How to take control of your IBS by managing your stress levels and changing your diet. Great combination… most effective treatment found!
It’s IBS Awareness Month throughout April which highlights this common condition that affects so many people of different ages including children.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common condition affecting the bowel and symptoms include diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps which can vary in severity from person to person. 10-20% of people in the UK suffer from IBS at any one time, although this figure could be higher as not everyone with symptoms sees their GP. Women are twice as likely than men to be affected. (1)
No one knows the exact cause of IBS but it is linked to the digestion system and the gut experiencing sensitivity, which can cause food to move too fast through the body causing diarrhoea or too slowly causing constipation. Serotonin levels can increase after eating certain foods and if affected by stress, it can stop the gut from functioning normally. This is very interesting as Serotonin is a chemical produced in the body which makes the nervous system cells and the brain cells communicate with each other, and too little Serotonin can cause depression.
There are certain triggers that can cause IBS to appear and cause an attack and make the symptoms worse. Triggers include the following:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common condition affecting the bowel and symptoms include diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps which can vary in severity from person to person. 10-20% of people in the UK suffer from IBS at any one time, although this figure could be higher as not everyone with symptoms sees their GP. Women are twice as likely than men to be affected. (1)
No one knows the exact cause of IBS but it is linked to the digestion system and the gut experiencing sensitivity, which can cause food to move too fast through the body causing diarrhoea or too slowly causing constipation. Serotonin levels can increase after eating certain foods and if affected by stress, it can stop the gut from functioning normally. This is very interesting as Serotonin is a chemical produced in the body which makes the nervous system cells and the brain cells communicate with each other, and too little Serotonin can cause depression.
There are certain triggers that can cause IBS to appear and cause an attack and make the symptoms worse. Triggers include the following:
- Stress – This is a common trigger of IBS, and although not always possible to avoid stress, but there are ways to learn how to manage your stress levels can help a lot.
2. Diet – Certain foods and drinks can cause symptoms of IBS, these vary from person to person but common triggers include fibre, caffeine, fizzy drinks, chocolate, fried or fatty foods, alcohol and processed foods. Keeping a food diary can help identify food triggers that may be causing an attack.
3. Female Hormones- Symptoms can occur or worsen around the time of a period. Diet can also help stabilise these hormones.
4. Medication- Some medicines can cause symptoms of IBS or cause an upset stomach such as iron, antibiotics or painkillers.
Ways to best manage your IBS.
4. Medication- Some medicines can cause symptoms of IBS or cause an upset stomach such as iron, antibiotics or painkillers.
Ways to best manage your IBS.
1. Stress Reduction – IBS doesn’t have to control you and there are a number of different ways you can help manage your stress levels by making a few simple lifestyle changes such as regular exercise including walking, swimming, running, meditation, yoga, pilates or tai chi. Also teaching yourself different relaxation techniques to use when you feel under stress, such as breathing and meditation exercises.”
2. Diet - Keeping a food diary can help identify food triggers that may be causing an attack.
3. Hypnotherapy
As mentioned before IBS affects people differently so some treatments will work for some people but not for others.
IBS Article in Daily Mail Online (2), highlights this and also reported on the following benefits of hypnotherapy in the treatment of IBS…
" 71% of over 200 patients at Withington Hospital in Manchester studied had improved bowel habits, or stool frequency and consistency, after they underwent hypnotherapy.
Extracolonic symptoms reported by the patients, such as lethargy, body pains, backache, and urinary symptoms improved after hypnotherapy. The therapy also reportedly improved the patients’ quality of life and reduced their anxiety and depression."
The NHS now also understands the effectiveness of Hypnotherapy in the treatment of IBS (3)
By getting to the root problem of what is causing you stress and unlocking any negative emotions and limiting beliefs and combining this with a change in your diet you can start to feel the best you have felt in a long while.
One of Nicky’s clients said “After having hypnotherapy with Nicky to tackle my long term IBS issue I am so much more relaxed and happy with my life that my gut is finally behaving and able to get on with my life”, Liz, Farnham.
For More Media Information Please Contact:__
Editor Notes:
References below linked to the numbers stated above, plus some other reading used to produce this blog.
1)http://www.ibs-relief.co.uk/what-is-ibs/index.htm
2)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3261141/How-banished-pain-IBS-good-Millions-struggle-Irritable-Bowel-Syndrome-s-notoriously-hard-treat-Three-sufferers-reveal-worked-them.html
3)http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/Treatment.aspx
As mentioned before IBS affects people differently so some treatments will work for some people but not for others.
IBS Article in Daily Mail Online (2), highlights this and also reported on the following benefits of hypnotherapy in the treatment of IBS…
" 71% of over 200 patients at Withington Hospital in Manchester studied had improved bowel habits, or stool frequency and consistency, after they underwent hypnotherapy.
Extracolonic symptoms reported by the patients, such as lethargy, body pains, backache, and urinary symptoms improved after hypnotherapy. The therapy also reportedly improved the patients’ quality of life and reduced their anxiety and depression."
The NHS now also understands the effectiveness of Hypnotherapy in the treatment of IBS (3)
By getting to the root problem of what is causing you stress and unlocking any negative emotions and limiting beliefs and combining this with a change in your diet you can start to feel the best you have felt in a long while.
One of Nicky’s clients said “After having hypnotherapy with Nicky to tackle my long term IBS issue I am so much more relaxed and happy with my life that my gut is finally behaving and able to get on with my life”, Liz, Farnham.
For More Media Information Please Contact:__
Editor Notes:
References below linked to the numbers stated above, plus some other reading used to produce this blog.
1)http://www.ibs-relief.co.uk/what-is-ibs/index.htm
2)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3261141/How-banished-pain-IBS-good-Millions-struggle-Irritable-Bowel-Syndrome-s-notoriously-hard-treat-Three-sufferers-reveal-worked-them.html
3)http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/Treatment.aspx
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