Healing IBS with Ayurveda: What Actually Worked for Me
Healing IBS with Ayurveda: What Actually Worked for Me
I remember exactly when my IBS started—I was around 21 years old, sitting at a restaurant, feeling totally fine… until I wasn’t. One minute, I was enjoying my meal, and the next, my stomach was bloated, cramping, and so uncomfortable that I had to unbutton my jeans just to breathe. It was painful and completely unpredictable.
At first, I thought it was just something I ate, but it kept happening. Sometimes it was right after a meal, other times it would creep up randomly. I tried everything—keeping a food diary, doing microbiome tests, cutting out different foods—but no matter what I did, my gut still felt out of control.
That’s when I discovered Ayurveda. Instead of treating IBS as just a food-related issue, Ayurveda helped me understand that digestion is about so much more than just what we eat. It’s about how strong our Agni (digestive fire) is, how we eat, and how we manage stress. Once I started working with my digestion rather than constantly fighting against it, I finally started to feel better.
Understanding Agni – The Key to Gut Health
In Ayurveda, digestion is everything. If your Agni (digestive fire) is strong, your body efficiently breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and eliminates waste without issues. But if your Agni is weak or imbalanced, food lingers in the gut, causing bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and inflammation.
A weak or imbalanced Agni leads to:
Bloating and gas from undigested food
Acid reflux and heartburn from excess heat in the gut
Sluggish digestion and heaviness after meals
Constipation or diarrhea from irregular digestion
To heal IBS, the key is to stop doing things that weaken Agni and start supporting your digestive fire with the right foods, herbs, and daily habits.
What I Stopped Doing (Big Gut No-Nos)
Drinking Cold Drinks and Iced Water
I used to drink iced water with meals, thinking it was refreshing. But cold drinks weaken digestion by cooling down Agni, making it harder to break down food properly.
What I do now:
Drink warm filtered or room-temperature water, especially before meals
Start my morning with warm water and lemon or ginger to wake up digestion
Eating Too Many Raw Foods and Salads
I used to think salads were the healthiest option, but Ayurveda teaches that raw food is harder to digest, especially if your gut is already struggling. It requires a strong Agni to break down, which many people with IBS don’t have.
What I do now:
Lightly cook vegetables (steamed, roasted, or sautéed with spices)
Focus on warm, nourishing meals that are easier on the gut
Avoid raw foods, especially in colder months, when digestion is naturally weaker
Eating Processed Foods That Claim to Be "Healthy"
Sorry to say, but the commercial food industry is seriously good at marketing. They’ll slap "high in fiber," "no artificial additives," or "gut-friendly" on a package, but in my experience, IBS doesn’t care about clever branding.
What actually made a difference? Eating real food.
The best rule: Eat all the colors of the rainbow—but only if they’ve been grown in the soil. And not just anysoil, but good, nutrient-rich soil.
The closer food is to its natural state, the easier it is to digest.
Avoid anything ultra-processed, even if it’s labeled as "healthy."
Mixing Fruit with Other Foods
One of the biggest mistakes I made was eating fruit with meals. Fruit digests much faster than other foods, and when it gets stuck behind heavier proteins or grains, it ferments in the gut, causing bloating and gas.
What I do now:
Eat fruit alone or at least 30 minutes before meals
Avoid mixing fruit with dairy (like yogurt or milk), which can cause sluggish digestion
If I eat fruit, I choose warm, stewed fruits like apples, which are easier to digest
Eating the Biggest Meal at Dinner
I grew up with the idea that dinner should be the biggest, most social meal of the day. Ayurveda says otherwise. Your digestion is strongest when the sun is at its highest, around midday. By evening, digestion naturally slows down.
I know this goes against everything we’re used to—big family dinners, late-night meals out with friends—but eating heavy at night is a recipe for bloating, sluggish digestion, and disrupted sleep.
What I do now:
Eat my biggest meal at lunch when my Agni is strongest
Have a lighter dinner, ideally before 7 PM
If I eat late, I stick to warm, easy-to-digest foods
The difference in my digestion (and energy levels) has been incredible.
What Worked for Me – Ayurveda’s IBS Solutions
Once I stopped making these digestion-wrecking mistakes, I focused on strengthening my Agni and using Ayurvedic tools to support my gut. Here’s what actually helped:
Eating at the Right Times
Lunch is my biggest meal since digestion is at its peak
I eat an early, light dinner to avoid bloating at night
I try to stick to regular meal times every day to keep digestion steady
Following the 1/3 Rule for Eating
Ayurveda teaches that your stomach should be filled:
1/3 with food
1/3 with water
1/3 left empty for digestion to function properly
This has helped me avoid overeating and the bloated, heavy feeling that used to follow meals.
Using Ayurvedic Herbs for Gut Healing
There are so many powerful Ayurvedic herbs that help relieve IBS symptoms. I started incorporating:
Triphala – A blend of three fruits that gently detoxifies the gut and regulates digestion
Fennel seeds – Great for reducing bloating and gas (chew them after meals)
Ginger – A natural digestive stimulant that keeps Agni strong
Cumin, coriander, and fennel – These spices help with gut inflammation and bloating
Drinking Herbal Teas
Instead of coffee (which aggravated my IBS), I switched to soothing herbal teas:
Ginger tea for bloating and nausea
Peppermint tea for cramping and gut spasms
Fennel tea for reducing gas and easing digestion
Practicing Gentle Yoga & Breathwork
Certain yoga poses and breathwork techniques helped with bloating, constipation, and stress-related IBS symptoms:
Apanasana (Wind-Relieving Pose) to release gas and ease bloating
Twists to stimulate digestion and detoxify the gut
Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) to calm the nervous system and reduce stress
Recipes and Remedies for IBS Relief
I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to figure out what to eat when your digestion feels unpredictable. That’s why I’ve put together some of my favorite Ayurvedic recipes and herbal remedies that actually worked for me.
Simple gut-healing kitchari recipe
Soothing digestive tea blends
Easy-to-digest meal ideas that won’t leave you bloated
If you want these recipes and a personalized plan to rebalance your gut, book a FREE discovery call with me
IBS doesn’t have to control your life. Once you start working with your digestion instead of against it, things get easier. Let’s find what works for your unique body.
Have you struggled with IBS? What’s helped you the most? Share your experience in the comments—I’d love to hear from you.