Sharing the story I needed but couldn’t find 💌

Hi, I’m Delma 👋 For most of my twenties, I lived with constant bloating and gut issues that no doctor could explain.

I spent thousands of dollars and saw multiple specialists, only to hear: “You’re young, you probably just have acid reflux, take some anti-acid pills.” The focus was always on suppressing symptoms instead of finding the root cause. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. My trust in the American healthcare system quickly crumbled as I realized my wellness wasn’t being taken seriously. I felt unseen, dismissed, frustrated.

The Symptoms I Couldn’t Ignore

Here’s what daily life looked like for me:

• All-day bloating and constant burping

• Mucus in my throat/nose

• Random patches of dry skin all over my body

• Daily fatigue and naps just to get through the day

• Headaches and brain fog

• Stomach pain after coffee, spicy or fried food

I tried elimination diets, cutting foods, every green powder that promised to cure me and even an endoscopy but nothing gave me real answers. I didn’t feel like myself at all and at my heaviest (162 lbs at 5’1”), I felt so hopeless. I hated how I looked in the mirror, how clothes fit on my body, I felt ugly! And I know so many women feel this too.

Shifting From Traditional to Holistic Care

After years of failed attempts with traditional medicine, I decided to shift toward a holistic approach. That’s when I found a naturopathic doctor who completely changed the trajectory of my life.

At my very first session, I was assigned a full panel of tests: hormones, blood, stool, and the one that changed everything, a food sensitivity test.

Disclaimer: this wasn’t cheap; it was about $4-5k out of pocket. I almost didn’t do it, but my mom reminded me:

“If you can spend thousands on Coachella every year without hesitation, you can spend thousands on your health.”

That truth bomb was the push I needed to invest in my health.

The Answers I’d Been Waiting For

Weeks later, I finally had clarity! For years I knew something deeper was wrong, but no one ever helped me figure it out. Now, I finally had answers to what my body had been trying to tell me all along.

The foods I thought were “healthy”, bananas, eggs, cottage cheese, whey protein, kale and black beans were triggering inflammation and high reactivity in my body.

For the first time in years, I walked out of a doctor’s office smiling. I felt validated, relieved, hopeful and more importantly, I had a plan.

From Chronic Bloat to Clarity

That’s why I started this blog: to share my real and imperfect journey to reclaiming my guy health through an 80/20 anti-inflammatory lifestyle that has allowed me to live bloat-free.

On this blog, you’ll find:

• Honest reflections on what it’s like to heal your gut when the healthcare system doesn’t take you seriously

• Honest takes on what it’s actually like to eat dairy-free, gluten-free, and egg-free in a world full of Greek yogurt bowls and cottage cheese recipes

• My experience balancing American “healthy” food culture while honoring my Latina food traditions

This is my journey from bloat to clarity. It’s a space for anyone who’s ever felt unheard, frustrated, or stuck in their gut-healing journey. Together, we’ll learn, eat, and live bloat-free, without chasing perfection.

👉 Why I Chose an 80/20 DF/EG/GF Lifestyle

👉 What I Learned After Spending $3,000 on Naturopathic Tests (And If They’re Worth It)