It's the age old story: Girl has digestive condition, girl tells person about digestive condition, person asks them a thousand questions about digestive health. So here it is! My steps to a happier tummy.
Before we begin, if you're having any serious medical problems (bloody or black stool, etc.) go talk to a real medical professional, not me. That being said, there's no reason you should have to live with mild discomfort every day! So let's take some steps to getting better.
First things first, look up the steps you need to take to go see a specialist. You may need to get a referral, so best to start this process ASAP. While you're at it, mentally prepare yourself to talk about every aspect of digestion from beginning to end. Gas, bloating, consistency of stool, color, pain, oil, cramps, where exactly, stabbing or dull. You will be asked about them, so don't be shy.
Second, Start a food diary. Keep track of what you eat at general times of the day and symptoms levels. This is the first thing that a gastroenterologist will ask you to do, so you might as well be prepared the first time you see her. Plus you may be able to discover something on your own.
Third, go see your doctor, listen to them, do a bunch of tests and make changes to your lifestyle.
What you should be prepared for:
What surprised me most were the social reactions to me when I said that I had a digestive condition. Eating is a very social thing, and to have that limited seems to make people uncomfortable. So bring your own snacks and find an alternative to "grabbing lunch". It can be awkward at first, but it's cheaper and often more fun.
The other thing that surprised me is that people, although they may not understand what is wrong with you, are very quick to offer suggestions. "I went on a paleo raw vegan diet for a month and that was terrific!" Get used to doing a lot of smiles and nods, but don't jump on any trend until you really think about it. A drastic change that you don't monitor well could do just as much harm as good.
For Example, last year I tried to go gluten free for a month. I was pretty unsuccessful and the stress just gave me even worse stomach aches. But now I'm mostly wheat free and I'm doing lots better. Just because you have a little hiccup in your plan, don't throw it in the garbage.
Most importantly: remember that eating is something we do everyday, and therefore it isn't a quick fix. I appreciate that I've gone through this journey because it has made me more conscious about what I put in my mouth, even if it hasn't been the smoothest fastest experience.
I'll post more about the specifics of the low FODMAP diet as well as my own experiences with digestive health. But til then, take care of those tummies!
