IBS: Gabby's Health Journal #1

I want to start by saying that this is not my usual post. This is the first installment in a new blog series where I discuss my personal health issues and what I have learned. I also may sound a little negative compared to my usual fact-reporting demeanor, but that’s okay; this is my life, and sometimes it’s frustrating.

I recently (and finally!) got diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. This is such a frustrating issue that so many people deal with. It can be debilitating and embarrassing, making you feel an enormous amount of stress even leaving the house. My flare-ups have caused me to miss work, cancel plans, miss opportunities, and eventually dwindle my life down to that of a hermit. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to be home, so this isn’t entirely due to my health issues, but the pressure to always be prepared for a flare-up or check in with myself to make sure I’m symptom-free before leaving has made it hard for me to make plans. It causes so much stress, anxiety, paranoia, hyper vigilance, and I even feel like I’m losing my mind sometimes. I know people can relate to this, even if you have stomach issues without IBS.

Let me fill you all in on a bit of my past. I have dealt with random health issues my whole life. Most of these issues can be wrapped into the category of stomach issues or IBS. I have tried so many things over the years, like going gluten-free or dairy-free, seeing a plethora of different doctors, including gastroenterologists, homeopaths, physicians, and chiropractors, and many other methods that will supposedly be my salvation. Now, I have not found a magical cure, nor have I gotten to a point where I feel confident in my health yet. But I will, and I’m going to share with you what is currently making my life a whole lot better.

Let's begin with what IBS is. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that affects the stomach and intestines or the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms include cramping, belly pain, bloating, gas, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is an ongoing condition that needs long-term management.

Solutions That Work For Me!

Stomach Aid Tea:

Supplements: 

Psyllium Husk:

• This herb is very helpful for any type of digestive issue. Psyllium is high in fiber and works to bring your stool back to normal. It is said to help with both diarrhea and constipation.
• This is the base ingredient of Metamucil without all the added junk.
• I take this in the morning on an empty stomach with my L-Glutamine powder.

L-Glutamine:

• This supplement can help strengthen the cell barrier in our stomachs and prevent our intestines from becoming damaged. It also helps rebuild the lining of our intestines. This is important for anyone with an irritable or inflamed digestive system to take.
• I take this on an empty stomach in the morning and again at night if necessary. The one I take also has aloe and other herbs in it and has made a difference in my stomach health.

IBGard:

• This supplement has been great for my bloating and helps me feel light after eating.
• This product is the number one peppermint oil capsule. It can help with cramping, bowel urgency, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
• I take one of these before lunch and dinner.

Digestive Enzymes:

• These are great if you feel like you have issues digesting food or certain foods.
• I did a blood test and found that I have low amylase levels so I do take these regularly. If you are not low on pancreatic enzymes, you may only want to take this if you are about to eat a meal that bothers you. By supplementing this, you are adding in enzymes that break down food and aid in digestion.
• I take one of these before lunch and dinner.

Slippery Elm Bark:

• This herb can be very helpful for stomach issues because it is mucosal. It can help smooth the lining of the stomach and stop irritation.

Prebiotics and Probiotics:

• These are important to have in your diet because they support gut health by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria within your microbiome.
• Prebiotics can trigger the growth of beneficial bacteria. Probiotics contain living bacteria that help digest food and can improve the number of microorganisms within your gut.
• I just recently quit taking a probiotic and instead eat a serving of Coconut Cult in the morning on an empty stomach. I think this has been very helpful for my bloating and digestion.
• In the past, I have really liked taking Align Probiotics.
• Foods that boost these bacteria are: Greek yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, and more.

Omega-3:

• This supplement can help your stomach by reducing inflammation, protecting your gut, and may improve your gut microbiome.

Juicing: 

• I have found that making my own gut shots is very doable and cheaper than buying them. I do have a juicer, but you can use a blender for this as well. I don’t have exact recipes and try to switch it up each time. The ingredients I add in every time are ginger root, turmeric, pepper, aloe, apple cider vinegar, and lemon. I also like to add in some filler ingredients like cucumbers, celery, pineapple, dragon fruit, or apples, as this juice is very strong and can be hard to swallow without these extra ingredients. Also, turmeric is hard to find, so I use powdered.
• I drink 1 shot of this a day, after breakfast. I do think this helps with my digestion and indigestion.
• Please try to use organic produce! It is so important that we are not ingesting pesticides and herbicides.

Stretching & Moving: 

• I know getting up and moving can be so hard when you don’t feel good. Just try to move a little bit by stretching on the floor or going for a walk. I have noticed that when I eat, I feel like a balloon has just been inflated in my abdomen. Bloating can be uncomfortable and make you want to be as stationary as possible, but gently moving can help ease it. Stretching after dinner has been such a relief for this. I get on the floor, move my body, and then feel like I can breathe again!
• Walking is a great way to get your bowels moving and help relieve some of the stress that comes with not feeling well.
• Another movement trick that I love is sitting on a vibration plate. I love to use this when I feel like I have air trapped in my belly or I need to get my bowels moving. Vibration plates are meant for lymphatic drainage, which is also an important part of overall health.

Meditation, Hypnotherapy, & Breathe Work: 

• I recently started using an app called Nerva. This is hypnosis and guided meditation specifically for people with IBS or stomach issues. With this program, you do a session every day that includes a lesson to learn how our gut-brain connection works and then a hypnotherapy session. So far, this app has been extremely helpful and has lowered my anxiety around these health issues tremendously. I can calm myself down more easily and control flare-ups better.
• This was a touchy subject for me after being told these issues were all in my head during my childhood, but I urge you to give it a shot. You may be like me and think there is no way this could help because my anxiety is caused by my health issues, not the other way around. But you may be surprised. Our gut-brain connection is a never-ending loop. When we have a flare-up, we have anxiety, and it also works the other way around. By using these sessions, we are able to engage our parasympathetic nervous system, which assists in digestion and relaxes us out of our fight or flight state. By visualizing all of the different scenarios they take you through, you slowly start to feel in control of your digestive system. This app has made a huge difference in my life.

Medication: 

• I have tried two medications for IBS so far, and neither has helped me personally. I will continue to take the natural route for now, but I will share the over-the-counter medications that help when I need them.
• Emetrol is a great option for nausea. I have used the chewable and liquid version.
• I have been liking the brand Wonder Belly because they do not have harmful dyes in their products and offer alternatives to Pepto, Tums, and Gas-X.
• Colace is a laxative that is more on the natural side and has a gentle effect.

Thank you for reading this blog. This series is very personal but I want to share all I’ve learned in order to help others. All of the products I mentioned are linked down below. 

Product Links

• Stomach Aid Tea
• Psyllium Husk
• L-Glutamine
• IBGard
• Slippery Elm Bark
• Coconut Cult
• Align Probiotics
• Omega-3
• Tumeric Powder
• Vibration Plate
• Nerva
• Emetrol
• Wonder Belly
• Colace