When Lottie Drynan started having gut health problems, there was nowhere to turn: it takes 8 years on average for an IBS diagnosis. But, thanks to her community The Tummy Diaries, nobody needs to feel alone. From disordered eating awareness to #mybloatedwardrobe, there’s no taboo.
Other people’s versions of “wellness” might not be realistic if you’re living with a chronic illness. But, for Lottie, it’s about taking time to make your body and brain as harmonious as they can be.
In this episode of The Wellness Edit, Lottie joins our host Dr Gemma Newman to discuss IBS during pregnancy and seeing the bigger picture in our gut-brain connection.
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Whether that's online, in real life, at work or a friend. You can always find a Facebook group or Instagram hashtag. Being able to talk about it is such a game-changer.
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Don’t get frustrated if you don’t have all the answers instantly. ‘Be kind to yourself – take time to understand yourself.'
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Lottie finds getting outside helps her mental health enormously. 'Even just stepping into the garden makes such a big difference.'
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'A few years ago I got into meditation but I can struggle to switch off. Now I just listen to relaxation tapes. Even 10 minutes I find really helpful when I go to bed, or go for a little walk.'
A doctor for over 17 years, Gemma Newman has worked in many specialities as a doctor including elderly care, endocrinology, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, general surgery, urology, vascular surgery, rehabilitation medicine and General Practice.
Dr Newman's specialist interests are in holistic health and plant-based nutrition as well as lifestyle medicine. In her practice she has come to understand that body, mind and soul are not separate, and that it is only in addressing the root causes of stress and disconnection that we can truly heal, from the inside out.