Blog For Your Bowels

You can’t beat that smile, how gorgeous!

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:34:03 -0400

You can’t beat that smile, how gorgeous!

“Tiny Brooke”- A song written for the 7th addition...

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:31:49 -0400

“Tiny Brooke”- A song written for the 7th addition to my Kritter Klan, Brooke Ellen Schoelle.

This is what I’m after…that smile…that...

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:55:00 -0400

This is what I’m after…that smile…that feeling.

For those of you expecting a sweet song, sorry, as I present to...

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:04:00 -0400

For those of you expecting a sweet song, sorry, as I present to you “Bad Timing”. Welcome back to my Irritable Bowel HELL! For the last 4 weeks I thought I had contracted a parasite from eating scallops in Stamford. Well guess what, the 8 containers of stool I filled all came back negative, which means, I think I have stressed myself into the worst IBS flare up of the past decade. What does that mean?? I am pissed off at the world (except for my beautiful girlfriend Bobbi-MULU!).

So in another words, I love you all, but I don’t want to be around you.

Much more music to come over the next few days. In an effort to join the media masses, I tried to (again) create a facebook page, and of course found out that there might not be a media player embedded into the music pages anymore. I tried myspace against the begging of others, and the same deal. So this will be my outlet for the time being.

“Waiting”- written and performed by bowel master...

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:27:00 -0400

“Waiting”- written and performed by bowel master Kevin Kurz, audio mastered by Brad Schoelle at Throckmorton Studios, Long Island.

Welcome Back, Mr. Bowels

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:08:35 -0400

Well hello my fellow bowel blog readers, it has certainly been a while. My last post was over a year ago, and there is much anticipation and pressure for this come back post, I don’t know if I can handle it, but I’ll give it a try.

I guess I just haven’t been too inspired to write blogs, as I’ve been trying to focus more of my extracurricular time on Crossfit (we’ll get to that), music, and science. What sounds like a good idea would be to briefly recap the major events, situations, and happenings, that have occurred over the past year, that have played a significant role in my life, and the life of my insides.

During the summer of 2009 I embarked on a journey into the world of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in which a person uses a set of personal skills to track his thoughts and actions, in order to uncover and trace anxieties and stresses which can initiate certain IBS symptoms. I continued this therapy with great success for many months, and symptoms were relieved to a great extent. As I have mentioned several times before, IBS is a no fun rollercoaster, one that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight, the only thing one can hope for is opportunities to learn from it, thus creating one’s own therapy and coping strategies to deal with it, day after day. Do you have any idea what it’s been like to worry about my daily bathroom stops for the last 10 years? It wreaks havoc on a person’s mind and body, making them feel discouraged and hopeless that there is no solution or treatment to this chronic battle of a scientifically unexplainable mind and gut dysfunction. BUT, as I strongly believe, attitude is life, and with positive attitude comes the means to fight the uphill battles of adversity, which in this case is a set of fleshy coils that refuse to cooperate and live in harmony with the rest of my body, and more importantly my brain. Now tell me, fleshy coils, why is that so darn difficult? Anyways, wow, this feels good.

So, I continued throughout the fall and winter in the peaks and valleys until I found myself engulfed in a new type of exercise routine called Crossfit. If anyone likes to exercise, and is tired of the boring routine of global gyms with tricep and back machines that keep you stationary while you complete the same rep over and over, check out www.crossfit.com for the answer to your problems. In brief, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning fitness methodology that promotes broad and general overall physical fitness. CrossFit combines weightlifting, sprinting, and gymnastics. CrossFit says that proficiency is required in each of ten fitness domains: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy. It defines fitness as increased work capacity across all these domains and says its program achieves this by provoking neurologic and hormonal adaptations across all metabolic pathways. Since October 2009, I have been a member and huge supporter of Hybrid Athletics (www.hybridathletics.net), a strongman associated crossfit gym, and it has changed my life.

Engaging in crossfit workouts multiple times a week lead me to dive into the Zone Diet. What is the Zone? Simply put, it’s the metabolic state in which the body works at peak efficiency. In this program, food is used to maintain a favorable hormonal balance, especially among insulin, glucagon and the super hormones called eicosanoids. Eating fat does not make you fat. It’s your body’s response to excess carbohydrates in your diet that makes you fat. Your body has a limited capacity to store excess carbohydrates, but it can easily convert those excess carbs into excess body fat. The “Fattening of America”, ring any bells?

Food can be good or bad. The ratio of macronutrients- in the meals you eat is the key to permanent weight loss and optimal health. Unless you understand the rules that control the powerful biochemical responses generated by food, you will never reach the Zone. The Zone is, in every meal and every snack, 40% Carbs, 30% Protein, 30% Fat.

I won’t continue to bore you with nutritional info and reasons why most Americans are fat, but I tell you the truth, this diet works. Once I started on such a clean regiment of food, including reducing the intake of sugars, processed foods, and some grains, my IBS symptoms, along with body fat started to disappear. It has been quite an experience learning about how the body metabolizes and uses food for different functions, and I suggest you read up on it if you are looking to lose weight or just get on a new path to feeling better overall.

I’ve been on the diet for about 8 months now, I cheat every now and then, and currently I’m experimenting with adding the Paleo aspect, which I will get into another time.

In short, the summer of 2010 was a great one. As I sit here and complete this post, it’s my first weekend staying in Connecticut all summer. Many trips to Montauk were had; I highly recommend you get out there the first chance you get. It’s a laid back surf and fishing town, without the pretentiousness of the Hamptons.

I’m not going to lie, my mind has been pretty damn crazy with everything going on these last few months, and not until a few weeks ago, when I slowed things down, re-opened my notebook, sat back and took a deep breath….ahhhhhhh, did I start to feel better. What do you know, this week, I feel pretty good.

More to come.

Gotta plug the new demo. I wouldn’t call this a demo for professional purposes as it’s near 7 minutes, but it sounds good and I am proud of it.

Enjoy the final weekends of summer.

Success is mine! (in evil Stewie Griffin voice)

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:04:15 -0400

Learning to breathe…the right way.

This week’s post will be one FULL of medical information about a process so significant, yet so elementary, I do not know why there wasn’t a greater emphasis on it during our early childhood.
In just one week, I have incredible news. In just week, after exercises in heavy breathing, meditation, thought/stress/anxiety tracking, and problem-solving, I have reduced the majority of my symptoms more than 75%. I have not changed my diet at all. Now, I don’t want to jump the gun and say, “I AM HEALED”, as it has only been a week, but I am feeling real good. Was this entire disorder a mental manifestation? Who knows, but what I do know is that a little bit of self-help goes a long way.

Chest Breathing vs. Diaphragmatic Breathing. (Note: Much of this information taken from the book, Controlling IBS: The Drug Free Way)

Chest breathing stimulates a network of nerves that controls your heart, stomach and intestines. An important job of this part of the nervous system is to regulate digestion and the muscle contractions that eliminate solid waste. So when you breathe from your chest, it activates the parts of your nervous system that produce many uncomfortable sensations experienced during periods of stress. Chest breathing also supplies the muscles with more oxygen to fuel the cells in the body, preparing you to fight or flee.

When psychological stress activates the fight-or-flight response, problems arise: Because you aren’t fleeing or fighting, there’s no outlet for the surge of physical tension, so activation the fight-or-flight response during a stressful situation is a bit like pressing one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake at the same time. Your body, like your car, revs up. Revving up your body like this can disrupt the delicate balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide that your body needs to stay on an even keel.

Chest breathing also makes it hard to draw air into the lowest part of the lungs, where there’s a concentration of small blood vessels that carry oxygen to the cells. With these blood vessels on the sidelines, chest breathing can make you feel tense and out of breath.

Doesn’t the above description seem like the absolute worst way to breathe? YES.
Now, on to the right way to breathe, the diaphragmatic way. I say breathe yourself to a new life.

Background-most people have an idea of how this works. Diaphragmatic breathing relies on a dome-shaped muscle beneath the ribs called the diaphragm. When you breathe in, the diaphragm moves down and the lungs expand with air, drawing in oxygen. As you breathe out, the diaphragm moves up, and the lungs contract, expelling air.

Diaphragmatic breathing activates the part of the nervous system that puts a brake on the fight-or-flight response. It’s impossible to be physically relaxed and stressed at the same time, so that controlling your breathing patterns you override the physical part of stress that can aggravate bowel symptoms. With diaphragmatic breathing, there’s a good mix of oxygen coming into the lungs and carbon dioxide coming out, and the fight-or-flight system comes to a screeching halt. Diaphragmatic breathing also releases the body’s own painkillers (called endorphins), so you’ll feel more comfortable.

Did you guys just read that? Our body releases its own painkillers…what??? AWESOME!!! I don’t think I have to go into further explanation about the importance, or rather large significance that the correct way of breathing offers all of us; it just makes so much sense. When I spoke of heavy breathing earlier, I mean something as simple as taking just 10 minutes out of your busy day, finding some privacy, getting comfortable in a chair or if possible, lying down, and doing the following:

1. Close your eyes.
2. Count one as you breathe in, and say relax as you breathe out.
3. As you breathe in, your belly should push out; as your breathe out, draw your belly in. Keep your chest still throughout.
4. Focus your attention on the number or relaxing word without letting other thoughts cross your mind. (Thoughts will obviously constantly pop into and out of your mind, and when they do, just gently push them away and get back to the practice).
5. Maintain a comfortable rate of breathing that is even and smooth.
6. Count up to 10 and repeat.
7. Practice two to three times daily for at least 10 minutes.

Slow deep breathing like this is very good for you, lowering your blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart and brain, and resetting the balance of brain and body. These physical changes in turn produce a variety of positive psychological effects such as reduced worry and anxiety, as well as improvements in your emotional well-being.

There are many other types of methods and strategies to use, this was one of the easiest. In this crazy world we live in, we all need to take a step back from life, and take a few deep breathes. Trust me, it does work, and it does wonders for your mental health, and in turn for me, it does wonders to my physical health as well.

Thanks Ma! Some moms like to send food Others send clothes of...

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:47:00 -0400

Thanks Ma!

Some moms like to send food
Others send clothes of all types
JTLs’ mom sends Vineyard Vines
My mom sends me Baby Wipes.

Ladies and Germs, I am pleased to report a significant change over the past week. A full report on the importance and significance of diaphragmatic breathing is expected to be released on Sunday.

The Costa Rican Paradise- My bowels agree. I returned 2 days...

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:52:13 -0400

The Costa Rican Paradise- My bowels agree.

I returned 2 days ago from quite possibly the greatest trip I have taken thus far in my 27 years of living. Myself, and 17 other men embarked on a journey to Jaco Beach, Costa Rica, for the bachelor party of my best friend, JCR, where we stayed at the above Casa Ponte. Just look above, is that not a picture of paradise? If you don’t think so, email me and tell me your idea of paradise, we’ll compare and I bet I’ll come up on top. To ensure privacy, I am not disclosing details of our trip, but instead I will disclose a quick detail of what my bowels thought of this trip. This 4 day party was another point of evidence that shows that no matter what I ingest into my body, if my mind is in a comfortable place, I will feel good, and my gut will feel good. As I said, not getting into details, but of the 4 days I was down in CR, I frequented the bathroom just twice, and had a pleasurable experience both times. It wasn’t until I was waiting for 3 hours at Miami International for our midnight flight to New York, that my bowels did a 180 and made me run to the bathroom (Yes, I do “Carry On” baby wipes).

If you’re interested in a wet ‘n’ wild vacation, Jaco Beach is filled with surfing, fishing, zip lining, Imperial, ladies, Imperial, and more ladies. It is a beautiful place that offers much to do, and our guide couldn’t have offered a bunch of guys a better experience. Here is a link to his website, www.hookedoncostarica.com. His name is Capt. Josh Foster, and what he did for us was unimaginable.

Now, on to fixing this irritable colon. Much to my surprise, I received a comment a week ago from the author of the book I mentioned in my last post. I spent two hours last night writing up Excel spreadsheets, ranging from Daily Stress/Thought, Relaxation Training, to a Decatastrophizing worksheet- I can’t wait to dive into that one. I figure it will take at least a week for my gut to return to “some” mode of normality, especially since the change from a liquid to a solid food diet is a drastic one, so I plan on beginning this new therapy on Monday- no ifs, ends or buts. For now, I am in a detox and recovery stage. Stay tuned…

CONFESSIONS FROM THE JOHN Friday, May 8th- This past week has...

Fri, 08 May 2009 13:53:00 -0400

CONFESSIONS FROM THE JOHN

Friday, May 8th- This past week has been one of discouragement, anger and sadness, but also one filled with the potential of hope. I must have ate over 20 bananas this week, and I went to bad last night with straight up hunger pains. I now prepare for the weekend, and a debaucherous night on the town filled with boxing and steaks. Everyone enjoy their weekends, and LETS GO METS!!!

I sit here, in pain and discouraged...

Wed, 06 May 2009 15:46:43 -0400

On the day of my Mother’s birth, I sit here, in pain and discouraged, and ask myself, “how could she have birthed me with such an irritable colon?” Today, as of 3:30pm I have ran to the bathroom three times and waddled slowly out each time trying to reflect on the reasons why this is happening. Last week, I visited my favorite gastroenterologist, Dr. Eric Goldstein on the Upper East Side (Shout Out- thanks doc.) BUT, thanks for what??? I AM NOT GETTING ANY BETTER!!!
I recently, as in one week ago, came off a medicine used to calm my nerves. I am a highly active, high strung, animated character that wants to find some type of working method in order to alleviate some of the pains (in the ass) of this damn disorder. SAY NO TO MEDS!!! Yes, that will be my motto in the months to come. I purchased a “self help” workbook called, Controlling IBS: The Drug Free Way, written by Dr. Jeffrey M. Lackner. It claims relief from IBS using a 10-Step Plan. Why not make it a 12-Step Plan so I can use those last two steps to drink my anxiety away? Maybe that would cure this ailment. Anyways, the approach is simple, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which “teaches you to change the way you think about and respond to difficulties”. Yea OK Doc, let’s give it a shot. But seriously folks, I am going to give this a shot. I have never done this particular type of therapy. I have tried the hypnosis (self and group), acupuncture (self, but group could be sorta cool and interesting!), and even tried sticking things up my…wait…sorry, wrong blog. If it ain’t the food I’m eating, and if medications aren’t going to be the answer, then I MUST conquer this underlying anxiety that has entrenched itself within the walls of my gut. I say GODSPEED to me, GO GET ‘EM. Go calm your nerves and calm your gut, and tell all who want to listen about the ways of the IBS. I hope to have something positive to talk out about next time, stay tuned…

Although sent to me as a suggestion for treatment methods, I...

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:51:12 -0400

Although sent to me as a suggestion for treatment methods, I couldn’t help but notice #2 of “The Lowdown” Section at the bottom of the page…

Skydiving 2009- DISCLAIMER: Skydiving may make you poop your...

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:53:04 -0400

Skydiving 2009- DISCLAIMER: Skydiving may make you poop your pants.

My Favorite Babywipes (to date)

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:08:28 -0400

My Favorite Babywipes (to date):

Earth’s Best Baby Wipes- Chlorine free, with a natural lotion containing aloe vera and vitamin e, and are of course alcohol free. So soft and so moist. I wonder if chlorine is the variable in these wipes which makes some sting and others not; this will be a study I must conduct in the near future. I found this particular wipe at a local grocery store in Georgetown, Connecticut. I don’t think it is widely distributed, but as of now, this is the best baby wipe I have EVER used.

Say NO to the "TAG"

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:34:00 -0400

Happy Easter and Passover to all. I will make this short and sweet, like the time it takes me to get to the toilet after eating a chocolate bunny that is sweet. Does that even make sense? I LOVE chocolate, but too much of it will make me, or anyone for that matter, feel sick. Quick fact; Doctors advise to eat dark chocolate as it releases serotonin into the brain. This can supposedly help to relieve stress, and/or help your mood.

Besides the Easter holiday, this past weekend was one of another important celebration, my niece and nephews First Communion. 10 year old twins; one liked the “blood”, the other did not. I have 5 nieces and nephews, and for now, they will be referred to as “The A-Team”, and the twins, “TnT”. It was a significant event in their lives, and I was happy to be there. After the ceremony the family went out to dinner. My parents seem to think that the only place we can take a bunch of children out to dinner is the Tin Alley Grill, located on Stewart Avenue in Garden City. I can’t tell you how many times I have been there, and every time I whine like a little girl, BUT, it’s for a good purpose, I KNOW THE FOOD WILL MAKE ME SICK. I stayed away from the greasy chips and artichoke dip, and the fried mozzarella, yet I still knew the ending of this meal would not be good. To be honest, my marinated skirt steak tasted pretty good, but it must have been the sauce, as like clockwork, I had to excuse myself early and leave the restaurant. Luckily I live less than five minutes from home, and new I would be in the comfort of my own bathroom in a short amount of time. My recently “communed” nephew asked, “Why don’t you just use the bathroom here?” I replied, “I need my privacy”.

Just make sure you pass all gas before you go live!!! And if...

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:46:00 -0400

Just make sure you pass all gas before you go live!!! And if you haven’t checked out failblog.org, please do so, some great laughs. Video courtesy of JTL, thanks buddy.

The Story Behind the Three-Pronged Claw I think I need to...

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:11:00 -0400

The Story Behind the Three-Pronged Claw

I think I need to liven up the mood right now, and this isn’t an April Fool’s joke. Speaking of, did anyone get hit with Conficker?

Let’s forget about the burger and forget about the economy. This story dates back to the pre-2000 millennium. I first developed symptoms of IBS in 1999, my junior year of high school. I knew something was up when after eating a bacon, egg, and cheese from Dirty Deli after 1st period, I would have to run to the bathroom. This strange and unfortunate activity continued for several weeks, so I went to a gastroenterologist in Mineola, NY. The first test that a new patient undergoes, (or at least the first procedure that I underwent) is a Sigmoidoscopy. The Sigmoid is the lowest portion of the Colon, i.e. Large Intestine. It holds the “matter” before it is sent out into the “porcelain palace”. Three typical procedures for the gastrointestinal tract (“GI”) are Sigmoidoscopy, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy. The Sigmoidoscopy does not require complete sedation, as the camera does not travel up far into the Colon. If any of you have completed the aforementioned procedures, you know all about the preparation. Maybe it’s a drink, maybe it’s an enema…, or a powerful combination of both. But it CLEANS YOU OUT and is VERY unpleasant.

The story goes like this: I was put under mild sedation, and was able to watch the procedure on a small TV screen up in the corner of the examination room. At most it feels like a bunch of air being introduced up into your behind…, uncomfortable but painless. As I watched the screen, I saw small bits of green jello float by… yes, green jello. During prep, I was only allowed to drink or eat certain liquids and foods, and green jello was one of them. A minute or two later, I saw a metal arm come into the TV frame, and with three prongs, a claw grabbed a piece of my insides!!! I could even see a bit of blood as the claw took a sample of my sigmoid colon for biopsy. Needless to say I was shocked, and immediately considered a lawsuit. No, I didn’t; that would have been stupid and pathetic. In the end, I thought it was incredible. I saw green jello in my intestine, and then a mechanical device installed in an endoscope reach out and take a bite out of me!!!

The bottom line and the conclusion of this test showed that my colon appeared to be, and was indeed, healthy. IBS does not damage any lining villa or create polyps or ulcers. The intestine itself is not harmed by IBS and seems to function with normal action until there is a GI stimulant.

The Brain-Gut Function is what IBS is ALL about. More about life and the “BGF” later…

Get This Now

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:33:18 -0400

Get This Now:

Ever wonder what new bands are worth listening to? Well my good friend Kazz filters out the bad, and tells you what you need to get, NOW!!

"And Then There Were Five Guys"

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:30:00 -0400

If you thought I’ve been in the bathroom this past entire week, you were correct. Some of you may have experienced the above well-known burger, some may have not. My description pertains to those of you who fear a greasy, fatty, but delicious burger.

My experience with “Five Guys” occurred last Sunday, at the West Village 7th Avenue location. It started as a great Sunday; one filled with brunch, screwdrivers, and several Guinness, which I think can be consumed at any time during the day. For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to join my buddies for the first time at their local burger joint. They had just moved into the West Village, and I was enjoying my first stay with them (on the couch of course). Upon arriving to Five Guys, I stumbled through the ordering process (which involves an order of a single or double burger, then a quick read off the toppings menu, throw in an order of fries, and you were good to go…just wait and sip on the fountain soda). Another IBS no-no: DON’T DRINK SODA! Think about it; soda has sugar in a syrup form, aka High Fructose Corn Syrup. Sucrose, Fructose, and other sugar formulations are tested for in a Sucrose/Fructose exam, where you drink a solution and breathe into a tube every 15 minutes for three hours. The test shows any enzymatic activity as a result of the ingestion of sugar, and is a great way to take off a morning, sit on a couch and relax. Hopefully an attractive nurse will be helping you with this “examination”. Back to the burger; I devoured it and I enjoyed every second of it. It was tasty and it was messy, but by NO means, does it compare to a J.G. Melons burger, or Luke’s. Some of you may not know Luke’s… enjoy, 1394 3rd Ave.

Fortunately, I was able to fall asleep that night, wake up, and drive 60 miles to work with no problems, but WOW was Monday a killer. I was nauseas; everything I ate made me feel worse, and I made several trips to the bathroom. I haven’t been the same since that burger even though my eating regiment has been on track since Monday. IBS is such a rollercoaster of a ride, with the ups and downs and peaks and valleys, and there isn’t a way to track it. I am still searching for the answer. I guess strong irritants to your colon have a longer lasting effect on your body than I previously had thought.

So folks, this experience with Five Guys taught me something. I can’t expect to be physically all right after ingesting several Guinness followed by a greasy double cheeseburger. So with Five Guys, I start a new series for Blog For Your Bowels, entitled, “Five Guys Ain’t My Guy”. This series will list and discuss eateries, not limited to the NYC area, that will definitely cause a problem if you suffer from IBS.

A mean joke or an act of baking ingenuity with a sick twist?

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:06:00 -0400

A mean joke or an act of baking ingenuity with a sick twist?