Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) | Diet vs Disease

IBS-D: 5 Signs You Need More Than a Food List

Joe Leech, Dietitian (MSc Nutrition & Dietetics) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:14:25 +0000

If you’re still planning your life around bathrooms even while eating “safe” foods, your IBS-D probably needs more than another food list. Because food can matter. A lot. Lactose-containing dairy can matter. Coffee can matter. Fatty meals can matter. Other FODMAPs can matter. But if the list keeps getting longer and your confidence keeps getting smaller, food may only be one piece of the pattern. This is the question people keep asking in different ways: “I’ve found my trigger foods, so why do I still have urgency?” Or, “Why are there no fully safe foods?” Or, “Why do I eat the same meal twice, and only one time it sends me running?” In this article, I’ll show you five signs your diarrhea-predominant IBS needs a bigger framework than “avoid this, eat that.” And the last one is especially important because[Discover More...]

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Why You Look Pregnant By The End Of The Day

Joe Leech, Dietitian (MSc Nutrition & Dietetics) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 08:06:37 +0000

If your stomach looks fairly normal in the morning but by dinnertime you look six months pregnant, you are not imagining it. This is one of the most common things people tell us: “I look pregnant by the end of the day,” or “I feel like I swallowed a watermelon,” or even “My bloating gets bigger as the day goes on.” And the usual advice is almost always food advice: “cut this food”, “avoid that food,” or “try another list.” But if your belly is visibly changing throughout the day, food may only be one part of the story. In this article, I explain the five reasons this can happen, what the timing may tell you, and why a stricter food list is not always the answer. Here’s a video we made; there is also a written version underneath. Difference[Discover More...]

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Going Gluten-Free Didn’t Fix Your Gut? Here’s Why

Joe Leech, Dietitian (MSc Nutrition & Dietetics) — Wed, 13 May 2026 10:27:54 +0000

Have you gone gluten-free because your gut was a mess — the bloating, the pain, the cramping — and found that it helped at first, but then the symptoms came back? Or maybe you switched to gluten-free products and somehow started feeling worse? If that sounds familiar, you’re not doing it wrong. And you’re not imagining it. The gluten-free food market is worth almost eight billion dollars and growing, with tens of millions of people worldwide currently avoiding gluten. But here’s what most of them have never been told: for the vast majority of people eating gluten-free for gut symptoms, the relief they experienced had almost nothing to do with gluten. In this article, I’m going to explain exactly why that happens, what’s actually going on inside your gut, and what to do instead so you can eat with far[Discover More...]

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7 Warning Signs of SIBO Most Doctors Miss

Joe Leech, Dietitian (MSc Nutrition & Dietetics) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:18:24 +0000

If you’ve had the colonoscopy, the endoscopy, and multiple rounds of treatment, and you’re still bloated, exhausted, and being told it’s “just IBS,” then there’s a question worth asking: What if the real problem was never tested for? SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is one of the most commonly missed gut conditions. The warning signs are real. They’re just not on most doctors’ radar. In this article, I’ll be walking you through the 7 most commonly missed warning signs of SIBO — including some that have nothing to do with your gut at all. Please also keep in mind that this is educational information only and not direct medical advice for your specific situation. Here is a video we made; there is also a written version underneath. What is SIBO? SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. It occurs when[Discover More...]

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Diverticulitis Treatment Options Explained (By A Dietitian)

Joe Leech, Dietitian (MSc Nutrition & Dietetics) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:40:23 +0000

If you’ve been diagnosed with diverticulitis, you’re probably wondering what comes next. Do you need antibiotics? Will you need surgery? Can this be managed at home, or will you end up in the ER? The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The treatment you need depends entirely on how severe your diverticulitis is, whether you have complications, and your overall health status. In this article, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about diverticulitis treatment — from mild cases that can be managed at home, to severe cases requiring emergency surgery. We’ll cover when antibiotics are actually necessary, what complications to watch for, and what the latest research says about the best approach. Of course, this is educational information only, not direct medical advice for you specifically. Here is a video we made; there is also a written version[Discover More...]

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5 Most Common Triggers of IBS (That Aren’t FODMAPs)

Joe Leech, Dietitian (MSc Nutrition & Dietetics) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:58:00 +0000

You’ve been following the low FODMAP diet religiously. Checking every label, avoiding garlic and onions, saying no to apples and wheat. But you’re still getting symptoms. Your morning coffee sends you running to the bathroom. That one glass of wine at dinner leaves you bloated. And you’re thinking — “Wait, isn’t this supposed to be safe?” Here’s the frustrating truth: just because something is low FODMAP doesn’t mean it won’t trigger your IBS. Because IBS isn’t just about FODMAPs — it’s about having an overly sensitive gut that overreacts to normal things. Think of your gut like a smoke detector. A healthy gut is like a properly calibrated smoke detector — it only goes off when there’s actual fire. But with IBS, your gut is like an overly sensitive alarm that goes off when you burn toast, light a candle,[Discover More...]

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