<aside> <img src="/icons/light-bulb_blue.svg" alt="/icons/light-bulb_blue.svg" width="40px" /> The no B.S. version...
I'll be totally honest with you. Overcoming IBS was the most challenging experience of my life.
See 5 years ago, gut health was non-existent in the public eye.
Finding credible — tried and tested — information on the topic was an impossible task.
Everywhere I looked online I saw stories of people exploring every avenue to recover from gut issues, unable to find a way out.
The equivalent feeling would be to look at the floor and see the ground crumbling beneath your feet.
Some of you may feel that I'm exaggerating, if this is the case you do not truly understand the extent of gut issues.
It is not simply a case of bloating and issues going to the toilet...
I couldn't articulate myself, like a disconnect in my head - unable to form sentences.
I would jump at someone walking in the door behind me, like a lion walked in the room; with my ears flinching.
A product of a poorly functioning nervous system, always protecting me from danger.
Serious anxiety-depressive behaviours that were out of my immediate control... a physiological issue in my body causing a psychological issue in my brain.
I lost all hunger (entirely) for a period of months.
I had eye floaters that made me feel physically sick. Unsure if they would ever go away.
I couldn't sleep because my skin was irritated. Like an itch all over your body that you can never scratch.
I didn't go to the toilet for over a week, having to forcibly go through a pipe in a clinic.
Friends and family did not understanding, or worse; claimed that I was exaggerating.
I was warned away from all the alternatives by doctors, with no accountability for the medication that caused the issue.
That's right. If you haven't heard my story yet, I arrived in this situation after an extended course of antibiotics.
During the course I was knocked for 6. Sleeping for 14+ hours a day, bloated to the extent that I looked 6 months pregnant; with all the above issues beginning to arise.
When I asked the doctors why, they said that "This cannot be the case. The antibiotic you took was designed to target a specific issue.".
Months later I saw the antibiotic listed in one of the leading gut health books, "GUT", describing metronidazole more like a stick of dynamite to your beneficial bacteria.
No one knew what they were talking about. No one.
With my life on the line, I was forced to figure it out myself.
Some years later I've worked with over 1,352+ clients; helping them overcome a myriad of issues that doctors couldn't help with.
Cyclical vomiting syndrome (CVS), PCOS, eczema, and more fellow IBS conquerers than I can count.
How?
It's actually very simple. I reverse engineered the cause of my issues to create a solution.
The same approach that's created my reputation for helping people when the medical system cannot.
Let's highlight the 10 key areas of focus:
I followed an elimination diet (esp. remove: refined, artificial, and processed foods - in particular refined sugar/carbs - and some FODMAPs)
Pro tip: If you never go about reintroducing these foods you’ll never be able to tolerate/comfortably consume them.
I consumed foods & supplements to fend of the “bad” gut microbes (coconut oil, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, oregano, garlic, etc.)
Supplements contain a composition similar to this one.
Note: You need to find the balance because the foods that are BEST for your gut will also cause bloating (garlic is a prime example) - consume what you can then increase over time.
I consumed natural probiotics and prebiotics throughout, after a period taking specific stains of bacteria in a supplement that aligned with my symptoms.
I consumed supplements to regulate bowel movements (magnesium) and to heal the gut lining (vit. A, zinc, l-glutamine, and fish/algae oil are good examples)
I fasted to increase microbe diversity and allowed my gut lining to heal - bone broth can help here too, either homemade or store bought, you can also find vegan alternatives/recipes online.
I ate whatever animal products I wished but focus on a variety of plant-based foods. In my experience an animal-based or pescatarian diet with a strong plant-based foundation works best. It can also be done veggie or vegan but it's harder.
I opted for low-moderate intensity exercise - skipping the HIIT, keeping resistance training going to retain muscle. Movement is also essential for digestive function.
If you don’t manage stress and the nervous system, you won’t heal. In-fact, it's the cause of many of your issues... what do you expect when you live in a constant state of survival? I've spoken about these issues at length in the last two issues.
Spend as much attention on your mind as you do your body. IBS was previously thought to be psychosomatic (caused by psychological issues) so clearly mental state has an enormous role. Again, if you truly want to heal you must "create the space" for positive mental wellbeing.
Hit the break peddle, slow down, reconnect with nature, explore presence and practices like meditation and breathwork...
Stay hydrated with water and salt - opt. for the highest quality you can (Himalayan/Celtic sea salt).
Any further suggestions may arise from a deep dive into your current state, but these will allow the majority of you to heal — should you be able to apply it.
(Especially the elimination diet, re-introducing foods over time, and the correct use of supplements; focus your attention here)
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