In some cases, a solution to a problem is obvious, but in others, you might not have the knowledge or experience to know how to deal with it effectively (yet!). This is why we’ve come up with this list of tips that you can use to navigate some of the more common problems that people with IBD deal with that may have a fairly simple — but not obvious! — solution.
Now, there are also some caveats, because too much iron in the body is also a problem. This is largely a concern for certain children under the age of 3, so take care if you have a very young child that is also eating the food you are cooking in your pan. In addition, this is not like taking an iron supplement: it’s not going to solve a major iron deficiency. If you have been prescribed a regimen of supplements or medications to correct an iron deficiency, using cast iron pans will not replace it. This is just one way to get a little more iron into your diet when you cook your own food, and for those in remission or for those who are always a little low in the iron department, it provides another way to sneak some in.
The effect pickle juice has on cramps has been studied, but researchers are not exactly sure why it works. Researchers also say it is not a complete recipe for correcting an electrolyte imbalance, but it might help. Is it for you? Maybe. Like a lot of things with IBD, it’s probably a try-it-and-see situation. Just check with your healthcare provider before you try it, in case there are any concerns about your sodium level or dehydration. Some healthcare providers, and especially those in sports nutrition, may even recommend it for their patients.
There are a few things in your kitchen that might work really well for removing the tape residue. The first is olive oil: put some on a soft cotton ball and rub gently. Leave it on for a bit, then try rubbing again. If you don’t have olive oil, other vegetable oils may work, but olive oil does seem to do the best job of it. Your skin may be a little oily, but that’s OK, it will absorb it in time. Coconut oil may also work, just not as well as olive. If you don’t have any kitchen oils, you can also try some eye makeup remover. It tends to be gentler because it is made for use around the eyes. The procedure is the same: gently apply and then wait a bit and work the tape off. Most people don’t keep baby oil as a staple anymore (we used it as tanning oil in the 80s — don’t ever do that!), but if you have some, that may also help to get the sticky tape off. The last thing to try is a baby wipe or a wet wipe: they sometimes contain ingredients that can work the glue out. Just be careful not to ever rub too hard, you don’t want to rub your skin raw and leave yourself vulnerable to infections or even just plain old skin irritation. Don’t ever use anything on your skin that’s made for removing glue off surfaces, like Goo Gone or WD40. You’ll smell bad and your skin won’t appreciate it.
Most of us can take the IVs in stride, but it’s the tape that causes all the difficulty. Taking the tape off after an IV site is no longer useful or needed can be really painful because it generally rips all the hair out by the roots. Instead, try shaving your arms before anyone places an IV. If you have time and aren’t being admitted to hospital on an emergency basis, just a few minutes with a razor (or another hair removal method) can spare you the difficulty of removing all your arm hair along with the tape.
If you find yourself wearing khaki pants or black skirts a lot, you can buy a backup and keep it in your emergency kit. You might never need it. And in some small way, you might consider that a waste of money or a waste of a decent piece of clothing. But, if it gives you peace of mind or it helps you when you hit a rough patch, it is well worth having that pair of pants at the ready.
