5 Tips to Manage Unpredictable IBS Symptoms
Unpredictable IBS Symptoms.. and 5 tips to help manage them
SOS from a Gut Health Dietitian with Crohn’s Disease.
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
You WANT to work out, make plans with friends, go out to dinner, and drive to work without stopping at a gas station to have a BM, but every time you try it feels like cramping, stomachaches, and bloating stop you in your tracks. So you cancel. Then, you feel worse emotionally.
This loop (stomach pains →emotional anguish →more stomach pains) is deeply based on your gut brain connection. Yes, you stomach is bothering you for reasons that are not ‘just stress’. Yes, stress is making your stomach feel worse once it does feel bad. “IBS” is a blanket term for the symptoms you have-heartburn, bloat-abdominal pain-unstaisfying bowel movements-and a lower quality of life as a result. It happens because of a combination of imbalanced gut bacteria + environmental issues + hormones + a lot more technical stuff than you want to read about in this moment.
Photo by Artem Bryzgalov on Unsplash
How to regulate your gut when you never know what will happen today
Have a toolkit
This can be tea, peppermint capsules like IBGUARD, electrolytes, fennel seeds for bloating, OTC or Rx meds recommended by your doctor, digestive enzymes, etc. But if all of this is at home, then when you have a problem while out and about, you are miserable and afraid to do it again. Keep a little kit in your purse or car with a few things in it as your superhero cape. Preparation calms us down, and when you can do something about how you feel, your confidence doesn’t suffer as much.
2. Deep breaths
When your body feels safe to rest and digest, you will have a slightly easier time when you eat. Sitting down and taking 3 deep breaths from your diaphram is going to send a CLEAR message to the brain- we’ve got time to digest. We are safe. Weirdly, this does help.
3. Cooked instead
Going out for lunch and getting a salad with chicken is more than likely not the move if you have unpredictable stomach stuff going on. Salad is hearder to digest and usually has no carbohydrates, which will crash your blood sugar unless paired with legumes, crouton ish thing, fruit, etc. So not only will you crash and maybe get nauseous in a few hours, but your stomach may also hurt from those raw fibers. Try a rice based dish, sauteed or steamed veggies, and a protein or some kind of protein/legume and veggie rich soup or stew. The softer the food, the easier on your stomach.
4. Manage your time
Rushing out the door like a fire drill is going to crash and burn your whole situation. When we lay out clothes the night before, make sure something is at least thawed or planned to assemble for dinner, we are again sending that safe message to the brain and body. This is not an emergency, I am just getting ready for work/carpool/etc. Giving yourself time for a BM in the morning, even if you do not go, tells your body it is safe to go. This sets you up for a different day than one where you are eating a muffin in the car while doing your makeup. The more routine and prepared you decide to be, the more you are planning to feel in control of your surroundings, which is good for your gut.
Plus, in a world where we feel out of control a lot, controlling what you can is GOOD.
5. Get help!
I am a registered dietitian helping women get to the root cause of bloating diarrhea, and constipation so they can have predictable bowel movements and get off this hamster wheel of food sensitivities and unpredictable symptoms. I have been there and I know how awful it is. Investing some time for a chat about my services, to go through my 6 module course, or just follow along on all platforms @womensguthealth is a great way to explore all the ways you ABSOLUTELY CAN get to the other side of this.
You aren’t alone, and it’s not all in your head.
Check out The Gut Restoration 6-module course
Schedule a free, 15-minute call here
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