Alex Jagiello - IBS Dietitian

07/08/2026

Serotonin in your gut is less like a volume dial and more like a communication network.

Specialised cells in the intestinal lining can release serotonin in response to signals such as stretch, nutrients and microbial metabolites.

But release is only the beginning.

What happens next depends on:

→ which receptor receives the signal
→ where that receptor is located
→ how nearby nerves and cells respond
→ how quickly SERT helps clear the serotonin

This is why IBS cannot be reduced to having “too much” or “too little” serotonin.

Research suggests that different parts of this signalling system may be altered in IBS, but the pattern is not identical in every person or IBS subtype. Serotonin may influence motility, secretion and visceral sensation, but it is only one part of a much larger picture.

Understanding the physiology can help symptoms feel less mysterious. During a flare, however, you also need practical steps.

Comment FLARE FIX and I’ll send you my free 3-step IBS Flare Fix.

Save this carousel for when you want to revisit the science.

06/08/2026

IBS can make it tempting to skip meals, remove another food, buy a new supplement or analyse every bite. But more rules don’t always create more clarity.

Sometimes the more helpful next step is to slow down, look for patterns that repeat and follow advice that helps food feel less frightening, not more restricted.

Which slide felt most relevant today?

Save this for the next difficult gut week when you start questioning everything.

If you’re dealing with a flare-up, my free IBS Flare Fix shares three practical steps to help you decide what to do next. Find it through the link in my bio.

General education only, not individual dietetic advice.

05/08/2026

👇 Comment CLARITY and I’ll send you the link to book your free 30-minute IBS Clarity Call.

If you’re wondering whether your symptoms can get better, this call is where we find out.

We’ll talk through your symptoms, what’s happened so far, what you’ve already tried, and whether I think I can genuinely help.

If I can, I’ll explain what that journey could look like. If I can’t, I’ll tell you that too and point you in the right direction.

No pressure. No obligation. Just an opportunity to get personalised guidance from a UK Registered Dietitian who specialises in IBS.

04/08/2026

04/08/2026

Occupational hazard of being an IBS dietitian. 😂

To be fair... your gut usually tells me a lot more than “I’m fine” ever could.

If you’ve worked with me before, you’ll know that one simple question often opens the door to understanding why your symptoms are happening, not just how to manage them.

Your bowel habits can reveal patterns that help us piece together the bigger picture, from constipation and diarrhoea to bloating, urgency and abdominal pain.

So yes... I probably will ask about your bowels before I ask how your weekend was. 🤷‍♀️

👇 What’s the most unexpected question a healthcare professional has ever asked you?

02/08/2026

Your gut can make an impressive amount of noise, especially when the room is quiet and you would really prefer it not to. 😅

These rumbles and gurgles are called borborygmi. They are created when muscular contractions move gas, fluid and digestive contents through the stomach and intestines. Because the bowel is a hollow tube, this movement can sound surprisingly loud.

You may notice more noise after eating, when digestion stimulates intestinal movement, or between meals, when the digestive tract enters a fasting pattern.

This fasting pattern is called the migrating motor complex, or MMC. It occurs in cycles and helps move remaining food particles, secretions and bacteria through the stomach and small intestine. Once you eat, the MMC pauses and is replaced by the movements needed to digest your meal.

A loud rumble cannot tell you how much gas is inside your bowel. The sound also depends on how gas and fluid are moving, the shape and tension of the bowel, and how effectively the sound travels through your abdomen.

Gut noises alone cannot diagnose IBS, a food intolerance or another digestive condition. If they happen without concerning symptoms, they are usually part of normal digestive physiology, so there is no need to remove foods simply because your abdomen has become noisy.

Seek medical advice if a significant change in bowel sounds occurs alongside severe or persistent pain, marked swelling, repeated vomiting, unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool, or difficulty passing stool or wind.

Understanding what your digestive system is doing can make these noises feel far less mysterious and help you recognise which symptoms genuinely need further investigation.

This is exactly the kind of gut science we explore inside the IBS Support Cycle, alongside practical support to help you understand your own symptom patterns.

Comment CYCLE and I’ll send you the link to the IBS Support Cycle 💖

31/07/2026

Save this if you want a simple low FODMAP jacket potato idea 💗

Jacket potatoes can be such a practical lunch or easy dinner when you want something warm, filling and not too complicated. The base is simple, but the toppings make a big difference, especially if you are checking ingredients during the low FODMAP elimination phase.

How to bake the potato:
Scrub 1 medium baking potato, prick it with a fork, rub it with a little olive oil and bake at 200°C for around 60–75 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the inside is soft. You can also microwave it first for 6–8 minutes, then finish it in the oven or air fryer to crisp the skin.

Here are 4 low FODMAP topping ideas to try:

1. Tuna Chive
Top with tinned tuna (90 g), mayonnaise (1 tbsp), chopped chives and black pepper. Mix the tuna, mayo and chives together first, then spoon over the potato.

2. Feta Tomato
Top with feta (40 g), tomato (65 g), garlic-infused oil (1 tbsp), and oregano. Crumble the feta, chop the tomato and drizzle with garlic-infused oil for a simple Mediterranean-style option.

3. Chicken Pepper
Top with shredded chicken (75 g), red pepper (40 g), lactose-free yoghurt (2 tbsp), and smoked paprika. Mix the yoghurt with smoked paprika first, then spoon over the chicken and potato.

4. Cottage Cheese Cucumber
Top with lactose-free cottage cheese (80 g), cucumber (75 g), chive yoghurt (2 tbsp), and dill. This one works well as a cooler, creamy topping.

A few notes:
Check labels on mayonnaise, tinned tuna, cooked chicken, lactose-free cottage cheese and lactose-free yoghurt for higher-FODMAP additions such as onion, garlic, inulin, chicory root fibre, honey, apple fibre or polyols.

Use garlic-infused oil rather than garlic pieces or garlic paste if you are following the low FODMAP diet more closely.

Plain white potatoes are naturally low FODMAP, but toppings and portions still matter. Guidance can change, so it is worth checking the Monash University FODMAP app or FODMAP Friendly app for the latest serving information.

Save this for later and send it to someone who may need these ideas.

low FODMAP jacket potato, IBS lunch ideas, low FODMAP lunch, IBS dietitian

29/07/2026

If your IBS pain becomes intense enough to stop you in your tracks, being told that your tests are “normal” may leave you feeling confused, or even dismissed.

But normal test results do not make your pain any less real.

With IBS, the nerves carrying messages between your gut and brain can become more sensitive. This means ordinary digestive changes, such as gas, bowel movements or stretching after a meal, may be interpreted as uncomfortable or painful.

This can also explain why another person can eat the same food without discomfort, while your gut responds very differently.

Food can still influence your symptoms, but continually removing more foods may not address everything contributing to the pain. Understanding your symptoms more fully can help you make a clearer, more targeted plan without unnecessarily restricting your diet.

If you’re tired of trying to work this out alone, the IBS Support Cycle gives you practical education and professional support to help you better understand your gut and decide what to focus on next.

Comment CYCLE and I’ll send you the details 💬

If your pain is new, severe, changing or has not been medically assessed, please speak to your doctor rather than assuming it is caused by IBS.

28/07/2026

IBS can take up far more headspace than anyone around you realises.

You’re not simply choosing what to eat. You’re calculating whether it might trigger bloating, pain or urgency later.

You’re not simply travelling to work. You’re thinking about the commute, where the toilets are and what you’ll do if your symptoms suddenly become worse.

Even making plans can come with another round of questions:

Will I feel well enough to go?
What will I be able to eat?
Should I cancel now, just in case?

When you’ve already tried eliminating foods, following generic IBS advice or taking different supplements, it can be incredibly frustrating to still feel as though you’re guessing.

Your symptoms, health history, eating pattern and potential triggers need to be looked at together. That’s what we begin to explore during my free 30-minute IBS Clarity Call.

We’ll discuss what has been happening, what you’ve already tried and what may be missing from your current approach, so you can understand what a more personalised next step could look like.

Comment CALL below and I’ll send you the short application.