If you are feeling in the dark with your IBS, you’re not alone. I spent 25 years there before I saw the light!
When you are in the midst of everyday living it can be incredibly hard to understand what’s going on with IBS.
It can seem so unclear which triggers are causing what type of reaction, and you can end up feeling thwarted and just tired of it all.
Getting clear when you’re in the dark about your IBS
Maybe you have already realized this, but there are many different types of IBS triggers. Because IBS is strongly linked to digestion, this is where IBS sufferers, and doctors, logically concentrate all their efforts. However, this is only part of the mind-body-emotion-energy equation.
Rewinding the film
You are here today with specific recurrent symptoms that are driving you mad.
This is where you are now: in the dark. But to find the underlying problems or triggers to your IBS, one approach is to rewind the film.
In the same way a detective goes back and inspects the scene of a crime, go back to when your last set of symptoms started up and look for clues. But this time take NO notice about what you were eating.
Examine the scene as if you had no problems with food at all.
Why? So you can pay more attention on what else is going on in the background!
Watch out for links
Be sure to also consider look links with other seemingly unrelated physical conditions, especially types of inflammation or problems with the immune system.
You would be surprised just how often there is a relationship between them, different expressions of a same root problem or unresolved experience.
Why Diana is in the dark about her IBS
Diana has had IBS symptoms on and off since she started her career. However, they have become much worse over the past year since being prescribed several courses of antibiotics.
By reading around she finds out that taking antibiotics can really deregulate the gut microbiome. Antibiotics have a tendency to kill off some of the “good” bacteria” in the gut involved in digesting.
She may even have developed Candida, Sibo or have H Pylori.
She could get treated for that, but the underlying problem has not been solved – and will probably be back.
An essential question is missing: Why did she need antibiotics in the first place?
It was to treat tonsillitis (inflammation).
What caused the tonsillitis? What has been going on in her life?
The tonsils are part of the immune system, filtering what goes through the throat.
Was she not being listened to, or having trouble expressing her needs?
By seeing and feeling what was at the origin of the problem, she can start to address that and re-balance her system.
Your experience with IBS symptoms will probably be different. But you may well be dealing with inflammation somewhere (spasms in your gut, reflux or GERD, headaches, nausea…)
When the immune system is inflamed it is an indication of imbalance, in your body, your thoughts, your emotions and/or your energy.
By seeing and feeling what was at the origin of the problem, you can start to address that and re-balance your system.
Digging deeper
Dig deep into your symptoms and your flare-ups.
Look for what triggers you. Everything. Not just food.
And use these 4 keys to help you.
Dig deep into your story and any other physical conditions you may have.
What do you notice?
Shedding light on your IBS
If you are serious about beating IBS, you need to get good at noticing what is happening inside of you.
I created this challenge to help you go from being in the dark with your IBS – to clearly understanding what’s going on.
Not by studying someone else. But through a series of mini-challenges and focused experiments – on yourself!
You’ll understand what moves the needle with IBS – and what is just wasting your time and draining your energy.