We have lovely Britta from the blog Living with irritable bowel syndrome interviewed. Britta knows the suffering of an irritable bowel patient all too well and was not satisfied with her diagnosis. Through a microbiome analysis and changes to her diet and lifestyle, she was able to get her symptoms under control. Today she shares her experiences on her blog Living with irritable bowel syndrome . In our interview, Britta talks about her path to greater well-being and her experiences with it myBioma microbiome analysis.
Dear Britta, thank you for taking the time for an interview with us: please introduce yourself.
Who are you and how did you get involved in gut health?
I have always been “intestinal sensitive” and when I was 16 I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome for the first time. Over the years, my digestive problems became progressively worse, so I began to investigate the cause. I wanted to find out what was behind the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome and became an expert in my own case. Today I live very well with my irritable bowel syndrome and share my experiences on my website www.lebenmitreizdarm.de . There I write about what is good for my irritable bowel syndrome, about diets such as the Low-Fodmap diet or Paleo therapy and about the influence of the psyche on digestion.
Can you explain your personal journey, what is your background? What challenges did you face? How and why did you take your problems into your own hands?
I have visited many doctors over the years and had even more examinations and tests done. The results were generally not very informative and no medication was able to provide lasting relief from my symptoms. Nevertheless, the conversations with the doctors were helpful because they taught me a lot about how the intestines work and how important the intestinal flora is for our health. But the more I learned about irritable bowel syndrome, the more I realized how complex the topic is and that I have to find the right therapy for myself. By this I don't just mean the right diet for my irritable bowel syndrome, but also the right lifestyle.
What did you do and what really helped you?
I have rehabilitated my intestinal flora and the protective barrier of my intestinal wall with Paleo therapy and pre- and probioca (keyword: leaky gut). Today I no longer follow a strict diet, but I pay very close attention to the quality of food, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, eat little sugar and avoid industrially processed foods. However, all of this is only useful if I also keep my stress level under control. This is the biggest challenge for me personally, because everyday life involves a lot of (interesting!) work, exciting leisure activities and media distractions. I have to balance all of this with exercise in the fresh air and rest, otherwise my stomach and intestines will go on strike, even despite eating right.
How did you come to write a blog?
For three reasons: Because I like writing, because I really wanted to set up my own website and because I would like the topics of irritable bowel syndrome and digestion to become more socially acceptable - many people affected could benefit from this.
What questions do you get asked the most on your blog?
The question about the “miracle pill”: What do I have to take or do to make my problems go away? Time and time again, desperate people contact me whose quality of life is severely limited due to pain or a sense of shame. Unfortunately, I can't give them a miracle pill, but I can give them tips on what they can try and encourage them not to give up. However, I would like to emphasize that I am not a doctor or nutritionist. My tips and the information on my website are based on my own experiences and those of my readers if they share them.
Why did you choose myBioma microbiome analysis?
A few years ago I had a very detailed analysis of my microbiome done. It was very expensive, but the result was very revealing: my intestinal flora was pretty much at rock bottom. My doctor then recommended Paleo therapy and pro- and pre-bioca. When I discovered the myBioma offer, I was skeptical at first: A comprehensive analysis for that price?! I tested it myself and the result convinced me because it was comparable in many aspects to the much more expensive analysis. I was also really happy to discover how much better and more balanced my intestinal flora has become since then. The myBioma analysis confirms my “gut feeling” that I am doing much better today than I did back then.
Why would you recommend the myBioma microbiome analysis?
I've already talked about the price argument. What also speaks for your analysis is that you prepare it in an easy-to-understand manner and give lots of tips and information on how the microbiome and thus well-being could be improved. My doctor did that too, but I can read the information again at any time during your analysis, but unfortunately not the conversation with my doctor.
Who do you think myBioma microbiome analysis can help?
I think anyone who has digestive issues can benefit from this. It is important that the user is prepared to deal with the result. Your analysis is presented in a way that is easy to understand, but that is still a lot of information. Someone who is just starting to deal with the topic will probably feel overwhelmed by it. I would advise someone like that to approach the topic step by step, not to try everything at once or to turn their diet upside down overnight. The stomach and intestines usually react sensitively to this, i.e. with digestive problems! The user of your analysis should also not be afraid to talk to nutritionists and doctors about the results.
What should everyone do if they have symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?
Find out what the cause is and not just treat the symptoms. Specifically, I would recommend keeping a food diary and observing what effects everyday life (or vacation or a particularly strenuous phase) has on how your stomach and intestines feel. Tips can be found on my website Website . Both can help to recognize initial connections. If not, a nutritionist can help. The more information this expert has available, the more targeted support he or she can provide: This definitely includes a food diary and ideally also an analysis of the intestinal microbiome.
Where can you be reached and how can I contact you?
About my Website! Many of those affected are afraid to write publicly about their problems, which is why the reader will find my email address there, among other things. On the other hand, many readers have similar questions and problems - I would like to see even more readers comment directly on the website in the future, so everyone can benefit from each other's experiences.
Thank you Britta for the exciting interview. By the way, there is an expert interview with Barbara about the intestinal microbiome on her blog. You can find the post here . If you would also like to share your experiences with us, please contact us at: office@mybioma.com
