Foods that heal IBS

I know the pain of not being able to eat your favorite foods and treats.

The very firs time I healed IBS, I spent a year eating absolutely no sugar or nuts. That was almost 15 years ago and I was not aware of options like coconut butter and coconut flour. Nut butter and nut flours were off limits. My only treats were pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed butter, and a fudgey mix of carob powder and coconut oil. It was hard at times, but I made it through with will power. It was worth it because I’ve been free of digestive symptoms ever since, minus a short blip two years ago.

Two years ago, I found out I had SIBO, I did a 6 months low carb, low FODMAP diet, but was able to enjoy some low sugar desserts, because there are so many fun food options for people who follow restricted diets.

I’m on round three now. Zero digestive symptoms this time, but after doing the GI Map I found a disturbance in the force (also known as 2 parasites and a candida overgrowth). I’m taking the next two months to evict the unwanted visitors with herbs and a low carb diet.

Low carb for me means avoiding grains, beans and anything with added sugar but allowing myself some fruit and treats sweetened with a little bit of manuka honey. Manuka honey comes from New Zealand and has powerful antimicrobial properties. It is used commonly to battle h. pylori and other unwanted bacteria.

Because I’m a foodie, it’s important to enjoy food and to not feel deprived. And I don’t have to. Nature has provided us with the most amazing medicine: antimicrobial foods that fight bacteria, yeast, viruses and parasites naturally.

Some of those foods are raw honey, ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, papaya and papaya seeds, pineapple, green tea, carob, tumeric, lemon, coconut, carrots, berries and olive oil. Garlic is also part of this list, unfortunately many people with IBS can’t tolerate it.

I know from my work with clients that many IBS sufferers tend to fear food after traumatizing reactions.

Other people cut out all treats and end up caving in or binging because the deprivation is too much.

The truth is you have to eat. And you can enjoy healthy treats while progressing towards a healthier gut. Having options that help ease sugar cravings is a game changer. You can address your addiction without going cold turkey, so you can stay strong.

Pumpkin seeds and coconut oil are two examples of foods that heal. But there are tons of others. I want to teach people what they are, why they are beneficial and how to turn them into yummy treats.

I’m writing a cookbook full of treats that are good for digestive health. Yes, you CAN indulge and satisfy cravings while staying compliant to a healing diet.

My cookbook is called “Treats that heal” and will feature more than 50 treat recipes with gut-healing ingredients like gelatin, collagen, ginger, coconut, cinnamon, probiotics and lemon. The treats will be easy to make and include substitutions for eggs, nuts and coconut. And a section that explains which sweeteners are best for your gut.

Everything is gluten free and most recipes are grain free. Some examples are granolas, carrot cake, home made coconut yogurt, low carb muffins, fat bombs, cookies, dairy free ice cream, bon bons, crepes, dairy free lattes, panna cotta, not your mama’s oatmeal and cheese cake redone.

I will focus on what foods to eat for particular conditions, like h. pylori, candida, parasites and SIBO/bacterial overgrowth. And include inflammation fighting treats.

Here’s a sneak peak recipe geared at eradicating parasites. My husband and I can attest to the yumminess of these no bake energy balls, sweetened with a little bit of honey.

I’m super excited about this book. Cooking has always been a passion of mine and I’m thrilled to mix my hobby with my knowledge of digestive health.

The world needs this book, so I’m working hard on it. Will keep you posted on when it becomes available. Leave a comment or email me with any requests. Meanwhile, enjoy these treats.

Parasite Ball Busters

Most of the ingredients in this dessert fight parasites. It is sweetened with Manuka honey, which is the strongest antibacterial honey on the market. If you can’t find it, you can use raw local honey.

If honey does not work for you try stevia, Monk Fruit or coconut nectar to lightly sweeten these energy balls.

Pumpkin seeds not only battle parasites but contain lots of zinc, which supports the immune system. You can decrease or increase the proportion of ingredients based on the size of your blender or food processor.

What really makes this dessert shine is the addition of carob powder which lends a flavor reminiscent of chocolate, but with a natural sweetness. It has plenty of antimicrobial properties AND supports beneficial bacteria due to its fiber and polyphenol content. It has also been used as a remedy for diarrhea. But be cautious, carob does contain FODMAPs. If you are on a Low FODMAP diet, leave the carob out.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup of raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup of shredded dried coconut

****You can add or use sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or coconut butter instead of or in addition to the ingredients above.

1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

1/4 cup of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of coconut flour (use these ingredients to get the texture right. If it’s too dry and crumbly add liquid coconut oil to give it moisture and if it is too goopy add coconut flour to dry it out)

2 Tablespoons of carob powder (what gives this the unique chocolatey, mesquite flavor.)

Manuka honey to taste (how much you use depends on how sweet you want it and how much honey you tolerate) I used 1 heaping tablespoon (sub stevia, monkfruit or coconut nectar)

If you don’t tolerate sweeteners, eat this as a salty, savory treat instead.

How to

Put all the ingredients in a food processor or a high powered blender and grind into a consistency of clay. If it seems a little bit mushy don’t worry, it will solidify in the fridge if you add coconut oil.

Shape into golf sized balls and chill in the fridge for an hour or until solid.