Nutrition in Isolation

I have compiled a little list of some common issues that have been occurring in most of my patients, whether they have intolerances or chronic conditions - or not - and a few tips and tricks while life is a bit upside down.

1. Inconsistent or fluctuating mealtimes

Working from home has brought on a huge array of barriers and issues for all of us. Whether it be finding the right place to work, the desk arrangement or having kids running around as they are at home remote-learning, it can be hectic! Structured mealtimes can sometimes take a backseat, with people skipping meals, eating at their desk, snacking and grazing without eating proper meals, or completely forgetting to eat entirely!

Even if you’re not working from home, life has shifted so significantly that it is quite normal to experience a loss of appetite, an increased appetite, or finding that whatever was “normal” doesn’t feel the same.

A very common symptom of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are gut responses such as pain, bloating, excessive wind, constipation and/or diarrhoea. This normally occurs with patients that have specific food intolerances, such as with high FODMAP foods (I will be writing a blog post about this soon!). However, due to experiencing moments of high stress, with work-life changes, restrictions and isolation, it has been very apparent that a lot of patients’ symptoms have started to impact their life again, even if their diet has not changed at all.

The body has an incredible connection called the gut-brain axis, which involves millions of neurons connecting our gastrointestinal system to our brain. Signals go back and forth all the time, but in periods of high stress and anxiety, these signals can be muddled up, be sent too often, or not often enough. It’s kind of like a huge traffic jam of signals as our anxiety can affect the way our gut digests our food.

Some tips:

• Take time to eat meals slowly, chewing every mouthful well. This can prevent the ingestion of air whilst eating, which can cause indigestion, bloating and gas.

• Separate drinking fluids from mealtimes. Same as above, having too many fluids and food going through at once can increase the likelihood of these gastrointestinal symptoms.

• If feeling bloated after a meal, head out for a walk. Walking can assist in digestion and the breakdown of food.

• If you are a patient who has IBS or have experienced symptoms with trigger foods in the past, it may be a time to lower your intake of these foods temporarily to assist with any issues. This should be done by consulting a health professional such as your doctor or an Accredited Practising Dietitian, who can support you with these changes whilst ensuring an optimal, nutritious diet.

4. Don’t be too hard on yourself

There is sometimes pressure to be dealing with what is going on at the moment perfectly. It is okay to experience some bumps along the way; we don’t always have to be thriving! I myself have had to schedule in some alone time, have made sure to go for a walk every day to get out of the house, and to call my friends daily to check in. There is really no right or wrong way to be coping with this, but it is important to put your health and wellbeing as a priority.