As you may or may not know, I have been struggling with stomach issues since last May when I had what I'm sure was a horrible gall-bladder attack. Unfortunately six months and $6000 worth of tests later, no one can confirm that, nor really pinpoint what the cause of my troubles is--they like to just throw around words like GERD and give me a big prescription list. After some research of my own, and my sister's (Thanks Edie) I wondered if my troubles were at all related to the anti-depressant that I have been taking for two years. My DR and I decided that I wouldn't take it anymore as an experiment and I would instead use some natural treatments for my anxiety and depression. I am excited to say that exercise therapy coupled with lots of sunshine (I LOVE living in the desert--it may be brown but we have so much sun, and beautiful sunsets too . . .) has been FAR more effective than Wellbutrin ever was. Turbofire rocks as a drug!!
The bad news is, stomach problems are still here. I am not interested in taking Prilosec for the rest of my life--no thank you big pharma, you can keep someone else sick, but I need to to do something. So back to the research. I love love love Chris Kresser's Website. He calls himself the Healthy Skeptic. Check out his site for TONS of information on all sorts of health topics. (My favorite article, How not to spend the last ten years of your life in a wheelchair and a diaper.) One of his suggestions was to have 1 tsp raw (unfiltered, unpastuerized) apple cider vinegar with 8ounces of water several times a day, in addition to eating better, to help restore the balance to the gut (oh, how I hate that word).
This has all been great, but the most exiting thing has happened in the bathroom--don't worry, no TMI moment--on the scale! One side-effect of stopping wellbutrin has been a traumatic 10 pound weight gain in the midst of all this increased excercise. BUT since last Wednesday I have lost at least 5 pounds. The "Cambuche" makes me feel full. It also has magically stopped me when I'm in the middle of an I-can't-find-enough-to-snack-on afternoon binge. I imagine it's also doing all those things in my gut that Chris Kresser talked about. I'm also actually getting used to, and even, dare I say, enjoying my little beverage!
I'm so glad you have found something that helps and are finally feeling better. There are some very health-conscious women in my neighborhood that drink cider vinegar with something else. Some kind of cocktail that apparently tastes terrible but is good for you in dozens of ways! I am a baby and continue to eat what actually tastes good... I am afraid one day life will make me pay for this! Fun to read your blog.
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