Avoid the whole "down is up and up is down" by thinking pf the model in terms of "top and bottom." No matter what the orientation of the airplane, the top and bottom is always the same. If you are upside down, and getting too low, give it "bottom control." It helps me and others to hold my hand and handle parallel to the ground also, but the handle will still have bottom and top to it.
Good luck and have fun,
Dan McEntee