We girls with tummy issues no longer need to hide behind bathroom doors. The infamous “Hot girls have IBS billboard” and the countless TikToks empowering women with stomach issues are evidence that we’re free to share our stories without stigmatization. I’ve certainly engaged in my fair share of self-indulgent complaints about stomach cramping and constipation. Nonetheless, talking about the problems is different than treating them.
For years, I entirely ignored my doctor’s advice about what foods to avoid, when to eat and so on. The onslaught of information and advice was overwhelming, and frankly, there were simply too many of my go-to 5-minute meals and easy snacks on the forbidden list. It was “easier” for me to just suffer. And (apologies to my loved ones) complain. That all changed during my first year living on the UCLA campus. I no longer had any viable excuses.
Between the buffet-style dining halls with countless vegetarian options to the food trucks near every resident building to the various to-go spots and on-campus restaurants, not only were there endless low-FODMAP (AKA IBS-friendly) food options, but they were good.
If you’re not familiar with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), it’s an intestinal disorder causing pain in the belly, gas, diarrhea and constipation. Basically, it can make digesting literally anything absolutely miserable. The cause of IBS is unknown and it’s notoriously difficult to treat, so doctors often recommend a sort of trial-and-error with a diet known as the low-FODMAP diet.
The idea behind the low-FODMAP diet, and why it was so hard for me to commit to in the first place, is that you cut out quite a bit of food. A diet low in FODMAP means a diet low in certain sugars that may cause intestinal distress. Though extreme, the diet is temporary. You cut out a lot of foods to reduce pain and inflammation and slowly reintroduce them to figure out which ones are especially troublesome for your IBS.
When I was home, this restrictive diet was impossible. With minimal options and the constant temptations of chocolate, ice cream and the like, I couldn’t make it a day. At school, however, I was quickly able to curate my meals to adhere to my temporary restrictions. Within a week, I carved out a pretty good list of possible culprits for my constant tummy pain.
After that, it just got easier. I had my list, and it was super simple to avoid the foods that were condemning my stomach to seemingly eternal misery. The moral of the story is: if you have IBS (or think you have IBS) and live on campus (especially one with the #1 dining in the country *wink wink*), then take advantage of it while you can!