Ep 49: Navigating Food Reintroduction with a Flexible Mindset
May 2, 2024
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Dr. Laurie Keefer, GI Health Psychologist, discusses the importance of a flexible mindset in food reintroduction for chronic digestive disorders. She emphasizes resilience, curiosity, and self-compassion in navigating food sensitivities. The podcast explores the gut-brain connection, managing symptoms, and building resilience in health journeys.
Having a flexible mindset is crucial for easier food reintroduction, fostering curiosity and openness.
Understanding gut sensations and differentiating between symptoms and signals are essential when dealing with food sensitivities.
Deep dives
Importance of Mindset in Food Reintroduction
Having a flexible, curious, and resilient mindset is crucial for easier food reintroduction. Dr. Lori Kiefer, a GI Health Psychologist, emphasizes that a positive mindset can help individuals navigate conditioned food sensitivities effectively. This mindset fosters curiosity and openness, allowing individuals to approach food reintroduction with flexibility and acceptance of potential outcomes. By maintaining a flexible mindset, one can test hypotheses, learn from experiences, and adjust dietary choices based on feedback, leading to a more adaptive and successful approach to expanding their diet.
Understanding Transient Sensations and Mind-Body Connection
Acknowledging transient sensations in the gut and understanding the mind-body connection are key aspects when dealing with food sensitivities. Dr. Lori Kiefer highlights the importance of differentiating between pathological symptoms and transient signals, which may not necessarily indicate a harmful reaction. She compares gut sensations to a fire alarm, where one's response depends on their interpretation of the situation. Recognizing that not all symptoms are causally linked to food helps individuals navigate the complexity of food reintroduction more effectively.
Developing Resilience in Health Journey
Building resilience plays a significant role in managing health challenges and fostering personal growth. Dr. Lori Kiefer discusses the multi-faceted nature of resilience, including physiological and psychological components. She emphasizes the importance of acceptance, optimism, social support, self-regulation, and self-confidence in cultivating resilience. Developing resilience not only aids in overcoming health obstacles but also equips individuals with valuable coping skills that can be applied to various aspects of life. The iterative process of building resilience through experience enhances one's ability to face challenges and uncertainty with strength and adaptability.
Dr. Laurie Keefer discusses how a flexible, curious and resilient mindset makes food reintroduction easier. She will also share her expertise and practical tips on how to make this change.
Dr Laurie Keefer, PhD is a GI Health Psychologist and Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She has a more than 20 years of experience in the development and implementation of behavioral therapies for chronic digestive disorders, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). She currently directs the GRITT Program, an integrated care model for Crohn's and ulcerative colitis patients within the IBD Center at Mount Sinai Hospital. She maintains a clinical practice focused on psychosocial concerns among medically complex IBD.
If you would like help from a GI Psychologist, please visit the GastroPsych section on the Rome Foundation website (access here).
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