Our Gut Heroes – Phoebe Morris
Our third and final ‘Gut Hero’ is Phoebe Morris aka @thefodmapper. Phoebe loves to create recipes that inspire those of us who want to nourish and nurture a happy gut. So, we grilled her on our burning foodie questions!
Phoebe Morris
When did your foodie obsession start?
I don’t remember a time I didn’t love food! At school, my girlfriends and I were always the first to race to the front of lunch queue, we spent break times spooning Betty Crocker icing from the tub or devouring countless sharing bags of crisps and pick and mix sweets. At weekends we would venture an hour into London to go out for food and whenever we hung out at each other’s houses, our parents would be amazed at how quickly we cleared out their snack cupboards!
Admittedly, while my love for food has stayed, as I’ve grown up, I eat less sugary foods and think a lot more about nourishing my body. I have also found a passion for cooking and an interest in the health and wellbeing industry.
That said, my friends and I do still sometimes surprise me with the amount of food we manage to get through when all together. Food is at the heart of our socialising!
What inspired you to make your blog/start your Instagram feed etc?
After a University diet of pizza, cheese toasties and alcohol– and a few other factors – my gut health was deteriorating. I was recommended by my Doctor to try the FODMAP diet. At first look, it was beyond confusing! There was a real lack of information about it online.
So, to help myself navigate through the elimination stage of the diet – and to motivate myself to stick to the plan and help my health, The Fodmapper was born! What was originally a blog, used as a diary to track my progress and share recipes with others struggling through the elimination stage, is now an Instagram feed and over time has grown to be more than just FODMAP focussed.
What are your top tips for a healthy gut?
There are so many things you can do to help your gut and one important thing to remember is that everyone is different. Three major things that work for me are:
- Eating three meals a day at regular mealtimes
- Managing stress levels- I find exercising really helps me here
- Drinking lots of water and peppermint tea
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is looking to improve their gut health what would it be and why?
Tricky! But I would probably advise to think about more than just your diet. I often wonder why I’m suffering from IBS symptoms when I’m eating well, and I find that my stress levels have a huge impact on my own gut health. The brain has a direct effect on digestion and a troubled brain sends signals to the gut, so finding ways to manage stress is really important.
What does good gut health mean to you?
There’s definitely not one answer here. My idea of a good and healthy gut is when my tummy feels happy and is digesting my food calmly. Good gut health is important for my overall wellbeing and energy levels.
What is the most interesting fact you have learned about gut health?
There are over 100 million brain cells in your gut – which is more than in your spinal cord!
What is your favourite food of all time?
Very tough question! It has to be peanut butter. What would life be without it?!
What is your favourite all time sauerkraut flavour?
Ginger and lemon. Ginger is great for digestion!
Kombucha or Kefir?
Kombucha.
What is your favourite RAW product?
Raw Cacao Brazilnut Bliss – it’s delicious!
