Nutrition awareness
We have many readers who write that they are trying to heal, but practicing nutritional awareness and sticking to the right types of foods is one of their biggest struggles. In most cases, all the right supplements and protocols are implemented, but their diet is not good for the gut for a variety of reasons.
Jini’s IBD Remission Diet, which combines Absorb Plus shakes and bone/vegetable broths to soothe and heal the gut, is a liquid-only diet – and I can confirm that it can be difficult to stick to! It’s a challenge to eat a completely elemental diet or a diet that’s good for your gut for an extended period of time, and I really want to acknowledge and validate that. It requires extreme determination for your body, your taste buds, your cravings, etc.
However, complete and long-term healing is almost impossible if you constantly eat things that are not good for your gut or body. This is why nutritional awareness is so important in healing the gut.
Intestinal irritating foods
What are some examples of gut irritating foods? Generally, gluten, dairy, sugar, processed foods, and spicy foods that can cause tears (like chips and popcorn), to name a few. Jini made this nice video about foods that are typically problematic for people with IBD so you can see what things she recommends avoiding.
I recently wrote this post about food debt and how important it is not to feel guilt or shame when treating yourself to a feast for a special occasion. The difference here, however, is that you regularly eat gut-irritating foods and not just occasionally eat something tasty.
None of us want to feel restricted, especially when it comes to eating, and there can already be so many negative emotions related to food and eating with IBD. However, there is science and unfortunately many of the foods mentioned above contain toxins and chemicals that create a negative environment for bacteria to thrive in the gut. So it’s a good idea to think about getting out of your diet – or at least eliminating it for a few weeks and then slowly reintroducing one “potential trigger food” at a time to figure out which ones specifically are the culprits for you. Using Absorb Plus is a great way to do this and you can read more about it in Chapter 5 of Jini’s book “The IBD Remission Diet” on food reintroduction and allergy testing.
For example, let’s take a look at gluten. According to the study referenced in this article:
“There is scientifically based evidence that gluten can harm your body in more ways than you realize. And this happens not just to people with celiac disease, but to anyone – and everyone – who eats gluten.”
…the researchers fed the participants all types of wheat and found that all four groups exhibited this Genes involved in intestinal permeability are activated when exposed to wheat. Even the people who didn’t have a known problem with gluten.”
I encourage you all to do your own research because you’ll be surprised at how many common household foods can contribute to gut inflammation!
Why diets can be such a challenge
I want to preface this by explaining that when I use the word “diet” I am not referring to any fads or extreme diets. I am referring exclusively to elementary nutrition or gut-friendly foods and, in general, to a healthy diet.
For me and my personal journey, diets have always been a big challenge. Making conscious food choices meant changing my entire lifestyle and attitude! It wasn’t just about changing the foods I ate, but also the way I ate, the times I ate, sometimes who I ate with, and how I viewed my body and diet as a whole.
It was about self-love.
As you move into this awareness and truly listen to your body and its needs, you are now diving into a holistic mind/body approach to healing your IBD – which is truly the foundation of ALL of Jini’s protocols. As I mentioned before, you can implement all the right protocols, supplement and address all the physical issues, but if you don’t address the emotional roots of the illness, you won’t achieve true long-term healing.
And I know that the thought of all these changes can be really scary. Change is scary! Especially when we feel uncomfortable.
I would like to share with you a personal example that really hit home for me. It was during a one-on-one session with Dr. Juliet, Jini’s personal naturopathic doctor and intuitive healer (she’s amazing!!). I told her how difficult it was for me to let go of things/people that weren’t good for me.
She replied:
“Loss can be a beautiful thing because it can open the way/door for something else. So instead of focusing on what you are letting go of, focus on the question: What am I opening myself to?”
A loss can open you up to new people, positive situations and relationships that support your new way of eating and living healthily – which in turn becomes an enjoyable and truly rewarding experience for you.
So when you let go of something or someone, even if it’s painful, you’re now opening space for something you want. You no longer hold on to something that no longer serves you – and keep that space closed. When it comes to food, we can look at it from the same perspective.
When we allow ourselves to give up bad eating habits, we open ourselves to self-love and appreciate what is good for our bodies and our overall health. This, in turn, can attract like-minded people to support your endeavors; Not people shaming you for eating differently. This positive support group or “tribe” will motivate you to continue your efforts and allow you to build a lifestyle that focuses on health and wellness, with like-minded people cheering you on.
Can you see the ripple effect? an act of self-love can have?
The people around you can have a big influence on your eating habits. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you work with positive people to support you during recovery – especially when it comes to eating your meals. This helps your body and brain associate your Absorb Plus shakes or gut-friendly food choices with a positive experience rather than a negative one. And if you can’t be around people (especially during Corona), call a friend or watch a funny TV show. Personally, I love watching The Office because no matter how many times I’ve watched it, it always makes me laugh!
4 tips that helped me stay on track
Based on my personal experiences, here are four tips that have helped me stick to the elemental diet and implement a healthy diet once I was able to reintroduce foods into my diet:
1.) Reflect and implement more self-love. This will encourage you to make choices that are FOR your body, not against it! Your taste buds may be craving pizza, but your body can’t tolerate or digest it. So why put your body (which works so hard for you every day) through this?
2.) If you need to follow a specific diet to facilitate healing, replace the love/comfort you feel with food of a DIFFERENT interest. If you have a hobby or something in your life that drives and inspires you besides food, you can feel so fulfilled that food is no longer an issue!
3.) Change your view/perspective. Healthy food choices are sometimes portrayed as restrictive and we don’t want to feel like we’re being punished. That’s no fun! You might feel like you’re missing out by skipping the cheeseburger, but by fueling your body with unhealthy foods, you might actually be missing out on something positive! In reality, you are avoiding the toxins and chemicals found in non-organic and processed foods. It’s all about the mindset!
4.) Never underestimate what you are capable of. You can do whatever you set your mind to! For example, after completing the Elemental Diet, I was able to develop new, healthy eating habits that helped me in the long term – and helped me stay healthy over the long term! You definitely can too, and for inspiration, I encourage you to check out all the gut-friendly recipes we have on the LTYG blog.
Additional resources and suggestions
It is very helpful to identify your challenges so you can make adjustments and take proactive measures. The graphic below (from this study) shows some of the things people find most difficult.
Do you identify with any of them? If so, you are not alone! It can be difficult to prepare meals, find substitute foods, etc., but as a person who has been cured of IBDI can personally say that once you get past the overwhelm and anxiety, it’s very easy to get into a rhythm – and you and your body will be so grateful that you took proactive steps to do so.
Below in the graphic you will notice that one of the challenges is not knowing what to eat. Jini provides incredible resources here and I know you will find them very helpful too:
Soothing foods to heal the gut
Helpful diets for people with IBD
Intestinal-soothing congee rice porridge with broth
Jini’s Healing Broth Recipe eBook
Use common foods to cure inflammatory bowel disease
+ ALL gut-friendly recipes from Jini
And if you want to learn more about an elemental diet:
Elemental diet (intestinal rest).
Jini’s IBD Remission Diet book
Next level elementary diet for Crohn’s disease, colitis, diverticulitis, SIBO and irritable bowel syndrome
Reader story: My success with a half-element diet
If you can’t afford an Elemental diet
Eating doesn’t have to be a chore! Let’s make it enjoyable and nourishing – an act of self-love.
What has helped you maintain balance in your eating so that you and your body are happy and satisfied? Please leave a comment below and let me know your tips and tricks or your favorite healthy eating recipes! Until next time, happy healing – and remember: always listen to your gut (instead of your taste buds 😉).
Linsy is Jini’s assistant. From a highly sensitive/reactive case of ulcerative colitis to a fully medical and surgical treatment using all-natural methods, Linsy truly understands first-hand the interplay of mind/body/spirit on the healing journey.
