I’m Christine Kenney, a mother, IBS sufferer, and an avid pizza lover. Most days, you’ll find me in yoga pants, chasing around my toddler, or running in the next upcoming race close to my town.
I didn’t use to describe myself like this, though. About four years ago, I was working alongside the Department of Child Services as a Psychotherapist for children and families. I couldn’t run two miles without spending hours on the bathroom floor. My stomach was upset ninety percent of the time. I was stressed and overwhelmed by my job. I hated my body so much because it always felt like crap. I had constant sugar cravings, Hello a sleeve of Oreo cookies every night. My emotions were all over the place by being happy one minute and angry the next; it all was dependent on how my stomach was feeling, which began to affect my close relationships.
My digestive track was under so much stress that I would spend half of my day in the bathroom. And at least twice a week, I would find myself lying on the bathroom floor crying because my stomach was in so much pain. I didn’t know what was wrong or why I was in so much pain. On top of that, I was losing weight and had terrible acne. Due to this pain and countless hours in the bathroom, I went to see numerous doctors and got all the tests imaginable. All the doctor visits and tests resulted in one answer “Oh, I think you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Here are some medications that MAY help.” I was nineteen! I felt horrible all the time, and I was embarrassed to go anywhere due to how much time I would potentially spend in the bathroom.
For years I lived with this, and was miserable in my skin and emotionally on edge until one experience changed everything for me.
I fainted on my honeymoon
Yup, you heard that right… I fainted on my honeymoon right next to the bathroom in Punta Cona. Grab your favorite bone broth because I’m going to walk you through what lead up to that traumatizing moment.
My new husband and I had been on our honeymoon for about three days at this point. You know doing the typical honeymoon stuff laying on the beach soaking up some sun, sipping on our strawberry margaritas, meeting other honeymooners, and eating all the delicious food at the buffet and restaurants. We were having the best time with no care in the world.
Our third night there, we had met another couple that asked us to go with them to a beach party. We had gone out to dinner then headed to the party, where the locals were teaching us their dances while we were sweating our tails off.
Then all of a sudden, I did not feel well. I don’t know if you have ever fainted, but there is this weird feeling that comes over you right before you faint, well at least for me. I felt this feeling coming on and rushed to the bathroom, oh I think I forgot to mention this wasn’t the first time I had fainted.
Next thing I knew, I was getting picked up off the hallway floor right outside the restroom by two hotel staff members. I came to pretty quickly and said, “No, no, I’m fine. I’m fine” and rushed to my hotel room. I rushed to my hotel room and laid on the bathroom floor roll up in a ball because my stomach hurt so bad. When my husband came in, I was bailing in so much pain and fear. I didn’t know why I was in so much pain or what I had eaten that caused these symptoms. And to be honest, I was so scared because we were in a foreign country. That night I basically slept on the bathroom floor, and for the rest of our trip, I had an upset stomach. I didn’t let that hold me back, though. We still were able to enjoy our trip and experience the country.
This trip changed everything for me
1. I was now married
2. I was determined to figure out what was going on with my body and how to get my life back.
After that moment, I set out on a journey to find a solution. I was determined to love my body again. And I wouldn’t give up until I found a solution.
You name it I tried it...
I sent out on a journey to take control of my health by finding the root cause of my Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I tried many things and dove into all the research to find a solution. Here are three things I tried that were most recommended.
Medications (anticholinergic medicines) – I went on two types of medications prescribed by my doctor that they said would cure my IBS… One was to be taken every morning for the rest of my life. The second was to be taken thirty minutes before I wanted to exercise. I took both medications for several months with no luck, like seriously no relief at all. These medications didn’t work because they were addressing the symptoms, not the cause. Some days I could run the extra mile or wouldn’t go to the restroom 12 times I would go 11.
Just stop worrying so much (Anxiety medications) – Serious, that is what one medical doctor told me! Ok, doc, yes, let me just tell my brain to stop worrying because it’s that easy. Sorry for me this just wasn’t possible. I couldn’t figure out how to just turn my worrying off. Can anyone just not worry? And if you can’t do that, here is some anxiety medication you can go on.
Low FODMAP Diet – For about two weeks, I followed the FODMAP diet and felt some relief. Then life got crazy, and I started traveling and going out with friends. I found the diet to be so hard to stick too. It felt like I could only stay at home if I genuinely wanted to stick to it. For me, it was just not sustainable and didn’t fit into my on the go lifestyle.
Yes, all three of these things addressed the symptoms I was having, but they were either not sustainable or I saw no change in my symptoms. Then after a year of trial and error, I came across the one thing that DID work.
I discovered how to get rid of that knot in my stomach finally. I figured out how to no longer have to go to the bathroom 12 times a day. I didn’t find myself lying on the bathroom floor for hours.
Here’s the thing that I had to make sure of when developing my approach. I wanted and needed it to be drama and anxiety-free that works when I’m at home and when I’m on the go. I needed the plan to fit the way I lived so I could stick to it so it could become part of my lifestyle.
The sweet spot
Ok, so I know you’re dying to see the approach that changed my life forever. The approach that has allowed me to have a drama and anxiety-free lifestyle when it comes to food that works at home and on the go, to fit the way I live. Well, let me break it down for you.
1. Learned how to pinpoint which foods were causing digestive distress – Before I get into that, I want to make something clear. I do not believe in deprivation and restriction. I don’t believe in an eat list and do not eat list. What I do believe in is learning how to listen to your body so you can determine which foods make you feel good and which foods make you feel terrible. When I went on this 14-day elimination diet, I was able to feel for myself what it was like for my stomach not to hurt. This simple 14 days gave my insight on what foods were affecting me. Don’t worry; it’s not a long term diet; it’s more of a discovery diet! If you’re not into the elimination diet, you can also get tested for IgG food allergies and eliminate the foods that test positive for 12 weeks.
2. Discovered brain-gut connection – Did you know your brain and gut are connected? Years ago, I had no idea this was a thing well, and neither did research. In recent years research has shown that there is a connection, and it is super important. Millions of nerves and neurons run between your gut and brain. Neurotransmitters and other chemicals produced in your stomach also affect your brain. By altering the types of bacteria in my gut, I saw an improvement in my brain health and vise versa!
3. Learned how to fill my plate – I learned what I needed to eat to keep my gut calm and at bay. I discovered how to fill my plate at every meal that calmed my hunger hormones and left me feeling full for up to 4-6 hours. I learned what vitamins and nutrients my body needed to calm my stomach, mind, and body. All while working at home and on the go, to fit the way I live. It was all about starting low and going slow. Meaning starting with low FODMAP foods and introducing new foods slowly.
Once I combined all three of these together, it was such an aha moment for me. I had tried IBS medications, anxiety medications, low FODMAP, but they would only work for a temporary period of time or not at all.
It wasn’t until I developed an approach that is drama and anxiety-free that works at home and on the go, to fit the way you live.
If only I knew this sooner, so I didn’t have to live in such pain and have so much hate for my body, but everything happens for a reason, right? That’s what I tell myself at least. So how did I know I finally found a solution? How did I know my body had healed?
I was able to accomplish a goal a set for myself when I was sixteen
It is essential to understand that our health is a continual journey that takes TIME.
Everyone’s journey is DIFFERENT. It took me a year to understand, get my stomach out of a knot, and love my body again. Do I find myself having flair ups sometimes? Maybe once a year, when I decided to eat cabbage three days in a row, but I always know how to heal it within days. I can confidently say I know exactly what I need to do in my day to day life to keep my IBS under control. It is an approach that has changed my life forever.
One year after learning this new approach and practicing it myself, I completed my first full marathon! Without running to the bathroom, having an upset stomach, or fainting! I set this goal for myself thirteen years ago, but my IBS took over, so I had to put that goal on the back burner for years.
I can’t even explain to you all the emotions I felt while I was running the marathon. I even cried multiple times during the race. Why? Because I couldn’t believe I had come so far with my health. To be honest, a year prior, I didn’t think this goal of mine was ever going to be achieved. Throughout the whole race, I was running with no pain at all, and no bathroom breaks! During the race, I was thinking of all of you and my clients. I thought, if I can run this race without sprinting to the restroom, then others that suffer from IBS can too!
After finishing that marathon, I told everyone I saw for months. It wasn’t because I finished in record time. It was because I overcame something I had been struggling with for years. And at that moment, I finally felt love and appreciation for my body!
I am sharing this with for two reasons. First, because I am so dang proud of myself and I want to celebrate with you. Second, because you don’t have to let IBS control your life forever, there is a solution that can fit your lifestyle without the anxiety and drama around food.
Once I found this approach and saw all the fantastic results, it was such an AHA moment for me. I had tried medications, FODMAP diet, not stressing, and the list goes on. I either couldn’t sustain the diet, or the results weren’t there. There was one point where I found myself obsessing over the food I was eating and so anxious for the potential of a fainting spell.
It wasn’t until I developed an approach that was drama and anxiety-free that works at home and on the go, to fit the way I live.
I wish I found the solution sooner, so I didn’t have to live in such pain, have so much hate for my body, and anxiety around my IBS symptoms.
That’s why I have developed a passion for helping as many women as I can manage their IBS. I’ve been there! I know what it is like to hate your body, to spend hours on the bathroom floor, and not to find any answers.
There are solutions to help manage your IBS and keep it at bay. Please know that you don’t have to live this way forever.
You are not alone!
