The IBS vicious circle – and how to change it

Here’s how to start breaking that IBS vicious circle, and get some relief!
Have you ever felt “IBS is ruining my life!” And have you ever fixed one of your IBS symptoms, just to find your solution stops working – or new symptoms suddenly appear? If so, this is for you.

How the IBS viscious cycle works

When IBS flares up, it is a real pain in every sense of the word.  You want a quick fix,  something – anything just to feel better and be able to get on with what you have to do.

You go to the doctor or local pharmacist and take medication – which often deals with the symptoms by covering them up. The pain or discomfort has gone, but the root cause is still there.

So you get back to living your life –  and forget about IBS.

Until…. your body reminds you that you haven’t sorted out the problem yet. You’ll get the same symptoms back, which you will treat with meds and cover them up again.

As you are not listening to your body, or you can’t read the signs, the symptoms gradually get stronger, and you may well find you have new ones.

So you’ll need some new pills to get by, and set off in search of new solutions. Until you find the next quick fix – and go back to old habits.

Guess what? Your body still isn’t right, so it will tell you again that it needs support.

And so it goes. This is the IBS vicious circle.

How to stop the IBS vicious circle

Stopping the vicious circle, and stopping IBS ruining your life, is not easy. But it is possible.

The best time to consider this is not when you are in the middle of a flare-up (use your IBS survival guide until you’re through it).

Here are a first few steps for you to consider:

1) Start taking notice of your symptoms – instead of pushing them away.

Be your own private detective and try to note down what symptoms you are experiencing and when (what time of day) and how you are feeling at that time.

You may be able to notice patterns forming.

Not just in relation to what you eat but of different events in your day, maybe conversations, situations.

2) Find your main IBS triggers.

Look out for food triggers, but also people, places, heat, smells, stress, emotions.

If you can, ask a friend, colleague or partner to be a mirror for you. They may well see your triggers better than you.

3) Aim for balance, not perfection

We are only human. If your IBS has made you indulge, just try to relax about that and balance it by eating better the next day.

4) Try to become aware of what you’re doing that makes IBS worse, or better

Over time, this will become clearer. And this knowledge will be very useful to you, so keep focusing, even if you don’t have the impression you’re getting anywhere. It will pay!

5) Know that doing any of this will help you towards breaking the IBS vicious circle

Don’t have time? Don’t feel up to it?

Yes, that may well be the case today.

But maybe you will notice something important, tomorrow, or next week. Keep on looking and break that IBS vicious circle!

Or if you’re really sick of IBS, why not work with me?