Cut the Sh*t! Get real on IBS!

I decided to write my first book about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as there is so much rubbish advice out there and I wanted to put everything useful, scientific and effective into one resource (if you haven’t got it already, download it here: The Yoga Dietitian or here: IBS, Diet, Dietitian, Yoga, Low FODMAP, Psychology, Mindset, Breath Work, Meditation - Etsy UK

It is human nature to want to improve your health and symptoms as quickly and as easily as possible.  However, many do not address the underlying triggers or causes of their medical condition.  The health, fitness, nutrition, supplement and influencer business is big; there are a number of unqualified people out there peddling all sorts of crap online and I see sooooo many people just eat it up!  People would rather cut out entire food groups, take strong painkillers, invent fictitious allergies, glug special teas or take pointless supplements than do a bit of self reflection to tune in to what is really causing the problem.

A good old internal deep dive is required; looking at the diet, your lifestyle and your stress levels.  Easier said than done right?!  It’s scary to do a bit of self-analysis; you might discover something that you don’t like about yourself.  However, in order to get better, you need to cut the sh*t!

We are all human and nobody is perfect but many people have habits that may be affecting their health and exacerbating medical conditions such as IBS.

As discussed in my book (shameless plug), IBS is considered a disorder of the gut-brain-axis, therefore, interventions that target this axis can be effective in reducing or improving symptoms.  Multiple components of this axis can be targeted. 

Let’s start with some basics:

1. Your diet

• What you eat and when you eat it – the gut prefers small, regular, easy-to-digest meals
• The fibre content of your diet – too much, not enough, not enough of the right type of fibre – IBS responds best when you get the fibre right for YOU.
• Your eating environment – slow and mindful beats rushed and distracted!
• Your gut microbiome – what are you doing to support those friendly little dudes that live in your intestines?!
• Tuning into your dietary triggers, rather than cutting out entire food groups – for some, it is certain components found within certain foods that are problematic, not the food group itself. For example, people think they are gluten intolerant whereas they may actually be fructo-oligosaccharide sensitive; it’s easier (and less restrictive) to reduce fructo-oligosaccharides than it is to cut out gluten; ask someone with Coeliac disease!

2. Your lifestyle

• Not enough exercise – we live in a digital age where you don’t even need to leave the couch to receive food, entertainment and to work. However, being sedentary can slow gut peristalsis (muscle contractions that move food through the gut) and exacerbate symptoms of IBS.
• Large amounts of alcohol – alcohol is a known gut irritant, nobody is suggesting that you cut it out completely if it is something you enjoy, but try reducing or changing what you drink to see if this helps to improve your symptoms.
• Limited opportunities for down time or rest – most of us are over-stimulated and are in constant “flight or fight” mode, making it difficult for the body to “rest and digest” leading to worsening symptoms of IBS
• Over exercise – too much exercise can stimulate the gut, even some yoga moves should be practiced with caution
• Exercise that isn’t “right” for your body – for example, those with IBS-D (IBS with a lot of diarrhoea) should be cautious with high intensity exercise such as running and “HIIT” training as it may exacerbate loose stools.

3. Your stress levels

• How you manage acute and chronic stress?
• Noticing your stress levels and being honest with yourself – many of us don’t realise how much stress we are under in our daily lives until we slow down and self-analyze – try keeping a food/mood/symptom diary and look for patterns – are you more stressed at work? On the school run?  When you are bored? Do the work and find out what is causing the stress for you.
• Seeking psychological support – this is always a bit of a “taboo” subject. People would rather stay in a perpetual cycle of pain and misery than ask for professional help.  Ask yourself why you haven’t sought help (and no, your Mam doesn’t count; they can’t be objective).

I think you see what I’m telling you with todays blog post.  Time to wake up, do some self-analysis and stop bullsh*tting yourself; you can make some changes to improve your IBS TODAY (without spending a fortune or buying something from a 20-year-old online wearing a cropped top).

If you’d like some more help check out my resources to suit every budget or lifestyle:

Printables:

Food, mood and symptom diary

Low FODMAP dietary advice

IBS, Diet, Dietitian, Yoga, Low FODMAP, Psychology, Mindset, Breath Work, Meditation - Etsy UK

EBooks:

IBS: A Scientific Holistic Approach:

  The Yoga Dietitian

or here: IBS, Diet, Dietitian, Yoga, Low FODMAP, Psychology, Mindset, Breath Work, Meditation - Etsy UK

My online group coaching programme: The IBS Harmony Re-set Programme (starting January 2026)

https://theyogadietitian.mykajabi.com/ibs-course-opt-in

1-2-1 Virtual coaching, dietary and lifestyle counselling or 1-2-1 Virtual yoga

Contact me via email: [email protected]

Or via my social media:  Instagram: @em_the_yoga_dietitian  Facebook: The Yoga Dietitian

Pre-recorded yoga, meditation & webinars:

YouTube: @theyogadietitian