April is IBS awareness month
#IBSAwarenessMonth
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a fairly common disease that strikes anywhere between 10 – 15% of the general population at any given time.
It’s is a condition that affects the digestive system and a person may experience bloating, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and constipation. Some people can have IBS for most of their life. Food sometimes triggers it, at other times anxiety.
The digestive system will do it’s best to rid itself of any food it’s digesting when it’s under threat. If you’re running away from a Lion that’s trying to eat you, then the last thing your body wants to deal with is digesting.
Gut Flora
It’s not known why certain foods trigger the symptoms. Recent theories recognise the role of good gut flora and how stress and mental health can disrupt the bacterial growth. Certain foods can trigger the bloating, such as beans, pulses and milk. When these break down in the gut, if the bacteria is unhealthy it will turn the broken down food into methane.
Also see: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316165.php
What you think affects how your body behaves
I see a handful of IBS suffers every year and they are all different. Many have gone through the diet with a fine comb and have eliminated certain foods only to find that they are still suffering from the diarrhoea or constipation. Some get themselves into a right pickle with eating on certain days and avoiding food on others so they don’t need to find a toilet when out and about. The main differences between an IBS sufferer and a non-IBS sufferer are about their thoughts, feelings and beliefs.
Q and A
- I will need to find a toilet. – Yes, we all need a toilet, it’s natural. But if you’re out shopping most big department stores have a toilet.
- I feel embarrassed getting up during a management meeting and going to the loo. – It’s perfectly natural to go to the toilet. They are not going in there with you, they don’t care how many times you go. Making a joke about the problem is the best way to stop being embarrassed.
- If I want to go on a bus, train or plane I don’t like the confined space or the smell in the toilet.
– Don’t worry, nobody does. It’s just something we have to take in our stride. - If I’m on a coach, what if the driver won’t stop if I’m desperate. If you are being ill, ask them to pull into the service station, I’m sure they would prefer you do that than mess the coach.
You see there are many thoughts we have about the problem. Many of us are taught that bodily functions are disgusting and it’s not nice to think about them or even talk about them. Hypnotherapy can help you change the way you think and feel. So you’re not so stressed about going to the toilet. Accept that this is perfectly normal, all humans go to the toilet.
Call Penelope Today on 07508 658934 to make your life a bit easier.
Also see Hypnotherapy and IBS