Yeah, you heard that right. Let me back up a bit and explain where I’m going with this. A few months ago I started feeling all those old symptoms of what I have always called IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I was constipated. gassy and bloated. Like we’re talking the kind of bloat where you can feel it when you sit down-like what it feels like to be 5-7 mos. pregnant. I couldn’t hide it no matter what I wore nor could I figure out if I had simply gained weight or was just really bloated. I wrestled with the bloat and discomfort and decided trying a cleanse (read about that HERE). In the past when I’ve cut way back on food intake, after about 4 days I already can see results in my stomach. I feel lighter, my stomach is happy and my pants are loose. I thought for sure I would let go of the bloat after the cleanse. To my horror, the opposite happened. My stomach continued to balloon.
I began to fear that upon turning 39, my metabolism decided it was time to stop working-that my body had decided to pack on the pounds but only in the stomach area. I continued to monitor what I was eating-focusing on non-inflammatory foods and cutting out alcohol. I ditched my Dunkin Donuts coffee for raw coffee beans that I roasted myself. I even ditched the coffee creamer and began using grass fed butter instead. I began exercising from home daily as well. I started taking an anti parasite and switched probiotics. Nothing worked and while I was able to get my constipation sorted out, I was still so terribly large in my middle. Confused and frustrated are understating the way I felt.
It was time to re-order my coffee so I went on Amazon and searched “organic coffee”. I knew I didn’t want to mess with roasting my beans so it was time to try something new. The first suggestion that popped up was Mommee Coffee. This coffee had several decaf/caffeinated options but with lower acidity then most coffee. Plus their beans were organic and fair trade. I’m not one to ignore “signs” so I bought it.
Within 24 hours of drinking this coffee my stomach started feeling “relaxed”. Within 48 hours my stomach went flat. No joke. Immediate relief that has now lasted 2 weeks.
I started to do research about coffee intolerance and the effects of acid in coffee and the internet literally bombarded me with article after article of how coffee had the same effect on hundreds of thousands. Coffee intolerance is apparently a common thing that causes gas and bloating for many. Apparently many people develop an intolerance over time so it’s not always something someone considers when they are having stomach issues.
I have always drank coffee and I don’t constantly deal with IBS symptoms. I drink 2 sometimes 3 cups a day and have since I was in my early 20’s. I’m not a Starbucks fan so I typically brew my daily coffee at home. My belief is that our body’s can be very forgiving, but years and years of abusing it with bad choices have caught up to me. With coffee, our bodies go into hydrochloric acid overdrive. This is the enzyme our bodies produce to break down food for healthy digestion. Over a prolonged amount of time overproducing HCI, our body’s production can decline making digestion difficult. Also, a compromised gut can cause food sensitivities and allergies. It’s a vicious cycle.
I believe that my miraculous recovery can also be contributed to my healthy lifestyle. Because of my stomach issues, I try to avoid foods that will upset my stomach or cause inflammation. I have a nutrition packed smoothie every morning and have cut out alcohol. I try hard to be healthy and I believe all my efforts paid off once I removed the one food that was irritating me. I can say, if I start to bloat again, my next move will be to cut out coffee all together. Coffee does not taste better then a flat/happy stomach feels. Go HERE for more info. on the effects of coffee on the gut.
I wanted to drop in and tell you this because if there is anyone reading this that has stomach issues, changing your coffee habit could be the simple answer. It is horrible to live with stomach discomfort. To constantly try to hide your bulging tummy despite above average eating habits is taxing. To be busting out of your pants and having no idea why is torture.
Along with my new coffee, I pay close attention to my lifestyle. I struggle with sugar cravings but have a found a few healthy alternatives that help me avoid white refined sugar for the most part. Avoiding eating out is key. I try to only use Pink Himalayan Salt on my food and drink a lot of water. I watch the amount of food I eat in a day and stay on top of supplements, especially a good probiotic. I am over the moon over the fact that I seem to have cured my bloat. I really thought my body had turned on me and had decided to just pack on the fat in my middle. I mean, if I’m going to gain weight, couldn’t I get some in my butt and boobs? 😉
In case you’re wondering, I love the taste of Mommee Coffee. It’s very smooth, especially with grass fed butter instead of half and half. Now that I know my stomach was really suffering because of strong, acidic coffee, I appreciate a lighter tasting coffee and this fits the bill. I sometimes like to french press decaf in the evenings (especially when it’s raining!) so I’m also going to order their decaf. For those of you sensitive to caffeine, they offer 1/4 and 1/2 caf as well.
Find Mommee Coffee HERE. I will update soon about how I tweaked my daily “bullet proof” coffee to work for my body and not against it. Oh and by the way-I have no connection with Mommee Coffee nor did they send me their coffee. You know me, when something is working for me, I will always share with you!
xx, Jenni
