My IBS Journey
I've lived with IBS for more than 15 years, so my interest in gut health isn't only professional. It's personal too.
My own experience has shaped both the Dietitian I've become and the way I support people living with digestive symptoms today. It's also what drives me to continually deepen my knowledge and develop my skills, so I can provide the best support I can to the people who come to me for help.
My own experience has shaped both the Dietitian I've become and the way I support people living with digestive symptoms today. It's also what drives me to continually deepen my knowledge and develop my skills, so I can provide the best support I can to the people who come to me for help.
When my gut symptoms began
My gut symptoms began when I was around 25 years old. Bloating and abdominal cramping were my main concerns. After seeing my GP, I was referred to a specialist and told I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I remember the appointment being over very quickly. I'd gone in hoping for some answers and guidance, but left feeling extremely disappointed that there didn't seem to be much I could do about what I was experiencing. To be honest I was shattered!
My GP recommended that I see a Dietitian, and by that point I was desperate for help. My gut symptoms were beginning to affect my mental and emotional wellbeing. On particularly bad days, I experienced anxiety and sometimes called in sick to work because I didn't feel up to leaving home.
I still remember arriving for my first Dietitian appointment, only to discover there had been a mix-up with the booking and the Dietitian wasn't able to see me that day. I went back to the car and cried. I felt helpless, incredibly uncomfortable in my body and unsure what to do next.
When I eventually saw the Dietitian, I was introduced to the Low FODMAP Diet. Reducing FODMAPs did help my symptoms, but I didn't understand at the time that the restrictive phase wasn't intended to be followed long-term. For the next few years, I found myself moving in and out of a lower FODMAP way of eating, with periods where my gut felt better and others where my symptoms became more difficult again.
Over time, IBS began to affect much more than how my stomach felt. The bloating could become significant enough to change how my clothes fitted and how comfortable I felt in my body. Sometimes I was so bloated I looked pregnant and after eating out at restaurants I could be on the bed in pain! It affected my confidence, my mood and sometimes whether I wanted to go out or do the things I enjoyed.
I became determined to understand what was happening in my gut and find ways to feel better.
My GP recommended that I see a Dietitian, and by that point I was desperate for help. My gut symptoms were beginning to affect my mental and emotional wellbeing. On particularly bad days, I experienced anxiety and sometimes called in sick to work because I didn't feel up to leaving home.
I still remember arriving for my first Dietitian appointment, only to discover there had been a mix-up with the booking and the Dietitian wasn't able to see me that day. I went back to the car and cried. I felt helpless, incredibly uncomfortable in my body and unsure what to do next.
When I eventually saw the Dietitian, I was introduced to the Low FODMAP Diet. Reducing FODMAPs did help my symptoms, but I didn't understand at the time that the restrictive phase wasn't intended to be followed long-term. For the next few years, I found myself moving in and out of a lower FODMAP way of eating, with periods where my gut felt better and others where my symptoms became more difficult again.
Over time, IBS began to affect much more than how my stomach felt. The bloating could become significant enough to change how my clothes fitted and how comfortable I felt in my body. Sometimes I was so bloated I looked pregnant and after eating out at restaurants I could be on the bed in pain! It affected my confidence, my mood and sometimes whether I wanted to go out or do the things I enjoyed.
I became determined to understand what was happening in my gut and find ways to feel better.
Searching for answers
That determination led me to learn as much as I could about nutrition, digestive health and the different factors that might be contributing to my symptoms. I read extensively, experimented with different approaches and sought help from a range of health practitioners.
At times, I think I was searching for the one missing piece that would finally explain everything. Over the years I explored different dietary approaches, supplements and testing. I actually think I've done it all! I was always hoping the next thing might provide me with the answer.
My interest in nutrition continued to grow, and in 2007 I began studying Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide, with the goal of eventually becoming a Dietitian.
What had started as a personal search for answers was gradually becoming something I wanted to understand professionally too.
During my Dietetics training, I became increasingly interested in the relationship between food and digestive symptoms. Then, in my final year of university, I attended a presentation by the Head Dietitian from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit about food chemical intolerances.
It made me wonder whether there was more to my own food-related symptoms than I had previously understood.
At times, I think I was searching for the one missing piece that would finally explain everything. Over the years I explored different dietary approaches, supplements and testing. I actually think I've done it all! I was always hoping the next thing might provide me with the answer.
My interest in nutrition continued to grow, and in 2007 I began studying Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide, with the goal of eventually becoming a Dietitian.
What had started as a personal search for answers was gradually becoming something I wanted to understand professionally too.
During my Dietetics training, I became increasingly interested in the relationship between food and digestive symptoms. Then, in my final year of university, I attended a presentation by the Head Dietitian from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit about food chemical intolerances.
It made me wonder whether there was more to my own food-related symptoms than I had previously understood.
Graduating with my Master of Nutrition & Dietetics from the University of Sydney in 2014.
Discovering the role food was playing
After hearing that presentation, I was curious to find out whether food chemical intolerances could be contributing to some of my symptoms. I contacted the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit and was fortunate to arrange part of my university placement there.
During my placement, I learned about food chemical intolerance and how the RPAH Elimination Diet and systematic food challenges can be used to investigate individual sensitivities. I also had the opportunity to undertake the elimination and challenge process myself.
The difference I experienced during the elimination phase surprised me. My bloating and abdominal pain disappeared, my energy and mood improved, and I felt mentally clearer. I felt the best I had in years. And interestingly, the frequent binge eating episodes that I had been struggling with over the past few years stopped. It was only then that I realised that I had been turning to food when I was in discomfort.
The challenge process helped me identify particular food groups that appeared to contribute to my symptoms, while also showing me that some foods I'd previously suspected weren't necessarily a problem. For the first time, I felt like I had some useful answers about which foods I tolerated well and which I needed to be more mindful of.
Putting that knowledge into practice wasn't always easy, though. My modified diet could be quite restrictive and difficult to maintain, particularly when eating away from home. And as the years went on, I began to realise that my food tolerances weren't necessarily fixed. Foods that seemed problematic at one point weren't always a problem later, and how well I tolerated certain foods could change depending on what else was happening with my gut and health.
It taught me that identifying food triggers isn't always as simple as creating a list of foods to avoid.
Our tolerance can change over time, which is one of the reasons I now see dietary strategies as something to regularly review and adapt, rather than restrictions that automatically need to remain in place forever.
During my placement, I learned about food chemical intolerance and how the RPAH Elimination Diet and systematic food challenges can be used to investigate individual sensitivities. I also had the opportunity to undertake the elimination and challenge process myself.
The difference I experienced during the elimination phase surprised me. My bloating and abdominal pain disappeared, my energy and mood improved, and I felt mentally clearer. I felt the best I had in years. And interestingly, the frequent binge eating episodes that I had been struggling with over the past few years stopped. It was only then that I realised that I had been turning to food when I was in discomfort.
The challenge process helped me identify particular food groups that appeared to contribute to my symptoms, while also showing me that some foods I'd previously suspected weren't necessarily a problem. For the first time, I felt like I had some useful answers about which foods I tolerated well and which I needed to be more mindful of.
Putting that knowledge into practice wasn't always easy, though. My modified diet could be quite restrictive and difficult to maintain, particularly when eating away from home. And as the years went on, I began to realise that my food tolerances weren't necessarily fixed. Foods that seemed problematic at one point weren't always a problem later, and how well I tolerated certain foods could change depending on what else was happening with my gut and health.
It taught me that identifying food triggers isn't always as simple as creating a list of foods to avoid.
Our tolerance can change over time, which is one of the reasons I now see dietary strategies as something to regularly review and adapt, rather than restrictions that automatically need to remain in place forever.
When managing food intolerance became overly restrictive
As helpful as the elimination and challenge process had been, managing my diet wasn't always easy. There were times when trying to avoid foods that I believed would trigger symptoms made eating out, travelling and sharing meals with other people much more complicated.
I still remember going to a Korean restaurant with my husband while I was following the RPAH Elimination Diet. I'd planned not to eat and thought I'd be perfectly happy for him to enjoy his meal. What I hadn't anticipated was the table gradually filling with all these little dishes of food. As I became hungrier, I found myself sitting there with tears rolling down my face because I couldn't join in.
There were plenty of less dramatic examples too. I took my own food to friends' and family's homes, made special requests when eating out and sometimes chose to stay home because managing my symptoms or finding something suitable to eat just felt too difficult.
Over time, food and my gut had begun taking up a lot of mental space. If my symptoms worsened, my instinct was often to tighten my diet again or start searching for another possible food trigger. I explored other restrictive approaches over the years, including low histamine, low oxalate and low lectin diets, hoping I might uncover another piece of the puzzle.
Looking back, I can see that while dietary changes had given me some incredibly useful information and symptom relief, continually searching for foods to remove wasn't going to give me all the answers.
I still remember going to a Korean restaurant with my husband while I was following the RPAH Elimination Diet. I'd planned not to eat and thought I'd be perfectly happy for him to enjoy his meal. What I hadn't anticipated was the table gradually filling with all these little dishes of food. As I became hungrier, I found myself sitting there with tears rolling down my face because I couldn't join in.
There were plenty of less dramatic examples too. I took my own food to friends' and family's homes, made special requests when eating out and sometimes chose to stay home because managing my symptoms or finding something suitable to eat just felt too difficult.
Over time, food and my gut had begun taking up a lot of mental space. If my symptoms worsened, my instinct was often to tighten my diet again or start searching for another possible food trigger. I explored other restrictive approaches over the years, including low histamine, low oxalate and low lectin diets, hoping I might uncover another piece of the puzzle.
Looking back, I can see that while dietary changes had given me some incredibly useful information and symptom relief, continually searching for foods to remove wasn't going to give me all the answers.
What my experience has taught me
One of the biggest things I've learned over the years is that my IBS hasn't been static. There have been periods when I've experienced very few symptoms and other times when they have returned. My tolerance to different foods has changed over time too.
Food has certainly been an important part of managing my gut. I've identified a small number of foods that consistently don't seem to agree with me, and avoiding these doesn't leave me feeling overly restricted. But I've also learned that how well I tolerate many other foods can depend on what else is happening in my body and my life.
Another important turning point for me was completing training in the Gut Ecology and Metabolic Modulation (G.E.M.M) approach. Until then, much of my work with IBS and food intolerances had focused on using dietary elimination and challenges to identify foods that were contributing to symptoms.
G.E.M.M encouraged me to think more broadly about supporting gut and microbiome health alongside dietary investigation. It influenced the way I approached my own gut health and, importantly, the way I began working with clients. Rather than automatically reaching for increasingly restrictive diets, I became more interested in how we could support gut health while still using targeted dietary strategies where they were genuinely helpful.
Stress has been particularly noticeable for me. I experienced very few IBS symptoms during pregnancy and early postpartum, before having symptoms return very suddenly following a stressful event. I've also noticed that when I regularly incorporate strategies that help me feel calmer and regulate my nervous system, my gut tends to feel better and my diet can become considerably more varied.
Over time, I've come to place much more value on the everyday foundations too: nourishing my body well, movement, sleep, hydration, managing stress and creating routines that support my wellbeing. These aren't necessarily as exciting as discovering a new diet, supplement or test, but I've learned not to underestimate their importance.
Perhaps the biggest lesson for me has been that managing IBS isn't about finding one perfect diet or one missing answer. It's about understanding what my gut needs at different times, recognising the factors I can influence, and having a range of strategies I can draw on when things change.
Food has certainly been an important part of managing my gut. I've identified a small number of foods that consistently don't seem to agree with me, and avoiding these doesn't leave me feeling overly restricted. But I've also learned that how well I tolerate many other foods can depend on what else is happening in my body and my life.
Another important turning point for me was completing training in the Gut Ecology and Metabolic Modulation (G.E.M.M) approach. Until then, much of my work with IBS and food intolerances had focused on using dietary elimination and challenges to identify foods that were contributing to symptoms.
G.E.M.M encouraged me to think more broadly about supporting gut and microbiome health alongside dietary investigation. It influenced the way I approached my own gut health and, importantly, the way I began working with clients. Rather than automatically reaching for increasingly restrictive diets, I became more interested in how we could support gut health while still using targeted dietary strategies where they were genuinely helpful.
Stress has been particularly noticeable for me. I experienced very few IBS symptoms during pregnancy and early postpartum, before having symptoms return very suddenly following a stressful event. I've also noticed that when I regularly incorporate strategies that help me feel calmer and regulate my nervous system, my gut tends to feel better and my diet can become considerably more varied.
Over time, I've come to place much more value on the everyday foundations too: nourishing my body well, movement, sleep, hydration, managing stress and creating routines that support my wellbeing. These aren't necessarily as exciting as discovering a new diet, supplement or test, but I've learned not to underestimate their importance.
Perhaps the biggest lesson for me has been that managing IBS isn't about finding one perfect diet or one missing answer. It's about understanding what my gut needs at different times, recognising the factors I can influence, and having a range of strategies I can draw on when things change.
Making space for movement, nature, connection and joy has become an important part of what feeling well means to me.
How this experience shapes the Dietitian I am today
Over the years, I've learned about and explored so many different ways of supporting IBS and gut health. Some have made a significant difference for me, some haven't, and others have been helpful at particular stages of my journey.
What this has given me is a broad range of strategies to draw from and an appreciation that there isn't just one pathway to feeling better. What helps one person may be quite different from what helps another, and even what we need can change at different stages of our lives.
I think this is one of the greatest influences my own journey has had on the Dietitian I am today. I don't want to fit everyone into the same approach. I want to understand what's happening for the person in front of me and consider which strategies may be most helpful for them.
Most of all, my lived experience drives me to keep learning, developing my clinical skills and deepening my understanding of IBS and gut health, so I can provide the best support I can to the people who come to me for help.
Everything I've learned along the way has ultimately shaped the way I work with IBS today, including the development of my Gut Recovery Method and the Gut Recovery Program through which I support my clients.
What this has given me is a broad range of strategies to draw from and an appreciation that there isn't just one pathway to feeling better. What helps one person may be quite different from what helps another, and even what we need can change at different stages of our lives.
I think this is one of the greatest influences my own journey has had on the Dietitian I am today. I don't want to fit everyone into the same approach. I want to understand what's happening for the person in front of me and consider which strategies may be most helpful for them.
Most of all, my lived experience drives me to keep learning, developing my clinical skills and deepening my understanding of IBS and gut health, so I can provide the best support I can to the people who come to me for help.
Everything I've learned along the way has ultimately shaped the way I work with IBS today, including the development of my Gut Recovery Method and the Gut Recovery Program through which I support my clients.
The Gut Recovery Method
Discover the seven-stage framework I've developed to help you better understand your gut, improve your IBS symptoms and support long-term gut health.
Ready to take the next step?
If you'd like personalised support with your IBS or gut health, there are two ways we can work together.
The Gut Recovery ProgramMy signature program combines the Gut Recovery Method with personalised online consultations, practical resources and ongoing support to help you make lasting improvements in your IBS symptoms and gut health.
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Individual consultationsPrefer individual consultations? I offer flexible appointment options for IBS and gut health, as well as a range of other nutrition and health concerns.
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