Living With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: What Helped Me?

For a long time, I could not figure out why my stomach never felt right. Some days, it was constantly bloating. Other days, it was cramping. I was completely drained of energy. No matter how carefully I ate, I felt uncomfortable and tired. At first, I thought it was just normal stomach sensitivity. But later, I learned these were signs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

After knowing about it, I turned to doctors for guidance and understood my symptoms. But it did not make them magically go away. I had to make small changes to support my gut, like catalyst foods. I started things like drinking digestive tea after meals. I swapped my coffee for herbal teas. I added natural supports to my diet like peppermint oil capsules and probiotics. Over time, I noticed changes in my day-to-day life.

What is IBD?

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic condition. It is not just about the stomach feeling upset. It is inflammation in the digestive tract. It affects the digestive system. Its two most common types are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Both of them involve ongoing inflammation in the gut. This inflammation affects digestion, causes pain and leads to fatigue.

For many people, IBD shows up as

Bloating
Cramping
Unpredictable bathroom habits
Feeling drained all the time

For me, bloating and fatigue go hand in hand. It was not just a stomach problem. It impacts energy, focus and confidence. Let's find out how I managed constant bloating, low energy and IBD.

Why it happens

Doctors and researchers say there is not one single cause of IBD. It is usually a mix of things. Some of the common triggers include:

Family history and genetics
An immune system that overreacts
Eating processed food
High stress and poor sleep
Poor hydration and an imbalanced gut

In my case, I realized stress and poor diet were the main reasons. I relied on coffee to stay awake. I usually skip balanced meals and go for processed foods. I rarely thought about gut health. Over time, these habits made everything worse. I was confused about what I should go for: Supplements, diet, or a combination of both for digestive relief.

The signs I noticed

Everyone’s experience with IBD is different. But some of the things I dealt with were:

Bloated stomach after meals
Stomach cramping
Feeling exhausted even after sleeping
Sudden bathroom changes (diarrhea or constipation)
Sudden weight changes
Feeling stressed and mood swings

At one point, my belly is feeling bloated and looks distended. I honestly thought this was just me.

What didn’t help

Before learning how to manage things better, I tried plenty of trials and errors. I skipped my meals, which only left me weaker. I drank more coffee for energy. But it led to worse crashes later. Over-the-counter pills masked the pain. They never gave lasting relief.

That is when I realized I needed a solution. Then, I started to support my gut in a healthier way.

What finally started working

The real shift came when I stopped looking for “instant fixes” and started making smaller, consistent changes. Things like:

I swap soda and coffee with herbal tea to reduce bloating
I drink stress relief tea after meals to ease bloating.
I add more fruits, veggies, and whole grains to my meals.
I take short walks after eating. It helped digestion more than I expected.
I practice simple breathing exercises to manage stress.

I took help from the Eat Out Guide and Pain free foods Cookbook on how I should eat everything. These little changes didn’t feel overwhelming, but together they started to make life easier. What happened when I swapped my evening coffee for digestive tea. My energy is boosted. I feel refreshed.

Products that supported me

Alongside those lifestyle changes, a few natural products gave me extra support:

Peppermint Capsules: On days of gas and cramping, these were a lifesaver.
Tummy Gummies: It is a simple and daily way to keep digestion on track.
Probiotic 100: They restore balance in my gut instead of just covering up symptoms.

Please note that none of these were “cures,”. These were lifestyle changes that worked with my body to make each day feel a little lighter.

How things changed

It was not a miracle or an overnight fix. But it was real and lasting progress. With time, my bloating went from daily to occasional. I didn’t need three cups of coffee to get energy. Clothes fit more comfortably. Most importantly, I felt more confident in my own body again.

Read more:

Final thoughts

Living with inflammatory bowel disease is tough. It not only affects digestion. It affects your quality of life. But I’ve learned that small and consistent steps can make life so much easier. For me, that meant listening to my body and making gentle lifestyle changes. I lean on natural supports like digestive tea, herbal tea, probiotics, tummy gummies, and peppermint oil capsules. I do not feel perfect every single day. But I feel better and lighter.