Anna Lewin, 26, UK
Looking back, I now realise that my IBS symptoms started when I was a child - I just didn’t realise it then and fortunately it wasn't affecting my daily life. Time went by and off I went to university. All was well…until final year. IBS well and truly reared its ugly head, not that I knew that’s what it was then! My daily life was COMPLETELY interrupted. The symptoms I experienced made me become extremely anxious because of their unpredictable nature – I wasn’t sure how I would feel from one minute to the next. Cue vicious cycle. It took hold of me to the point where I just didn’t feel like ‘me’.
It wasn’t until the following year when I decided enough was enough - fed up of feeling this way I booked an appointment to see a registered dietitian. BEST DECISION EVER! This is when I was introduced to the low-FODMAP diet (although to begin with it was more like, ‘FOD-WHAT?!’) and so my blog, ‘FODMAP Journey’, was born. With planning and persistence I soon got into the swing of the diet and was over the moon to notice positive results soon after. My approach has always been to keep food simple but tasty. Blogging about my experiences along the way opened me up to a wonderful support network of fellow IBS sufferers and registered dietitians all sharing experiences, tips and yummy recipes. I realised that my symptoms hadn’t ALL been in my head after all and most importantly that I wasn’t alone! I’ve been following a low-FODMAP lifestyle ever since, incorporating the higher FODMAP foods that my stomach allows (not that I don’t get caught out sometimes). That’s the great thing about the low-FODMAP diet – discovering what suits YOU.
Now, my aim is to keep the balance between a happy stomach and a happy mind. It’s not always easy to do that, especially in the very fast paced world we live in, but taking time out to relax and ‘switch off’ is very important! Have you come across the mindfulness colouring books?! Great way to relax and bring out your inner child at the same time!
These are my #gutfeelings and I look forward to reading yours!
Feel free to get in touch:
Web: www.fodmapjourney.me
Twitter: @FODMAPjourney
Instagram: @fodmapjourney
Facebook: /FODMAPjourney
Pinterest: @FODMAPjourney
Let’s break the ‘poo taboo’!
Anna xo