Is Tranquility The Best Treatment For IBS?
Are your gut symptoms messing with your head?
Or is it your head symptoms messing with your gut?
Quite honestly, it’s probably a bit of both.
A growing body of research has focused on the relationship between the intestinal tract and the brain.
And for good reason.
Stress is a major factor when it comes to gut issues such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain.
More often than not, a patient will seek the counsel of a medical professional, receive a diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (if there is no indication of another condition) and be told to follow a different diet...usually low FODMAP.
While this doesn’t appear explicitly problematic, it discounts the fact that in several systematic reviews published at the beginning of the 2000s, the proportion of patients who met the criteria for any psychiatric diagnosis ranged from 40%-94% within the population of those diagnosed with IBS.
It is also important to note that IBS symptoms are typically higher during times of increased stress.
So what can we do besides changing the food you eat?
A LOT! We can actually do a lot.
Healthy Mind, Healthy Gut.
You might be surprised to hear that someone who makes a career out of giving dietary guidance is telling a broad audience to look beyond just food to answer their problems.
Well, you shouldn’t be!
Food habits take time to break and build and a lot of the foods found in the standard american diet (SAD 😢, I really love that acronym) actually contribute to a dysfunctional gut microbiome which, among other things, can make a person far less resilient against stress and fatigue.
So if we accept that dietary changes:
Are hard, and take time.
Aren’t the only thing that works
We have to then ask, where else can we turn?
To the most powerful organ of them all, the brain.
In the section to come I will discuss 3 evidence-based strategies to improve gut health that having nothing to do with what you eat, and everything to do with how you feel.
1. Meditation:
“[M]editation appears to be a viable treatment for IBS” (1)
A sentiment which has since been echoed in a 2017 review (2) which found evidence that meditation helps to regulate the human stress response, leading to a net positive effect on your gut microbiota.
So do you have 10 minutes a day to spare? There are plenty of apps, Headspace being my personal favorite, that can help.
Can’t be bothered to download an app, read the section below for my meditation “cheat notes”.
How To Meditate ( In 150 words):
Meditating is defined by dictionary.com as thinking deeply or focusing one's mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation. If we take this definition at face value it seems pretty simple: Sit still, focus on something (perhaps a mantra), breathe and let go.
I can tell you from experience that it is never that simple, at least at first, but we can simplify it:
Get yourself comfortable in a seated position. Once you are centered set a timer on your phone for 5 minutes (let’s start small).
Take a deep breath in and on the exhale gently close your eyes. Once you have settled in and taken note of how you feel both physically and emotionally start counting your breath, keeping it at a natural pace.
Count to 10 and then start over. Whenever you find that your mind has wandered, simply acknowledge it and bring it back to the breath count.
Chances are you will be terrible at this at first, I know I was. But practice makes it easier and the more you practice the more you will build your mental and emotional resilience.
2. Diaphragmatic breathing: Also known colloquially as deep breathing and scientifically as eupnea, Diaphragmatic breathing entails exactly what it sounds like; using your diaphragm to breathe.
“Diaphragmatic breathing engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which can downregulate pain thresholds and normalize gut motility.” (3)
It may seem surprising to some that breathing can have such a dramatic effect on one’s health but it is one of the most effective relaxation techniques, exemplified by a 2017 study which found that breathing in this way actually reduces cortisol levels. (4)
Have I got you intrigued? Wondering how to do it? A quick how-to can be found here.
3. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT): For those that haven’t heard of it before, CBT is best defined as a “ a short-term, skills-based therapy approach that focuses on modifying behaviors and altering dysfunctional thinking patterns to influence mood and physiological symptoms.”
While therapy may seem a little out of left field when we are discussing stomach issues, it can be one of the most helpful non-dietary steps you can take to improve your symptoms..
In fact, CBT has been proven effective at improving symptoms and quality of life in IBS sufferers at the highest levels of scientific inquiry. (5)
Now obviously there are logistical and financial barriers when it comes to broad access to a therapist with experience in this mode of practice, but the good news is that interventions using either web or telephone-based CBT ( which can increase accessibility) are proven to be an effective addition to standard IBS treatment regimens.
Final Thoughts
The goal of today’s article is to help you understand that, although your gut is so heavily influenced by what you eat, there are options beyond just dietary changes to help improve how you experience common digestive ailments such as IBS.
And although I’ve taken a very technical approach to the subject, remember that anything that you find relaxing, can do regularly and would describe as your own personal self-care can play a role.
This can be knitting, coloring, reading, taking time away from your kids and hiding in a closet (just kidding, but seriously), visiting your favorite places, giving yourself permission to just sit (or walk) and listen to music for 10 minutes, gratitude journaling, epsom salt bath...whatever it is that you love.
Hope this helped!
Alex