I was thinking, maybe we could all make a list of all the important things that we wish we had known in the beginning and sometimes just don't think of that could help new patients and continue a thread here, who knows maybe it will help not just the new folks, in case any of us are doing something that could hinder our progress.

This was triggered this morning when I saw the article on Bomamed saying that microwaving food is really bad; I'm over 2 years into treatment and I have been microwaving some of my food every single day, which I will now stop and do things the long way around.

But this is something I wish I had thought of in the beginning, as is my partner drinking alcohol can affect me, this has only just come up for me with Matia and my husband will stop drinking beer to see if it helps.

Also in the very beginning I did a few things that I just didn't think of being a problem, like using cold sore medication because I just assumed there would not be a natural alternative, (but there is -liquid golden seal and it works amazingly.)

It took me a while in the beginning to really understand every product I used on my body had to change and even now I'm sure some of my make up could be problematic and need to really go through that.

Also sanitary towels/tampons would be better to be natural- I didn't know that other brands could be affecting me for ages.

I used plug in air fresheners for my first year, not knowing they are toxic.

I was cooking with black pepper for ages because I swear I saw it on my first diet list I got in my first appt, but it is not on the current one, but maybe I imagined it?

In the beginning I wish I had known:

microwaving food could be problematic

my partners alcohol intake can affect my health

every beauty product has to be IC friendly

breathing in cleaning product can cause major flares

arguments/stress causes flares, so if you haven’t done anything external to cause a flare it could be a mental cause.

plug in air fresheners are toxic

black pepper is a bladder irritant

sanitary products need to be natural

I know I may have just been someone who did not do enough research or fully understand the extent of things in the beginning, also there may be another thread on this already that I haven't seen (I've seen this very good one: http://www.icama.org/forum-topic/dr-brizmans-protocol/tricks-newbies ), but does any one want to add anything?

:)