IBS? I Be Sick of it

This post is going to be a little different to my others here on BGB. Perhaps a little more personal. Sharing is caring, right? This touches on the topic of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) - something I spend a lot of time thinking about, and wishing I knew more on. This also relates to food - so thought it was still relevant to the blog. It's a long one. You've been warned :)

Not long ago, I was heading home after a fairly rough day at work. It was quite a stressful Monday, and I'd had a bit of an "indulgent" weekend so to say I wasn't in the mood for my impending stuffy commute is an understatement. I remember walking onto the platform at Picc Circus, clutching my aching belly, and looking up to see that the next train wasn't due for six minutes. For anyone that doesn't live/work in London, this equates to about 124 normal minutes (slight exaggeration). I was Not. Happy.

A couple of stops into my journey, while standing in the middle of the carriage, I noticed a lady sat in front of me mini-waving to catch my eye. I looked over and she did the whole "would you like to sit down" speak-with-no-sound mimic to me. Initially, I thought, "Why is she asking me if I want to sit down? I am about 25 years younger than her!".

Why? Because she thought I was pregnant.

What ensued then, was the most awkward 15 seconds imaginable, consisting mainly of half finished sentences, such as "are you-","oh, you thought I was-".... "but I'm not-", "oh my god, I thought-", "no, no don't worry it's fi-"

In her defence, I wouldn't blame her for making that assumption. At that moment in time I was wearing a fairly unforgiving fitted blouse, and my belly was so swollen and bloated, that I could have easily passed for a woman in her second trimester. I also I reckon I looked rather uncomfortable.

IBS. Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It's Bloody Shit. For any fellow IBS sufferers reading this, you’ll understand just how rubbish it can be, especially when you flare up. The pain and discomfort varies, depending on what has induced it – be that stress, something you have eaten or drank, or dehydration - but it’s never something that goes unnoticed.

Usually when I flare up, I am admittedly Overly aware of it and am very good at covering it up. I naturally cover my belly and wear baggy clothes. So for me to leave myself so exposed like I did on that train is very rare. I put it down to being completely knackered-tired.

I got home that evening and threw on my running gear in the hopes that a pacey jog would help me feel better (it usually does). I went to tie my hair up in front of the mirror and spotted my massively convex tummy, just poking out for all to see. It was sore and solid as a rock. I felt so, utterly fed up. I sat down on my bed and had a big cry.

For those who might not know what IBS is, it is a common condition of the digestive system that essentially causes bouts of stomach cramps, horrific bloating, diarrhea and constipation.

IBS affects at least 20% of us and is the #1 diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder. Unfortunately, it is often not taken seriously and ridiculed by many people, health professionals included.

A little bit of the science for you... our guts are controlled by the Enteric Nervous System (ENS), the operation of which isn’t fully understood, which would explain why there is no specific test for it as yet, and perhaps why the aforementioned "health pros" are happy to dismiss it.

One of my best friends, Tara, is a fellow IBSer. We swap experiences and tips quite a lot (i.e. we moan to each other), and every now-and-then we'll even swap "look how preggo I look today" snaps. Here is a snap Tara has kindly let me share, just to give you an idea. I'll stress that this isn't a case of her pushing her belly out at all. This is her comfortable, letting it all hang out! I've also seen her a LOT worse (sorry Tara). I can't count on fingers, how many times I have called or messaged her to ask her an IBS related question. It's nice to have someone to chat to, who can genuinely relate. Thanks for letting me use this picture here, Tara :)

Tara's IBS Belly

I suffer quite badly, and it seems to be worsening so I am in the process of undergoing some tests to see if there are any other issues, like IBD, Crohn's and Colitis, that I may be suffering from as well. I have made the HUGE mistake of delaying these tests for a long time now, and I regret this massively. Health should always, always come first. Essentially, it is the King of everything else.

There was a time when my bloating would be quite rare, and even then it wouldn’t always be that uncomfortable. I was able to eat reasonable amounts of dairy and wheat with no real issues, and alcohol didn’t affect it that much at all. These days, it’s a different story. I can’t eat most types of bread (I still do), I really can’t eat dairy (I still do), gluten in general is a no-no and any refined sugars -even in small amounts - set me off (look at my blog, I like sugar), and the only alcohol that doesn’t bloat me is vodka and white rum (I like wine. A lot). Even certain vegetables and fruits you’d assume would be a safe bet like broccoli, sweetcorn, peppers, cabbage and any seeded fruits are on the no-no list for me… and this list goes on and on. As does my inability to steer clear of all of the above.

The really frustrating thing I have found about IBS is that can be managed, but only if:

• You are not stressed
• You keep well hydrated (but not overly so)
• You exercise regularly

Why is this frustrating? Because it can be quite tricky to just not be stressed - life is full of stress for all of us and that can be hard to control at times. Also, I don’t know about everyone else but when I am stressed I drink less water, so I'll end up dehydrating myself. I do exercise very regularly, but that has been to my own detriment in a few cases. Sometimes your body just needs to rest, and I am not a very good rester. I tend to push myself even more when I am suffering with my IBS, so ultimately I am creating a vicious circle - stressing my body out unnecessarily.

So what’s an IBSer to do? Especially one that has a fairly hectic work-life, a massive appetite, and a serious penchant for baking?

In my personal opinion, I think everyone has a little IBS in them, and what a lot of it is down to, is our human body’s way of saying “PLEASE STOP PUTTING THIS PROCESSED SHITE INTO ME OR I'LL CAUSE YOU PAIN, LIKE THIS.”

With this in mind, I've been giving Paleo a go recently, and it seems to be working for the most part.

The premise of Paleo is simple: you eat the foods that would have been available in the time of cave-people, aka the Palaeolithic era. So, you eat things like meat, fish, veg, nuts and berries, and you avoid grain-based foods, pulses, dairy products and refined sugar. If the Flintstones couldn’t have it, avoid it. If it’s “made” in a microwave, it is a big no-no. You get the idea. For me, this isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle choice. I'd fail miserably if it were a diet, and I find diets to be stupid anyway.

I am in the early stages, but it's something I aim to crack on with for the foreseeable. I have had quite enough of the shit that IBS brings (or sometimes doesn't... duh dun dun chhh). That was a constipation joke if anyone missed it. Sorry mom.

I'm more than willing to be as proactive as possible to minimise the negative impact IBS has had over me, and I'm happy to share my personal experiences, even if some of them are a bit rubbish. Above all, I'm hoping I can spread the love to fellow IBSers by sharing lots of my IBS-friendly recipes here. I LOVE my food, but this is something I've always struggled with - I feel like I rotate the same 2 - 3 "safe" meals all of the time and I am sick of it. Going from recent conversations, I don't think I am the only one!

So, over the next few weeks and months I'll be tracking my 'Becca Vs IBS' progress here on BGB. I'll be cutting out various different foods to pin-point what sets me off most, and trying and testing lots of new recipes. 

Watch this space :-)

Bx