Hey Yall,
 
Well I do have some expertize in both of these matters on a personal level,
as well I fear someone else does too.  Maybe it is the water here.  hehe
 
One thing that can cause big tummies (besides too much food, hehe) is an
impaired intestinal tract.  Nicky, my spinal injury boy has limited function
in his bowel and bladder along with limited control.  Now the nerve damage
actually slows down the bowel function, which in turn leads to a build up
of gas which causes a huge tummy and bloating.  I massage his bottom half
(ok guys, no comments) and his tummy on a regular basis.  When I am a bad
Mom, and forget, his little tummy gets hard, and it ain't a six pack.
 
I have a friend who also has a spinal injury and has the exact same problem.
 
And then there are folks like me and Bob Church, who are just basically
falling apart in middle age.  Neither one of us has good guts and we both
suffer from tummy bloat.  I have a condition known as diverticulosis, that
is, my intestinal wall is suffering from herniation and doesn't work so good
anymore.  And when the line is slow, you get alot of methane build up there.
Yup.
 
One thing that really helps Nicky, and is actually similar to a yoga posture
for gas, is I roll him.  I take one end in one hand, the other end in the
other hand and hold him in mid air while rolling him up and down in a U
shape.  This helps to stretch and work his muscles and also massages the
guts, to get things moving.  Nicky's is bad enough to warrant this treatment
once a day, for just a minute or so.  I just hold him by my face and he
licks me the whole time I do this and his leg exercises.
 
As far as estrogen replacement Bob, is it to counter act all that
testosterone poisioning?  You better watch out, you know estrogen keeps hair
from growing on women.  hehe.  Postmenapausal mustaches and all that.
 
BTW, need some Rod Stewert, Doors, Leon Russell or Sarah Vaugn for that
little car of yours?  Or is it still running 8 tracks like my old MG did.
sigh.  I thought I heard a little putt putt every once in a while.  Still
miss my BGT.
 
Maggie Mae, wishing she was 20 years younger, well, 10 anyway
[Posted in FML issue 2182]