Take control of chronic digestive issues
From Daily Struggle to Food Freedom: How to Take Control of Chronic Digestive Problems
Living with chronic digestive problems is more than just a physical burden – it's an emotional and social challenge, too. Whether it's the fear of public embarrassment, the unpredictability of symptoms, or the frustration of endless dietary restrictions, the impact on everyday life can feel overwhelming.
You may have experimented with cutting out foods, adding fibre to your diet, taking medication with little to no improvements. Or you may feel confused how this could be happening to you when you believe you are eating healthily.
In this post, we'll explore the most common fears and struggles faced by people with chronic digestive issues. Identify some of the common possible causes. More importantly, we’ll discuss how you can reclaim balance and how working with a Nutrition Therapist can help you get there.
Can you relate to any of these fears and struggles?
Fear of Public Embarrassment
One of the most immediate and distressing fears is the possibility of losing control of your bowels in public settings. Whether it's debilitating pain, urgently needing a bathroom, ‘explosive’ disasters, or struggling with visible bloating, these concerns can make social outings or even simple errands feel daunting.
This fear often leads to self-imposed limitations – worrying about, or avoiding social events, travel, or even work commitments.
You shouldn't have to live in fear. With the right approach to managing your digestive health, you can regain confidence and peace of mind.
Fear of Disease Progression or Complications
Many people worry that their digestive issues could worsen over time, leading to more severe conditions. This fear can be especially pronounced if they have not received adequate support to make the dietary changes needed for medically diagnosed conditions such as Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Diverticulitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
They may have received conflicting, vague or no diagnoses, or a suggestion their symptoms are linked to Stress and Anxiety without clear direction of what to do.
Some, like me, may have been offered antispasmodic medication without any information about what could be the root cause of their symptoms.
A proactive, personalised approach to uncover the root causes of nutrition can often alleviate symptoms and prevent further complications. By understanding your body's unique needs, you can take targeted steps to protect your long-term health.
Physical Discomfort and Unpredictable Symptoms
Pain, bloating, nausea, and irregular bowel movements can dominate daily life. Worse, symptoms often fluctuate unpredictably so that even when symptom-free, work and social activities are difficult to plan for. Spontaneity becomes stressful. Travelling feels risky. Even a simple meal out requires careful planning.
The goal isn't just symptom relief. It's restoring your ability to live without constant worry. The right dietary and lifestyle adjustments can help stabilise these unpredictable patterns. You deserve to feel comfortable in your own body again.
Dietary Challenges and Social Isolation
Restrictive diets may be a part of the solution, but what should you restrict and how long for? It can be frustrating to lose your favourite foods and difficult to maintain a balanced diet. Unnecessary or unmanaged exclusions can lead to nutrient deficiency and frustration. Dietary restriction can be isolating, especially when friends and family don't fully understand your condition.
A customised nutrition plan reviewed and updated as you progress, can give you more food freedom while still supporting your digestive health. You don't have to choose between symptom relief and enjoying life.
The Emotional Toll and Energy Depletion
Living with chronic digestive issues takes a mental and physical toll. Anxiety about symptoms, feelings of isolation, and sheer fatigue from the daily struggle can drain your emotional reserves. Stress and anxiety can disrupt the health of the digestive system and the transit times of stools, and this can create a negative spiral of symptoms.
Through strategic nutritional, lifestyle and supplement support, you can improve your energy levels and reduce the emotional burden of your condition. One to one support, guidance and selective, manageable changes often lead to profound improvements.
What Could be the Cause of your Symptoms?
There could be many different or overlapping factors causing problematic digestive symptoms which is why it is important not to guess what they are but properly investigate and test. Here are some common causes of ongoing problematic digestive symptoms like pain, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and gas:
Dietary Choices – Processed foods, refined sugars, unhealthy fats, excess alcohol or unbalanced ratios of macro nutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat).
Food Sensitivities or Intolerances – Intolerance to lactose, gluten, histamine or specific foods.
Parasites or lingering effects of food poisoning can cause imbalances in gut bacteria or even long-term intestinal damage
Gut microbiome imbalance – different species of gut bacteria, fungi and microbes making up the microbiome can be overgrown or deficient which means that the gut’s major role in protecting us from pathogens, absorbing nutrients, regulating immunity, brain health and hormonal balance can be compromised. The health and structure of the gut itself can become damaged.
Hormone imbalances - Hormones regulate the appetite, the feeling full sensation, the movement of food through the gut and the stimulation of digestive secretions. Oestrogen and progesterone can influence the microbiome balance
Stress and Lifestyle – Chronic stress, lack of physical activity, exposure to environmental toxins, and disruption in the gut/brain connection can negatively impact digestion
Medical conditions such as Crohn’s disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcerative colitis, Coeliac disease, gynaecological issues and gallstones are common culprits of unpleasant symptoms, requiring often widely different approaches
Medications – Excessive or prolonged use of certain medications like pain killers or antibiotics, can irritate the digestive tract or disrupt the microbiome.
Hydration and fibre – insufficient water intake and low or unvaried dietary fibre can lead to constipation and other digestive issues. However, increasing fibre in a compromised gut can also cause bloating and gas and needs careful management.
Low stomach acid or digestive enzymes – these are essential for digestion and when levels are too low, digestion is compromised leading to bloating and possible food intolerances
My Story: How I found relief (and how you can too)
I know how frustrating and frightening it can be to feel bloated and experience severe abdominal pain which comes and goes unexpectedly with no apparent cause. Sometimes I would simply grip onto my kitchen work surface for support and wait for the wave a sharp pain in my gut to subside. I was referred to a specialist consultant and tests were done which ruled out bowel disease, but then I was left with antispasmodic medication and no further advice.
I spent a long time looking for a solution. Experimenting with excluding foods, trying supplements, learning to relax with yoga and meditation and eventually completing a Masters in Personalised Nutrition.
Now I am symptom free and in even better health because I learnt how to:
Understand and interpret the scientific literature
Identify and avoid my food triggers
Strengthen, heal and balance my whole digestive system
Reduce my sensitivity and reactivity (significantly less hayfever and asthma)
Balance my nutrient intake
Navigate eating out and food labelling
Prioritise selective nutrient and mineral supplementation
Increase my overall health and energy levels
Manage stress
Now I can help my clients do the same in a fraction of the time it took me to piece it all together on my own.
Take the First Step Toward Lasting Relief
Whilst well-meant, if general advice to reduce the consumption of processed foods, eat more fibre, drink more water and relax, isn’t working for you, then you may need some professional support. If you're tired of living with digestive discomfort and ready to reclaim your freedom to eat a variety of foods, make plans, travel and, live actively with peace of mind, I'm here to help. As a Registered Nutrition Therapist, I offer personalised, compassionate support to guide you towards lasting relief.
Finding the root cause of your symptoms is key. I offer a comprehensive approach to doing this by my process, below.
A comprehensive health assessment of potential imbalances which consider your:
Health history
Lifestyle and environment
Close family members’ health
Current and historical symptoms
Detailed dietary review
Finding food patterns and triggers that may be affecting your health
Looking at previous dietary patterns that may have had an impact
Laboratory testing where appropriate
Stool, blood, urine or hair tests to determine imbalances in the body systems, nutrient/mineral deficiencies, microbiome dysbiosis or food sensitivities
Highlight gut health issues such as intestinal permeability (sometimes called leaky gut)
Providing a personalised nutrition plan including food supplement recommendations and lifestyle/alternative therapy suggestions
Based on your goals
Considering the scientific literature
Adapted to your needs and preferences
Offering one-to-one support, guidance and updated recommendations
Coaching and encouragement to implement practical strategies
Ongoing support as you progress through a consultation programme
Updated plans as symptoms change and test results are reviewed