So, I don't know how many of you actually know this about me, but I suffer from IBS. It's a fairly common disease, that happens mostly to women around my age and people don't like talking about it because the symptoms are not that kosher.
It's also very hard to determine if it's a "real" disease or not. This is because the triggers are mostly phycological. Basically I got mine from my anxiety and panic attacks. Which is another thing you might not know about me. Senior year of high school I got my first panic attack, and I got scared of public transportation. It took some weeks before I got a diagnos and medication to help me. I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and panic attacks. It was a very difficult time. If you are not familiar with this disease I'm not going to explain it, just send you to a video that Zoella posted a while ago that describes the symptoms and disease very well, even better than my phycologist did back when I was diagnosed!
It's almost 20 minutes long, but trust me, if you don't know what panic attacks and anxiety is this will explain it. And if you are suffering from it yourself this will help you understand it a lot better!
Now, back to the topic at hand, IBS and FODMAPs. I was diagnosed with IBS as a follow-up from my panic attacks, which is usually how you get IBS. IBS stands from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and has also been called Nervous Bowels. Basically, if I'm nervous, stressed or faced with something challenging or new my body stops functioning as it should. I get stomach pains and the urge to visit a bathroom becomes an emergency. I won't go into details, but let's just say that I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
It has become such a problem that I've let it control my life and because of it I'm not actually living my life to the fullest. I've lived with this problem for almost eight years now and it has been a constant struggle and worry for me.
One of my resolutions this year was to actually live my life and in order to do that I have to get my IBS under control. I've read about this diet called FODMAPs which is an Australian thing where you eliminate quite a lot of foods that are known to be irritable for your bowels. I've been eating according to this diet for a week now and I've noticed major improvements! Trust me, I noticed a change 24 hours into the diet!
I've eliminated gluten, lactose, unions and garlic. This is very, and I mean very, problematic and difficult in the beginning because there is unions and garlic in almost everything. However, it is so worth it due to how much better I feel already.
On Friday I accidentally ate something that had unions in it and the pains arrived a couple of hours later. This diet has definitely showed me things that I absolutely can't eat, and that I do feel better when they are eliminated. My co-workers are telling me that I have a healthier glow to my face now and that I am more energised.
I'll update you more about all of this as I go, but for now I'll leave you with that this diet works and if you have IBS I urge you to try this.
xx Zandrina
