This might not be such an uplifting post but it's been my reality lately that I'm struggling with my digestive issues. So I felt I might share my experience and what I also do to support myself in this.

<center>![digestionimage1.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaZGFQxLcsn9y9G9JSSktjrrn5FeZVTmjQ4upauX9Z4np/digestionimage1.jpg)_Delicious golden milk_</center>

<center><h3>How it all started for me</h3></center>
***
I don't really recall having any particular digestive issues as a child or teenager. Nothing that impacted my life as it has done since my mid-twenties. I still don't know what actually caused all these issues to appear but I do remember how I felt when this was my new reality. At the time I was a student in Umeå, a University town in the north of Sweden, and I spent a very busy summer there. I worked full time in a nursing home to make some money during the summer break, I worked on one of my thesis and I also took some fun and interesting courses like 'From Wikings to Welfare', a History of Science and Ideas course (I actually still remember that title). Anyway, one day in class, I started to feel very bad. I had never felt anything like that before. I more or less had to crawl back home and I spent the following night on the bathroom floor, trying not to pass out between the vomiting and diarrhea. Of course, I had been sick to my stomach before, but not like that. I thought I might not survive the night, (that was how it felt, obviously, this was not the reality), wanting to call an ambulance but at the same time I couldn't stand the thought of having to move away from the bathroom. I managed somehow to get through the night and at some point, my body was just completely empty. I think I passed out in my bed at the end.

<center>![umea.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZgiSPYiMWeRjb9RCBPdGiWk35dV7VNEsPHZGFETZZ8iM/umea.jpg)_Umeå University_</center>

Since this incident, something changed. I now started to experience a lot of discomfort. Bloating, gases, constipation, diarrhea, and nausea. I went to the doctor and they ran the usual tests. They couldn't really find anything. Like any food intolerances or signs of an infection. But the following six months or so my nausea was so bad that I always walked around with a plastic bag in case I had to throw up. This was like 15 years ago and since then I have tried **a lot** of different things to manage my digestive issues. And since my symptoms come and go a lot it's still sort of a mystery to me what causes these issues. But I do think the reaction I had that started everything was due to stress. Before that, I felt invincible, I was used to be able to push myself really hard, something I often also did.

<center><h3>Currenty I'm on sick leave</h3></center>
***
In the last couple of weeks, I haven't been feeling so well. My energy level has been low and I have experienced a lot of bloatedness and discomfort. I decided to go to the doctor and he actually wrote me a sick note for 2 1/2 weeks! It was such a relief. Now I can slow down and catch up on other things in my life. And I'll have more time to take care of myself. Because yes, I'm sensitive to stress, this is something I'll have to live with. Some years ago I did experience some kind of burnout, even though I wasn't properly diagnosed. Western medicine has never really been able to offer me any solution to my problems. They usually just want to give me antidepressants (which I really don't want to take). Also because I really don't feel depressed at the moment, even though I have been earlier in my life.

The doctor I saw here in Berlin though was very sweet and didn't speak about any antidepressants. He told me to rest and prescribed me some tablets, something that would regulate the acids in my stomach. He said they had no side effects whatsoever. I felt skeptical but decided to try them. I mean, I do feel desperate sometimes when it comes to my digestive issues. Unfortunately, I started to have stomach pain and it took me some days to figure out it might be the tablets. Today I checked the Patient Information Leaflet and discovered one of the side effects is abdominal pain &#x1F627; Of course I have stopped taking them now.

<center>![IMG_8424.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQme4rZmS1qAG6MhgaUQKc6xEVrZSS6S94dBxJKzqKJcCky/IMG_8424.jpg)</center>

<center><h3>What I do to support myself</h3></center>
***

Over the years I have learned what I can do to support myself. For me, it's crucial to take time to do yoga. I always feel better after a yoga practice. When I really struggle I have a very slow and supportive yoga session. Food, of course, also plays an essential role here. By now I have tried so many diets and food regimes (always vegetarian or vegan) but I still don't know if food alone could fix my issues. It seems to be an intricate combination of stress, food, lack of sleep and my mental state. But what do I know? The human body sure is fascinating and not so easy to understand. 

I have also done fasting and colonics. Even though that has felt good my symptoms always return at some point. Lately, I have also started to squat for 30 minutes a day. I started with it mainly to support my pelvic floor but it's also really good for my digestion.

Today I finally feel better. I'm trying the best I can to listen to my body's wisdom and last night I felt some golden milk would offer some soothing to my poor stomach. And it sure did! Today I have had two more and I'll continue to drink this now for some days.

@yangyanje has been very kind and made me this golden milk drink. It turns out great with Oatly's barista oat milk, which makes the drink so mild and creamy. I'm a big fan of Oatley's barista oat milk in general, I use it for so many things. I'm so happy you an also get it here in Germany (it's a Swedish company). I'll simply share how we have been making them.

<center>![IMG_8426.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQRcSxXn6ygDpRbSumrckZJYM2GmMFMFx4qiJWfGuzazp/IMG_8426.jpg)</center>

<center><h3>Golden milk recipe</h3></center>
***

<h4>Ingredients (4 cups)</h4>
- Water (about 2 deciliters).
- A cubic centimeter of fresh peeled turmeric, chopped.
- About a teaspoon of sugar.
- Oatly's barista oat milk (about 6 deciliters). Of course, you can find your own plant-based milk that works for you.
- A bit of cinnamon (according to your desire).
- Turmeric powder (about 1/2 tablespoon).
- A bit of black pepper (according to your desire).

<h4>Preparations</h4>
- Add the water to a pot together with the fresh turmeric and sugar. Bring to boil.
- Add the oat milk and bring to boil. Whisk for foam.
- Add cinnamon, turmeric powder, and black pepper.

Enjoy &#x1F60B;

<center>![IMG_8428.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQTif9mGZx6z9qjCdafYPAAa1b7M84BfeiMiJ1Xoj9gUy/IMG_8428.jpg)</center>

Thank you for reading.

Love and blessings to you all &#x1F64F;

<center>![naturalmedicinefooter.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmW37TxpxSvxnz8D6EVRjc7KoSL2SACnsjQX1xHqK2s6AQ/naturalmedicinefooter.png)</center>