Cholinergic Urticaria (Chronic Heat Hives)-Cholinergic Urticaria.net I Get Itchy Heat Hives (Cholinergic Urticaria) When I Get Hot or Exercise

As I promised in my last post, I thought I would take the time to give a complete review of Digestive Advantage Lactose Intolerance Dietary Supplement/Probiotics. This doesn’t have an effect on my Cholinergic Urticaria, but it works wonders for my stomach and digestion.

First, just let me briefly say that I am NOT getting paid to write this review (I wish), nor do I work for this company in any way. I don’t even own stock (although it is worth buying stock in). This is an honest review and experience.

My Brief Story of Symptoms and Issues of IBS

My symptoms could probably be best described as having IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Basically, I was forced to eat the most raw and boring foods that you can imagine to avoid stomach pain. If I ate anything with too much artificial chemicals, any milk at all, and even wheat products, I would be a mess.

It would usually start about 3-5 hours after I ate the foods (although sometimes it would be the next day). I would suddenly start getting these terrible stomach cramps. They would be so bad, that I would get chills, sometimes feel as if I would throw up, and be bent over with pain. I would also have very bad diarrhea at this point.

It would be worst when I used the bathroom. My bowel movements were normal on days when I ate normal foods (a very strict diet). But if I ate any bad foods, gas, bloating, cramping, and diarrhea would soon follow. Also, I would usually have a bowel movement daily (sorry for being so personal, but I thought I would throw that in for anyone who has these symptoms too).

This has bothered me on and off for years, and recently I had a terrible attack and felt sick the entire day. It affected me so badly, I actually went on a complete water fast for 2 days! It finally allowed my stomach to rest, but certainly didn’t eliminate my dairy and food problems. I decided I would give Digestive Advantage another shot, as I remembered I had good results in the past..

Enter the Digestive Advantage Lactose Intolerance Therapy-My Review

This stuff is incredible! They also make something for Crohn’s and IBS, but this works great for me (I have never tried the others). I first heard of this product when I was researching lactose intolerance pills. I had finally concluded that milk/dairy was definitely one food that was causing the symptoms (among others). I came across this product, and the product reviews on Amazon.com were so good I actually suspected they were fake!

So for less than $8 for about a month’s supply, I thought, “Why Not?” I gave them a shot. The results were incredible. First, you have to take them for a couple of days. The box recommends taking 2 for your first few days, and then eating 1 daily (or 2 if you have really bad digestion).

So I would stay away from bad foods until you have a chance to get this stuff in your system for about 2-5 days, then test it. The pills themselves come individually wrapped in a small paper-like wrapping that is easy to open, and great if you need to carry an extra one or two with you in your pocket. The pills are small and blue, and relatively easy to swallow. They don’t really leave an aftertaste or anything in my opinion.

I usually take one every morning on days when I will eat normal non-symptom causing foods. If, however, I eat something like a big cheesy pizza, I usually take 1 or 2 more pills right before I eat the pizza. It works like a charm.

My stool is perfect (no diarrhea). I get NO stomach cramps. I get very little gas (and that is only with certain foods, and Beano or Gas X will solve that issue). So this is nothing short of incredible. I can eat like a teenager again!

Another interesting thing to note, is that I would usually have a bowel movement daily. The stool would often be somewhat loose and almost diarrhea consistently (but mostly solid). This was on “normal” days before taking this product. Of course, if I had some bad foods, I would have terrible cramps and go 2-3 times if necessary.

This product has actually changed my bowel habits to once every 1 1/2-2 days, which is a bit odd.  It also makes my stool the recommended “perfect” consistency that most doctors describe. So I found that odd how it changed my bowel habits to about ever 2 days instead of 1. But hey, it works for me!

Before I took this stuff, if I ate a slice of pizza, ice cream, or anything else, I would be in severe pain a few hours later. It was so psychological that I avoided those foods completely for almost a year. No so anymore.

I am able to eat pizza (I did this week), chocolate, cookies, and anything else. I get no stomach problems, my digestion feels incredible and more.

What is the secret? It has an AWESOME probiotic in it, and also the lactase enzyme thing to help with dairy. This probiotic is way better than any other priobiotic I have taken before. I tried the Phillips Colon health one, and it didn’t do anything. Digestive Advantage, however, works like a charm. It quickly became obvious that the Amazon.com reviews were for real, and even inspired me to write this.

I have noticed one thing though: In the past, I thought I would be cheap and avoid taking the pill to save money unless I ate some milk foods. For example, if I knew I would only eat veggies that day, I wouldn’t take one. I wouldn’t take one for days at a time unless I had some milk/dairy or something.

This is a mistake. Instead, take at least 1 daily to keep a good supply of this probiotic in your guts. I learned that the hard way. As long as I do that, it works every time. If I skip days or take them sporadically, they aren’t as effective because the little “bugs” won’t be there to break down the foods. So keep them coming to ensure stable digestion. Otherwise, if you do take a break and stop taking them, start taking them for at least 2-3 days before eating something “bad” again.

Conclusion: Digestive Advantage Actually Works!

This has given me my “food” life back. I can eat the foods that are good again. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t over do it. It isn’t like I eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But as long as I eat relatively healthy on most days and take this pill, I can eat pizza and other foods with no problems.

For less than $8 bucks a month, it is so worth being able to eat my favorite snacks. Not only that, but the company even offers coupons and free samples from time to time so you can try it yourself for free or cheap.

So that is my experience, and if anyone out there has digestion issues like I describe, or have lactose intolerance (or even Crohn’s, IBS, or Ulcerative Colitis), you may want to give this a shot. Ask your doctor first, and use it for a few days before testing it out (and start slowly with small portions just in case).

In fact, I even heard some GI doctors actually recommend this a lot to patients, along with a few other brands. So it is SO worth it, it is reasonably priced, and I love it.

I definitely recommend this product, and I pray that they never go out of business! I need my pizza every few weeks.

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Posted under Diet

Starting today I am going on a strict water fast. This is a type of fasting where you only drink water, and completely avoid foods. It is the hardest of all fasts to do, however, it can also be the most beneficial if done correctly.

I have always wanted to do a really good fast. I have heard it can really help your digestion by allowing your intestines to rest and heal, and even improve your overall health. I have also read that it enhances the religious experience (I guess since you are in a state of hunger and relaxation). So needless to say, I am excited to see what will happen.

I have actually tried to fast before, but it was rather unsuccessful. I did this about a year ago, and I avoided all foods and drank only water. It only lasted for about 18 hours total, but hey, it was worth a shot. I ended up craving foods so badly that I had to eat.

I am the type of person that tends to get a little irritable, dizzy, and head-achy when I don’t eat regularly. So it is an incredible challenge for me to avoid foods completely and only drink water. In fact, I can already feel a little dizziness coming on as I write this…

Why Am I Going On a Water Fast? What Are the Benefits?

First of all, just let me start by saying that no one should ever do this unless you are under a doctor’s supervision. I have my wife (a registered nurse) who will be with me to keep tabs and monitor things like my blood pressure & heart rate. So please don’t ever try this without a doctor approving and/or monitoring it.

Anyway, the main reason I am going to do this fast is for my stomach problems first and foremost. Today yet again when I woke up it was really gassy, bloated, and painful. I suspect I at least have some type of mild intestinal inflammation at best, and a more serious bowel disease (such as crohn’s) at worst. So I am going to completely avoid food to allow my intestines to heal, and not have to deal with the side effects of eating foods.  I am dearly hoping that this will restore my digestion to a better level, and remove some of the bad symptoms I have had.

There is no doubt in my mind that my intestines are a mess. They have been bloated, cramping, and all sorts of things over the past week. My stomach is just so inflamed.

Another reason I am doing this is for the hives. I have noticed a correlation between stomach upsets, rashes, and Cholinergic Urticaria intensity. Therefore, I am hoping that by eliminating the stomach issues, it will also help to reduce the hives symptoms as well. It would be nice to live for a minute without getting stabbed by needles.

A third reason I am doing this is because I have a lot of personal things to consider in my life. I have been struggling with a lot of decisions lately, and I hope that by taking some time off and relaxing, sleeping, and fasting it will help me get better mental clarity. I have often read that fasting makes you feel more confident and think more clearly after it is all done, and I hope that is the case as well.

Last (but certainly not least), I am intrigued by any spiritual/religious aspects of the fast.  Fasting is a common practice in almost every major religion. Many stories I have read suggests that it helps bring you closer to God, gives you more faith, and humbles you as well. I am always up for those things, so we will see how that goes.

Again, this is all done based on various articles I have read about the benefits of fasting, and a few people I have talked to on various forums. Some of the benefits of fasting include:

• Better mental clarity (especially afterward)
• Removal of “toxins” from the body
• Allows the bowels to rest and heal
• Can allow diseases to improve or be fought better by our immune systems (ever noticed how we automatically lose our appetite when we get sick? Our bodies have built in fasting).
• Better spirituality (allegedly)

With that being said, fasting can be harmful in some situations for individuals with certain diseases. So again, if anyone does this please consult a medical doctor first.

Also, please never do this as an attempt to lose weight. Fasting is a terrible way to lose weight because you will gain it all back in no time, plus probably extra due to metabolic changes.

How Long Do I Plan on Doing Water Fasting?

Last time I attempted this I only made it about 18 hours, which was a giant failure in my opinion (I wanted to do it for at least a couple of days). I can’t guarantee how long I will do this. First of all if I get too weak or sick I may have to start eating again. Secondly, I don’t know how long my will-power can last. So time will tell.

Ideally I would like to do a complete water fast for about 7 days, but I am not sure if I can do it that long. I am determined to make it at least 24 hours this time, but after that, it depends on my health and how I feel. It would be great if I could do it for about 7-10 days, but I will do it for as long as I can.

I have read that the first 2 days (48 hours) are the worst as far as hunger pains and headaches/dizziness are concerned. So if I could get past that point it would be wonderful.

One thing is for sure, I have not ate 1 single thing so far today. The last time I ate was about 8:45 pm last night. So I guess I have done this for a total of about 17 hours or so at this point with no food and only water.

I have been so sick feeling that I haven’t even had an appetite for most of the day. Only in the past hour or so, my stomach has started rumbling and I can feel myself getting hungry. I also feel slightly dizzy, although, I don’t have a headache yet (thankfully).

I will keep you posted as to what happens, how I feel, and how long I make it. I hope I can do this for a few days at least. If I do have positive results from this, I may start incorporating a regular fast every week or two. But that is thinking too far ahead. First I need to see if it helps and what happens.

Water Fast Day 2: How Did the Fast Turnout?

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Posted under fasting