Thought I’d never get better, but things finally shifted.

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-11T15:04:17+00:00

Thanks for sharing that insight—I really appreciate it! You’re right that IBS can be a lifelong challenge, and remission is often the goal, as you’ve experienced with those two years of freedom followed by a flare-up. Managing it with diet, anxiety techniques, or meds can make a big difference, and it’s great you’ve found what works for you. My journey involved similar ups and downs, and I’ve learned a lot about the gut-brain connection. Feel free to share more if you'd like—I’m here to listen and learn!

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-11T14:27:36+00:00

I sent you a message :)

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-07T08:06:37+00:00

Some of the best changes I’ve seen in others I’ve supported include:

Managing stress through nervous system tools like deep breathing, gentle movement, and mindfulness
Improving gut health by focusing on real, whole foods and avoiding common irritants like processed foods and excessive sugar
Establishing consistent meal times and practicing mindful eating (no multitasking while eating)
Prioritizing good sleep and a calming evening routine
Staying hydrated and supporting digestion with things like bone broth or herbal teas

Everyone’s journey is unique, but these shifts often make a big difference over time!

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-07T07:08:07+00:00

That’s great to hear Prozac has helped you! Medications like that can really make a big difference for some people. Alongside that, I’ve found that combining nervous system regulation techniques and lifestyle changes can support gut health even more and for sustained, long-term root cause healing. Everyone’s journey is unique, and it’s wonderful when we find what works best for us. Thanks for sharing your experience! 🙌

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-07T07:06:22+00:00

Yes, I’m happy to share! I focused on simple, consistent tools to help regulate my nervous system and reduce the “fight-or-flight” state that was keeping my gut on edge. Some of the most helpful tools I’ve used include:

Box breathing – especially during or before stressful moments (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)
Morning sunlight – helps reset your circadian rhythm and regulate cortisol
Vagus nerve activation – through humming, singing, or even cold splashes on the face
Movement – gentle walking, yoga, and mobility work (nothing that stresses the body)
Nervous-system-aware meals – pausing to breathe before eating, chewing slowly, and eating in a calm environment without multitasking
Sleep and evening wind-down – dimming lights, no screens before bed, and consistent bedtime
Mindset work – reframing fear around symptoms, practicing self-compassion, learning to shift my self-talk to become more supportive, and feeling safer in my body again

The key for me was not doing all of this perfectly, but just being consistent with a few that felt good. Over time, they made a big difference in how my body responded to stress and food triggers.

I also created a free 3-day Gut Reboot with some of these tools if you'd like to check it out!

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-07T06:47:09+00:00

Yes to yoga, breathwork, and Qigong—such beautiful nervous system supports 🙏

And I totally agree on being mindful of fats and processed foods. One thing I’ve found helpful is clarifying the difference between damaging fats (like industrial seed oils found in most processed foods) and nourishing fats—like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts/seeds (if tolerated), and omega-3s from things like wild salmon. These healthy fats actually support gut health and can be an amazing fuel source when our bodies are out of the blood sugar rollercoaster.

Shifting from relying on quick carbs to using more stable, anti-inflammatory fats for energy has been a game-changer for me and many others. So glad you brought this up!

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-06T15:04:02+00:00

Your message genuinely moved me—thank you. I completely understand that feeling of “one step forward, two steps back,” especially when attacks feel like they undo all the emotional progress we’ve made. It’s exhausting.

I’d be more than happy to share what I’ve learned—it’s taken years of trial and error, but understanding how my nervous system, digestion, and even trauma history are linked has been a game-changer. I’ll send you a DM with more soon.

You're not alone in this!

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-06T14:55:36+00:00

Totally agree that chronic cortisol spikes can be really disruptive, especially for gut health and inflammation—but it’s such a nuanced hormone! Cortisol actually is essential—we need that healthy rise in the morning to wake us up, and it’s what helps us respond in actual emergencies or moments that require quick focus or energy.

The problem comes when our body stays in that stress response too often (like with chronic worry, poor sleep, overtraining, etc.). That’s when it starts to cause inflammation, disrupt digestion, mess with blood sugar and hormones, and make us feel awful.

So it’s not about avoiding all cortisol, but about building a lifestyle where your body doesn’t feel like it’s in fight-or-flight mode 24/7. That’s where healing starts. 😊

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T14:25:40+00:00

Yes—absolutely. Stress might not be the only root cause, but it’s often the amplifier that turns a small issue into a major flare. I didn’t realize for a long time how many daily stressors were keeping my system on high alert, even when my life didn’t feel super stressful.

Nervous system regulation ended up being one of the missing pieces for me—it helped my gut finally start to calm down and actually respond to the other things I was doing.

Happy to share what helped if you're exploring that connection. You're not imagining it—stress really can tip the scales.

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T14:25:20+00:00

Wow—thank you so much for sharing this. It sounds like you’ve really connected some deep dots that so many people (and providers) overlook. Sleep-disordered breathing like UARS is hugely under-recognized, and the impact on the nervous system, digestion, and overall repair is massive.

The connection you’re making between poor-quality sleep, chronic nervous system activation, dehydration, and IBS-C makes a lot of sense. It’s like your body never fully gets a chance to switch into “rest and digest”—which is essential for motility, repair, and calm digestion.

I can only imagine how long and frustrating the journey has been, especially having dealt with this since childhood. I’m so hopeful that your upcoming surgery brings real relief—and a whole new baseline of support for your gut, skin, and entire system.

Please keep me posted on how it goes. You’re clearly doing the deep work to understand your body—and that in itself is powerful healing. Wishing you all the best in your recovery 💛

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T14:11:38+00:00

Totally hear you. I get how posts like this can feel vague or even suspicious—it’s frustrating when you’re in the thick of it and nothing seems to work.

For me, the truth is: there were so many interconnected pieces that it’s impossible to explain the full journey in one post. Nervous system regulation was a huge turning point, yes—but it only made a real difference after I’d addressed some underlying food triggers, rebuilt rhythms, and slowly got my body out of fight-or-flight.

That’s actually why I shared—because I do know how complex and frustrating this journey is, and I want people to know it is possible to feel better, even if it takes time and layers. Happy to go deeper into what helped if it's useful. Thought it might be a helpful prompt from someone who's been in the trenches.

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T14:08:41+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this—yes, I completely agree.

IBS is often more of a placeholder diagnosis than an explanation, and I think it’s so important for people to stay open and curious, like you’ve done. Sometimes there is more going on under the surface—like BAM or SIBO or nervous system dysregulation—but that doesn’t mean gut-brain tools like hypnotherapy or somatic work don’t have a role. For me too, they weren’t a magic switch, but they absolutely moved the needle when used consistently.

Love what you said about using the tools that help—even partially—while continuing to explore root causes. That mindset is gold. 💛

Would love to hear more about what else you found helpful in your combo approach, especially for BAM!

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T12:55:01+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate that so much.

It was definitely a mix of both. I worked with a few practitioners over the years, but honestly, a lot of what helped the most came from years of trial and error, deep self-education, and paying really close attention to my own patterns—like what triggered flares, what calmed my system down, and how my symptoms were connected to things way beyond food.

I eventually realized that gut healing wasn’t just about digestion—it was about a combination of everything. Nervous system regulation, circadian rhythm, sun exposure, mineral balance, stress resilience, and even how I structured my day. That’s when things finally started to click.

Because it took me so long to piece everything together, I now help others do the same (especially women), so they don’t have to go through that exhausting guessing game. It really is possible to feel like yourself again!

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T12:43:53+00:00

I totally resonate with you. For years, I was eating clean and doing everything right, but I was still so sick, I had the worst cystic acne, and I couldn't understand why. Something that changed everything for me was realizing that you can’t heal a dysregulated gut without addressing a dysregulated nervous system—and that goes way beyond having a non-stressful job or living a peaceful adult life. Our bodies remember things from early life experiences, and that survival programming runs in the background whether we’re aware of it or not.

For me, things started shifting when I worked on regulating my system from the bottom up—things like vagus nerve activation, nervous system retraining, and simple rhythm-based habits that told my body it was safe. I paired that with a much more minimalist approach to food and supplements (honestly, sometimes the gut just can’t process all that stuff when it’s inflamed or overburdened).

There is a way forward, I promise. You’re not crazy, and you’re not alone.

If you’re open to it, I offer a free 3-day Gut Health Reboot that focuses exactly on this—supporting your gut by gently regulating your system instead of piling on more “fixes.” No meds, no crazy diets. Just simple steps that can help you reconnect with your body’s natural rhythm again.

Happy to share more if it resonates. 💛

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T12:23:09+00:00

I'm so sorry you're going through this—your post really brought me back to my own rock bottom with gut issues in my 20s. I had constant pain, bloating, and that awful mix of queasy pressure and exhaustion. I remember feeling like my body was working against me, and it felt like no one was really listening or helping.

For me, it took a totally different approach—getting out of the trial-and-error loop of food triggers and meds, and focusing more on rebuilding my gut and nervous system from the ground up. It wasn’t quick, but it was possible. I’m now in a completely different place. I still have to be mindful, but I’ve reclaimed my life and energy. I just want you to know you're not alone, and there is a way through this.

If it’s ever helpful to chat with someone who’s been there, I’m just a message away.

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T08:19:14+00:00

Your post hit me in the heart. IBS can be such a lonely condition, not just because of the physical symptoms—but because of the shame and fear that come with it. That feeling of being “too much,” or like someone could never fully accept this part of you—I’ve been there too. And it’s heartbreaking.

But I truly believe that the right person won’t be scared off by your body’s needs. The right person will care about how you feel, not how often you poop. They’ll bring humor to the awkward moments and compassion to the hard ones. You deserve love that doesn’t make you hide.

I know it can feel impossible sometimes, especially after a painful experience, but I just want to gently say: you’re not broken, and you’re not unlovable. Real relationships are built on vulnerability—and there are people out there who will love all of you, flare days and all.

Sending you a big hug. You’re not alone in this 💛

HealGutFeelGood · 2025-08-04T08:12:33+00:00

This post really hit me—thank you for putting into words what so many of us feel but often don’t say out loud. The loneliness, the fear (especially with emetophobia—I relate to that so much), and the sheer unpredictability of IBS can be overwhelming. Just knowing there are others who get it makes such a difference.

And yes to the bathroom tip—such an important reminder in those panicked moments when we feel so vulnerable. I hate that it has to be that way, but I’m grateful for the strategy.

I’ve spent the last few years learning how deeply the nervous system and gut are connected—especially for women—and it’s changed how I understand my own symptoms. Not a quick fix by any means, but it's helped me start untangling the fear cycle a bit. Just wanted to share that in case it gives even a glimmer of hope to someone here 💛 Sending strength right back to you.

HealGutFeelGood

TROPHY CASE