Oh my Gosh! My mind is backwards! I said I would take the September swap, and can the school spirit. I should be posting sooN! I guess because it is August, and this is the September swap, it did not hit me that this is next! LOL! We can do something like an all bean swap? That was an idea of mine for the new calandar. Probably those small flat rate boxes would be good for that since beans are heavy. I was thinking of doing an all bean swap, where you send in the beans to me and I redistribute. You send in one of those $5 flat rate Priority boxes, and I will send yours back in the same box with money to cover exact postage? It is a few bucks more than the tomato swap, but that is because it is beans. I really want to do such a swap. But maybe I will wait on this one so it works. Or, I had this as an idea. I am hosting Ethnic favorites in November, we can do that theme now, and then do the bean swap in November, after beans have been havested? I dont know, just trying to think fast. But this bean swap I really want to be a "go" at some point, even if we wait for January or February or something. But I assume I will be doing the mass tomato swap again, so it may conflict with that in JAnuary. Do you like the bean swap idea? Do you think people will not mind sending the $5 postage for a flat rate box? I just thought since beans are so heavy, that that would be actually cheaper sending flat rate then sending it by weight. Any quick ideas if you do not like these? Becky, I know you are out there! LOL! We can wait, I am just thinking fast since I should be posting the September swap soon. Any comments? Help please! LOL! Christy

I just have to chime in on this one. I went through a period last year at this time where I had all of the symptoms you describe. I had so much flatulence, that I felt like the Good Year blimp. This was unusual for me. I finally figured out what the problems were. In my case, I found out that taking ibuprofen, alleve or vioxx for a few days caused a problem. Then I realized that the vitamins and herbs I was taking, Ginko Biloba and St. John's Wort, and even my multivitamin which contained some herbs, were contributing. I stopped taking the herbs and switched vitamins and voila, no more problem. Could it be you are taking herbs of some type in capsule form? I have taken licorice root in capsule form with no problem. I went to an MD who practices both traditional and alternative medicine. He recommended Licorice root to me because it helps with chronic fatigue syndrome. But you shouldn't take it if you have high blood pressure. Since it has estrogenic properties it may also help help with hot flashes. It is commonly used for stomach and bowel problems. I did not have any problems with the licorice root. Here's something else that I have found very helpful with the gut problem, fennel. I got some fennel tea at our local health food store and found it very helpful for the gas problem. It really doesn't taste bad either. At any rate, I seldom have the gut problem any more except for the week of my period. You will never convince me that hormones don't play a role in gut problems. Also, there is a little book I have found helpful it is called: "The Only Menopause Guide You'll Need" by Michele Moore, MD. published by Johns Hopkins Press. It's a small book, not very detailed, but informative. She discusses both traditional and holistic treatments for menopause. She notes that many women have "tricky gut" during menopause. Hope this helps.

Another excellent resource from Pamela Wartian Smith! I hope someone is able to find this useful!! Karen

Ladies may I join you in this discussion? I am a young healthy looking 62. And today is my first visit here after looking up adrenaline I sure understand better now That's what I have going on MY NATURE'S PACE MAKER.working. Adrenaline After a stay in icu heart recently everyone finally agreed i am mot crazy.it was.my heart. The docs installed is a device catch my heart acting badly is a heart tracker like halter monitor. Under my chest muscles on top of my heart. I can cause it record what just happened.. iam write with excitment because your stories are all so familiar. These stories for me begin after mitral valve repair. 7 years ago. Basic problem ..unless the doc sees the heart behaving badly they deny the problem. All this time we never could catch it Last doc said bluntly if we dont see it didnt happen. You must to er Well recent at 230 am it woke me up, just as you have described. I went directly to the er They caught the serious thing! Arrithemia and more then two days in icu. Now meds have slowed my heart from 70 to 52 while docs decide what to do. Last night I realized I was having an adreilin rush. The same rush I went to a neurologist for help. Over a year and half. Often it also affect my skin. Goose bumps crawling feeling all day long! Well have I got news for him.I was not crazy about that either. my gp I visited last month just to say. I know you don't know what is wrong but I still got it. Knows too I sat in neros office two months ago ,,,same thing. I said dr i just want you know ME when I end up in er..and i need you. well it was er straight to icu. Home now with electrical issues. Last last night meds have my average at 52 bpm.it woke me. 2 3 am. I use my tricks to get back to sleep.as soon as felt sleep coming on the stomach feeling spread. It woke me up heart pounding.sweat .out of breath!!! Happened several times . then checked average heart rate on my Garmin. 48. Average 48 so i was probably lower. Maybe 45! My natural pace maker kicked in every time sleep lowered bpm and I was short on air. Natural pace maker? Adrenaline can't wait to see what was recorded on my device Thank you body! Now I think i know what as going on for long time hidden from doc view. Electric shock adrenaline style