So, if you were one of the folks that read my travel blog back in September, you already know I have a great affinity for all things tea related. If you are new to my writing, I'll give it to you in a nutshell…I love tea, hot or cold, whole leaves or not, organic or otherwise and have been known at times to make my own little mixtures and carry handmade tea bags along when I travel. I politely make a request to our waiter, the first night in the dining room, for a hot pot of water each evening, to be provided along with my menu. I plop my tea bag in to steep and I'm set for the rest of the dinner.
You may think this is a very odd way to begin a meal, however for me, it's the perfect solution for my somewhat temperamental tummy. You see, I drink herbal and digestive teas to soothe the savage beast…which is what my stomach has been known to transform into, when filled with one too many exotic foods. Let's face it, as we age, our once very happy stomach can turn on us in the blink of an eye, and just decide it no longer wants to agree with everything we put into our mouth. Ever recall hearing someone say "I used to be able to eat that all the time when I was younger"?....or how about actually making that identical statement yourself. When did it finally occur to you, that you no longer have a happy tummy after eating the same exact meal you've been enjoying for years?
Through much research, I discovered that we all have a certain amount of enzymes in our stomachs and as we age they disappear, never to be seen or heard from again. How sad, the food we've loved for all of our adolescence and into our mid 20's and 30's, no longer loves us. It's frustrating to realize that without some type of medical or supplemental assistance, we are no longer able to eat the foods that we crave and enjoy…something is just not right with this picture.
After suffering for quite a while in my 30's, and subjecting myself to numerous medical tests, all with negative results, my doctor had no solution for what I was experiencing, other than to suggest a prescription. I decided that there had to be a simple solution that did not involve medication. I'd heard my mother say that Poppa, her father, had some eating/digestion issues for as long as she could recall. He ate a very specific diet in his later years, to accommodate his delicate system. After I self diagnosed my issues and found a way to cope, it was discovered that my son also has some digestion concerns. It appears to be a problem that may have been passed down through the generations....which is not always the best news to hear, even when it is manageable.
I was not interested in being prescribed a lifetime worth of medications, and could not see myself chewing on Tums for the remainder of my days. Let's face it, some of the pharmaceutical remedies out there, cause side effects worse that the symptoms themselves. I did find that simple solution I had been searching for, in the form of replacement enzymes. Much in the way some folks have issues digesting lactose/dairy products and take lactaid, I found an over-the -counter enzyme supplement that helps me eat whatever my heart desires, within reason. It comes in particularly handy when we were cruising, and eating heavy meals late into the evening. No one wants to be uncomfortable after eating, if there is a natural, non-chemical, non-medical solution, then I say go for it.
I don't need to use the enzymes all the time...I've discovered for my every day eating habits, that it helps to consume some foods in a particular order, which in turn, allows digestion to occur in more gentle manner. Simply put, some foods digest more easily than others…for example try fruits, then veggies, then carbs and lastly proteins when eating a large meal. It may look a bit strange while you are doing it, but in the long run, it actually works. I know it may not always be practical, however, every little bit helps when you are trying to cope with a life long eating issue. You can take it even further and eat small amounts of food in the same category, separated by 20 minute intervals, allowing the digestion process to take place a little more slowly.
I know that this all sounds like a strange science lesson, and it may appear to be more trouble than it's worth, but for me, it honestly works and makes eating all the foods I dearly love, a true pleasure. I refuse to take daily medication and/or give up what I enjoy doing…let's face facts, there are so few simple joys left in life, as you enter into your senior years.
People have a difficult time understanding how I am able to eat all these foods, without gaining any additional weight. Strangely enough, when I return from a cruise and show friends the pictures, I get all kinds of questions....like "did you gain any weight?" or "how can you eat all that?" and I even heard "its a good thing I like you, otherwise I'd hate you for being able to eat all that and still look like you do" sort of a back handed compliment, I guess??? Taking into consideration the normal ups and downs most women experience during pregnancy, I'm actually pretty much the same size I was in my 20's, give or take 10lbs. I still wear a similar size clothing (I graduated from Jr to Misses after childbirth--gotta love those extra curves), and while a couple parts of me have notably changed over the years, I am quite pleased with how I've taken this whole digestion/eating thing in stride. There was a time when eating almost anything bothered me...that was simply NOT fun!!!
Which brings me to the most recent addition to my tea repertoire…Yogi brand Stomach Ease, which promotes healthy digestion. The organic ingredients are as follows:
Licorice Root
Cardamom Seed
Fennel Seed
Coriander Seed
Peppermint Leaf
Ginger Root
Black Pepper
I have found in the past, that some tea can be bitter and it is necessary to add milk and sugar to please my taste buds. I'm happy that the fennel gives the tea a naturally sweet flavor, so there is no need for anything additional, to make it more palatable. You might ask why this tea is any better or worse than other herbal blends or digestive teas....well there is actually a little surprise bonus with this particular brand…each tea bag has a thoughtful phrase printed out on the hangtag….which allows me to have a moment each day when I contemplate the meaning of life (ok, that may be stretching it a bit)...or something close to it....perhaps the "Confucius" saying for the day. The somewhat inspirational words are an nice way to start my day or begin a special meal. Here are just a few that I've reflected upon:
Live in your strength
Always be pure simple and honest
Be proud of who you are
Live for each other
Uplift everybody and uplift yourself
If you don't love where you come from, you can't love where you are going
You can run after satisfaction, but satisfaction must come from within
For every loss their is an equal gain, for every gain, there is an equal loss
And last but not least, this is an extremely flavorful tea…one tea bag provides several cups of tea over the course of the day. I just keep adding warm water to my very large mug, and it continues to be my drink of choice, until I leave my desk and return home in the evening. On a cruise ship, it recently helped to get me through a four-hour eleven-course meal, with absolutely no side effects. If you recall, I was the only one at the table comfortable enough after all that food, who could order and eat 2 desserts…if that is not proof of its tummy calming abilities, I don't know what is. I always offer to supply my table buddies with a tea bag, rarely do I have any takers.
So whether you find some delicious herbal tea to drink, or it takes a few vegetable enzymes to help you get through all the extra goodies around the holidays.....find whatever works for you within reason, and don't forget...Yogi says:
Patience gives the power to practice; practice gives the power that leads to perfection
No comments:
Post a Comment