My nutrition journey – allergies, intolerances, IBS, neurodivergence and recovery

My Health Journey

ByAbigail Longley

Understanding My Body Through Allergies, IBS, Neurodivergence and Recovery

This post shares my nutrition journey — a path shaped by allergies, intolerances, IBS, neurodivergence, cancer recovery and years of trying to understand my symptoms.

For most of my life, I’ve been told some version of the same sentence:

“You need to change how you eat to feel better.”

What I wasn’t given was the how.
Or the why.
Or the support to make those changes in a way that made sense for my brain, my body, and the unpredictable nature of my symptoms.

This is the story of how I slowly pieced everything together — allergies, intolerances, digestive symptoms, neurodivergence, low energy, cancer, recovery — and how these experiences shaped the work I do today.

🌱 My Nutrition Journey: Early Childhood Signs No One Connected

Looking back, my nutrition journey began long before I realised it. In the 1980s:

As a child, I developed dry, sore patches on my skin — especially on my wrists and face. They were always called “chapped,” but never explained.

Before nursery, I mainly drank fresh, unpasteurised goat’s milk and ate goat’s cheese from our herd at home. Once I started nursery and was given cow’s milk, the skin reactions began. Stopping school milk helped a little, but no one connected the dots.

I also regualrly had stomach bugs, and my mum always put me on water only for 24 to 48 hours when it didnt clear, and it always cleared up with that.

👉 NHS – Psoriasis: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/psoriasis/
👉 NHS – Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/atopic-eczema/

🌿 Teenage Years: Psoriasis, Eczema & Food Reactions

Throughout my teens I lived with eczema and psoriasis, alongside a strong aversion to chilli. It caused significant pain, but at the time it was treated as “sensitivity,” not a potential allergy.

🌧 1996: Glandular Fever & Long-Term Fatigue

After glandular fever at 17:

  • My energy levels crashed and struggled to recover
  • My throat reacted severely to chilli
  • Chronic headaches and migraines began
  • Psoriasis briefly cleared on steroids
  • I reacted to penicillin

This was the beginning of a long phase of unpredictable symptoms.

🔥 2000–2001: Severe Reactions & First Major Breakthroughs

This stage of my nutrition journey taught me how transformative the right dietary approach can be.

In 2000, I experienced my first severe reaction to chilli, confirming what I’d felt for years: this wasn’t psychological or “fussy eating.”

I also developed sensitivities to:

  • Make-up
  • Shampoo
  • Detergents
  • Other chemical products

In 2001, I was advised to cut out cow’s milk. (but end up being all lactose and milk)

The results were dramatic:

  • 🌿 Psoriasis reduced
  • 🌿 Chronic headaches lifted
  • 🌿 Migraines decreased
  • 🌿 My energy improved enough to walk again

For the first time, I saw how much food was affecting my whole body.

As my nutrition journey unfolded, I slowly pieced together that, for example, cow’s milk helped reduce psoriasis and skin conditions, but no milk reduced the headaches and migraines (allergies and intolerances).

👉 NHS – Food intolerance
👉 NHS – Food Allergy: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-allergy/
👉 NHS – Anaphylaxis: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anaphylaxis/

⚠️ 2000s: Peanut Allergy & Allergy Clinic Warnings

Testing confirmed a peanut allergy, and I was told to avoid peanuts completely because of my risk of anaphylaxis.

👉 NHS – Food allergy This covers the basics of food allergy symptoms and what to do.

Between 2003–2012, I had:

  • Several A&E visits for reactions
  • Multiple specialist allergy clinic appointments
  • More foods removed due to high anaphylaxis risk

It was frightening and destabilising — and still, no one could fully explain what my body was doing.

📘 2015: Food Diary Discoveries

A detailed food diary changed everything.

I discovered:

  • A 50/50 chance of reacting to beef (pain, gas, bloating)
  • Gluten worsened symptoms when diarrhoea was already present
  • Plums consistently caused issues

For the first time, I could see patterns emerging.
👉 NHS – Food Intolerance: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-intolerance/

🔶 2020: Rising Abdominal Pain

Around 2020, my abdominal pain increased. I experimented with various diets, removed gluten for a while, then reintroduced it. Nothing resolved the underlying issue.

⚠️ 2023: IBS Diagnosis & FODMAP Clarity

In early 2023, my bowel movements became erratic and difficult to manage.
IBS was finally suggested — something no one had ever mentioned to me before.

👉 Gateshead Health – Worried about your bowels?

Sept 2023 — FODMAP Elimination

Through structured reintroduction, I discovered my largest gut triggers:

  • Alliums (onion, garlic, leeks, chives)
  • Gluten

This brought some relief — but only for a short time.

👉 NHS – IBS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/
👉 NHS – FODMAP Diet Overview (Kings College / NHS link):
https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/low-fodmap-diet

🎗 Oct–Dec 2023: Cancer Diagnosis & Recovery

In October 2023, further investigations revealed bowel cancer.

👉 NHS – Symptoms of bowel cancer

In December 2023, surgeons successfully removed the cancer.
In January 2024, I received confirmation that the surgery had been completely successful.

However, my IBS symptoms continued, reminding me that digestive conditions and cancer can coexist but have different causes.

🌼 Spring 2024: The Birth of Nutritional Harmony

During recovery, I realised how many people live with:

  • Allergies
  • Intolerances
  • IBS
  • Low energy
  • Neurodivergence
  • Confusing advice
  • Unpredictable symptoms
  • Fear of reactions
  • A feeling of not being understood

I wanted to create the kind of support I wished I had.
And so, Nutritional Harmony began.

🧠 2024–2025: Neurodivergence Identified

From summer 2024 onward, everything clicked into place.

  • ADHD traits
  • Dyspraxia/DCD traits
  • Dyslexia traits
  • Autism waiting list (Oct 2025)

These discoveries explained decades of struggles with:

  • Routine
  • Executive function
  • Energy
  • Decision fatigue
  • Sensory overwhelm
  • Meal planning
  • Eating on low-spoon days

In April 2025, I was formally placed on the ADHD waiting list.

⚠️ June 2025: Sensory Reactions & Burnout

In June, I experienced a severe reaction to someone who had cannabis oil impreginated in their skin— despite not touching or consuming anything myself.

Around the same time, I hit a major neurodivergent burnout, impacting energy, mood, executive function, and my ability to manage daily life.

🌿 Why My Nutrition Journey Matters for My Work Today

Today, my nutrition journey shapes how I support others navigating similar challenges.

My journey has been shaped by:

  • Allergies
  • Intolerances
  • IBS
  • Fatigue
  • Neurodivergence
  • Cancer
  • Recovery
  • Low-energy seasons
  • Confusing medical advice

These experiences are the reason my approach is:

  • 🌱 Gentle
  • 🌱 Unpressured
  • 🌱 Flexible
  • 🌱 Evidence-informed
  • 🌱 Neurodivergent-friendly
  • 🌱 Compassionate
  • 🌱 Realistic

Nutrition is never just about food.
It’s about your body, your life, your capacity, and your experiences.

And you deserve support that recognises all of that.

💚 Where You Can Go From Here

If you’re navigating similar symptoms, you are not alone.

Here are gentle next steps:

👉 Start Here (coming soon)
👉 Browse my blog: https://nutritionalharmony.blog
👉 Explore free tools: https://nutritionalharmony.co.uk/free-resources-and-tools

And if you’d like personalised support, I’ll soon be opening 1:1 nutrition coaching spaces.


💬 Helpful NHS Resources

Food Allergy
Food Intolerance
IBS
Low FODMAP Diet
Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Psoriasis