‘I don’t know how to cope with all the foods I can’t eat anymore because of my IBS, it’s just so depressing!’
The above quote came directly from one of my past clients before we started working together and unfortunately for those with IBS symptoms this is often their reality.
In an attempt to figure out a way of eating that doesn’t send you running to the loo you, may have tried cutting out one or more foods. Like foods high in FODMAPS, gluten, dairy or any that cast a shadow.
Ok this last one was me being a silly-pants, but it may feel like that for you if you continually just keep blindly restricting, restricting, restricting until you have no idea what to eat anymore. When you just keep cutting out more and more foods you are likely to feel restricted, deprived and sometimes down right h-angry!
So when it comes to finding a way of eating that doesn’t inflame your chronically inflamed belly I recommend taking a deep breath, getting focused and following the 3 steps below…
1) Follow a Proven Plan
The majority of digestively challenged humans I chat with randomly just start removing things from their diet in a desperate attempt to figure out what the heck is poking the irritable beast living in their belly. This was exactly what I did a decade ago to try and just feel better.
The problem with this approach is that you may be unnecessarily limiting yourself by picking your least likely tummy irritating culprits. This unplanned approach also takes a ridiculously long time to find your gut soothing diet (if you even find it at all). For me, it ended up taking years.
By following a proven plan created by a healthcare professional who actually specializes in IBS and deep digestive healing will make or break your success in finding key foods that work for you. For example; a common healthful practice for general digestive health is to increase fibre which can be helpful for many however, for my friends with more diarrhea prone bellies this isn’t always the best option at this time and in some cases can actually worsen IBS symptoms.
2) Replace rather than restrict
Now this is HUGE and where the majority of people miss the boat. If you are going to try and remove a suspected gut trigger from your diet always, always, always find a replacement for it. And not just a steamed broccoli like replacement but a delicious, satisfying, ‘I don’t even miss that old food’ replacement.
This is the big reason why my digestive healing approach differs from the majority of others out there. If you are eliminating something from your diet I make sure you have 10 amazing foods to replace it with and that you are introduced to an abundance of delicious nourishing food you CAN actually eat that soothes your belly rather than inflames it. . I will be sharing copious amounts of these in my FREE MASTERCLASS: How to Transform Everyday Meals into Powerful Gut Healers
3) Confirm your Triggers!
Let’s say you finally find a way of eating that for the most part keeps your belly blissfully happy (yes, it is absolutely possibly!) My goal is to always support people into the least limiting diet possible that allows their gut to continue healing.
There’s nothing I find more frustrating than to come across women who are unnecessarily depriving themselves of healthful foods because they heard that if you have IBS you shouldn’t eat _____ (fill in the blank).
We are all beautifully unique beings and so are our tummies! So it’s important to carry out a properly timed food re-introduction in a specific way that confirms if it is indeed one of your specific gut triggers and if it is; exactly what symptoms are accompanying it. This proven method is taught in the Calm your Gut Program.
To start getting some clarity around IBS friendly foods and keeping your belly calm after meals sign up for my FREE MASTERCLASS: How to Transform Everyday Meals into Powerful Gut Healers.
In this class I will share with you the step by step approach to building a gut healing meal that allows you to confidently put food in your mouth you know will keep your belly happy! Register for the Free Masterclass here.
