Monday, December 9, 2024
Monday, December 9, 2024

My bloating and indigestion tanked my confidence. Here’s how I regained it.

I’ve been suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and gut issues for the past 5 years. It started when I went to Mexico City for a bachelorette party where I caught really bad food poisoning from a night out (E.coli to be exact). I ended up in the local hospital and they put me on all sorts of antibiotics -and although it got rid of the infection, my gut was left in shambles. When I got back to the States, I tried my best to heal my body with lots of R&R but my digestion never got back to normal. 

My symptoms started small which included some minor bloating after meals and irregularity when going to the bathroom. They then quickly progressed to indigestion, bad acne breakouts and even poor sleep. Because of this, the large energy tank that I used to have, was slowly drained during the work week despite my best efforts. I felt self-conscious and upset that this was happening to me.

Bloating on full display

In the months following that trip, I got some totally embarrassing bloating episodes. I remember going on a second date with this guy I was into, and my stomach looked like there was a mini basketball about to explode inside. Not only was it unsightly but it was extremely painful, sometimes to the point where I couldn’t even focus on what I was doing. Just a few bites into my meal and the bloating would kick in full force!

After seeing a bunch of doctors that I trusted I was finally diagnosed with IBS, specifically post infectious IBS. Although I finally knew what I had, it didn’t help my confidence. I live in Austin, where it’s normal to wear crop tops and sundresses all the time. I went from having a flat stomach to…not. You can say my confidence went out the door. All I wanted to do was hide my bloating under a large hoodie, which didn’t bode well in the Texas heat. I didn’t know what was going on with my body, but I was determined to find a solution, so I started digging deep into the possible root causes.  

Self-Education, Healing—and Confidence

I got to the interwebs and joined a bunch of biohacking and gut health communities to share my story with others. At the same time I learned about the microbiome (the collective bacteria that reside in our digestive tract) and how the gut-body connection helps our bodies function.

The gut microbiome plays important roles in both the maintenance of health and the development of disease states (like the bloating I was suffering from). Its delicate balance can be disrupted from infection, toxins, antibiotics, and chemicals among many others. After learning about this I started taking probiotics- most of which did not work for me, and many that made me feel worse. Turns out that probiotics are highly individual, and you really must know which strain works for you, when to take it, and how to take it. All of that got a bit too complicated for me- until I found a company called Klora.

I discovered that prebiotics and postbiotics are arguably way more beneficial than probiotics alone. Prebiotics help the body’s immune function by feeding the good bacteria and by increasing microbial diversity. Postbiotics promote the formation of healthy digestive cells, modulate immunity, and helps the integrity of the gut barrier (so you can fight off things like leaky gut). Klora’s Gut-Renew is the only supplement that I could find that had this unique combination of pre and postbiotics.

Along with my diet changes, I started to implement a daily supplement routine which included Klora’s Gut-Renew capsules to restore my microbiome back to the way it used to be. At the same time I also started to show my body some love by taking long baths, naps, and days off work when I would absolutely need them. It took a few weeks, but slowly my digestive issues got way better and… so did my confidence!

Mind and Body 2.0

I still get occasional bloating and symptoms, but they are manageable. In the times when they start to get worse, I pop an extra Gut-Renew capsule before bed and that makes me feel much better within a few days. I have a different mindset now. After learning so much about how my body works, I feel empowered through my healing journey- which has surprisingly made me more confident than ever before. 

Healing is not linear and the path to self-confidence can be tough- but it comes with lots of silver linings, and unexpected rewards. I recently went back to Mexico City (in a way to face my fears of traveling and food) and while I was there I found some street art that read “Discomfort is the price we pay for a meaningful life”. I couldn’t agree more- sometimes we must go through the trials and tribulations to come out better than ever. 

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