Could your IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) actually be food intolerances?

                                                                                                         

Being told you have ‘Irritable Bowel Syndrome’ means exactly that- you have symptoms that your bowel is irritated. It’s really just a label for your symptoms and telling you what you already know- your bowel is irritated. IBS encompasses a whole host of digestive discomfort such as diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, stomach cramps, pains and gas. So what causes it? The medical theory behind IBS suggests the symptoms being caused by stress. While stress may be the cause for some, it is not necessarily the cause for all. A food intolerance could be causing your symptoms.  

                 

What is a food intolerance?

Food intolerances are very different to a food allergy. With an allergy, symptoms are usually obvious, immediate and severe in nature.

An intolerance is quite different. A reaction can occur immediately after consumption or up to 3 days following. It is usually dose dependent, so the more often you eat the food the worse the symptoms. This also means it can be difficult to figure out exactly what foods you are reacting to. Who would blame the pasta they had 2 nights ago for their IBS symptoms?

Most common symptoms are nausea, bloating, pain, gas, heartburn, diarrhoea, constipation. Other common symptoms caused by food intolerances include headaches or migranes, skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis), hayfever, sinusitis, poor sleep, depression or low energy levels.

Food intolerance testing

Having any of the symptoms above is enough to lead you to suspect food intolerance. I recommend food intolerance testing as the fastest and most accurate way to diagnose food intolerances. This is done via a blood sample and is much less confusing using trial and error. If you think you might be suffering from intolerances, give us a call and we can send you for a simple blood test!

Meditation Challenge

'Anyone fancy joining me on a 21 day meditation challenge?'

‘I am generally hopeless when it comes to meditating, I have all the best intentions but somehow it does not materialise to actually sitting down and meditating. So I was excited to see that Deepak Chopra is offering a 21 day meditation challenge where you get daily guided meditations. This I think I can manage – and its free which is pretty fantastic. So, who's with me?

Have a look at the finer details here: 

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The beginning of the end!

Time flies when you are having fun, and as I got into the groove with my detox, I started to feel very comfortable with my food choices and started to really enjoy how good the food tasted. Once you get past the first week the caffeine withdrawal headache goes along with the sugar and salt cravings (thank goodness).

I certainly became more creative in the last days –

-       Breakfast – adding super green smoothie onto ground seed mix

-       Almond milk Smoothies – adding bananas, frozen berries, cocoa powder, chia or flaxseeds (see my almond milk recipe below).

-       Creative salad dressings – to keep the vegies interesting (see below for one of my favourites).

-       Chia seed pots – great little afternoon snack - recipe for this coming soon!

-       Fish parcels – the easiest way to cook fish - place fish with choice of vegies (bok choy, spinach, asparagus etc) in oven proof paper with drizzle if olive oil or squeeze of lemon and cook for 15-20 minutes at 200c.

-       Bliss balls – I have become a master in randomly throwing in nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or (whatever i could find) in a food processor and then adding some carob, tahini and honey.

     Just play around with the ingredients until it suits your taste buds! 

-       Drinks – I'm loving hot ginger tea, but have also been giving a whole range of herbal teas a work out.

With a couple more days left, I'm on easy street, just kicking back and enjoying myself, but am definately looking forward to slowly edging my way out with some cheese, some squares  dark chocolate and maybe even a glass of chilled white wine.

'But remember, if you decide to give detoxing a go, the best advice I can give, is ‘ease yourself in and out of the detox’ no shocking your body, i.e. don’t stop, then binge, you’ll feel terrible and undo all your good work (physically and mentally).' 

Almond Milk Recipe

Ingredients

Soaked almonds (1/2 cup before soaking)

3 cups of water

2 dates (optional)

1-2 drops of vanilla essence

Method

-       Soak nuts overnight and rinse well

-       Blend all ingredients on high until well blended

-       Put through a nut milk bag

    (you can buy these at www.consciouschoice.com.au)

      *Note I have then been using the nut pulp in the bliss balls which gives them a really lovely consistency, you can freeze this, and then use as almond meal when need

Salad dressing

 Ingredients

1 rounded tsp of unpasteurised miso

Juice of ½ an orange (I used a blood orange)

1tbsp mirin

1tbsp olive oil

This goes really well on chopped beetroot, carrot and fennel, with some toasted sesame seeds!