by MattMecham » 01 Apr 2011, 14:44
What I did, Bernie, is kept a food journal, and I still keep one, though its contents have changed over time. I would start day one with only certain foods. For instance, my first day consisted of one apple, 2 tsp of psyllium husk in 8 oz. water, and 2 oz. of deli turkey. Lunch was a pear, and 2 more oz. of turkey. At about 4 pm, I would have an apple or a pear. Dinner consisted of a plate full of salad and shredded carrots, with one tomato sliced over the top, 2 TBS of a fat free dressing, maybe a little bit more turkey cut up and added to the top, 2 or 3 crushed crackers to act as croutons, and 2 tsp of psyllium husk in 8 oz. water.
I wrote all of this down as it took place during the day. At the top, I kept track of how many glasses of water I was drinking during the day. I also kept note of how many stool softeners I was taking, when I took them, and did the same for any ointment applications. This part is gross, but I also wrote down when I had bowel movements, their general consistency, and the pain level involved.
The entry read just like a book, progressing from the first meal (or supplement) taken in the morning, and then a chronological list of every other thing I did that day that either went in my mouth, went in the exit (ointments and what not, or came out the exit.
In fact, here is a recreation of March 24, 2011:
3/24/11 H20: IIIIIIIIII 236.2 lbs
7:15 am -- Applied amoils. Had BM. Same stab of pain on right side. Felt like a large stool, moderate strain, then became much easier. Last bit was pretty watery. A little bright red blood in water.
7:40 am -- applied wheatgrass cream.
8:00 am -- Three strawberries, 1 apple, 2 oz. sliced turkey, 2 tsp of psyllium husk.
10:45 am -- Pain has been more noticeable since BM this morning. Not agonizing, but somewhat persistent. About a 4 on a scale of 10.
12:00 pm -- 1 pear, whey protein powder in 8 oz. water with three blended strawberries.
1:00 pm -- went home from work because pain was too obnoxious.
2:45 pm -- Called Southwest Surgical Associates, got colonoscopy moved from April 1 to tomorrow. Sitz bath brought some comfort, but pain just got worse afterwards.
3:30 pm -- got prep kit, took tablet by 3:45 pm. With use of heat pad, took edge off of pain. Applied amoils, wheatgrass, and diltiazem.
10:00 pm -- no BM yet, but started drinking liquid from prep kit.
10:30 pm -- wheatgrass cream.
12:00 am -- finished prep. kit liquid.
On this day, I was preparing for a colonoscopy, so it looks a little different from an average day, but still, hopefully it gives you an idea of what the journal can look like. I also circled all of the ointments I applied throughout the day, so that they really stuck out when I look back over the week. At the end of the week, I would look at the overall effect that that particular regimen had on my total health, and if it had overall positive effects, I might keep it for another week with just minor, MINOR additions to my caloric intake. If it didn't work out so well (hard stools, sick, weakness, etc.), I would change only one thing (maybe add another stool softener each day, or add more water, or maybe some Miralax), and then track that for a week.
I know it sounds very laborious, but it gets really easy to track all of that stuff after a couple of days. It can also get kind of addicting to write it all down, but as I am a nerd, that's understandable. The whole idea of the journal is to help you more or less pinpoint what helps you, and what harms you.
Semper Fi,
Matt