by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Feb 6, 2025 | Uncategorized
Valentine’s Day is a time for celebrating love, connection, and of course, enjoying some of your favourite treats. But for those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), this day can often be met with a mix of anticipation and concern.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Aug 4, 2024 | Mental Health & Nutrition
Foods affect both our physical and mental health. Find tips for improving your mood with food.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Apr 15, 2024 | Uncategorized
Irritable bowel syndrome can impact your gut’s ability to absorb certain micronutrients. This can increase your risk of developing a micronutrient deficiency.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Feb 25, 2024 | Healthy Lifestyle and Diet
Your gut plays an important role in supporting your overall health and well-being. It is responsible for breaking down and absorbing nutrients from the food you eat. It also supports your immune system, a healthy heart and brain.
by Rachel McBryan RD | Oct 28, 2023 | Healthy Lifestyle and Diet
The holiday season brings in many things, including parties and get-togethers (even when they look a little bit different). Food can be a very stressful aspect of the holidays with all the parties and get-togethers, especially for people who are managing chronic diseases, intolerances or allergies. So, I’ve pulled together some of my favourite tips to help you have a healthy holiday season!
by Rachel McBryan RD | Oct 24, 2023 | Weight Management
There is no shortage of information available to the public regarding various forms of intermittent fasting and the health benefits of such practices. In contrast, there is a shortage of evidence-based support for Intermittent fasting that can be used to generate...
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Sep 27, 2023 | Uncategorized
Minerals play many important roles throughout your body, from building your bones and transmitting nerve signals to balancing electrolytes and regulating your heartbeat.
A deficiency in any one of them can lead to serious health problems
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Jul 28, 2023 | Mental Health & Nutrition
Gut health and sleep quality have a complex relationship. Not only does your gut health affect your sleep quality, but your sleep quality also affects your gut health.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Jul 21, 2023 | Uncategorized
regular exercise plays an important role in managing your IBS. Exercises can help, improve bowel movements and digestion, boost the immune system, and enhance overall well-being.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | May 29, 2023 | Uncategorized
In addition to avoiding trigger foods in your IBS-friendly diet, it can also be beneficial to include prebiotics and probiotics for relief of GI symptom.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Apr 25, 2023 | Uncategorized
Many people assume that plant-based diets don’t provide enough protein to meet daily requirements. However, many studies have debunked this popular myth.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Apr 18, 2023 | Uncategorized
If you’re experiencing gastrointestinal issues, it can be difficult to determine whether you have IBS or another condition.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Mar 16, 2023 | Uncategorized
Are you someone who loves spicy foods but suffers from IBS? If so, you may have heard that spicy foods can exacerbate IBS symptoms. This is because many spicy foods contain capsaicin, a compound that can stimulate the digestive system and cause discomfort for those with IBS.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Mar 7, 2023 | Uncategorized
Many people assume that plant-based diets don’t provide enough protein to meet daily requirements. However, many studies have debunked this popular myth.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Feb 23, 2023 | Healthy Lifestyle and Diet
Many people assume that plant-based diets don’t provide enough protein to meet daily requirements. However, many studies have debunked this popular myth.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Jan 23, 2023 | Uncategorized
Fibre is an essential part of a health diet, but getting enough fibre in your IBS-friendly diet can be difficult. Despite the challenges of including fibre in a low-FODMAP diet, there are many ways to ensure you’re meeting your fibre requirements with an IBS-friendly diet.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Jan 17, 2023 | Mental Health & Nutrition
Your mental health can have a major impact on your gut health. Stress and anxiety can trigger an increase in gut inflammation, and disrupt the careful balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Jan 13, 2023 | Uncategorized
Understanding the diet and its underlying principles can help you more effectively follow the diet, support a healthy relationship with food, and manage your GI symptoms.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Jan 5, 2023 | Uncategorized
Being aware of low-FODMAP alternatives to traditional ingredients, such as milk, can help you include more recipes in your diet while managing your IBS symptoms. When it comes to milk, there is an increasing number of low-FODMAP options that you can try.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Dec 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
Although there is currently no research detailing the role of alcohol in triggering IBS symptoms, an observational study reports approximately 1 in 3 people with IBS report experiencing symptoms from consuming alcohol.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Nov 8, 2022 | Uncategorized
You may have noticed that not everyone with IBS experiences the same triggers, or symptoms during flare-ups. In fact, most people with IBS have different triggers and “IBS-safe foods”. One of the reasons for this is that there are different types of IBS. Knowing and understanding your dominant type of IBS can help you identify ways to manage the symptoms.
by Kimberley Gittens, RD, MHSc | Oct 15, 2022 | Uncategorized
Snacking is often viewed as a bad habit that should be avoided and a barrier to weight loss. Despite what the diet culture may tell you, there is a purpose for snacking…[it] can be part of a healthy lifestyle.
by Rachel McBryan RD | Aug 27, 2022 | Healthy Lifestyle and Diet
Do you find you’re still hungry after eating a meal? There are a couple reasons why you might still be hungry.
by Rachel McBryan RD | Aug 23, 2022 | Healthy Lifestyle and Diet
RED-S is short for relative energy deficiency in sport and was previously known as the female athlete triad. It is a disorder that is characterized by low energy levels, amenorrhea and low bone mineral density, and is diagnosed by a healthcare professional. This...
by Rachel McBryan RD | Aug 3, 2022 | Uncategorized
How many times have you been screened for an eating disorder before being told to lose weight? None, right? Unfortunately, this is a very common practice. People are often told to lose weight without first being assessed for a history, or presence, of an eating...
by Rachel McBryan RD | Jul 28, 2022 | Uncategorized
Eating disorders are behavioural conditions that are characterized by irregular eating behaviours, thoughts and attitudes towards food, eating and body image. Eating disorders may be used as a way to feel in control or to cope with difficult situations. Eating...
by Rachel McBryan RD | Jul 18, 2022 | Uncategorized
As I mentioned in an earlier article, eating disorders can affect anyone. They don’t discriminate against age, gender, socioeconomic status or even your genetic predisposition to being slim. However, we are being to find that there are higher rates of eating disorders...
by Rachel McBryan RD | Jul 6, 2022 | Uncategorized
There are a few different tests that your doctor looks at when determining your heart health. Some tests are physical, such as stress tests or electrocardiograms (ECGs), while measures require you to complete blood work. Some of the parameters measured using blood...
by Rachel McBryan RD | Jun 22, 2022 | Uncategorized
It can be hard to know where to start when you’re new to journalling, but don’t let that blank page stop you. You can find journal prompts to get to started below. Benefits of Journalling There are many benefits to journaling both in day-to-day life and...
by Rachel McBryan RD | May 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
It is currently estimated that 10 to 20% of the world’s population experience IBS. Studies report that women and people under the age of 50 are experiencing higher rates of IBS, with Canada reporting one of the highest rates of IBS across the globe. Additionally, research has shown that women with IBS are more likely to experience symptoms during their periods.