Posted: April 14, 2025

By Prince McClinton, FNP

As a Nurse Practitioner and provider, I’ve treated many patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome — but what I don’t always share is that I was once one of them.

This April, during IBS Awareness Month, I’m sharing my own journey with IBS-C (IBS with Constipation) in hopes that it encourages someone else to dig deeper and take their health seriously.

For years, I battled constant bloating, irregularity, and stomach pain. I tried everything — stool softeners, fiber supplements, prescription meds — and some of them made things worse.

At one point, I became toxic from medications my body couldn’t even eliminate properly. I was walking around inflamed, exhausted, mentally foggy, and emotionally drained.

The experience humbled me. And it changed me — as a woman, as a mom, and as a healthcare provider.

That journey led me to learn more about gut health as the foundation of wellness, and it’s now one of the core focuses of what we do at Vita Tempus Wellness.

Here’s what I now know as both a patient and a provider:

Mental health and gut health are deeply connected. The gut-brain axis can impact your mood, anxiety, and cognitive function.

Chronic disease starts in the gut. Inflammation, poor absorption, and dysbiosis can all lead to long-term health issues.

Sustainable weight loss won’t happen with a sluggish, toxic gut. Many of my patients struggle with this — and we get to the root by addressing their gut first.

Healing my gut helped me reclaim my energy, focus, and confidence.

Now I’m on a mission to help others do the same.

If you’re struggling with IBS, chronic bloating, or digestive discomfort — you are not alone, and you do not have to suffer in silence. There’s more to wellness than another prescription. There’s healing available when we truly listen to what the body is trying to say.

Let this IBS Awareness Month be a turning point for you.

As a provider who has been there — I see you. I believe you. And I’m here to help you heal.

Prince McClinton, MSN, FNP

Co-Founder & Provider, Vita Tempus Wellness

“Elevate Your Health. Transform Your Life.”