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Tips and tricks for coping with a flare-up and preventing them in the first place
Cooking and nutrition are my creative response to over ten years of chronic stomach pain. In and out of the hospital, and on and off every elimination diet out there, I’ve finally gotten to a more comfortable place. As a bonus, this research has made me a low-key expert on managing chronic stomach pain. So, when my supervisor asked how I manage pain and bloat, since she was suffering from similar symptoms, I had lots to say. So, I wrote the following to point her to some resources and meal ideas that have proved beneficial, helpful, and affirming.
Be Your Own Guru
Coping with chronic stomach pain has been a difficult, yet exciting process. Overall, I’ve learned to fully lean into the food lifestyles that make me feel good. Remember, months of bloat, pain, and discomfort are NOT normal, so "listen to your gut" on what works best for you and abide by it.
Pay attention to the inner messages and how you feel after eating. As Gabriel Cousens, M.D., writes in Conscious Eating, "The process of individualizing one’s diet requires trusting what is unfolding, cultivating artful intelligence, and carrying out trial-and-error experimentation. To be effective at the art of observation one becomes both the scientist and the experiment” (10).
My stomach pain has been dismissed and unsolved by doctors, so becoming my own guru is not only creative, but crucial.
Managing a Flare-Up Subjective Specifics from 10 Years of Chronic Stomach Pain
Have a roster of "safe" foods that you can resort to when you're experiencing greater sensitivity or a flare-up. For me, this looks like avocado, rice cakes, bananas, squash, soups, and smoothies. I avoid the foods that are hit or miss, like dairy and greasy foods. If I'm in a flare-up, this is not the time for me to down salads or seedy bread. I've got to keep it easy.
Pro tip? Ask yourself, “What are your safe and dangerous foods?” then write them in the Notes app on your phone to reference when the flare-up panic sets in.
Embrace anti-inflammatory warming spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger. I have a ginger concentrate made of blended, steeped fresh ginger root that I keep in my refrigerator. I also sip peppermint tea after dinner.
Get comfortable. GasX is your FRIEND. Seriously. It's non-addictive, super safe, and non-negotiable when I travel. Also, during a flare-up, wear clothes that make you feel powerful and comfortable, not restricted.
Embrace movement. When I'm bloated and/or stressed and in pain, yoga has been essential for helping digestion and energy. The twists are really good for getting things moving. I recommend searching for "digestion" or "detox" on Leslie Fightmaster and Yoga with Adriene's YouTube channels. Their videos guide you through core- and digestion-focused practices. They are professional, clear, affirming, and sensitive to varying ability-levels.
Preventative Hacks: How I Try to Avoid a Flare-Up in the First Place
Pay attention to when you feel best and eat most of your calories around those times. Do you bloat most after dinner and digest best during breakfast? Or do you need time after you wake up to just sip tea? Listen to your bloat; listen to your metabolism.
Use the nutrition label to make yourself feel good, not to make you second guess a feel-good-food. For some, counting calories is a straightforward way to make sure they’re not over indulging or under eating. They like the facts. For some, it distracts from concentrating on adding whole foods. Be aware of what works best for you if you are actively choosing to unlearn body dysmorphia and accept self-love.
For me, the nutrition label is useful for finding out how much oil and sugar is in different foods, since sugar and excess oil trigger stomach pain. This is not about toxic restrictions, but rather about being conscious about what I'm asking my GI to process.
Follow chefs, foodies, and tastemakers on Instagram who make healthy food that you think looks irresistible. I follow @chocolateforbasil; @erinireland, @liabartha, @kenzieburke, @bonberi, @trinitymouzon, @vibrantandpure, @barenutritionhealth, , @healthyish,@brookeslade, @blaireflory, @theplantedone, @lonijane, @alexandradudley and others. I'll often post things I eat, too, at @maddie_mccann.
Give yourself enough time. As a busy individual, I often forget to give my body the time it needs, whether to go to the bathroom, drink enough water, or prep feel-good-snacks. This is disastrous to both my mood and my bloating. This TED Talk was truly eye-opening for me to see the link between the GI system and my emotional well-being.
Get enough sleep. A truly restful sleep overrides any and all diet and exercise choices, every time.
Breath deep before your meal and taste it. This has helped me get into a calm state that my stomach takes a cue from.
Don't beat yourself up for getting bloated, overeating, or not listening to your inner voice. Listen, take care of yourself, and move on.
My Go-To Safe Snacks
Green smoothies
All the squash. Chopped avocado in a steamed sweet potato and spaghetti squash are my favorites
Warming soups with anti-inflammatory turmeric and ginger
A rice cake or two with smashed avocado and sauerkraut
Digestion-friendly, soothing ginger, peppermint, or rooibos tea, especially before bed
You deserve to feel well, consistently. I'm obviously not a doctor or nutritionist, but an advocate of listening to your own tumwa. I hope these are a good springboard to help you thrive.