11 Things that Dramatically Improved my IBS Symptoms

I've tried countless things to help my IBS symptoms, but these are the top 11 that have made the biggest difference:

1. Healing my liver and gallbladder

2. Following a Low FODMAP Diet

3. Fodzyme

4. Lymphatic drainage

5. Supplementation for healthy gut microbiome

6. Finding the Right Doctor

7. Mindfulness + Meditation

8. Daily Movement

9. Not Overeating | Maintaining a Healthy Weight

10. Collagen Protein for Gut Health

11. FoodMarble Aire 2 

These are just a few of the things that have helped me manage my IBS symptoms. It's important to find what works best for you and to be patient. It may take some time to find the right combination of treatments that will help you feel your best.

1. Healing my liver and gallbladder:

   Healing my liver and gallbladder helped my IBS symptoms 10-fold. A healthy liver and gallbladder are essential for good digestion and metabolism. When my liver was not functioning properly, I had poor digestion and experienced IBS symptoms such as diarrhea. Once I started healing my liver and gallbladder, my IBS symptoms improved significantly. I also made dietary changes, such as cutting out processed foods and making healthy meals at home. These changes helped to further improve my IBS symptoms.

   1. Here is a more detailed explanation of how healing the liver and gallbladder can help IBS symptoms:

      • The liver is responsible for breaking down toxins and waste products, as well as producing bile, which is essential for digesting fats. When the liver is not functioning properly, it can lead to poor digestion and absorption of nutrients, which can trigger IBS symptoms.

      • The gallbladder stores bile, which is released into the small intestine to help digest fats. If the gallbladder is not functioning properly, it can cause bile to back up into the liver, which can also lead to poor digestion and IBS symptoms.

      • Making dietary changes, such as cutting out processed foods and making healthy meals at home, can also help to improve IBS symptoms. Processed foods are often high in unhealthy fats and sugar, which can irritate the digestive system and worsen IBS symptoms. Eating healthy meals at home gives you more control over the ingredients in your food, which can help to reduce your risk of developing IBS symptoms.

2. Following a Low FODMAP Diet:

   Following a Low FODMAP diet helped me manage my IBS symptoms. While a Low FODMAP diet is not meant to be followed long term, it is a great option for those suffering with debilitating IBS symptoms. Modify Health made it easy by providing delicious, pre-made meals that are all low FODMAP. I highly recommend them!

   Here are some of the benefits of using Modify Health for a Low FODMAP diet:

   • Convenience: Modify Health delivers pre-made meals to your door, so you don't have to worry about cooking or planning meals. This is especially helpful if you have a busy schedule or don't have a lot of experience cooking. You can simply microwave the meals and they are ready to go within minutes.

   • Taste: Modify Health meals are delicious and satisfying. You won't feel like you're sacrificing taste when you're following a Low FODMAP diet.

   • Nutrition: Modify Health meals are nutritionally balanced and provide all the nutrients you need. This is important for maintaining your health while you're following a restrictive diet.

   • Support: Modify Health offers support from registered dietitians who can help you get started on the Low FODMAP diet and answer any questions you have.

   • Make sure to use this link and my code “JULIA” for 30% off your first order.

   If you're looking for an easy and convenient way to follow a Low FODMAP diet, I highly recommend Modify Health.

3. Fodzyme:

   Fodzyme is a digestive enzyme supplement that helps people with IBS and other digestive disorders eat a wider variety of foods without experiencing symptoms.

   Fodzyme contains enzymes that break down the FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), which are a group of carbohydrates that can trigger IBS symptoms in some people. By breaking down FODMAPs, Fodzyme helps to make these foods easier to digest and reduces the risk of experiencing symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.

   I was losing my mind before I found Fodzyme. Fodzyme allows me to actually go out to eat and taste foods that I love once again. It had been almost five years before I could eat a bean and cheese burrito. I now go out to restaurants and enjoy Mexican food, huge bowls of pasta with garlic and onion, and no longer get sick. Use my link with code “MINDFULJULIA” for 15% off your first order!

4. Lymphatic Drainage

   My lymphatic drainage video went viral on TikTok with 1.5 million views. People are loving the results and my massage gun almost sold out. I'm so glad to share this information and help others improve their health.

   Here are some of the benefits of lymphatic drainage:

   • Improved circulation: Lymphatic drainage helps to move lymph fluid throughout the body, which improves circulation and helps to remove toxins.

   • Reduced water retention: Lymphatic drainage helps to reduce water retention by moving excess fluid out of the tissues.

   • Reduced inflammation: Lymphatic drainage helps to reduce inflammation by removing toxins and waste products from the body.

   • Regular bowel movements: Lymphatic drainage can help to improve digestion and bowel movements by moving waste products out of the body.

5. Supplementation for healthy gut microbiome

   I took a lot of different supplements to improve my gut, liver, and gallbladder. Each supplement is linked in this article, but make sure to speak with your doctor before taking any new supplements. I always discuss supplementation with my doctor prior to taking so they can look at the ingredient lists. Thank God for good doctors, because I was diagnosed with gallbladder sludge and an enlarged liver which was a huge trigger for my IBS and digestive issues.

   • Dr. Tobias 21 Day Liver Cleanse - I started with this because it allowed me to begin healing my liver. My skin cleared up, I was finally able to lose weight, I slept through the night, woke up with energy, and had more mental clarity.

   • Dr. Tobias Oregano Supplement - this helped me stop sugar entirely for nine months. After the 21 Day Liver Cleanse I took this supplement and my gut loved it! Usually anything with a probiotic would set off my IBS but not this blend in particular. My stomach became flatter, I had less bloating, and the digestive enzymes helped my food digest properly.

   • Dr. Berg’s Gallbladder Support - Once I had finished the liver and oregano supplements, I began taking the gallbladder support supplements. These were a game changer for fat digestion. Dr. Berg has since changed the formula and it no longer agrees with me. I am on the hunt for a new gallbladder support so please comment below if you have any suggestions!

6. Finding the Right Doctor

   This is significant. Over the past eight years, I've seen countless doctors, persevering until I found those who genuinely cared about my well-being. Numerous doctors swiftly label you with an IBS diagnosis, offer a one-page explanation of the Low FODMAP Diet, and send you on your way. I firmly believe that if these doctors had to experience the symptoms of IBS themselves, their response would be different. I pleaded with a doctor for a colonoscopy, and after a year of persistence, he reluctantly agreed. At 29, I had an enormous pre-cancerous polyp. He stated that without the colonoscopy, I would have developed full-blown colon cancer within five years.

   My IBS diagnosis wasn't the end of it. I consulted a holistic doctor through UC Irvine, who astutely diagnosed my enlarged liver and gallbladder. What I thought was severe IBS turned out to be gallbladder attacks. An ultrasound revealed my liver's significant enlargement and gallbladder sludge. I'll forever be grateful to this doctor for uncovering this, enabling me to start healing my liver and subsequently ameliorating my IBS symptoms.

7. Mindfulness + Meditation

   Meditation played a large role in my recovery, but I do not believe stress lead to my symptoms. For me, my IBS was always triggered by diet. What meditation did for me though was bring about a peace I needed while managing IBS. The mental health burden that IBS causes is often unspoken. The depression, anxiety, isolation, hopelessness… it’s such a heartbreaking and isolating illness. I love using Insight Timer for my meditations because it is free and there are so many different meditations to choose from.

   Mindfulness played a huge role as well because I started focusing on gratitude and thinking about the things my body could do. Did I feel good a lot of days? No. But what I didn’t have was cancer. I dodged a potentially fatal diagnosis and now it was up to me to take care of myself like I never had before. Through prayer, meditation, therapy, quality time with friends and family, exercise, and gratitude lists my life truly got better.

8. Daily Movement

   Daily movement is important for overall health and well-being. It helps to improve cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and boost mood and energy levels. I started with just 30 minutes of movement per day. This could be as simple as walking or as rigorous as running. Today I commit to 30 minutes of cardio plus some form of weightlifting five times a week.

   Here are some specific benefits of daily movement:

   • Improved cardiovascular health: Regular movement helps to keep the heart and lungs healthy by increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the tissues.

   • Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Studies have shown that regular movement can help to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.

   • Boosted mood and energy levels: Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting and pain-relieving effects. It can also help to improve sleep quality and energy levels.

   If you're not used to moving your body, start slowly and gradually increase the amount of time you spend moving each day. Even a small amount of movement is better than none at all.

9. Not Overeating | Maintaining a Healthy Weight

   Through my wellness journey I have lost 25 pounds. I struggled with emotional eating and would go straight for sugar when I was struggling emotionally. I cut out sugar for nine months (with the help of Dr. Tobias’ Oregano Supplement) and never felt better. I tracked my food through the Weight Watchers app ( MyFitness Pal is a great, free alternative), and really started paying attention to portion sizes. My goal was to eat three meals a day that filled me up and kept me satisfied until my next meal. By incorporating lean protein at every meal I was able to do this and my food became much cleaner. I stopped reaching for processed foods that were laden with sugar and fat and instead reached for Whole Foods. I still ate carbohydrates, but I would reach for white rice or potatoes instead of bread and crackers. The fewer the ingredients, the better I felt. I noticed that the more I reached for Whole Foods, the better my IBS symptoms became.

10. Collagen Protein for Gut Health

    On the topic of clean ingredients, my IBS was not a fan of any sort of protein powder. The list of ingredients in the powders was usually inches long, and I was concerned about consuming ingredients on a daily basis that I couldn’t pronounce. I started using Vital Proteins and fell in love with the brand. It was one ingredient and it provided me with the protein I needed each morning in my smoothie. If you are vegan, Organic Hemp Protein is a wonderful alternative. You can get it on Amazon and it tastes wonderful in a smoothie. If you follow me on TikTok, you know my passion for morning smoothies! They are a great way to get your protein, greens, and healthy fats first thing in the morning.

11.  FoodMarble Aire 2 for Surviving the Low FODMAP Diet

    FoodMarble has been instrumental in helping me expand my diet and break free from restrictive eating patterns. Imagine your gut as a bustling city, where different types of bacteria compete for resources. FoodMarble is like a city planner, helping you understand how different foods affect your gut's inhabitants. By analyzing your breath after eating, FoodMarble identifies which foods cause disruptions in your gut microbiome, leading to symptoms like bloating, gas, and discomfort. With this information, you can make informed choices about your diet and gradually reintroduce foods that were previously off-limits, all while monitoring your gut's response.

Conclusion

If you've made it this far, please comment and let me know you've read this entire article - I'm impressed! To conclude, here are the top 11 factors that have had the most significant impact on my IBS symptoms:

1. Healing my liver and gallbladder

2. Following a Low FODMAP Diet

3. Fodzyme

4. Lymphatic drainage

5. Supplementation for healthy gut microbiome

6. Finding the Right Doctor

7. Mindfulness + Meditation

8. Daily Movement

9. Not Overeating | Maintaining a Healthy Weight

10. Collagen Protein for Gut Health

11. FoodMarble Aire 2

If you've tried any of these strategies, kindly share your experience below. Have you experimented with something not on this list? I'd love to hear about it!

Xo,

Julia