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

Audio. IBS restaurant tip. For fast food options choose A place where you can "build your own" - bowl, plate, wraps, whatever! Because with IBS, the more control you have over your diet the better. 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 quest...

Audio. New IBS research needs real voices - like yours! Join and help find out how to predict who responds best to IBS treatments... To learn more or register to participate, visit Project: Exclude or Expose in Irritable Bowel Syndrome . Or email the researchers directly at gut-research@unimelb.edu.au And more about about IBS… You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your...

Audio. IBS fast fact. 10% of IBS cases are post-infectious This is how a physical gut insult can rewire your gut–brain axis forever... Learn more about insults to the gut and IBS… 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 reach me directly. I am overwh...

Audio. IBS news flash. Antacids, antidepressants, antibiotics can change your gut for decades Prescriptions taken years ago leave long-lasting marks on gut bacteria. A new study in Science Daily reports that medications taken years - even decades - ago might still be influencing your gut today. Wow. You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a pa...

Audio. Don't hate me for this one... The IBS truth you don't want to hear - it's best to eliminate all red meat, dairy, fried foods, egg yolks, coffee, soda pop, artificial sweeteners, and alcohol from an IBS diet. They are all huge GI stimulants or irritants, and major IBS trigger foods . You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscri...

Audio. Herbs as medicine for IBS? Peppermint is my favorite! The idea that herbs are nature's medicines really applies to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Use peppermint as high volatile oil peppermint tea for fast relief, peppermint extract for baking, fresh peppermint leaves for cooking, and enteric peppermint oil capsules for preventing symptoms. And more about peppermint for IBS… You are not alone. H...

Audio. IBS deep dive! Post-traumatic stress disorder, gut microbiome, and the brain-gut axis All linked to IBS. Jump in! This is an IBS deep dive, so take a big breath and jump right in . And more about the brain-gut dysfunction behind 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'...

Audio. IBS restaurant tip. Divide your plate in half... And eat one half only, so you don't set off your gastrocolic reflex. Take the rest home... Remember, your gastrocolic reflex reacts - or overreacts - in proportion to both calories and the sheer volume of food/drink consumed. And get more help with the restaurant guide from Eating for IBS . You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t co...

Audio. IBS news flash. Walk your way to fewer IBS symptoms? New research shows help for pain, bloating, irregularity is just steps away... Could something as simple as a daily walk really help IBS? According to new research from the American College of Gastroenterology’s 2025 Annual Meeting , yes it can. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber....

Audio. IBS fast fact. Your gut wakes up when you do... And it's probably grumpy if it's early.... If you wake up with cramps or urgency that’s from cortisol surges. These are natural stress hormone spikes that peak after waking. Calm your gut and lower your cortisol levels by avoiding morning drinks with caffeine. Have a high volatile oil cup of peppermint or fennel tummy tea instead. Heather’s IB...

Audio. IBS news flash. Would you let a toilet camera check your gut health? Yes, a toilet camera. No, I'm not kidding Kohler is making a new smart toilet that aims to spot changes in digestion, hydration, and even blood. For anyone managing IBS or other gut issues, this data might make it easier to see how diet, stress, and symptoms line up. (Though I have to say privacy and accuracy would be huge...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Don't dangle. Your gut wants your feet on the ground Dangling feet can slow digestion, trigger bloating, gas, and cramping A simple, subtle… and surprisingly effective fix. And more IBS quick tips... 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 th...

Audio. Enraging IBS news flash. Gut troubles in perimenopause and menopause 9 in 10 women have trouble but few get real help A new study presented at The Menopause Society’s 2025 Annual Meeting found that digestive issues are extremely common during perimenopause and menopause—but most women never get proper care. (I’m shocked, totally shocked - NOT!) If your digestion changed for the worse around...

Audio. Boo! How to have an IBS friendly Halloween... No tricks, no triggers, just treats! Are there safe Halloween candies for IBS? Can I trick or treat? Yes! There are lots of tummy friendly options here. (And there better be - this is one of my all-time favorite holidays!) You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscriber. P.S. If yo...

Audio. Serotonin isn’t just in your brain — it’s in your gut bacteria! Gut microbes actually make serotonin to control motility and pain A new Cell Reports study has found that two specific gut bacteria actually make that serotonin . The study highlights how closely your microbiome and serotonin levels work together to influence your digestion, comfort, and moods. And learn more about getting your...

Audio. IBS fast fact. Is your gut in panic or party mode? It might not know the difference! Whether it’s panic or celebration, your gut might just call it “showtime!” And learn more about stress 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 hear them - just reply to t...

Audio. IBS news flash. Night shift linked to higher IBS risk Disrupting your circadian rhythm causes gut troubles... A large UK Biobank study of over 266,000 adults found that people who regularly work night shifts are significantly more likely to develop IBS. And more about sleep and IBS… You are not alone. Heather’s IBS Newsletter can’t continue without your support. Please become a paid subscri...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Use smaller utensils to eat Shrink your fork to soothe your gut Help prevent IBS flares! Learn more about how to eat 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 reach me directly. I am overwhelmed with...

Audio. The gut-lung axis and why a healthy gut = happier lungs Remarkable two-way communication between gut microbes and lung health. Nutshell? A healthy gut ecosystem can help immune responses, calm inflammation, and support lung defenses. When that gut microbiome is upset, it may worsen inflammation in the lungs and slow recovery from lung diseases. You can keep your gut microbiome thriving with...

Audio. Magnesium mayhem! Solving Steve's IBS mystery... Sometimes it's the littlest thing... (Don’t miss the recent IBS mystery and solution to Carol’s oatmeal smackdown !) I had a great IBS coaching call last month with Steve. He was going crazy trying to figure out what on earth had changed. It turned out to be just one tiny little thing. Have you also noticed something about your IBS that seems...

Audio. IBS restaurant tip. Avoid the ice water... Do not sit down and start drinking that... Drinking ice water - especially on an empty stomach, which you’re likely to have when you get to a restaurant - can trigger sudden cramping, gas, or urgency . And 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. P...

Audio. IBS news flash. Microplastics disrupt gut bacteria Because less sensory stress means fewer gut flares... Eat in a quiet, calm setting to help your enteric nervous system stay in “rest and digest” mode. See more IBS quick tips here. 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...

Audio. IBS fast fact. We're number one! And that's terrible... IBS is first for so many things, none of them good.... I’ve never been so bummed to be number one! And learn more about the IBS diagnostic criteria… 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 re...

Audio. IBS news flash. Alarming colorectal cancer rate increase in young people Early detection is critical... If symptoms don’t go away, see your doctor and ask about a colonoscopy. And if you need a colonoscopy, see here for help getting through it. 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...

Audio. IBS quick tip. Eat in peace and quiet Because less sensory stress means fewer gut flares... Eat in a quiet, calm setting to help your enteric nervous system stay in “rest and digest” mode. See more IBS quick tips here. 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...