She’s a ten, but she has IBS. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of those conditions that healthcare professionals struggle to pinpoint why it happens or how to make it go away. Hence, “syndrome.” This condition seems to affect more and more women, myself included.
I have searched the Interweb to try and find something, anything, that helps my symptoms. I have visited primary care physicians, who prescribe me x, y, and z which only provide temporary relief. I have visited naturopaths who bombard me with a long list of expensive daily supplements. I have gotten food allergy tests done, which leave me feeling like I have an “intolerance” to basically everything and anything besides water (I wish I was joking).
But, I am happy to say I have found a few habits that have helped my IBS immensely, all while staying on a uni girl budget. Here they are:
Disclaimer: Though these tips have helped me, everyone’s journey is different. Consult a doctor or nutritionist for professional help regarding significant dietary changes and medical advice.
practicing Mindful eating
Okay, I may have gotten this advice on TikTok. But, let me explain. Mindfulness for me comes in many forms, and does not always involve me sitting in meditation for hours at a time. However, being more mindful has significantly reduced my stress. As my stress eases, I notice a much happier stomach after meal times. A simple way I have incorporated mindfulness into meal times is by taking a moment to appreciate my plate before the first bite.
Also, putting Netflix away during meal times has also been a huge help to avoid mindless eating. With mindless eating, I tend to ignore my hunger cues, leading me to over- or under-eat or not realize which foods hurt my stomach.
EATING More SLOWly
Ok, this next tip sort-of builds from mindfulness. The other day my friend asked me, “Katherine, where do you get your sense of urgency from?” I am so used to running late, due dates taking over my life, or attempting to maintain a social calendar, that this sense of urgency became my normal — even during those rare moments when time was on my side and I had nothing to worry about.
Anyways, I am guilty of giving myself five minutes to inhale a meal. This is not enough time for my body to process “okay, we are eating now,” recognize that I am still hungry, or realize what foods did not make me feel good. But, the best part about learning to eat more slowly is that I am able to savor my meals and enjoy them.
KEeping HYDRATED
Water! Water! Water! Keeping hydrated has always been hard for me because I am too lazy to fill up my water bottle. However, I find that whenever I drink more water throughout the day, I also have an easier time digesting my food. I like to eat a lot of fiber-rich foods such as oatmeal, chia pudding, pears, etc., but fiber works best when paired with water to keep things moving along nicely.
Another reason to keep hydrated is that a lot of daily activities for me, such as movement or drinking caffeinated beverages, cause me to become dehydrated. However, I find that exercise and my daily latte are much more enjoyable with plenty of water beforehand. Coffee is also a huge trigger for my IBS (I still have not given it up), but I have found that keeping hydrated before drinking coffee has helped reduce my symptoms immensely.
DAILY PROBIOTICS
Hello there, to my favorite of all supplements… probiotics. A good probiotic may be a little expensive, but there are many common foods that naturally contain bacteria that my gut LOVES and makes everything work a little better. I eat greek yogurt daily with some fruit, honey, and pecans and I recently saw a coconut-based yogurt go viral for its rich probiotic makeup that I must try.
I also eat kimchi or sauerkraut (delicious fermented cabbage) whenever I am feeling a bit fancy. Another easy way I have added probiotics to my diet is with Poppi soda, literally the best replacement for soda ever and it makes my tummy SO happy. Go to target and get some. Now.
Adding FIBER
Fiber has been another lifesaver for me and my tummy probs. In simple terms, fiber helps bulk up the digested food passing through the GI tract to make everything pass more smoothly. Think of it as your digestive’s system assistant!
Some of my favorite foods that I have been eating throughout my day include oats, chia, nuts, and apples. However, I also love to add leafy greens, brown rice, and legumes to lunch or dinner whenever I can.
My body had a bit of adjustment to consuming more fiber regularly. I had to make sure I kept hydrated and introduced it slowly, but surely.
TEA Time!
I am a girl who loves a cup of coffee. However, my stomach usually ends up hating me if I drink coffee too much. I have found that instead of a coffee every single day, tea usually does the trick when I need a pick-me-up. Tea can combine the art of mindfulness and staying hydrated.
A cup of tea, especially loose-leaf tea, can be a process that takes up a bit of time before getting to enjoy it. Perfect time for me to practice some mindfulness! And since tea needs water to brew, it is another way for me to keep hydrated.
There are so many different types of tea out there, but the ones that are gentle on my stomach when I need a bit of a boost are earl grey, matcha, and chai (my favorite place to get these three is Dog Lane Cafe). When my stomach hurts and needs a quick fix, peppermint tea does the trick without fail. Lastly, when I am feeling stressed or anxious, chamomile tea really helps prevent stomach upset due to my mental state.
Eating IN MODERATION
I know, moderation can be a sensitive topic. I am not at all promoting the restriction of any foods, especially your favorite foods. I have had allergy tests done and eliminated way too many foods at once which left me feeling stressed about what exactly to eat and even about eating at restaurants. I have tried the low FODMAP diet and even downloaded an app on my phone that labeled foods as green, yellow, or red — not sustainable, and would not recommend.
Even foods that I KNOW will cause some flare-ups in my IBS, I still choose to eat. Pizza is not my stomach’s best friend, but here I am eating it for the third day in a row. Slay. However, I have learned that I could have most foods that I love, in moderation.
Like I mentioned before, I don’t have coffee every single day, and usually I do not have more than one cup per day. And with my recent pizza-for-dinner streak, I ate more slowly and not to the point where I got super full. I know that when I overeat, especially trigger foods, my stomach struggles even more with digesting it and I end up with a lot of pain! However, day 2/3 of the pizza chronicles, and no tummy ache yet. A win is a win.
Moving THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Hot girl walks are all the rave, but let’s talk about digestion walks. After incorporating digestion walks after big meals, my digestion has significantly improved and tummy pains have greatly subsided. Do I always have time for a little walk after eating? No. But when I can, I definitely feel the difference from eating and not moving at all afterwards to eating and going for a little walk.
I also tried digestion yoga that I found on YouTube when I was desperate to help my stomach pains. However, practicing yoga in general or any sort of movement that I want to enjoy during the month, helps a ton to keep me regular and my stomach happier.
HELLO, BREAKFaST
When they said breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they were not wrong. I got this tip from my naturopath. She recommended I started breaking my fast (from a nighttime sleep) within one hour of waking up. Personally, I used to skip breakfast a lot. My shifts at work start before the sun is up, who wants to eat that early? Not me.
But, I started realizing that even though I would wake up at 5:30 a.m., some days I would not eat breakfast until 11 a.m. I would be so tired and hungry by 11:00, so I started eating a smoothie or overnight oats before work in the mornings. A little something helped me to wake up my mind and gut! I found that I had fewer cravings and more energy throughout my day, yay!
COPING WITH HAVING THIS CONDITION
Lastly, it took a lot for me to come to terms that I was having pain after eating or even when I have not eaten anything at all. It was so annoying to be out with friends or my boyfriend and complaining about my stomach or having to mentally keep in mind the nearest bathroom (LOL).
I realized I needed to find things that actually worked for my body and my symptoms which took a lot of trial and error, but gorgeous gorgeous girls will find a way to thrive.. even with IBS! xx