If you’re on tiktok you might have come across this trend of women struggling and openly speaking about their digestive issues under the hashtag “hot girls have IBS”. While this might seem innocuous and even a great way for individuals to speak openly about their pain, discomfort and the stigma associated with uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, constipation and diarrhoea, there’s also an insidious side that I want to discuss today which is the fact that eating disorders and disordered eating often go hand in hand with digestive concerns. Namely, is this trend harmful in normalising disordered eating behaviours, such as cutting out or demonising food groups? Additionally, if someone is struggling with digestive issues, how do they navigate those symptoms and get the help they need without falling down a diet culture rabbit hole. In this episode I’m going to discuss: How common digestive disorders are in those struggling with eating disorders Why digestive concerns occur in those with eating disorders, disordered eating and/or HA The bi-directional relationship between IBS symptoms/digestive disorders and disordered eating The pros and cons “hot girls have IBS” trend in terms of management strategies Why cutting out food groups may not be the answer What to do if you’re experiencing IBS or digestive disorders in recovery My own personal experience of how digestive concerns fuelled my eating disorder and what my symptom journey looked like during recovery ❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image" ❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea! This 8-week, hybrid group and 1:1 coaching program is designed to help you recover your period while improving your relationship with food, exercise and your body. Find out details and sign up here: https://sarahlizking.com/healing-ha/ ❤️ Looking for a supportive recovery community? For all the support, resources and strategies you need on your recovery journey, join us in Recovery Club today! ❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive. ❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form. ❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare. References for this episode: -Hausteiner-Wiehle, C., & Henningsen, P. (2014). Irritable bowel syndrome: Relations with functional, mental, and somatoform disorders. World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG, 20(20), 6024–6030. -Janssen, P. (2010). Can eating disorders cause functional gastrointestinal disorders? P. Janssen Eating and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 22(12), 1267–1269. - Satherley, R., Howard, R., & Higgs, S. (2015). Disordered eating practices in gastrointestinal disorders. Appetite, 84, 240-250.