and her mother began exploring alternative options which led them to visit Dr. Matsen, a naturopathic doctor, as well as a doctor of Chinese medicine, Dr. Che, both in Vancouver, B.C.  Between the two, she slowly started a path to wellness and within a year fully recovered.  With the help of a family friend, they were able to create this professional video, hoping reach out and to give others hope.

Finding Balance Yet Again...J-Tube #2

Bookmark my sister-in-law gave me :)

Today I was blessed with the opportunity to meet someone here in town, female, my age, bright and positive energy, who just happens to also live with a j-tube, amongst other challenges including gastroparesis.  It seems awful to say what a relief it was, but truly it felt great to sit next to someone, on my cozy couch, sun shining brightly on us through the windows, sharing experiences we never thought would be a part of our life.  Being in my early 30's, surrounded by active and healthy friends, it is so easy to feel alienated, to try and understand why this is happening to my once-upon-a-time active and healthy body.

2012 - 2013: Re-cap and Update, Triumphs and Troubles

Reflecting back to January of 2012, it feels like a distant planet.  At this time last year, having become comfortable with the feeding tube, I was packing my bags and preparing to head south to Mexico for what turned out to be a fantastic getaway.  After returning, refreshed and renewed, I enrolled in the health coaching program at Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  The year flew by as I studied and began working with others looking to make healthy changes in their lives.  In addition, September kicked off the first annual Awareness Walk for Gastroparesis here in Bellingham, WA.  
That in itself was a job, rewarding for sure but wow, I have a whole new respect for fundraisers!  The year also brought many challenges, including a trip to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore (way on the other side of the country from WA!) to further understand SIBO and how to best deal with the new diagnosis.  After finally clearing that up in October, shortly there after tube troubles arose and, if you have read the recent updates, began a fast and furious downward slope with my health.  

Another GP Holiday Season Begins - Finding Thanks

How different it is to wake up on Thanksgiving morning, knowing the day is not all about indulging in endless amounts of food dishes.  This is now my 5th year with gastroparesis during the holidays.  I remember the first couple times being mostly in denial and, despite the special gluten free recipes, feeling so sick afterwards.  On one hand I was too proud and the other, too embarrassed to be complicated.  Food was my passion, how could I give it up?

Is this your first holiday season with GP and feeling anxious?   Or, maybe you have finally gotten used to being a little different and found peace with it.  Whatever the situation is, and this is something I repeat often, know that you are not alone.  Don't just say this to yourself, share it with everyone around you.  Some may think it's all in our heads or we are just being difficult, but not being able to eat certain foods, eat very much of it, or for some not eat at all, is VERY real.

Now, on to what this holiday is really about...giving thanks. Yes, food is wonderful and comforting and I do hope that those who indulge are incredibly thankful for the ability to do so.  But, how about indulging in what WE do have.  That is the goal for today and as the holiday season unwinds.  Shifting the focus to the small things in life (and the big!) that bring joy and comfort, just as much (or at least close, haha) to a piece of pecan pie.

I am thankful for all the love and support around me, including my wonderful husband, family, friends, the community I live in, and everyone here and on the FB page supporting each other.
I am thankful for the foods I am able to tolerate, even if sometimes the list is short.
I am thankful for my adorable puppy, Luna, a wonderful daily dose of healing therapy.
I am thankful for the small things, like the very small cup of local coffee I can tolerate, fresh air, good books, blogging, living in a free country, heating pads, clothes on my back, yoga, and hot tea.

As far as food goes, I am still making some dishes, both GP and non-GP friendly.  Sweet potato casserole, gluten free pumpkin cornbread, and creamed spinach.  T is in charge of making turkey this year, which we will be packing up early this afternoon to join the rest of the family.

A Few TIPS:

Find something non-food related to indulge in.  I bring my knitting to work on and keep my hands busy.  Crafts, games, books, magazines, or maybe the paper to start planning your Christmas shopping.

If you have more variety in your diet, allow yourself to have small portions of a few dishes that work for you, as opposed to a big bowl of mashed potatoes.

Write down 3 things you can be thankful for and repeat them whenever you feel frustrated with what can't be had.

BREATHE and LAUGH whenever possible!  Both have been proven to reduce stress and relieve pain.

Feeling lonely today or have some tips to share with others?  Join the community here or on Facebook and leave a comment.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and warm wishes to feeling your best. 
With gratitude,
Stephanie

Young Woman with GP Creates Videos to Bring Awareness

"Who knows where I’ll be next week but I can take pleasure in how I feel RIGHT now or know that even if I don’t feel well today… tomorrow is a new day!"

Recently I watched a video, created by a gastroparesis patient, that stopped to remind me we are not alone.  

Lashelle Shuman, is young woman who has lived with GP now for a number of years.  Last spring, after being stuck in bed for nearly 3 weeks, her best friend Jessica called to check in on her.  After hearing how frustrated and upset she was at being sick, Jessica decided to take action.  

Later that evening Lashelle got on Facebook to discover that her friend had created a profile called "It's Not Easy Being Green."   She had gone to the mall and photographed herself and anyone she could find wearing green and got people to hold up an awareness sign.  From there she talked to random strangers in the mall who were wearing green and explained to them what Gastroparesis is, why her friend was sick, and what they could do to help (by donating). 

Re-Post: When Being Positive Isn't Enough

Back in March, I shared this post below when going through a rough time.  We can all relate to having bad days, both mentally and physically.  When we are tired of trying so hard or feel frustrated and overwhelmed with what we have been forced to live with.  Well, I've had one of those weeks, even though I choose to keep a positive outlook, eat the right foods and practice living a healthy lifestyle (breathing, exercise, time with loved ones...).  Why is this?  Because, despite all of this, I still have gastroparesis and days like these are a part of it. 
This blog, as well as connecting with others like myself, whether through the FB page, clients or personal contacts, reminds me that I'm not alone and neither are you.  Thank you for being a part of my journey and supporting this blog, it truly feeds my soul. 
Continue reading for a look at how I felt last spring during a challenging time, as well an additional  book recommendation that has been helpful.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin is a bit of an obsession of mine this time of year.  Starting in early September when the fog begins to settle in, the love affair begins.  Grain-free pumpkin pancakes* for breakfast and banana pumpkin smoothies for a an afternoon snack.  As the weather cools and the leaves begin to fall in October, starting the day with hot cereal with a scoop of pumpkin and almond butter to energize my morning, and tomorrow warm pumpkin soup with a drizzle of coconut milk to warm the evening.