You’ve done the work to learn about your chronic digestive symptoms—you completed specific functional testing and received individualized supplement recommendations and a list of healing foods to incorporate into your diet. But…what about your family? It’s already hard to find meals that everyone likes; are they going to go for these foods at dinnertime? Keep reading to learn how to get rid of digestive problems and feed your family the foods they love.

How To Get Rid of Digestive Problems 

The first step to get rid of digestive problems is gastrointestinal testing. Individualized functional tests hone our knowledge of what foods or hidden gut issues might be causing symptoms. The expert interpretation of these tests allow for specific food recommendations that will support your unique issues. While some people do great with foods like whey protein, cranberries, and onions, whole food solutions for leaky gut, H. pylori, and histamine intolerance, respectively, others feel bloated, achy, and experience breakouts from the whey in dairy, the concentrated sugar in dried fruits such as cranberries, or foods high in fructans, like onions.

However, some ingredients have a fantastic reputation as researched ways to heal the gut. These include foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as flax, chia, hemp, and salmon, any gelatin-rich foods such as homemade or ethically-sourced broths and stocks (think delicious, rich oxtail soup), foods rich in zinc such as pasture-raised red meats, oysters, almonds, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds, vegetables such as okra, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and leeks, and leafy greens such as arugula and collards. Even eggs get an honorable mention thanks to their high levels of vitamin A, and we can’t forget organic liver—where are my paté lovers?

But what about your family? While you might be incredibly excited to go shopping and start cooking with these new foods, your family may have other ideas.

A common issue I see in my practice is clients who struggle to balance their diet with their families’ diet. It’s a tough position to be in! Even supportive and encouraging families can find dietary changes challenging. Keep reading if you want to get rid of digestive problems while also feeding your family.

Feed Your Family the Foods They Love

 I give three key suggestions to clients who are stuck between getting rid of digestive problems and their family’s palette. 

First, sit down and talk. 

Let your family know how critical diet will be for you to feel better. Let them know how long you’ve been struggling and how important this is to you. If they’re not fully aware of how deep these symptoms go and how they’ve impacted your life, now’s the time to tell them.

Second, discuss food! 

You probably have a good idea of foods your family loves, but start making a concerted list of recipes they want to see on the dinner table. Do they love pizza? Tacos? Indian food? Fish sticks? These are all possible with minor tweaks to fit the foods you need to address your symptoms. My family’s favorite meal is hamburgers, made with a blend of grass-fed beef and a small percentage of ground liver and other organ meats available from US Wellness Meats. They taste just like hamburgers! But we’re all getting a much-needed dose of vitamin A and B vitamins.

Third, remember that almost all dietary changes are temporary. 

Food restrictions can feel overwhelming, but the goal is not to restrict you; it’s to identify the foods that cause symptoms and the foods that make you feel fantastic. Sometimes the initial stages of this process mean more food restrictions, but these will slowly be explored and lifted as your digestive problems heal.

If you have any questions about how to get rid of digestive problems, dietary restrictions, or even specific recipes, please schedule a complimentary 20-minute consultation. I’m here to help!