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IBS Holiday Survival Guide
Today, I have collaborated with the IBS Warrior herself Jasmine Jonte. Jasmine suffered from IBS for seven years and has finally regulated it. On her Instagram @ibswarrior, she shares gluten-free, lowfodmap and healthy holistic ways to regulate IBS. If you suffer with IBS like I do, give her a follow and sign up for her FREE IBS guide!
*Here are some tips she recommends for the holiday season!
Holiday Survival Tip #1
Put yourself first.
Everyday, but especially the holidays, you must put YOU first. We need to toss this antiquated idea that filling our own cup first is selfish. No one can pour from an empty cup, darling! The best thing you can do for those around you is to put your self-care first! So right this moment (for real, like right now) declare three things that you will do for yourself before the Hanukkah festivities, Christmas morning, or New Years Eve. My personal rituals include drinking lemon water or hot tea, writing in a gratitude journal, dancing to amazing tunes, using lavender essential oil, and reading inspirational books.
Holiday Survival Tip #2
Plan ahead of everyone else's planning ahead.
My Dad just happens to be a chef. He plans Christmas dinner a few days before the big day. I plan my Christmas dinner a week out. I think about what he generally makes, what I can and can't have, and seek solutions before he chats with the family about his plans. People are generally more than willing to accommodate. When you seek solutions ahead of their planning ahead it makes everyone's life easier!
Holiday Survival Tip #3
Focus on how you want to feel.
"Stress Less" isn't the goal. Did it feel counterintuitive reading that just now?
I'll say it again. "Stress Less" isn't the goal.
When we focus on what we DON'T WANT, that's where our energy goes. Ever tried to chill out so much that you end up in a tizzy of more stress than when you began?! Let's focus instead on what we DO want. I'm not going to tell you what you should focus on : this is YOUR 2017 holiday, babe! I'll just give you a little structure to get you started. Complete this sentence. "Bring on the ___." My sentence goes like this... Bring on the joy! But some other contenders were "Bring on the hope / health / love / passion / faith / sacred!" How do you want to feel as you set foot in 2018?
Holiday Survival Tip #4
Know your boundaries. Live by them.
Aunt Marge is going to bring the gluten-based fruitcake made with bourbon-drenched dried fruit, wrapped in butter and laced with sugar. Say no, ok? Say no not because you don't appreciate fruit cake, but because you appreciate your gut and how hard it's working to get back to balance. Also, I hereby free you from any guilt you may feel about saying no to anything anyone offers you that's going to make you feel like poop. Feeling that emotion is simply a debilitating illusion that you're intentionally making someone else feel bad instead of remembering the truth that you're a GD warrior seeking energy and vitality so that you may bring more of your authentic gifts and talents to the world! Let the guilt go, and feel totally awesome about it!
Holiday Survival Tip #5
Have faith.
You're going to watch a lot of your closest family members and friends indulge in food and feelings. If your family is anything like mine (even though I've had IBS for 10 freaking years), they'll give you puppy dog looks. They'll feel bad that you can't eat like they can. But those feelings of "Poor girl" won't stop them from eating the chocolate cake that just looks like a Christmas miracle. You can choose to make a ton of meanings from that. You can choose to let their puppy dog looks make you feel many kinds of ways. Create an empowered meaning for yourself. Mine? I choose to have FAITH that the nourishment I give my body gives me energy and vitality. I choose to have FAITH that IBS is a blessing in my life, even if I don't always know what it is in the moment. I choose to have FAITH that IBS is a call to grow, and that I'll be stronger for it. So, before we kick off the next couple weeks, DECIDE how you'll react. I believe in you.