1. IBS is a stress-sensitive disorder, and chronic stress is a key component and risk factor. This is due to the Gut Brain Axis, and the Vagus nerve that runs down your torso and connects the brain and your gut. This explains why at some of the most stressful points in my life, my IBS symptoms were much more present and when I was more relaxed (like on holiday), my gut was much happier.

2. The wellness world and Google searches made me think that the root cause of my gut issues were solely food-based, and that if I just eliminated things such as gluten, it would make me feel better. However, years later after therapy and reflection, I realise that food in and of itself was not the sole trigger, and that the root cause went much deeper than that. My body and mind had experienced chronic stress years prior to drama school through the loss of my father. This trauma was compounded with stress during my time at a competitive drama school – as I suppressed my grief, my body responded in the only way it knew: to sit in fight or flight mode (or the Sympathetic Nervous System). I have since learned the importance of rest, and recently I have started to introduce a ten minute lie down where I do absolutely nothing (not even phone scrolling) each day, as a way to relax my mind and body as recommended by Psychologist Kimberley Wilson. Rest, sleep and relaxation have helped my body to shift into a “rest and digest” mode, known as the Parasympathetic Nervous System – and so I aim to incorporate it more into my life.

3. Years of rigid food rules and dieting attempts meant I had anxiety about eating certain foods, which would then manifest itself in my body through IBS symptoms. Ditching diets and neutralising food by no longer considering certain foods “good” or “bad” and instead as food that serves different purposes (comfort, nourishment, pleasure, energy, etc.), meant that I was able to digest foods much easier, rather than feel anxious about how my body would react.

4. Another bonus of ditching diets is that I am also no longer depriving my body. Instead, I’m listening to it more and letting how it makes me feel guide me. I’ve learned to build trust with myself and with my body so that I can honour my hunger and enjoy foods without guilt and fear. By no longer having a calorie deficit, ignoring my hunger and trying to eat “clean”, my tummy is full and my body is nourished – which has had a positive impact on my gut and has helped to massively reduce the frequency of my symptoms. There’s a lot to be said for an adequately fed body and mind.

IBS: “I finally managed my gut health – and it did not involve a restricted diet”