Celebrity Health – Maia Dunphy

Image of Maia Dunphy © David Cantwell for Vision Independent Productions

Maia Dunphy is an Irish TV broadcaster, writer, and producer who switched to appearing on TV after spending a decade behind the scenes in writing and production. She fronted a series of documentaries before going on to present her series What Women Want, which earned widespread praise. Beyond television, Maia, who is a mother of one, has authored The M Word, a humorous yet heartfelt book on motherhood, and co-hosted the podcast Read the Room. A passionate advocate for wildlife conservation, Maia recently appeared on our screens co-hosting RTÉ’s Zoo Live.

Hello Maia! You have spoken openly in the past about your struggles with IBS. Can you tell us a bit about this?

I began to suffer with severe stomach pains and bloating in my mid-teens, and once other conditions were ruled out, our family GP said it was likely to be IBS. This was 30 years ago, and even though the term had been around since the 1940s, it didn’t seem to be a common diagnosis.

I just wanted to know how to get rid of it! Our GP Dr Hannon was way ahead of her time, and told me that I’d have to learn to manage it, work out the things that make it worse, but also that in her experience of it, she had never met anyone with IBS who wasn’t “also a worrier”. She was right!

What strategies do you use to manage your stress?

We know so much about the gut-brain axis now, and are learning more all of the time. I think everyone knows how stress can affect the gut – IBS aside. Most people have experienced butterflies in their tummy or maybe getting an upset stomach on the day of an exam or important presentation. It’s taken me a long time to learn to deal with stress differently. But now I try to pause and think about what it is that’s worrying me, what is factual and what I’ve built up to be more than it is, and how in 24 hours what’s worrying me today won’t matter. Of course there are bigger worries in life we all have to deal with that don’t pass quickly, but if we can try not to sweat the small stuff, it makes the rest a little more manageable.

What other steps have you taken to manage your IBS symptoms?

The irony was, in the 90s, I thought I was being healthy eating lots of fruit, and things like packets of raisins, but that was aggravating my stomach. I eat very little fruit now, but make up for it with lots of vegetables. I’ve worked out over the years what makes the symptoms worse. I can’t look at raw onion, and unfortunately coffee and wine aren’t great for me. Prosecco is the worst – it’s like bottled cramps for me! This won’t be the case for everyone though. When probiotics became commonplace, I tried them all, but nothing really made a difference until I started taking a supplement called Alflorex about seven years ago. To say it was life-changing isn’t an overstatement. I used to get sudden onset attacks of stomach cramping a few times a month that were so severe, I’d have to leave wherever I was. It pretty much eradicated them. I double up with PrecisionBiotics’s Zenflore supplement too now.

Do you like to follow a healthy diet?

A lot of people my age (especially women) have cut down on carbs, but this wouldn’t suit me at all. Bread, potatoes, rice or pasta are staples for me, and I’m a hound for crisps! Breakfast is always eggs on brown bread, sometimes with half an avocado. I always have a couple of biscuits mid-morning. Lunch is usually a sandwich or salad, and dinner is more substantial, typically something from a list of chicken, salmon, vegetables, rice, pasta or noodles. I have chocolate most evenings. I don’t eat much red meat, but will eat it if I’m out cooking for my Dad. I do eat quite a lot, and I can’t miss meals or it doesn’t end well for anyone!

Do you enjoy exercise?

I walk everywhere. I only learned to drive two years ago, so have put on a few pounds since then, as now I can drive rather than walk, but I do still try to prioritise walking! I do mat Pilates on a Monday morning with school mums, and yoga on a Friday. I know I need to start doing more weight-based exercise.

Do you shop in health food stores?

I do pop into health food stores for things you mightn’t expect! Big tubs of organic stock powder (very handy if you need more or less than a standard stock cube!) plus some spices I always keep to hand and lavender oil I use in a diffuser at night. It’s amazing the things people mightn’t realise they stock. I always pick up a copy of Rude Health too.

Do you have any projects coming up this year?

I’m doing a lot of writing and development work at the moment, which is great as you can work from home and don’t have to worry about make-up!

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