I’ve finally internalized the fact that mind and body are tightly connected. As a self-help addict and spiritual seeker, I’ve long believed that thoughts become things, and creating positive energy in your life can be transformative. But somehow I never applied this principle to my health!
My SIBO program helped me recognize several ways that I was unconsciously sabotaging my own healing. Below are some things I needed to work on. Maybe some of these will sound familiar to you, and maybe you’ll have your own list.
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The point is this:
Be Willing to Change.
Don’t get in your own way with habit thoughts that don’t serve you. Your SIBO is an opportunity for you to learn and grow as a person, believe it or not. I hope these suggestions will help you on that journey.
cultivating a healthy identity
Truth be told, I’ve always been kind of a party girl. A little rebellious and geared toward the extreme. Eating a lot and drinking a lot felt essential to my “fun and carefree” personality. I didn’t like the idea of being restricted. Being told what I can and can’t eat. Eating tiny portions. Unable to go out to dinner and enjoy myself. Known as the one with all of the “special needs” when it came to diet. And I was determined to have my 2 glasses of wine every night with my healthy gourmet meal. After all, it’s Paleo, organic, gluten and dairy free and I made it. Don’t I deserve to indulge in something? Haven’t I earned it?
It took years of feeling sick, tired, bloated and defeated to realize that my old self might be fun for other people, but it wasn’t much fun for me. I had to ask myself whether it was worth it, and I had to answer “no”. I was finally willing to give something new an honest try. I stayed home more. I gleefully brought my own (delicious, still popular) food to friends’ houses. I didn’t drink at all for 3 months. And guess what? I was still me! I was still fun – maybe even more so because I felt energetic, sharp, proud, focused.
Now I see that so much of who we think we are is just habit. You can be whoever you want. If you give yourself a chance, you may see that there’s more to you than you think!
loving my body
As long as I can remember, I’ve hated my belly. I hated that it was “fat” (not realizing that it was really bloated and trying to tell me something.) I hated that it didn’t allow me to eat what I wanted (not realizing that it needed something different). It wasn’t a really a conscious hate. It was more of an insidious, unspoken hate. I secretly resented my gut for betraying me.
Then I read the book “The Hidden Messages in Water”. (Check it out in the resource section. It scientifically demonstrates how even inanimate objects change their cellular structure based on the energetic messages they receive.) I decided to try an experiment: I would love my belly. Think of it like a pet or a child. Talk to it. Rub it lovingly instead of hatefully. Before every meal, I told my stomach that good stuff was coming its way. That I hoped it felt soothed and nourished. That I was committed to helping it heal. Then I would thank it for receiving the food and getting stronger. Call me crazy, but I seriously believe this attitude assisted my healing.
investing in my health
I didn’t really know how valuable my health was until I didn’t have it any more. Up until then, I took it for granted - even felt entitled to it. I tried hard to eat right and exercise, and thought that was enough. But it turns out my definition of “eating right” was wrong, and I needed to buck up for the heavy-duty nutrition required for gut healing heal.
Good health is an asset. And like any other asset, it costs money. Think about it. We dole out huge bucks for things we value: our house, our car, our kids’ education. We are happy to pay for a much-needed vacation, new outfit or dinner out. But we won’t pay for organic produce because “that’s a waste of money.” I’m here to tell you – it’s not.
Americans have been conditioned to evaluate food based on its convenience value and its cost. And that’s why we’re a sick nation. Real food costs money. Because it isn’t filled with cheap, processed, subsidized ingredients that make us sick. People have to grow it, feed it, tend it, package it, distribute it. It’s not free.
I get it. The cost of organic produce, pastured meats, alternative flours and high quality oils can seem staggering. But you know what? So are the cost of pharmaceuticals. And surgery. And hospitals. So think of buying quality food as a smart investment in your health, and buy the best you can afford. Because quality matters (learn more in Basic Principles).
staying determined
When I went off gluten and dairy 5 years ago, I wanted immediate results. I felt I deserved them, as payback for my sacrifice. And I did experience some positives – my rash went away, along with my constipation. But I was still bloated and increasingly had diarrhea instead. And I was mad. I mean, why bother, right? To give up everything I love and still not feel good? It was demoralizing. So I cheated a lot, because I felt like crap anyway.
The more I’ve learned about gut health, the more I’ve come to grips with the fact that intestinal illness is serious, fundamental and complex. There is no magic pill or quick fix. Healing a leaky gut (repairing your intestinal lining) and restoring a healthy balance in your microbiome is a big job. It took years to break down, and will take at least months to rebuild. You’ll likely feel worse before you feel better, because you’re purging bacteria that don’t wanna go. That’s normal. Keep going. You WILL get better. There are a lot of SIBO survivors to prove it.