How We Fixed Our Guts - Daily Routines

DISCLAIMER: We are not medical professionals. We do not advocate for implementing any of our remedies and suggestions unless advised by your doctor. The opinions expressed are solely our own and do not substitute for professional medical advice.

The last few years of dealing with IBS have been challenging for many reasons – first, figuring out your symptoms can be confusing and an unpredictable. It’s a process of trial and error! Second, once you have solidified what your “triggers” are (whether that be certain foods, stress, or external factors, etc) you must determine your process of healing. There’s a lot of information about what heals a damaged or struggling gut.

Some sources advocate for a strictly holistic avenue – i.e. using supplements like Zinc and Digestive Enzymes and eating sauerkraut (a natural source of probiotics) to help bolster your body’s natural digestive process. Other professional and reliable sources advocate taking up and emerging medications depending on the symptoms such as the recently emerged IBS -C medication, Linzess.

We have tried the rainbow of remedies for our IBS symptoms – primarily IBS – C symptoms. After over 5 years of trial and error the conclusion we have come to is…that supplements and holistic remedies AND traditional medications help us manage and heal our digestive systems.

What Savannah Uses Daily

When I was first diagnosed with severe food allergies and IBS V (IBS Variable) – I went the holistic route. I took a massive array of vitamins as well as following a very strict diet that was focused on pumping good probiotics and pre-biotics back into my digestive system. I ate a LOT of fermented foods, like sauerkraut and drank kombucha (which I still LOVE, but don’t eat sauerkraut as much). I ingested holistic remedies like drinking Diatomaceous earth in the mornings (which is a powder made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. You can read more here if you’re interested. I also drank psyllium husks to promote better digestion. In addition to these remedies I took over 15 different types of supplements. There were a couple other remedies I tried, but what I have listed is the bulk of it.

That was a pretty extreme diet and routine, but for me, it largely worked. It took three years to really feel better. I cleaned up my diet, developed a consistent workout routine, and now, five years later I am largely “normal” and managing my IBS.

Today, I don’t take a laundry list of supplements or medications. Here is what I do everyday (or at least 4x a week).

Daily:

• Probiotics (I use Pure Encapsulations)

• Atrantil

• Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tbsp of cider, or 3 Apple Cider Gummies – I use Goli)

• Vitamin C 500 – 1000g

• Drink a LOT of water in the morning as soon as I wake up.

• Mastic Gum (I used this to help with my acid reflux and burping).

• Digestive Enzymes

• Thryoid (Pure Encapsulations)

• Generic Women’s Multivitamin

Other:

• I also try to incorporate some fiber into my diet. I like to add flax and/or chia seeds and cacao nibs to smoothies (which I drink almost everyday!) and incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables into my daily diet.

• I work out almost everyday. I have found that the combination of lots of fiber + daily movements keeps my digestion in check. Yoga has become a part of my weekly routine. The calming aspects of the practice plus the twisting and stretching of the body in gentler ways have, in my experience, helped my recovery.

Big takeaway: Consistency is key. Repetition is key. And I’ll say it again – CONSISTENCY + REPETITION are KEY to healing and managing your IBS symptoms. If you commit to a routine, you really won’t see much improvement, at least in my personal experience.

What Renee Uses Daily

I first found out about my food allergies around 4 years ago. I immediately cut out gluten, dairy, and my other more specific allergies. Even after removing all of those foods from my diet, I still experienced pain and discomfort. I was diagnosed with IBS-C shortly thereafter. So, I tried a bunch of supplements and eating plans, but nothing worked. About 9 months ago, I tried the Low FODMAP diet, which helped but was very restrictive and time consuming. Still, I stuck with it for a couple months. After research by my dad (an emergency medicine doctor) and advice from my gynecologist, I began taking Atrantil and Linzess. These two supplements have been life changing.

This is my daily routine. It is simple and is not super time consuming. Like Savannah wrote, consistency is the most important aspect for regulating digestion and just feeling better overall--you can't make a change or improve if you do not stick to a plan.

Daily:

• Atrantil-- 2 pills in the morning & sometimes one in the evening if my stomach is upset

• Linzess-- one pill in the morning before breakfast

• Vitamin C-- 1000 mg per day

• Generic Multivitamin-- 2 gummies

• Water-- I cannot emphasize enough how important water intake is for digestion!

Other:

• Incorporate a lot of vegetable fiber into my diet

• Exercise everyday--I don't do a hard workout everyday but I make sure to move my body!

• I drink a healthy smoothie with flax, chia, and hemp seeds almost every morning

• When I take Linzess in the morning, I drink a full glass of water with the pill and then one cup of coffee BEFORE eating anything.

We hope this is helpful! Feel free to ask any questions or leave a comment below.