Have you ever considered that your digestive issues might be more than just a nuisance? Many people believe they're simply unlucky, cursed with the 'sensitive gut gene.' I'm here to share my gut health journey as proof that this is not true.
Not very long ago, I was hit with so many different life disrupting symptoms all at once. I was overwhelmed, confused, sad, frustrated, and dying for some answers. I ended up taking my health into my own hands after realizing that if anyone is going to help me feel better, it's me.
No matter what doctors have told you in the past, frequent bloating, excessive gas, constipation, diarrhea, and so many other common symptoms are not normal. They have been deemed normal because of how common these symptoms have become, but I am living proof that you can get back to feeling like your old self again. In my case, I actually feel the best I ever have!
So let's dive into the nitty gritty of what motivated me to become a passionate gut health coach - my own digestive demise.
My Gut Health Journey
I suppose a good place for me to start is to admit my own contribution to my digestive demise. I can’t blame my gut malfunction on just one thing, because it was a combination of several. The perfect storm of unhealthy habits.
Poor diet, lack of exercise, long-term use of hormonal birth control, and excessive antibiotic usage are what destroyed my gut health. I was a very unhealthy individual back in my high school and university years, but I didn't recognize it because I have always been naturally thin.
Since I was never overweight, I didn't think eating junk all day long impacted me. Exercise wasn't necessary because I didn't need to lose weight, and birth control and antibiotics are prescribed by doctors, so they can't cause any harm - right?
Man, how misinformed I was. Eventually all of my poor lifestyle choices caught up to me, and it was ugly.
My Symptoms
The first symptom I noticed was bloating. One day, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought "why do I look pregnant?". As someone who has always been thin, my protruding stomach was very noticeable to me. However, I didn't feel any different.
After fixating on my new round belly for a few days, I stared wondering if I had always looked this way and just didn't notice. It sounds crazy now, but my Google searches for what causes bloating didn't relate to me, so I did the worst thing I could have done - ignored it.
A few weeks later I developed more severe symptoms. I started getting horrible pains in my gut after I would eat. Of course, these pains were accompanied by embarrassing trips to the office washroom. The office that I just started working at four months prior. Super fun.
The pain wouldn’t occur every time I ate, which made it difficult for me to understand why it was happening. Some glorious days I would make it through without my stomach exploding. Others, I would spend a large portion of my day in the washroom.
Elimination Diets
Food sensitivities were not foreign to me because my mom had been gluten and dairy free for years. I thought I might have developed sensitivities too and decided to try going gluten free for a few weeks. However, the stomach pain persisted because I was still eating dairy. Instead of piecing that together, I decided that I was not sensitive to gluten.
Next, I tried going dairy free for a few weeks. Unsurprisingly – I was still getting stabbed in the gut multiple times a week because I was still eating gluten. However, it wasn’t every time I ate gluten. I still wasn’t convinced.
Since my weak attempts at elimination diets were inconclusive, I decided to go see my doctor. I told her what symptoms I had experienced the last couple of months: constant bloating, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
Without doing any tests, she told me I was coeliac and lactose intolerant. She then proceeded to prescribe me an over-the-counter extra strength gas medication that would supposedly help with my bloating. Spoiler alert: it did not. Nor am I coeliac or lactose intolerant.
My doctor did tell me I could get my blood taken to definitively know if I had coeliac disease. Unfortunately, I am extremely terrified of needles. The thought of giving blood makes me want to cry.
I did stand outside the door to the clinic and contemplated going in, but I talked myself out of that real quick. I was pretty sure there were other food sensitivity tests I could do that didn’t involve blood and needles, so I decided to go that route first.
Food Sensitivity Testing
Once again, I turned to Google to find a needle-less food sensitivity test. After only a few minutes of searching, I stumbled across something called electrodermal sensitivity screening (EDS). The clinic advertising the test was just around the corner from me, so I started reading.
I learned that EDS uses acupuncture points to test the level of tolerance your body has for up to 500 different foods and environmental substances. Another cool feature of this test is that it can measure candida levels, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, the presence of bacteria, viruses and parasites, and organ stress or weakness.
Histamine and non-histamine reactions are recorded, which most tests aren’t able to do. Non-histamine reactions include bloating, fatigue, and headaches. Since bloating is what started me on this adventure, I was very intrigued.
I’m not going to lie, I was skeptical at first. Who wouldn’t be? Like most naturopathic treatments, there was no scientific evidence to back it up. This test sounded way too good to be true. However, I was extremely desperate for answers and excited that I had a non-invasive option, so I booked my consultation.
My Intro to Holistic Health
My first visit with the naturopath was my introduction into the world of holistic health. I vividly remember the two of us looking over my food diary that she had asked me to keep over the past week. She was understandably appalled by my eating habits. Keep in mind – this was back in my Sunny D and vodka days.
She literally suggested I stop eating every single thing I had ate over the past week, other than maybe some grapes. I just stared at her thinking she was crazy. I had to eat those foods or else I would starve to death. Because there obviously isn’t any other food I could eat for breakfast besides a Toaster Strudel.
I took everything she said that day with a grain of salt. I hadn’t done any tests yet, so how could she possibly know that my diet was the issue? Clearly, something that I was eating was causing my suffering, but no way did I think it was everything. The results of my EDS test said otherwise.
According to my EDS results, I was intolerant to everything. Even oranges. My naturopath told me my test results were one of the worst she’d ever seen. As you can imagine, I was devastated.
We spent the remainder of my results appointment going through all the food and beverages I was showing a reaction to and how to replace them in my diet. I think I was in shock for the entire duration of that appointment, because the moment I got home and showed my parents my results, I started bawling.
Dietary Changes
I believe the reason I was so upset about my results was because I knew I was going to implement the changes. I didn’t want to eat a food that I knew was going to cause me pain and discomfort. After all, the whole point of me doing the test was to find the source of my pain, and I had found it.
I immediately stopped eating gluten and dairy. Lo and behold, my most painful symptoms dissipated. Of course there was a bit of a learning curve figuring out what foods actually contain gluten and dairy (why is there gluten in Twizzlers?), but eventually my embarrassing bathroom breaks had come to an end.
Since then, I have learned how to replace all of my favourite foods with real, nutritious ingredients. I used to love pizza, chicken strips, cake, and cookies, and I still do. The only difference now is that the ingredients I use to make those foods fuel me instead of cause me pain.
I have more energy, less bloating, regular bowel movements, and so much less fear of eating than I did over 5 years ago. The saying "you are what you eat" couldn't be more accurate.
Digging Deeper
After going through all of the above events, I started digging deeper. I wanted to know WHY my body revolted against me, and the information I uncovered was life changing.
Diving into subjects like SIBO, candida overgrowth, inflammation, dysbiosis, leaky gut, hormones, and blood sugar became my newfound passion. As I applied this knowledge to my own life, I began experiencing remarkable improvements in my well-being.
I was also telling all my friends and family about what I was learning because I wanted to improve their quality of life too. When I realized they were likely getting sick of me talking about gut health 24/7, I opened up my Instagram page so I could share with anyone that would listen.
My motivation to get the word out about the importance of gut health obviously came from my own gut health journey. If I had known 10 years ago what I know now, I could have avoided so much confusion and discomfort.
I was, and still am, appalled by the lack of education on gut health in today's society. Almost all disease begins in the gut, which means we could prevent a whole lot of disease if people were educated on gut health.
That's when I felt compelled to assist others in reclaiming gut health. In 2023, I took a significant step by enrolling in the Natural Nutrition Coach Certification Program at Health Coach Collaborative. This journey led me to become a Certified Health Coach, specializing in bloat, and ultimately gave birth to my business, Beyond Bloated!
Feel free to drop any questions about my story in the comments below or reach out via email at karleeclose@beyondbloated.com. I'm also eager to hear your own journey!
If my story resonates with you and you believe we'd be a great fit, take a peek at my Beyond the Bloating program. Embark on a transformative journey to eliminate bloat and restore confidence in your body.
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