![]() ![]() Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in particular has been widely studied and proven to provide significant and long-lasting symptom improvement. Addressing mental health is a well-established and effective treatment for IBS. A good therapist can help you see your situation more clearly and arm you with techniques to deal with stress. If therapy is available to you, try it out. At that point your best bet is probably to learn to handle the stress better. Sometimes you aren’t able to change the source of your stress. But for the stress you can’t prevent, there are ways you can reduce its impact on your body - and on your IBS. But it’s worth taking the time to look at your biggest stressors and taking a proactive approach. Is there someone you need to improve your communication with? Is there a way out of a tough situation? Can you look for a new job? Can you go to therapy or couples counseling?įinding ways to reduce stress in life is totally individual. ![]() But oftentimes there are things we can do to reduce stress in a difficult situation. Some things just happen and we have no control. Look at the source of your stress with curiosity and see if there’s anything you can do about it. Here are some things you can do to prevent and manage stress: But if you can find ways to reduce and manage your stress, it can have an impact on the severity of your IBS symptoms. But what it means for you on a practical level is that strong emotions and stress can impact your IBS. Science is learning more every day about this gut-brain connection. There’s a reason we talk about having butterflies in our stomach when we’re nervous. So when something affects your brain, you feel it in your gut. Your brain and your gut are very closely connected. This week we’re going to focus on some non-food strategies to improve your IBS symptoms. Last week we talked about problematic foods that may be making your IBS symptoms worse. But if you’re not there yet, that’s okay! There’s still a lot you can do. The key to calming down your IBS is figuring out what your unique root cause actually is. I should know - I have worked with literally hundreds of patients (over 1000 now actually) who came to me because they were suffering with IBS symptoms. Just because there is so much variability among those who have IBS, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about it. □ Childhood trauma or a stressful early life event, or chronic stress □ Changes in the bacteria that live in your large intestine (microbiome) □ Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, or SIBO □ A bout with severe diarrhea caused by a virus or bacteria that triggers IBS □ GI muscles that don’t properly contract and move food along efficiently And there isn’t just one obvious root cause for IBS. IBS is a collection of symptoms that varies from person to person. It’s not like strep throat where there’s a specific pathogen and a tried-and-true treatment plan that works for pretty much everybody. Part of what makes IBS challenging is that every case is different. And while there’s no easy one-size-fits-all answer that will make your symptoms magically disappear, there are lots of things you can do. You’re sick of planning your life around your IBS symptoms. ![]()
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