IBS gone away
Have you ever tried Intermittent Fasting? Oh wait you ask, what does it have to do IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)? AND if I don’t have IBS why do I need to keep reading?
Good point…but stay with me a second because what I have to share most likely impacts someone you know & love who has signs or symptoms of IBS or has been diagnosed with it.
So what is IBS? It is a disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, and altered bowel habit (chronic or recurrent diarrhea, constipation, or both – either mixed or in alternation). IBS affects between 25 and 45 million people in the United States, that is roughly 1 in 10 people in the US.
I was diagnosed as a teenager and at the time was not given any medication for it because there really wasn’t anything on the market to treat it. I was politely told the only way to control this is to avoid processed foods, get enough sleep, avoid alcohol, reduce stress and be active. As a teen ready to head off to college, that was not exactly great news. But, I quickly discovered those things were honestly healthy living tips we should all apply to obtaining good health and what ultimately led me to going into the field of exercise science.
I am happy to report that for the most part I was able to keep the IBS under control throughout my college experience and into my 30s, however there were a few things that I continued to struggle with.
Chronic constipation was one of them. Yeah, I went there…we are now close friends because we are gonna chat about poop lol I thought it was completely normal to only have 1-2 bowel movements each WEEK. Yeah you heard that right. My husband told me that was not normal, but what did he know?! The other issues I had all the time was a bloated belly & the feeling of being gassy. I tried different things such as probiotics, different forms of exercise, and avoided certain foods but I came to a place where I thought it was just the way my body was made. So I drank lots of water, exercised, ate healthy & tried to control stress, sleep and alcohol consumption. It was a way of life for me & kept IBS at bay for the most part.
Then, 4 years ago I had a client ask me if she should try intermittent fasting. I immediately told her NO but began doing some research on it because it had become such a buzz word in the health & wellness industry. I have never been a trained that jumps on board with all the trendy diets & gimmicks. My core principles have always been exercise & whole foods. However, I was quite intrigued by the research I had read up on IF and I decided to try it about 6 months later. I took me time to try it and even when I did I still had not fully warmed up to the idea.
Why was I against it? 3 simple things…
1. I LOVE breakfast...it is my favorite!
2. I was not willing to give up coffee, love it too!
3. Throughout my life and education, breakfast was deemed the most important meal of the day & I believed it.
Not gonna lie, my 1st week doing IF was HARD. I had a headache & a few days I had really low energy. I kept at it though because of what I had read about how it can help heal the gut. By day 10 it was a GAME CHANGER. I felt better than I had ever felt. Sounds dramatic I know, but seriously…no gas, no bloated-3-month looking belly by the days end, and I was pooping daily - holy SH*$! Is this normal?! Turns out is it healthier! Who knew?!
Fast forward 3 1/2 years and IF is still a part of my everyday and I have had zero IBS issues. How or why has this worked? Well, there are a few factors. First and most important, when you fast you give your gut a chance to rest. When we rest we can repair & heal. Its essentially the same reason every workout plan should have rest days. So you can repair and heal! I fast 14-16 hours everyday which means I am giving my body a chance to RESET. It has literally changed my life.
Additionally, I also became even more aware of what foods trigger the IBS flare ups. Dairy, gluten and alcohol are big ones for me. I am very careful - not 100% GF or DF but I watch the amount I consume and stay really disciplined on my fast to help me recover from foods that irritate my gut.
All this to be said, I am big advocate for Intermittent Fasting IF it is does properly. There are options of how to modify it, as it is very individualized. Health professional continue to study IF and in a study performed by John Hopkins University, it is recommended that every American fast for 12 hours everyday. However it is imperative that you are intentional with what you consume & how much you consume during your feeding window (the hours you are not fasting).
There are many folks who use IF as a diet. Yes you will probably lose weight from doing it…but it won’t be sustainable unless you are eating the right foods & the right amount of foods. It has truly changed my life and that is why I am passionate about sharing about the benefits of it. So, if you are still reading & intrigued…and maybe even overwhelmed, I want to encourage you to take this little quiz to see if IF is right for you & what cycle is right for you (12/12, 14/10, 16/8…).
https://www.fasterwaycoach.com/protocol-quiz#MelanieBrown
Lastly, let’s go back to my 3 main objectives to IF…
I still eat breakfast…when you BREAK your FAST thats called BREAKFAST. So I still have eggs & toast and all my favorite breakfast foods, they just arent at 6 or 7 am anymore.
You can have coffee - it does not break your fast…however what you put in the coffee could, so that may need some tweaking, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE coffee and would never recommend anything that said I could not have it anymore :)
I still believe your BREAK-FAST is an important meal…but its not when its WHAT & HOW MUCH of what you eat that is most important.
Take 3 minutes to fill out the quiz and get some amazing info that can help you determine if IF is right for you. If you have questions or want to chat about, I would love to coach you through this process. Simply email me at melanie@motivatedbymore.net
Have a great day friends,
In Health,
Melanie
