Four things you can do right now to get your IBS under control

Do you feel like your gut is completely out of control and you don’t know how you’re going to feel one day to the next, not to mention one HOUR to the next? Do you have a constant level of anxiety that impacts everything you do? Do you have diarrhea one day and constipation the next? Are you taking medication to combat these symptoms on a daily basis? These are all classic signs of IBS. And, if you let them, they will run your life.

You’ve got to start sometime. How about now?

Luckily there’s a much better way to live! And you can get started on that better life today with four things you can start doing RIGHT NOW that will help minimize or even eliminate your constant gut roller coaster.

Ready to give it a go?

And, if you find you need some help, motivation, inspiration, we’ve got your back there too!

Our IBS Game Changer program is proven time and time again. You can get some inspiration from our clients as they talk about their newfound freedom from IBS symptoms, ability to eat out, entertain friends, and enjoy the abundance of deliciously low FODMAP foods available to them.

Our promise to you is:

• You will feel better in less than eight weeks.

• You will have the knowledge you need to feel better for the rest of your life.

• If you do not see results in eight weeks, we will give you your money back.*

There’s no downside. There’s only the opportunity to live a full, abundant, comfortable life.

Grab a free 15 minutes with us to see how this program could change your life.

*As explained in the program agreement

Four simple habits to make you and your tummy happier (based on neuroscience)

Who doesn’t want to be happier? I don’t know anyone who would say no when asked if they want to feel happier than they do right now—even if they are blissfully happy! Happiness is an emotion we seek and promote and revel in. And for those of us with IBS, these practices will not only make your heart and brain happy, but they just might improve your relationship with your gut too. We’ve got you! Check out our guide to four simple happiness habits that will help take you from ho-hum to oh-happy.

Here’s one thing to keep in mind human life is 50/50. If we never feel sadness we can’t really know happiness. If we never feel pain, we can’t really feel pleasure. We don’t want to expect to be happy all the time because that’s not how life works. We can, however, stack the deck in favor of inviting happiness into our lives on a regular basis by adopting certain practices that have been scientifically proven to facilitate the experience of happiness.

1. Practice being thankful. Simply ask yourself this question “What am I grateful for?” Then, write down all the things you can think of. Keep in mind many of these things can be very basic. I’m grateful to be alive. I’m grateful to have a functioning body. I’m grateful to have a roof over my head. I’m grateful to have enough food to eat. I’m grateful to have a loving spouse, partner, child, dog, cat, iguana. Once you’ve covered the basics, you can look for the more nuanced things you are grateful for. How about a clean house, a mowed lawn, an oiled hinge, a beautiful sunrise, the sound of the ocean…I’m sure you can think of a very long list. And you can add to it every day because every new day is something in and of itself to be thankful for.

2. Make time for exercise. We cover this a lot in our program. Daily gentle exercise is really good for those of us with IBS because it keeps things moving, raises our spirits, in many cases gets us outside with a buddy or two (which compounds the benefits of the exercise), and keeps our joints and muscles working well.

   The key to adding exercise to your life is not to make it too difficult! You can set yourself up for failure if you decide “exercise” means at least an hour with sweating and pain involved. That doesn’t sound very appealing. I think I would pass on that.

   Too much exercise can take our body’s resources away from digesting our food and can cause us more stress than it does good. There’s a big range of what is “right” for each of us so listen to your body and monitor your own response to exercise. Then adjust the intensity and amount for optimum results.

   I recommend people who don’t exercise at all start by walking around the block just once. Then increase it to twice. Then go from there. I myself walk about 3 miles a day. Some days I do less and some days I do more but I always get out for at least a short walk. It has become a habit. Like brushing my teeth. Once it’s a habit you don’t even have to think about it. It just happens. And guess what? YOU are the beneficiary!

3. Adopt a healthy diet. This is a big one for people, like you and me, who have IBS. About 80% of people can see a marked improvement in their IBS symptoms by switching to a low FODMAP diet followed by a specific protocol to challenge FODMAPs back into the diet. A healthy diet when you have IBS should be as broad and varied as possible — without triggering your IBS symptoms.

   That’s why we constantly publish new Deliciously Low FODMAP™ recipes to inspire you to try new things, expand your palate, and delight your whole family. We emphasize eating less processed, more organic, and non-GMO foods when you have IBS because they are likely to have fewer hidden triggers that come from our industrialized food production system. Don’t forget, eating a healthy diet includes drinking plenty of water too.

4. Give someone else a helping hand. This is a wonderful practice that is scientifically proven to help you feel happy and connected. It benefits the person (or people) you’re helping too! Win. Win. It can be something easy and quick or long and committed but either way, it can help you feel connected and happy. For me, developing delicious simple low FODMAP recipes, IBS-friendly tips and tools, and sharing them with all of you makes me very happy and I thank you for your interest and your gratitude. It inspires me every day! I also volunteer my time and bring treats to my family, friends, and neighbors. Not every day but once in a while. It’s so easy and fun.

   What is it for you?

   How about volunteering your time, donating your talent and/or your treasure, to the local library, food pantry, charity of your choice? These are wonderful ways to help others. You can also help in small ways if you tune your attention to find and address small needs all around you. How about offering to walk your neighbor’s dog, mow their lawn, rake their leaves, bring them dinner? How about dropping off flowers or some treats when it’s not the holidays. Just for fun! How about sending a letter and making a connection with someone who might be lonely.

There’s so much we can all do to help ourselves and those around us feel happy. You don’t have to make major changes in your life to reap the benefits. Start small and let it blossom. And remember to appreciate the times you are not feeling happy too. That 50/50 balance will make you appreciate happiness so much more.

Deliciously Low FODMAP is a trademark of IBS Game Changer, LLC. All rights reserved.

Struggling with excess weight and insulin resistance in addition to IBS?

That’s a very real scenario for many of us and it can be overwhelming to try to tackle everything at once. That’s where my Sister-site, Diabetes Game Changer, comes in. It’s the only medical consulting/coaching practice created exclusively for type 2 diabetics, pre-diabetics, and those at high-risk for diabetes who want to lose weight, reverse diabetes, and gain their lives back. And now it’s customized for those of us who have IBS too!

​With more than 30 years of experience in health care, Sarah Aitken, RN, MS, WHNP/FNP, developed the Diabetes Game Changer Program based on her own personal journey and she has proven it works, even when nothing else has worked, for both herself and her clients.

Are you tired of being told you need to lose weight to decrease diabetes risk, but getting NO useful information from the medical community on exactly how to do that? The knowledge you will gain regarding urges, cravings, habits, and your body's physiology will give you completely new tools and an entirely different perspective on your weight AND your IBS! 

Even better, all my low FODMAP recipes are tagged to mesh perfectly with the Diabetes Game Changer Program so there’s no reason NOT to work on your IBS and your weight at the same time.

Want a little taste of what Diabetes Game Changer has to offer? Check out their Free Guide: 6 Steps to Jumpstart Your Weight Loss.

You’ll be glad you did!

IBS Game Changer and Diabetes Game Changer are Sister sites. Our programs complement each other as we know full well most of us have more than one problem to deal with. Our coaching philosophies are the same and our passion to help people be healthy and feel good is what drives us. We are glad you found us.

Eating a low FODMAP vegetarian diet

Whether you are a vegetarian or you simply want to eat a more heavily plant-based diet, it’s important to know what to eat for optimum low FODMAP nutrition. Luckily for all of us, there are many wonderful options to choose from.

Armed with a bit of good information, it is not hard to eat a nutritionally-balanced low FODMAP vegetarian diet as long as you pay attention to a few of the nutrients that could be lacking if you eliminate meat from your diet. They include protein, calcium, and iron in particular.

Protein

While traditional vegetarian diets often rely on legumes (beans, lentils, soybeans, etc.) many of these legumes are high in FODMAPs and limited on the low FODMAP diet. The canning process can bring the FODMAP content down for such things as Garbanzo beans and lentils but the tolerable low FODMAP serving size* is still quite low.

• Eggs in all forms - boiled, scrambled, over easy, sunny side up…you get the idea! I recommend looking for free-range organic eggs for the best flavor, color, and nutrient balance. You can tell by the quality of the shell and the color of the yolk when you’ve selected the best eggs.

• Firm tofu and tempeh - keep that “firm” in mind because silken tofu is not a low FODMAP option. Also, watch for other sneaky FODMAP ingredients if the tofu or tempeh is seasoned.

• Lactose-free dairy products - lactose-free dairy products are getting more and more common and you can now find milk, yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, and even cottage cheese.

• Low lactose cheeses like cheddar, brie, feta, and Swiss - cheese, when used in a reasonable quantity, can be a great source of protein and calcium. It takes a whole cup of milk to make one slice of cheese. So don’t be afraid to keep cheese in your diet!

• Nuts - not all, but many nuts, are low FODMAP including walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, peanuts, and brazil nuts (which are also high in the important micronutrient selenium). Other nuts, such as hazelnuts and almonds, are low FODMAP at fewer than 10 nuts per serving.

• Peanut butter - watch for other high FODMAP ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup. Also, for general health, I recommend choosing a natural peanut butter that doesn’t contain hydrogenated oils. Santa Cruz organic peanut butter is a great example.

• Seeds - an amazing source of protein and fiber, seeds such as chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, and sunflower can be added to lots of things. I put them in my salad, my eggs, and even my soup!

• Whole grains - an important source of protein and fiber, whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, and polenta have an important place in a low FODMAP vegetarian diet.

Calcium

A critical part of your diet and much easier to enjoy on a low FODMAP diet now that there are so many lactose-free options available. You can now find lactose-free milk, yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, and even cottage cheese. Because it’s the lactose that contains the FODMAPs, lactose-free milk products are low in FODMAPs and can help you meet your calcium needs. Even cheese, when used in a reasonable quantity*, can be a great source of protein and calcium. It takes a whole cup of milk to make one slice of cheese. So, don’t be afraid to keep cheese in your diet.

If you don’t include dairy in your diet, make sure you do include plant-based alternatives that are low in FODMAPs such as fortified low FODMAP nut milk, firm tofu, and dark leafy greens including kale, spinach, and collard greens.

Iron

It’s important to optimize your body’s ability to absorb iron — especially when you are relying on the vegetarian forms, which are harder for the body to absorb. You can increase iron-absorption by pairing it with a source of vitamin C such as tomatoes or bell peppers if you’re making something savory, or oranges, kiwifruit, or strawberries if you’re making something sweet. Some low FODMAP vegetarian sources* of iron include:

• Firm tofu and tempeh - keep that “firm” in mind because silken tofu is not a low FODMAP option. Also, watch for other sneaky FODMAP ingredients if the tofu or tempeh is seasoned.

• Spinach - Popeye had it right. Spinach is a superfood! It’s not only high in iron but also high in calcium. It can be added to eggs, soups, stir fry, even rice!

• Pumpkin seeds - Also known as Pepitas can be added to lots of things. I put them in my salad, my eggs, and even my soup!

• Quinoa - available in several different colors, quinoa is another superfood that can be used in place of rice, added to salads and soups, or mixed with eggs and seasonings and turned into a burger or falafel! The key to good-tasting quinoa is to wash it before you cook it.

• Canned lentils and chickpeas - because the canning process pulls out the water-soluble FODMAPs, they are often tolerated in small serving sizes*.

• Eggs in all forms - boiled, scrambled, over easy, sunny side up…you get the idea! I recommend looking for free-range organic eggs for the best flavor, color, and nutrient balance. You can tell by the quality of the shell and the color of the yolk when you’ve selected the best eggs.

*To confirm the low FODMAP serving size for all of these foods and MANY more, download and use the low FODMAP app from Monash University.

Why you should eat more plants, preferably organic and non-GMO

Humans are not meant to eat processed foods. For those of us with IBS, the more we eat processed foods, the more that concept becomes clear. Highly processed foods often contain hidden IBS triggers like high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, wheat-based thickeners and coatings, garlic and onion powder described as “spices,” and just plain non-food colors, preservatives, flavor and texture enhancers, and other chemicals of all kinds.

Why do we do this when eating more plants can help decrease your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes? Why do we do this when eating more plants can help you maintain optimal weight and bowel function? Because it’s “easier” and we have been trained by the food industry to demand efficiency with our food. But is it really easier if it leaves you feeling terrible, overweight, and suffering needlessly from life-altering illness? I think not!

That’s where the plants come in. A carrot is a fully self-contained snack. And it has one ingredient: carrot! The same is true for a tangerine. And a tangerine even comes in its own wrapper! When you eat plants, each of the foods you put in your mouth is real, nutritious, food full of vitamins, flavor, and fiber. And devoid of all the added ingredients and chemicals that make you feel sick.

Why eat organic and non-GMO?

Because we have even found ways to expose plants to harmful chemicals! Nearly all genetically modified crops worldwide are engineered to be grown with glyphosate-based herbicides such as Roundup. (There’s a ton of published research on this topic. Please reference this article for more depth on this subject.) Once contaminated with glyphosate, plants are no longer strictly a source of nutrients and fiber. They become a vehicle for us to consume a potentially harmful environmental toxin. If it kills bugs, it probably isn’t good for you either!

Research shows us that exposure to glyphosate has a negative impact on gut biome and this is potentially especially bad for those of us with IBS. More research must be done to determine the effect of the changes in the gut biome but suffice it to say, we don’t expect it to be good news. Even worse, animals that eat the plants that have been sprayed with glyphosate-based herbicides, store some of that in their tissue. So, when we eat meat, we also want to choose grass-fed and organic options to avoid the glyphosate trigger.

The regulations for organic produce and non-GMO labeling aren’t perfect, but they’re a lot better than nothing. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive to buy organic and non-GMO but it’s a lot LESS expensive than dealing with the health consequences of eating genetically-modified food that is potentially chemically-contaminated.

So…my challenge to you? Make it your habit to eat more organic, non-GMO plants. Eat grass-fed non-GMO meat. And give your gut (and your liver) a break from processing poison out of your food. Your body will thank you!

10 simple happy belly yoga poses

“Yoga can aid digestion, elimination (constipation), and bloating by increasing the circulation and energy to these areas.”

— Nutritionist and yoga teacher Fiona Tuck

I’m sharing this article on the benefits of yoga for your belly because yoga and stretching are a big part of the IBS Game Changer toolbox. Certain yoga poses can stimulate your internal organs and help decrease stress and calm your nerves which, in turn, can help you rest and digest. Ten simple yoga poses that could work wonders for your digestion and your mind are outlined with instructions and pictures in this Huffington Post article.

“Yoga also works on a deeper energetic level, stimulating the energy systems or meridians of the body. By choosing asanas that stimulate the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and liver meridians we can create harmony and balance within the body by aiding digestion and bloating.”

— Fiona Tuck

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Eating out, eating on the go, grabbing takeout on a low FODMAP diet?

It’s not as hard as you think. You’ve been watching your FODMAP intake or you’ve been on the FODMAP elimination diet and things are going great, but then a friend or colleague invites you to dinner, and you panic. Taking care of your tummy and staying on a low FODMAP diet when eating out can be tricky, but it’s not impossible and it doesn’t mean you have to decline the invitation or miss the fun!

With a little bit of preparation, you can eat out and stay on your low FODMAP protocol. Here’s what we recommend:

Number one: Use our Eating Out Guide and get the direction you need to navigate fine dining, fast food, and take out without sacrificing your tummy.

Number two: Call ahead, research menus, and ingredient lists online, and arm yourself with information to ensure there’s something on the menu you can enjoy without consequences.

Number three: Consider restaurants that cater to gluten-free and/or dairy-free diets, which may have more easily customized options on their menu.

Taking a little time to be prepared can reduce anxiety and stress (both of which can be IBS triggers for some people) and make eating out something to look forward to instead of something to dread.

Smile. That’s it. Just smile.

Smile on purpose to supercharge your mood. Make it part of your morning routine. If something goes awry during the day, try smiling to quickly transform your mood, feel less stressed, and put things in a different perspective. Better yet...go for a walk outside and smile while you're walking!

It’s scientifically proven the simple act of putting a smile on your face will improve your mood and diminish your stress.

Why not give it a try?

Come on…do it now.

Honing the practice of having a great day. Every day.

Waking up and going directly into your workday can put you in an anxious, high-stress state from the start. If you don’t give yourself time to sort through your own thoughts, ideas, to-do lists, and anxieties before launching the day, it’s a perfect recipe for a stressful, scattered, and unproductive day. And yet, that’s how most of us function!

In this blog, we have talked about building habits and planning ahead by using that part of your brain that has your best interests in mind. When you wake up in the morning, your mind is open and relaxed and your thoughts can flow easily. You can quickly access what you learned from yesterday’s experiences and prioritize what things you plan to do today. Capturing that energy and harnessing that clarity of thought is one of the best tools to maximize your own potential and begin to meet, and even exceed, your goals — no matter what they might be.

Using your brain to benefit yourself is incredibly powerful, free, and, once you establish a practice, quick and easy.

But how do you do it? One of the most powerful, and easy-to-implement, practices is to download (write down) your thoughts first thing in the morning. This thought download serves to capture key learnings from the day before and inform your priorities for the day/week/month ahead. It takes a bit of practice but if you can take 10 - 15 minutes each morning to do it for yourself, you will reap incredible rewards. Of course I can hear some of you saying no way, I don’t have time for that. What would I write down? How would I even start? This is stupid.

Use this template to give it a try. There’s no downside.

For those of you in the IBS Game Changer program, you’re already documenting some of this stuff on a daily basis in the IBS Game Changer journal you received when you signed up for the program. Good for you! You’ve already started to establish a practice. To help you take that to the next level, I’m sharing a template that should be very helpful.

Following this template will make the work of downloading your thoughts a powerful tool that benefits…you!

“It’s not what happens to us but what we learn from it that matters most.” - Michael Hyatt

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Yesterday

What happened?

• Don’t chronicle everything, just the highs, lows, and anything you want to remember later.

What did you read or hear? 

• List important books, articles, podcasts you consumed since your last thought download.

What were your biggest wins? 

• This gives you a sense of momentum to start the new day.

What lessons did you learn? 

• Try to distill your experience down to a couple of lessons you want to remember. It’s not what happens to us but what we learn from it that matters most.

What stood out? 

• I don’t want to lose what I learn in my reading and listening, so I record key insights.

Today

What are you thankful for right now? 

• This is one practical way you can cultivate a sense of abundance and gratitude.

What are you thinking and feeling right now? 

• Your thoughts and feelings are the be-all-end-all because they drive everything you feel, actions you take, and the results you get. Writing them down prevents you from ignoring or suppressing them and gives you an opportunity to check in on yourself.

What are your goals for this week/today?

• Keep your goals focused and no more than 3

• Allow yourself to include goals related to personal growth and self care in addition to work and productivity

What are your top 3 priorities to support those goals today?

• Stay focused so you can keep your priorities in mind. It’s ok to list them all, but then prioritize and focus on the top 3. \

What can you do for someone else?

• Doing things for others is one of the best ways to feel connected and reap personal rewards. This can be as simple as reaching out to a friend or family member with a call, text, or card or it can be as much as volunteering your time at a local food pantry or shelter to help strangers who are in need. The simple act of helping someone else is powerful in lifting your own spirit.

Tomorrow

What are your goals for this week/tomorrow?

• Give some thought to tomorrow and what your focus can be to maintain your progress.

What can you do next to move forward on your goals? 

• Think through your goals, priorities and schedule and identify a few key actions you could take tomorrow to keep your momentum going. 

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Here’s a text version of the prompts you can copy and use as you establish your daily practice.

Yesterday

What happened?

What did you read or hear? 

What were your biggest wins? 

What lessons did you learn? 

What stood out? What did you like best?

Today

What are you thankful for right now? 

What are you thinking and feeling right now? 

What are your goals for this week/today?

What are your top 3 priorities to support those goals today?

What can you do for someone else?

Tomorrow

What are your goals for this week/tomorrow?

What can you do next to move forward on your goals? 

It doesn’t take long to build a practice that works for you and allows you to mentally prepare yourself for a great day every day!

Quick Reference Guide to Sugars and FODMAPs

As we enter the holiday season we always seem to find ourselves surrounded by food — much of which is sweet! Even this year, while we’re all on pandemic quarantine, the cookies, cakes, and candies seem to be materializing as if by magic or maybe it's the baking fairy in my kitchen! The gifts from friends, neighbors and colleagues. The displays at the supermarket. All seem to say “eat me I’m deliciously sweet!”

The low FODMAP diet is definitely not intended to be a sugar free diet and you can indulge in an occasional treat, but you need to make sure you are choosing treats that are sweetened with a low FODMAP sweetener. This is why we created the Quick Reference Guide to Sugars and FODMAPs.

Of course we all know, any sugar or sweetener should be consumed in moderation. But that gets tricky when you are literally surrounded by sweets everywhere you go! To limit your consumption, you need to plan ahead so you don’t spend all your time arguing with yourself. If you’re going to eat a cookie. Plan to eat a cookie. And when you eat the cookie, be very conscious about what you’re doing. Don’t just wolf it down as though you’re going to get “caught.” Enjoy every bit of it! Savor it! Make it last. Doing this will make it a pleasure NOT a guilty pleasure. But it does require some advance planning.

When it comes to sugar and sweets, having a plan you make ahead of time that you can stick to in the moment, is your best bet. Just decide “Today I’m going to eat a cookie.” And then stick with your plan and don’t make it negotiable. Don’t wonder if you’re actually going to eat ten cookies. You’re not. You made a plan and you’re sticking to it. And, you can make a new plan for tomorrow.

Once you have your plan, knowing what sweets are “safe” when you have IBS means you can indulge without fear.

To help you navigate your way around sugars and FODMAPs grab our handy quick reference guide. It will make selecting safe sweets easy.

Making intention your IBS ally.

Planning ahead and being intentional are two of the most important things to keep you feeling good when you have IBS. This is especially important during the holidays when rich foods with long lists of ingredients are a major focus. Making decisions in the moment can lead to making decisions you later regret. I'm not saying don't be spontaneous. Just have plans in place to honor your intentions.

A great way to define, reinforce, and refine your intention is to write it down

Writing things down has a way of making them real. Establishing them in our thoughts. Reinforcing them to remind ourselves what is most important. When you think about IBS what are the most important things to you in gaining control of your body? Here are some ideas:

• Understanding my triggers so I can avoid IBS flare-ups

• Learning what I can eat so I don't trigger symptoms

• Making peace with having IBS and what it means for me

Old habits can undermine your intention

Our habits can be the enemy of our success just because our brain has been trained to do (or not do) a particular thing at a particular time. Write down those old habits so you know what you have to work on. Here are some examples of old habits that might sound familiar to you.

• I ALWAYS eat whatever is offered because I don’t want to be a bother.

• I ALWAYS snack on chips and candy when I’m watching TV even though I know they won’t be good for me.

• I NEVER make any special requests at restaurants because I don’t want to be “that person.”

• I NEVER read ingredient lists because they’re just too complicated. Besides, if it says “gluten-free” it’s good for me, right?

Keep in mind you are in charge of your body. You don’t have to make up excuses for taking care of your body. A simple no thank you should suffice. You don’t have to follow it up with a long discourse on IBS and your personal triggers. Sometimes that “no thank you” needs to be directed to yourself!

New habits can reinforce your intention and serve as an incredible support for you

The good news is, your brain can be RE-trained and your habits can become health-promoting rather than health-destroying! Write down some new habits you want to practice for a change. Here are some examples you might want to try.

• I ALWAYS stock my fridge and my pantry with low FODMAP foods that I love

• I ALWAYS have a glass of water when I walk through the kitchen or use the bathroom

• I NEVER eat foods I know won’t be good for me.

• I ALWAYS read ingredient lists and if they’re too long or full of things I can’t pronounce, I don’t eat them

• I NEVER go to a social gathering without a plan, or even worse, a plan to “cheat”

Making new habits takes work and practice

Setting your intention is the first step. Reinforcing your intention with new habits takes practice. Keep it simple. Keep yourself in mind. Keep a good supply of things you can say YES to so you don’t feel deprived. Learn new recipes for old favorites and make them often.

Not sure where to start with all this? Start with yourself. Write it down. Map out your intentions and then write down a few new habits to practice that will support your intentions. And if you make a mistake or fall back into an old habit here and there, don’t panic. All is not lost. Just keep practicing the new habits. Eventually, they will become as automatic as brushing your teeth.

Three questions to harness your desire and reap real rewards.

When you have IBS there are certain things that you eat, drink or do that can make you feel, well, terrible! So why on earth would you do this to yourself?!

It all boils down to the fact that you are a human being and we humans are hard-wired to have urges and desires. So yay! You’re normal.

Harnessing your desire for good is the challenge. To do that, you must learn to recognize when your desire is working for you (healthy desire), and when it’s just an urge for something that you know will be bad for you. The acid test? If what you want is going to make you feel like crap afterward, it’s an urge that should be acknowledged but not acted upon. It’s your brain telling you a giant piece of chocolate cake and a big glass of milk is JUST what you need right now. And when your brain tells you to hurry up and take action on your urge, that’s another test. The part of your brain that generates these urges (we call that the “primitive brain”) will always try to bypass the part of your brain that’s more sophisticated and thoughtful. By rushing you and making it seem like an urgent need. This leaves you with no time to think about, and realize, no it’s not urgent. No, it’s not even something I should do!

So, here’s a little checklist you can apply to your urges and desires to see which part of your brain is in charge. When you get an urge for something, check in with yourself and ask these three questions:

1. Will the results of taking action on this urge make me feel good?

2. If I take action on this urge will I be more of who I WANT to be afterward?

3. What will happen if I don’t take action on this urge?

Use these questions to clarify the true source of your desire. For the urgent “needs” that are sent up by your primitive brain, practice allowing yourself to feel the urge without taking any action. Keep in mind your greater desire to feel good, be healthy, honor, and respect yourself. This takes practice! Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do it the first few times you try.

As you practice, you should begin to discover some important things.

1. Nothing bad happened because you DIDN’T take action on that urgent “need.”

2. You are starting to see the emergence of healthy desire — such as the desire to feel good instead of feeling like crap; and the desire to honor and respect yourself instead of treating yourself badly.

3. Healthy desires, such as the desire to eat what is good for you, go for a walk, focus on accomplishing your goals, will start to become stronger than the urge to sit in the kitchen eating chocolate cake and drinking milk. And that’s because, as you see and feel the results of taking action on your healthy desires, those results will become very motivating.

These practices are proven to work because they enable you to take control of your urges by focusing on results. You get thoughtful about your urgent “needs” vs your healthy desires. You change your brain’s natural focus from short-term pleasure to long-term reward. And the results that pile up serve as a reminder the next time you get one of those urgent primitive brain “needs.”

Do something wonderful for yourself. Try this for two weeks and see what happens. The rewards are waiting for you.

Three minutes a day to breathe stress away.

With all that is going on with the pandemic, and vaccinations coming available but still hard to get, each of us is experiencing higher levels of stress. Most of us are well aware, stress is not good for our health. Among many other things, stress weakens our immune system, increases depression and insomnia, and affects our digestion. None of these are good for anyone, but especially those of us with IBS.

When you are stressed one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to reduce your stress…is breathe.

And that doesn’t mean hyperventilating. That will just make it worse.

Inhaling slowly through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth is a simple and efficient way to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the system that allows you to “rest and digest” rather than “fight or flight.”

Practice this breathing technique for one minute in the morning, afternoon, and evening:

Inhale through your nose counting slowly to 4 and exhale through your mouth counting slowly to 8. Repeat this cycle 3-5 times morning noon and night.

Make a note in your journal when you start this practice and do it daily. If you do, you’ll start to notice you’re feeling more relaxed, clear-headed, calm, and happy throughout the day. You should be sleeping better and your tummy should feel better too.

Stress triggering your IBS? Four things you can do right now that will help.

Stress is a biggie for all of us. And we tend to have a lot of stress in our lives no matter who we are or what we do. For those of us with IBS, stress can bring on painful symptoms that have a negative effect on our lives. If you’re wondering why stress is such a big deal for people with IBS, read on.

Your nerves: Your gut has hundreds of millions of neurons (nerve cells) that are all in constant communication with your brain. A high level of stress has an effect on gut-brain communication that can trigger pain, bloating, and other gut discomforts. Understanding this connection is a really important piece of controlling your IBS symptoms.

Your gut bacteria: Your gut is also home to millions of bacteria. A balanced gut biome is required to have balanced emotions. Stress can cause changes in your gut bacteria and in turn have a negative influence on your emotions.

Your mind: The way you think about a situation has a real impact on your body’s response to it. That’s why, for some of us, driving in traffic is extremely stressful while for others, it’s not stressful at all.

What to do: Reducing your stress level is the fix for this. And, there are many ways to do that! If you can dial down some of your professional and/or personal commitments to allow yourself some space, that’s a great place to start. Separate from that, there are a few simple things over which you have complete control that have been proven to help reduce stress. Give them a try. You will be glad you did.

1. Maintaining a healthy social support network - Humans thrive on social interaction and, in fact, require it to maintain their sense of well-being. Right now we’re all a bit isolated but don’t let that stop you. Reach out to one friend or family member each day and say hello. You can call, text, Zoom, email, or best of all, meet for a socially-distanced walk together. And extend that interaction to strangers! Be kind. Say thank you and mean it. Look people in the eye. It will make you and them feel good.

2. Engaging in regular physical exercise - This does not mean killing yourself for an hour. It can be as simple as going for a ten-minute walk around the neighborhood. Or even going for a walk around your own home! Set an achievable goal for yourself — and that might start with just putting your shoes on! Once you’re comfortable with that goal, up the ante just a bit. This is NOT about doing an Iron Man. It’s about doing yourself a small favor that starts with only a few minutes a day.

3. Getting enough sleep - Sleep is the key to so many things! Having a bedtime routine that allows you to fall asleep and stay asleep is very important. Especially when you are feeling stressed. This routine is different for each of us. For me, a cool dark room, a cup of ginger tea and a good book have me snoring in minutes. For you, it might be a hot shower or bath, meditation, or quiet music. Also important is choosing to avoid caffeine, especially late in the day, alcohol, and screen time right before going to bed (or, worst of all, screen time IN bed). All of these things can disrupt your sleep.

4. Mind management - This one is the most interesting to me because, with mind-management, you can retrain your thinking and your response to stress. A feeling of stress comes from a thought. If you can work on modifying your thoughts you can reduce your body’s stress response. If you are new to mind management, this may sound like a bunch of “hooey.” In the IBS Game Changer program, we work with you to teach you how to manage your mind and EFFECTIVELY reduce stress WITHOUT quitting your job or joining an ashram.

And be sure to read our post: Three minutes a day to breathe stress away.

All sugars are not FODMAPs! Fact vs. fiction.

If you’ve been diagnosed with IBS it’s almost certain you’ve heard about FODMAPs (a group of small chain carbohydrates that cause all kinds of problems for those of us with IBS). There is a lot of information out there about FODMAPs and it can be tricky to filter the myths from the realities. Let’s look at six of the most common myths about FODMAPs and see what’s really going on.

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Fiction: All Sugars are FODMAPs

Fact: All FODMAPs are considered ‘sugars’ because of their chemical structure, but not all sugars are FODMAPs. For example, white table sugar is not a FODMAP and can be eaten freely (while adhering to normal dietary guidelines for sugar intake). 

Fiction: The low FODMAP diet dairy free

Fact:  The low FODMAP diet might be a low lactose diet if you are sensitive to lactose, but it does not need to be dairy free. In fact, once you’ve taken time to give your body a rest by eating a low FODMAP diet, it’s important to challenge yourself to maintain the most varied diet possible.

Fiction: If I can’t tolerate specific high-FODMAP foods, I’ll never be able to eat them again.
Fact: If you have a negative reaction to a particular FODMAP-containing food, challenge yourself to try a little less of it the next time. If you’re still having issues, repeat the challenge again and make sure you’re not layering too many challenges at once. You may find your tolerance improves with time, especially if you work on some of your other IBS triggers, such as stress, hydration level, and caffeine intake at the same time.

Fiction: A low FODMAP diet will cure my IBS

Fact: About 80% of people with IBS find their symptoms improve on a low FODMAP diet, but the symptoms do not usually go away all together. This is in part because there are so many dynamic factors that can contribute to IBS symptoms such as stress, intense exercise, medications, eating too much in one sitting, eating too fast, etc. Reducing your intake of high-FODMAP foods is very likely to decrease symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, bloating and pain, but there’s more to it than that.

Fiction: If you are experiencing gut symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain you should get on a low FODMAP diet right away.

Fact: The low FODMAP diet is for people with diagnosed IBS, not for people who suspect they have IBS. If you experience IBS-like symptoms, such as a change in bowel habits, pain etc., see your Doctor and rule out anything more serious than IBS. Once you have a diagnosis, that’s when to start on a low FODMAP diet.

Fiction: The low FODMAP diet is a weight loss diet

Fact: The low FODMAP diet is not meant to restrict calories and induce weight loss. The diet focuses on simple food swaps to decrease FODMAP intake such as switching from eating an apple to eating an orange, or switching from using garlic in your salad dressing to using garlic-infused olive oil, or switching from eating blackberries to eating raspberries.

As the bloating subsides, and the pain recedes you may look and feel like you’ve lost weight and that’s just the “icing on the cake!”

Cut your coffee intake, not your mental clarity

Is that even possible?

Yes. Yes it is. I had to cut my caffeine intake down because it was wreaking havoc on my IBS. And believe me, I “needed” my 2 or 3 cups of coffee every day! I just decided it was “worth” the IBS consequences because I felt I needed the caffeine to wake up in the morning and to maintain my mental focus and clarity throughout the day.

As my symptoms got worse, I could no longer convince myself it was worth the consequences to keep drinking regular coffee. As luck would have it, about that time, I was listening to The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, and he was raving about Mushroom Coffee by Four Sigmatic. He said he always asked his guests to have a cup when they came on his show so they would get the benefit of incredible mental clarity while he interviewed them.

That convinced me to give it a try.

As with any other new thing I introduce to my diet, I took it very slowly. I added just a half a packet of Mushroom Coffee to a cup of brewed decaf. Then…I tasted and discovered it wasn’t half bad! Even better, I found out the combination of a very small amount of caffeine (in the decaf) when combined with a small amount of the mushroom coffee mix gave me plenty of get up and go without any of the usual coffee side effects. I was awake, alert, and my mind was clear. What a discovery!

There are several varieties, but the one I like best has Lions Mane for mental focus.

Post Script Update (June 2023): Lion’s Mane is now in the Monash app and tou can order powdered Lion’s Mane that you can stir right into your decaf coffee without adding any caffeine at all. The link to order is here. After my first cup of the day (where I like to include the tiny bit of caffeine in the Four Sigmatics Mushroom Coffee blend) I now use powdered Lion’s Mane in my coffee later in the day and I love the mental clarity results!

Link note: This post contains links for you to easily purchase items listed on the page. In some cases, we have provided a special discount code for IBS Game Changers so be sure to use it when you purchase an item to get the discount that has been arranged just for you! As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases. 

Stress management: the gift of ten minutes

Stress is a trigger for IBS and we all have different ways of relieving our stress. How do you relieve your stress? Meditation? Listening to music? Going for a walk? Reading a book? Nothing at all you just power through?

It’s likely you have the best of intentions. But it’s more likely you just THINK about doing something to reduce your stress and then you go back to whatever was stressing you out in the first place. And maybe, to make matters worse, you grab a cup of coffee and a candy bar as an afternoon “pick me up” and then you’ve compounded the problem. Now you’re stressed out and you have a stomach ache.

Here’s a thought. What if you gave yourself the gift of ten minutes each day. Put it on your calendar at a time you feel you will be most likely to honor that gift to yourself. Then decide, ahead of time, what you will do with that time. Don’t make it complicated or you won’t do it. Put a visual queue out as a reminder (like your walking shoes for example.)

Can’t think of anything you can do in ten minutes? Try this:

• Take a walk. Even around the block. Or, around your house if it’s bad weather outside. Just walk for ten minutes.

• Want to make that walk even more valuable? Pop your headphones in and listen to music while you walk.

• And one last thing…take some deeeeep breaths while you walk. Fill your lungs completely with a focus on the very base of your lungs and hold it for a few seconds. Then breath it all the way out and hold that for a few seconds. Do this a half a dozen times while you’re walking.

I promise you will be amazed at the results. Your stress will be reduced. Your mind will be more focused. You will be ready to tackle whatever it was that was stressing you out with renewed optimism and energy.

Once you get good at this ten-minute gift you might find you’d like to expand the gift to 15 minutes or even longer. The benefits will far outweigh the few minutes it takes to do.

Want to learn more about handling stress and other IBS triggers? Join me in the IBS Game Changer program. We’ll map out the perfect ten-minute gift for you and start working together to get your body and your mind into a nice rhythm that will help you change your game and thrive.

What’s love got to do with it?

When you have IBS you have a constant struggle between your body and your mind. Your mind says “Hey, I want to eat that onion soup with bread and cheese all melted on the top and I don’t care about the consequences.” And your body says “If you do that to me, I am going to let you know it was NOT a good idea.”

Mastering the art of self-love is a critical piece of managing your mind and managing your IBS. But how do you do that?

Self-love is the promise to yourself that you are going to learn what is good for you and what is not good and make an effort to focus on the good. As you begin to honor this promise to yourself, you will see how powerful it is in generating a sense of self-love and self-respect. Every promise you keep is evidence that proves you MATTER and you VALUE yourself. 

Unfortunately, we all start with an untrained mind that will do its best to make us fail. Your untrained mind sees everything as a BIG DEAL and will try to convince you that you are constantly in danger and every good decision you make is going to put you in even worse danger. For example, if you decide NOT to eat that onion soup with bread and cheese on top, your untrained mind will tell you that you must eat it or you will die. It will tell you the consequences of that action will be far outweighed by the immediate pleasure of eating it. It will convince you there is urgency and you need to eat it quickly so you can’t change your mind.

Fortunately, we have the tools you need to train your mind to stop making everything an urgent catastrophe so you can focus on the small decisions, actions, activities that are actually facing you. Start by introducing the power of possible thinking to your mind. When it says “Hurry up! Eat that soup or you will die.” You can pause and consider the consequences and say to yourself, “It’s possible if I don’t eat that soup I will not die. In fact, it’s possible if I do eat that soup I will feel horrible afterward and wish I hadn’t eaten it in the first place.” This power of possible thinking will minimize the thought and name the facts and make it simpler to pause so you can make the right decision for you.

Your untrained mind will always try to convince you it’s URGENT that you take action or make a decision quickly. That urgency will drive you to do it without thinking. By training yourself to pause and consider you are training your mind to get control of itself. You are asking your adult brain to step in so the toddler brain can settle down.

Eventually, that untrained mind will be replaced with a more powerful trained mind that will become your inner champion instead of your inner doomsday predictor.  

Stop and think about what your untrained mind is telling you to do? Sleep a little longer. Who needs time to exercise? Don’t drink water. Who cares about hydration? Have another cup of coffee. Who cares how it makes you feel? Eat those donuts. You’ll feel fine afterward.

Then consider what form of self-love you can focus on first? What do you need to give to yourself? Do you need to get up a little earlier in the morning so you have time to exercise or meditate? Do you need to drink more water? Do you need to eat food that sustains you and nurtures you?

It’s possible to change any area of your life by training your mind to recognize what you REALLY need and giving it to yourself. This is just an introduction to the way we teach you to harness the power of your mind in the IBS Game Changer program to support the work you will do around your personal triggers.

Is Caffeine a trigger for IBS?

The answer to this question is Yes…BUT that isn’t necessarily bad.

Caffeine acts on the smooth muscle of your gut and serves to stimulate the movement of your gut. This, in turn, stimulates the movement of whatever is inside your gut.

If you have a tendency towards diarrhea (IBS-D) then stimulating your gut will only make it worse. If you have a tendency toward constipation (IBS-C) then some gentle gut stimulation may be very helpful.

Just like everything else with IBS, if you listen to your body and treat it with love and tenderness, not frustration and anger you will have a much better result. A small amount of well-timed caffeine (at a regular time in the morning) is worth experimenting with. You can play with the timing and the amount and then look at the results.

If you are experiencing pain, cramping, and diarrhea, you may need to back off. If you aren’t experiencing anything then you may choose to have a bit more. Let your body do the talking.

If you are having wide variations in your symptoms and ongoing difficulties no matter what you do, you will also want to consider other factors such as hydration status, stress, and diet that could be triggering your symptoms. In the IBS Game Changer program, we consider all of these things and we help you figure out what particular triggers might be affecting you so you can reduce or avoid them and get your body on track.