Whoever said ‘trust your gut’ obviously didn’t have IBS.
Have you ever referred to food as “safe” or “Unsafe” for your IBS? If so, I’m not surprised. In fact, you may have even built yourself a list of “safe” foods you trust as well as a list of “unsafe” foods that make you uneasy just thinking about them. While this approach mostly works, it can make eating out stressful, and the idea of reintroducing foods feel impossible. Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
Many people with IBS and food sensitivities rely on food lists and tightly arranged rules to avoid discomfort. But what if the words safe and unsafe are actually what is making things harder? What if this language is actually reinforcing fear and keeping you trapped?
How Labels Shape Our Food Fears
It’s natural to want certainty, especially when you struggle to trust your own body. The problem is that using absolutes like “safe” and “unsafe” reinforces to the subconscious that food is dangerous, and food avoidance is the only option.
Our gut and brain are deeply connected. When we worry about food, just thinking about it can activate our sympathetic nervous system, pushing us into fight-or-flight mode. When the sympathetic nervous system is active, blood flow to the digestive tract decreases and stomach acid production drops. This makes digestion more difficult. At the same time, the entire nervous system, including the gut, becomes more sensitive and hyper-alert to potential threats. Ultimately, the sympathetic nervous system makes us more sensitive to food and more likely to experience gut sensations. Labelling food as “safe” or “unsafe” reinforces danger, and traps us in the cycle of fear, anxiety, and restriction. This makes food reintroduction more difficult.
A New Way to Talk About Food
Instead of using language that reinforces fear, what if we reframed the way we think and talk about food? Here are some alternatives:
- Instead of “safe foods,” try “trusted foods.” These are the foods you feel comfortable eating right now.
- Instead of “unsafe foods,” try “foods I’m learning to tolerate.” This shifts the focus from fear to curiosity and growth.
- Instead of “trigger foods,” try “foods I approach with care.” This acknowledges your experience without making the food itself the enemy.
- Instead of “good” and “bad” foods, focus on “how foods make me feel.” Food is neutral, it’s your response that matters.
Shifting your language can help you move away from an all-or-nothing mindset and start making progress toward greater food confidence, helping you trust your gut again, even with IBS.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
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