I’ve Got Issues, Digestive Issues That Is

The following post is sponsored by Beano. For our sponsored post policy, click here.
Like the title of this post says, I have issues. Digestive issues.
I know going gluten-free and dairy-free is all the rage these days, but let me tell you one thing: having real food intolerances of any kind is not easy nor fun nor trendy. It’s a pain in the butt to eat out, it severely limits you at social gatherings and, a lot of the time, it can be expensive. Plus, um, you miss out on some really tasty foods — many of which are actually pretty healthy!
Back in my college years, I pretty much ate what I wanted without much troublesome bloating, gas, cramping or, what I’ll simply call, “bad poo.” Most of my digestive issues were from having one too many beers or eating one too many slices of pizza. And although gas was occasionally a problem for me when I’d eat raw cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower or lots of beans, it was pretty mild. Fast-forward to my 30s though and everything in my digestive tract seemed to get more, well, sensitive.
My family has a history of digestive issues — having to restrict some foods to help with it and always needing to be somewhat near a restroom when out and about. So I wasn’t overly surprised when similar issues started happening to me. All of a sudden, dairy except for small amounts of goat cheese started to leave my stomach cramping, my belly bloated, my nose stuffy and my poo, er, just trust me. Not good. The same pattern began to emerge for foods high in gluten — but with this the added symptom of brain fog and inflammation. Bonus! I still loved my beans and cruciferous veggies, but those too seemed to amp up discomfort in my digestive system. What was a girl to do or eat?!
For the last couple of years, I’ve played around with my foods and my body, seeing what works for me. Heck, I even went strict Paleo for a month to get some relief (when you feel bad enough, you’ll do whatever you can to feel good). And while I’m probably around 80 percent Paleo these days and eating no gluten is a non-negotiable for me, I do miss my dairy and legumes. I eat them every now and again, but I always know what I’m in for — gas, bloating and that bad poo.
That’s why when I got the chance to take Beano’s Back on the Menu Challenge — where you take Beano + Dairy Defense to help you eat the healthy foods you love without the uncomfortable (and sometimes embarrassing) side effects — I was sooo in.

Beano+ Dairy Defense contains two natural enzymes that help your body break down potential “problem foods” like vegetables, beans, whole grains and dairy, along with the gas prevention of Beano with a natural lactose aid for double protection. These enzymes work with the body to make foods more digestible, and prevent uncomfortable gas and bloating (more deets on how it works here) — a problem that some 70 million Americans suffer from, according to Beano research!
I’m so ready to put dairy (cheese and ice cream comes to mind!) and legumes back on my menu. Stay tuned to Fit Bottomed Eats in the coming weeks as I detail how my Back on the Menu Challenge goes when I put Beano + Dairy to the test. You know I’ll be sharing every digestive detail! (That sounds gross, but I swear I’ll keep it tasteful.)
In the mean time, tell me: Do any foods cause you any digestive discomfort? What issues do you have? And if you don’t, count your lucky stomach stars! —Jenn