I‘m here today to tell you the damn truth about IBS (irritable bowl syndrome- or what I like to call it, Its Bull Shit!!) It’s about time someone did. I have 5 things I need to say and I hope that maybe you can relate to one or if you’re a family member you can learn something new.

1. Every day is different. Sounds crazy but the truth. With IBS, you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. You could’ve had the flattest, leanest stomach today and tomorrow wake up with a bowling ball as a belly. And you know what? THAT’S OKAY! The best thing I did for myself was accepting that this was apart of me. If you have IBS, you know that stress and IBS do not go together. Letting go of stress I had over IBS helped reduce my bloating. I know it’s easier said than done but trust me, it has worked for me.

2. This is not your fault. Something I believed for so long. I hated my body so much. I just wanted it to work right. I mean, I was already allergic to gluten and dairy, why add this to the mix? Is my stomach really that messed up? Words I kept telling myself. But I realized that I was letting IBS control my thoughts. Yes, IBS can have a huge effect on mental health, and it was taking over mine. I started to realize I was letting it have too much power over me. I changed my mindset from thinking it was my fault to being grateful I have this. I’m lucky to only have IBS because I know some people have it worse.

3. It’s okay to cancel plans. When an IBS flare up happens, you don’t know how long it will last. Your stomach blows up, you’re in pain, you don’t want to do anything. Your self confidence goes down, trust me, I get it. It’s okay to cancel plans.

4. You can’t sit down after meals/eat after seven. This is something I really wished someone told me. I had to learn the hard way. Food normally takes 6 to eight hours to digest. Crazy right? So imagine laying down after you eat. You are only slowing down the process and making the food sit in your intestine. If you have IBS, you know how painful this is.

5. You can’t always trust fruits and vegetables. Yes, hard to believe but true. Many of the fruits and vegetables I loved don’t sit well with me. To name a few, broccoli, brussels sprouts, peas, apples, watermelon, pears. Crazy right? We’re told from a young age that these foods are good for us so when it doesn’t sit well we are left feeling shocked and upset.