May I Make A Suggestion? Eat Fiber.

I have been a sufferer of two recurring health issues for the past twenty years. One is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and the other is bacterial vaginosis (BV). One is very painful and the other is very embarrassing. The official causes for these disorders are “unknown,” which has been very frustrating these past two decades as I’ve searched for remedies and relief from pain and mortification. At some point on the journey, I agreed to the narrative that I was one of the unfortunate people who would have to endure horrible pain in my stomach and an abnormal pH balance. This acceptance was due to two polar extremes. IBS is a condition that many people talked about, and it was normalized. I thought that I just happened to be among the number of people who became sensitive to certain foods later in life. BV is a condition that is discussed in whispers though it is the most common vaginal condition in women ages 15-44. I believed that something was wrong with me and if I spoke about it to other women, they would judge me. My doctor’s office is the only place that I spoke candidly about both issues. My general practitioner and OB/GYN worked out numerous methods that granted temporary relief over the years by prescribing antibiotics, prebiotics, probiotics, and even a suggestion of boric acid suppositories. That suggestion did not frighten me at the time because I wanted relief, and they were the doctors. They were educated and adamant about my options.

I have Googled to the point of exhaustion to find out additional information about these conditions and while there are more articles than several years ago about IBS, the information is still misleading and supported by ads that encourage click bait. The sites for BV are more numerous, but still lacking in helpful information. The Mayo Clinic website states about IBS, “treatment can help, but this condition can’t be cured.” It goes on to say that it is chronic and can last for years or be lifelong. The first search result from Google for the best treatment for IBS is: Medications such as dicyclomine (Bently) can help relieve painful bowel spasms. Bentyl is a pharmaceutical that slows the natural movements of the gut and relaxes the muscles in the stomach. It comes with warnings of various side effects. I’m sure that I was prescribed that at some point, and I’m sure I took it. There were times that the pain was so intense, I could not breathe. I held on to the idea that I could not be cured.

My recent search on Web MD for prevention of bacterial vaginosis discusses cleaning sex toys, not douching and limiting your number of sex partners. Women’sHealth.gov says of BV, you may be more at risk if you are African American, and that BV is twice as common in African American women as in white women. That bullet point follows these risk factors:

· Having a new sex partner

· Having multiple sex partners

· Douche

· Not using condoms

· Being pregnant

Lists like this were the reason that I would not tell anyone about my condition. The only bullet point that I hit on this list was being Black, and I didn’t want anyone associating me with the other bullet points. I resigned myself to suffer in silence.

My deliverance was unexpected and miraculous in the way that God does His thing. In 2015, I decided to give up dietary decadence for the 46 days of Lent (I fast on Sundays). I did not ingest animal products, sugar, caffeine, deep fried foods or alcohol. I did not do this in a vacuum. I was disciplined in prayer and dedicated to studying the bible daily. During this time, I did not experience any pain, discomfort or bloating, but I did not make the connection between my diet and my conditions. I thought that I felt great because I was being obedient in my walk with God. I continued to fast every year during Lent, and in 2017, I mentioned the reduction of symptoms to my doctor. Her reply was, “Well, yes, if you want to restrict your diet in that way, you won’t have any of these symptoms. Look at me, I choose to drink beer regularly because I enjoy it. I’d feel and look much better if I chose not to drink.” I paused, cocked my head to the side, and asked, “So, I can cure myself?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that, but you can eliminate your symptoms through your diet.”

I left her office that day armed with a prescription that I wrote and she had not previously provided. I started experimenting with my food choices and found that I could keep most of the discomfort at bay if I increased my fiber intake. I wasn’t ready to restrict my daily diet to my Lent fasting protocols full-time, but making small changes provided big results. The initial small change was to eat more fiber.

As a lifelong Washington resident, I take pride in being a snob about two things: salmon and apples. I thought that because I was eating at least one whole apple each day along with a huge salad, my fiber intake was above average, and then I started writing this blog post. I, like most Americans, am getting about half of the daily recommended minimum fiber intake, which means that prior to 2017, I probably wasn’t getting much fiber at all. In 2020, flare-ups are rare for either condition, and I can always trace them back to a wild day or week of haphazard eating. It happens less and less. Changing my diet is a journey. I have come far, but sometimes I run backward on the trail. I don’t judge myself. I take my lumps and move on.

Before I move on in this post I am compelled to announce that if you suffer from chronic or acute bouts of bacterial vaginosis, KNOW that this is much less connected to sexual activity than it is with food choices. I feel some kinda way about how we are misdirected, especially considering that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that BV is the most common vaginal condition in women ages 15-44. It affects Black women twice as much as Caucasian women. I will get into details in a later post about the disparity of treatment and misinformation related to Black people in our health system.

The following information is for those who may not know the benefits of adding fiber to their diets. I believe that it is important to share this information because in my experience, doctors are not writing this prescription for their patients.

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Dietary fiber: Also known as roughage or bulk , includes the part of plant food your body can’t digest or absorb. Instead, it passes relatively intact through your stomach, small intestine and colon and out of your body.

Benefits of a high fiber diet:

· Normalizes bowel movements (I can testify)

· Helps maintain bowel health (no IBS flare ups!)

· Lowers cholesterol levels

· Helps control blood sugar levels

· Aids in achieving healthy weight (Yep!)

· Helps you live longer: Studies suggest that increasing your dietary fiber intake is associated with a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and ALL cancers.

When you increase fiber intake, ensure that you increase water intake. Fiber needs water to plump it up like a sponge. Not enough water can lead to constipation or nausea. Fiber works best when it absorbs water making stools soft and bulky.

Increase fiber intake gradually to give the gastrointestinal tract time to adapt. Too much too quickly can promote abdominal pain, bloating and intestinal gas.

Bean and whole grains contain more fiber than plants and fruits.

Get fiber in whole foods rather than supplements. Fiber supplements do not offer the feeling of fullness.

Fiber intake is a good gauge for overall diet quality.