With so many “diets”, lifestyles, recommendations, and products out there, where do you begin when you’re in an IBS/Crohn/Colitis flare? You’ve probably tried all the “solutions” with no relief. Or perhaps you reverted to medication where it may temporarily mask the pain, but doesn’t really resolve the underlying issue and can cause other harmful side effects. And who wants to reply on medication for the rest of their life when perhaps you actually CAN experience not only pain relief, but healing! I believe food really is the ultimate medicine, however there are certain foods to eat and certain ways (and tricks) to eat them.
If you’ve been suffering for a while, most likely your stomach is wrecked. It’s not your own fault! You’ve tried to do the best you know how given the information provided to you….but was that information accurate? And who gave you that info? Most likely someone who’s NEVER experienced what you’re going through. Well I’ve been there. I can relate 100% so I know the feeling of hopelessness. I know the feeling of wanting to die because you don’t want to be alive to feel the constant pain, bloating, foggy head, and overall distress of depletion. I get it. You just want to live a normal life. Don’t be discouraged….because you can heal!
For the past 10 years I’ve worked with a specialized acclaimed holistic doctor. He used to work on the Victoria Secret models, has flown all over the world working with actors, professional dancers, and even till this day works with cancer patients to help reverse their cancer naturally. I have been blessed to know him personally and be his “apprentice.” Through years of his guidance and my own research and trial and error of what works for MY OWN body, I have not only “found my grove” to what has helped me but every day I receive countless messages and notes from my Instagram followers telling me my methods have helped them as well! Some in over 6 months and some just within 2 weeks!
Of course, what works for me may not entirely work for you or the next person as we all have different needs and no one body is the same, however I can give advice as to what I’ve done and how to help heal the gut and at least calm down a flare up and hopefully keep you in remission or even better, help reverse the condition. You hear all sorts of things like “go vegan!” or “follow a raw diet”, “paleo is best” “go off dairy” etc etc., but here’s what I follow most of the time and recommend to anyone wanting to jumpstart their gut healing journey.
1.
Eat as many fresh items as possible. And when I say “fresh”, I mean not from a can, box, package, bag, etc. If you want nut butter, you make it. If you want bread, you make it. If you want milk, you make it! I know it sounds extreme, but it only has to be for a while to help calm things down, as preservatives can stir up things – and if there’s less than 19% of a chemical / ingredient in a food, by regulations it’s not required to list it in the ingredients! And if you’re really interested in what NOT to buy, check out THIS POST where I expose some items you may think are healthy but are just misleading you. I personally had to do this for a while, but now I do eat packaged / pre-made nut milk etc. and I am fine. This is just for a time being.
2.
Do NOT eat raw veggies. Still to this day I eat very minimal veggies, and when I do they are steamed and I talk about the importance of steaming certain veggies and how many are more nutritious after steaming in THIS POST.
You can get all the greens you need from spirulina and THIS POWDER is great!
3.
Do not eat dairy EXCEPT plain, greek yogurt or cultured dairy such as kefir, cultured cottage cheese, etc. I know there’s a contradiction in dairy, and I stay away from it except if it’s been cultured as this changes the lactose in the dairy and can actually be beneficial to the gut! Even people with a dairy intolerance can eat yogurt because it’s cultured and your body reacts differently to it. Also, make sure it’s full fat with nothing else added. Read the label! If it has any kind of sweetener, thickener, gums, flavorings, etc. don’t eat it. The brands I prefer are Nancy’s Yogurt (plain) and Fage (plain).
***Also, every day, have 1/2 cup greek yogurt mixed with 1/4 cup cooked rice. Sounds weird, but Google it! It does wonders for your tummy and helps culinate good bacteria in your gut even more.
4.
Drink bone broth! This is seriously the super duper food! (look it up!) It has helped tremendously in healing and sealing my gut and is full of protein with hardly any fat. I honestly can’t think of a downside to it. HERE is an entire post about the healing benefits of bone broth (it was so important it needed it’s own post!).
I also love Further Food’s Grass-Fed and Pasture Raised collagen AND gelatin. It’s super helpful in healing the gut and gives you tons of protein. Very easy to digest and you can incorporate the collagen into pretty much anything. THIS POST talks all about the healing benefits gelatin does for the gut – I don’t go a day without it!
5.
Cook a chicken (whole) in just boiling water or in a crock pot (and save the bone broth! lol), let it cool, then puree the meat. Yes, you heard me, puree it until you can drink it! About 5 years ago I had to go on a 100% liquid diet for about 3 months long and did this with not just chicken, but all my food (rice, veggies, fruit, etc.). After a while I got used to it, and to be honest, I still do it to this day! Haha I like it now, and it’s really no different than hummus dip or pate! If you can puree all your food for a week straight and then report back about how it’s changed you I challenge it…it will help! (NOT a “liquid” diet, but pureed – huge difference)
6.
Don’t take too many probiotics. I used to think the more the better! I would take multiple brands of pills, powders, etc. just loading up on the good bacteria, but come to find out that taking too many can do more harm than good and taking none at all is actually better. When you take too many they fight against each other (yes, even the good one) and I went off them for about a month solid (only ingesting natural probiotics from yogurt) and have improved. However, after a month, start incorporating probiotic pills back into your diet. I also recommend my very own developed protein powder because it contains Bacillus Coagulans (a special type of probiotic known to target yeast and candida overgrowth unlike other probiotics).
7.
Take L-Glutamine (5mg 3x a day – with or without food). THIS POST explains all the health benefits (including non-gut related benefits!). The main reason I take l-glutamine is because it helps rebuild the stomach lining.
8.
Eliminate stevia from your diet! You might have already read THIS POST a while back and are aware of it’s harmful affects on the body (the gut in particular), but if you haven’t, after reading it you will remove it at once! Trust me.
*****DO NOT GO ON WITHOUT READING THIS POST*****
9.
Eat a tsp of raw honey before each meal (must be raw). Or even better, Manuka Honey! Doing this stimulates the digestive juices and prepares your stomach for the meal ahead, making it a more enjoyable experience.
…….AND RELAX! I know it’s hard to relax and not stress. I get it! I was always stressing about the pain and my stomach, what’s going to trigger a flair, etc. but stress really does aggravate the stomach. THIS POST explains how stress can actually cause yeast overgrowth! Crazy how the mind really does affect the physical body!
Try to take 30 minutes every day to just “de-stress”, whatever that is for you. Make a list of things you enjoy doing (be selfish!) and make a goal to do at least one of those things a day. Below are some ideas and things that help relax me.
• Take a walk outside
• Get a mani/pedi
• Cook or bake, and don’t “rush” yourself while doing so
• Go to the movies (yes, I’ve actually gone to the movie alone – and loved it!)
• Take a yoga class
• Take a bath
• Do some gardening
• Walk up and down your city’s town and just window shop at leisure
• Volunteer somewhere
• Call a friend on the phone
• Organize your sock drawer (is that pushing it? lol)
• Read your Bible and be in prayer
I really hope I’ve helped and made things a little clearer, and hope relief comes soon! I believe God allowed me to go though the pain I have experienced to be able to help others in need, especially at no cost as I know how expensive doctors can be. God bless, and hope to see you on Instagram!
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