Heather's IBS Newsletter - Help for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Audio. IBS attacks are often associated with menstruation because... High progesterone levels trigger uterine cramps AND gut spasms For women, IBS attacks are often associated with menstruation or other hormonal fluctuations. But there is some good news - fennel can be an effective herbal remedy for menstrual cramps and pain as well as for IBS bloating and gas. You are not alone. Heather’s IBS New...

Audio. Controversy! Folks go bananas... Green? Ripe? Yellow? Fructans? FODMAPS? Fuggeddaboutit! A recent quick tip about bananas got a lot of reader feedback, questions, and confusion. Find your ripeness sweet spot for bananas that are not too green (resistant starch) and not too brown (FODMAP overload) . Then use those bananas in a delicious IBS friendly Probiotic Cocoa Banana Smoothie! You are n...

Audio. IBS news flash. Why is bowel cancer skyrocketing in young people? Century-old tumors may solve the mystery. Bowel cancer has been rising at a terrifying rate in younger people, even children and teenagers, since the 1990s. And doctors don’t know why. But UK researchers are now analyzing bowel cancer samples from tumors stored in paraffin for the past 100 years. Many young people with bowel...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Eat small portions frequently, calmly, and leisurely Because your gut responds to HOW, not just WHAT, you eat... Why? Because that's your gastrocolic reflex in action... You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear them - just reply to this email to...

Audio. IBS news flash. Hidden connection! IBS bloating and shoulder pain... Gas buildup in the gut pushes up on the diaphragm and nerves... IBS bloating and trapped gas can be so severe it causes shoulder pain . Gas buildup in the stomach or intestines can push up on the diaphragm , the muscle that helps you breathe. Get help with IBS gas…. You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continu...

Audio. IBS news flash. Hidden connection! IBS bloating and shoulder pain... Gas buildup in the gut pushes up on the diaphragm and nerves... IBS bloating and trapped gas can be so severe it causes shoulder pain . Gas buildup in the stomach or intestines can push up on the diaphragm , the muscle that helps you breathe. Get help with IBS gas…. You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continu...

Video! IBS fast fact. Vitamin C is a huge gut irritant... Cramps, pain, bloating, gas, urgency, diarrhea, heartburn in people who don't even have IBS. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplements can be a huge IBS trigger. High doses can cause abdominal cramps, pain, bloating, gas, urgency, heartburn and diarrhea in people who don't even have IBS. Imagine what it can do to you. And get more help taking v...

Audio. IBS news flash. In just 24 hours an animal diet can change your gut For the worse, towards inflammation and cardiometabolic risk Research in Nature shows that your gut can change for the worse in just 24 hours. Your gut microbiome shifts within a single day based on what you eat. And you can proactively help increase your beneficial short-chain fatty acid production with a slowly fermenting...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Don't go low FODMAP forever Not a universal diet, not blanket exclusions, not safe for long term use! The low FODMAP diet isn’t forever. If you want to try a low FODMAP diet be sure you do this with a registered dietitian who knows both IBS and FODMAPs. Not all dietitians do. This should follow a 3-phase process that takes about 12 weeks total. Beware that long term low FODMA...

Audio. #2. Another constipation frustration. This time it's insoluble fiber. If insoluble fiber foods are IBS triggers, why can't I just avoid them? I’ve got my top five constipation frustrations and this is number two. (Don’t miss number one!) If insoluble fiber foods are IBS triggers, I just won’t eat them at all! No. Do not do this. With IBS, taking things to any extreme can make symptoms worse...

Audio. IBS restaurant tip. Avoid menu items that are... Crispy, crunchy, fried, creamy, cheesy, rich, meaty, or raw. WATCH OUT! Get more help with the restaurant guide from Eating for IBS . You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear them - just reply to this email to r...

Audio. Fell off the IBS wagon? That's ok... Sometimes cheesecake happens. How to get back on track for the new year. If you fell off the IBS wagon over the holidays, welcome to the club! Take action quickly... to break the IBS cycle and get back on track. The longer you’re stable, the easier it is to stay that way, and the faster you’ll recover from missteps. Your goal is long-term stability, even...

Audio. IBS fast fact. Gas and bloating are common, but... Vomiting and upper GI symptoms are NOT. Gas and bloating are common with IBS. Upper GI symptoms such as burping, belching, heartburn, and pain above the belly button are also NOT a typical part of the syndrome. You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If you have...

Audio. IBS news flash. Gut bacteria imbalance may weaken memory & learning... By fueling brain inflammation. Yikes. A recent study linked disrupted gut bacteria to brain inflammation and cognitive impairments. Healthy brain connections needed for learning and memory were damaged, leading to measurable problems with memory and learning. And more about the IBS brain-gut dysfunction… You are not alon...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Make sure your bananas are ripe... Resist the resistant starch! Bananas are a safe soluble fiber food for IBS. But! Make sure your bananas are fully ripe. And more about your IBS safe foods . You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear them - just...

Audio. IBS affects far more than your gut... Mood swings, fatigue, brain fog? IBS influences neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA... Irritable Bowel Syndrome can impact your mood, sleep, focus, and energy. This is because your gut produces and regulates critical neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA. Both are key to mental and emotional balance. They literally affect how you think and fee...

Audio. Do you fit the Rome Criteria? You have to! Or you can't accept an IBS diagnosis... IBS is not a disease, but a disorder (also known as a syndrome, also known as a dysfunction). Your symptoms must match the Rome Criteria before you can accept an IBS diagnosis. You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If you have an...

Audio. IBS news flash. Estrogen may turn up IBS pain Research finds gut pain “amplifier” linked to female hormones. IBS affects women far more often than men, and new research may help explain why. A recent study found that the hormone estrogen can increase pain signaling in the gut. More about IBS in women… You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please be...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Unsure about something? Don't eat it... When in doubt, leave it out. If you're worried a food or meal might be unsafe for IBS, don't take the chance... Are you on the spot and unsure about whether a food or meal is safe for IBS? DON’T EAT IT. It’s not worth the risk. Wait until you can get to your IBS safe foods . You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue wit...

Audio. IBS news flash. Unpredictable alcohol effects on gut transit time It's never good... Research shows alcohol affects gut transit time unpredictably - and for IBS that’s always for the worse. And more about alcohol and IBS… You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If you have any questions or comments I'd love to he...

Audio. IBS restaurant tip. Don't be afraid to make special requests Being finicky does not mean you're being difficult. With any restaurant order, takeout, or delivery, don’t be afraid to make special requests. Being finicky does not mean you’re being difficult. It means you’re taking care of your health. Get more help with the restaurant guide from Eating for IBS . You are not alone. Heather’s IB...

Audio. IBS news flash. Statins lower IBS risk for men... But not women! A huge UK observational study of over a decade found that men who regularly used statins (cholesterol lowering medications) were about 23% less likely to be diagnosed with IBS than men who did not use statins. But in women, statin use didn’t change the IBS risk at all. For some people, statins may be replaced with soluble fibe...

Audio. IBS fast fact. IBS is not a disease. It is... A functional bowel disorder with an underlying brain-gut dysfunction. This means the bowel simply does not work as it should. IBS is characterized as a brain-gut dysfunction in which the gastrocolic reflex goes awry. You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If you have...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Rub your temples to stop gut pain Light circular pressure on your temples, jawline and behind your ears interrupts the gut-brain pain loop Light, circular pressure to these areas stimulates different nerve pathways (specifically, the trigeminal and facial nerves). This redirects your brain’s attention from visceral gut pain to external, calming sensations. And get more help f...

Audio. Salad smackdown! Seaweed beats raw greens for IBS Low insoluble fiber, high gut-calming benefits If raw leafy greens have ever betrayed you the way they’ve betrayed me (I’m still holding that grudge!) seaweed can feel like an IBS veggie miracle. Because seaweed is one of the only greens that doesn’t pick a fight with your gut . It’s naturally low in insoluble fiber (the roughage kind that c...