What I would NOT Do regularly to manage my IBS!

Written By Marica Gaspic

IBS (IRRTIABLE BOWEL SYNDROME) significantly impacts the lives of people who have it.

Keeping you away from school, work, gatherings with friends and family.

 

You are either constipated (IBS-C), have diarrhea (IBS-D) or both (IBS-M)

Pain and bloating are often reported as the most bothersome along with mistrust of body and never knowing when you will need a bathroom in a hurry.

 

As a pharmacist, IBS Coach and person living with IBS I know that people will out of sheer need to FIX the PROBLEM reach for a solution. I have seen it many times over the years.  

It is natural to try to feel better and do something like take a laxative. At a point where you are considering a laxative it has been days since you had a bowel movement, you are feeling very bloated, super uncomfortable, watching your midline expand exponentially.

The numbers on the scale are also increasing.  You may be carrying somewhere between 5-25 pounds of unwanted waste! YIKES.

So yes you will take a laxative, preferably something that WORKS quickly!!! Like Dulcolax (bisacodyl) or Senokot (senna).  Did you know that they work on the muscles of the intestines to contract making them move the POOP along? Yes they are stimulant types of laxatives.  If you use them once in a while, fine but if it becomes regular then your muscles become lazy, and you will be more constipated and uncomfortable.

 

That is why I refused to use LAXATIVES as a permanent solution.

 

If you have diarrhea, not a good place to be either.  Losing water, and minerals depleting your body of hydration and nutrients.  Imodium (loperamide) also works on the muscle walls to slow down.  Reducing the chance of dehydration is important BUT you have IBS and your bowels are particularly sensitive, it may change to being constipated.

 

So what did I do to manage those tough times?

1.        Stay calm – gut-brain connection is powerful and getting anxious about it will make it worse

2.        Hydrate- drinking soothing teas like chamomile or peppermint helps

3.        Eat smaller meals

4.        Increase fiber – you can actually use psyllium to improve bowel movement for constipation OR slow down the movement with diarrhea.

5.        Go for walks

6.        Heating pad to relax the muscles with diarrhea

7.        Manage my triggers

8.        Take a probiotic

 

Are you tired of feeling sick and tired of being in IBS distress? Connect with bygoing to BOOK DISCOVERY CALL to schedule your call.

#IBS #GutHealth #Wellness #HolisticApproach #Pharmacist #IBSCoach #Bloated #constipation #diarrhea #solutions

 

Marica Gaspic

Living with IBS can quietly take over your life — not just through pain and bloating, but through the constant uncertainty, loss of confidence, and fear of not being able to trust your own body.

I help high-performing women with IBS move from symptom-chasing to true physiological stability — by understanding IBS as what modern gastroenterology defines it to be: a disorder of gut–brain interaction involving the nervous system, microbiome, immune function, and stress physiology.

As a pharmacist and gut health coach — and as someone who has personally lived with IBS — I bring both clinical expertise and lived understanding to the work we do together. My clients don’t just “manage” IBS. They rebuild trust in their body, regain energy and confidence, and create a sustainable system of support that fits their real life.

This is not about restriction or short-term fixes.

It’s about building a body that finally makes sense.

Why Work With Me

Personal Experience

I have lived with IBS and successfully stabilized my own health — giving me deep insight into both the emotional and physiological realities of this condition.

Clinical Expertise

As a pharmacist, I bring evidence-based understanding of human physiology, gut–brain signaling, microbiome science, and medication interactions into every plan I create.

Proven Results

I have guided women through sustainable, personalized recovery frameworks that improve symptoms, restore energy, and dramatically elevate quality of life.

Together, we build a personalized, sustainable gut health strategy that supports your body, your lifestyle, and your long-term wellbeing — so you can live with calm, clarity, and confidence again.

https://www.gutwellnessbymarica.com
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