Ep 85: How I Reversed my IBS, Bloating, and Food Sensitivities (6 Key Steps)

I spent seven years struggling with chronic bloating, IBS symptoms, constipation, food sensitivities, and major food anxiety—even though I felt like I was doing everything right. I ate healthier than almost everyone I knew. I avoided gluten and dairy for nearly a decade. I exercised, bought organic food, used non-toxic products, followed elimination diets, and spent hundreds of dollars on probiotics, digestive enzymes, L-glutamine, and every gut-support supplement I could find. And I still looked six months pregnant with belly bloating after eating an apple. What I eventually realized was that I didn't need to restrict more foods or find the perfect supplement. I needed a completely different strategy. In this episode, I'm walking you through the six key steps I personally focused on to repair my gut. I'm breaking down why chronic digestive issues can be about so much more than the foods you're eating, why digestion needs to be addressed before obsessing over probiotics, how functional testing changed my approach, and why my nervous system ended up being one of the most important pieces of my gut-healing journey. If you feel like you're doing all the things but you're still bloated, constipated, reacting to foods, or afraid to eat outside of your normal routine, this episode is for you. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THIS EPISODE: Chronic digestive issues are often a gut environment problem, not simply a food problem. Focus on nourishment over restriction to support gut health and function. Functional testing can help uncover imbalances and create a more targeted approach. Healthy detox and drainage pathways support your body's ability to eliminate waste. Digestion comes before the microbiome—stomach acid, enzymes, and bile matter. Rebalancing the gut microbiome can improve food tolerance and digestive symptoms. Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation can directly impair digestive function. Lasting gut repair requires addressing the whole ecosystem, not chasing one root cause or supplement. LINKS: Book a strategy call with Hannah HERE Join the waitlist for Healin' Guts + Shakin' Butts, starting in September! Take the Gut Health Root Cause Quiz for free! Equip Protein: use the code hannahaylwardhhc for 15% off Listen to Episode 11 - Top 5 Tips for Balancing Your Blood Sugar Listen to Episode 17 - Decoding Your Gut: Functional Stool Testing Deep Dive Listen to Episode 72 - The Migrating Motor Complex (MMC) — Your Gut's Natural Cleaning Cycle Listen to Episode 59 - How to Support Your Nervous System in Times of Chaos Listen to Episode 33 - Main Root Causes of Chronic Gut & Digestive Issues CONNECT WITH HANNAH: Instagram | Website If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨