IBS defined:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a very common functional disorder that interferes with the normal function of the colon (large intestine), characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort along with signs of bowel dysfunction, most commonly diarrhoea and/or constipation. Although healthy people commonly experience these same symptoms occasionally, in IBS these symptoms are more severe or are experienced more frequently. IBS does not result from or lead to physical damage to the colon, like in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), nor does it lead to development of other, possibly more serious diseases.
Start by filling in this IBS CHECKLIST
Name_______________________________________ Date_____________
If you suffer from abdominal discomfort or pain, bloating, and constipation, you may have a real medical condition known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
By filling out the checklist below, basic information about your condition can be ascertained.
Please note that answering “yes” or “no” to any of these questions does not necessarily mean you have IBS.
Only your doctor can tell for sure. This checklist is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor.
1. Do you suffer from any or all of the following symptoms? Check all that apply.
__Abdominal discomfort or pain
__Bloating
__Constipation
__Other
2. Are these symptoms frequent and/or recurring?
__Yes
__No
If yes, how long have you had these symptoms?
__For a few months
__6 months
__1 year
__5 years
3. Does having a bowel movement help to relieve your abdominal discomfort or pain?
__Yes
__No
4. Do you ever have hard or lumpy stools?
__Yes
__No
5. Do you ever strain when you have a bowel movement?
__Yes
__No
6. Do your symptoms ever disrupt your daily activities? (work, school, life, etc.)
__Yes
__No
7. What medicines are you currently taking for your IBS symptoms?
Prescription medication___________________________________________
Over-the-counter products_________________________________________
Herbal products________________________________________________
Other_______________________________________________________
8. Have any of these medicines relieved any or all of your symptoms?
__Yes
__No
Which ones?___________________________________________________
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW
Some basic IBS related information:
The “Gut Brain”.
“…the Gut has its own brain, the enteric nervous system, which is the only part of the peripheral nervous system that is capable of mediating reflex behaviour in the absence of input from the brain or spinal cord. In other words, there is a brain in your bowel that acts completely independently from the brain in your head.”
“These two brains act independently and interdependently. The Vegus nerve—the tenth cranial nerve, is used by the two brains to communicate with the other. The enteric nervous system lives in the lining of your esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum. Both the enteric nervous system and the central nervous system (the brain in your skull) are developed from the same embryonic tissue. All the neurochemicals in the central nervous system are also found in the enteric nervous system.”
“In his book, The Second Brain, Dr. M. Gershon, MD says that a steady stream of messages flows back and forth between the brain and the gut. “Normally, everything in the enteric nervous system operates the digestive system silently. However, should the head brain feel stressed with thoughts like “Oh my gosh, I have to pay the rent” when it is not the enteric nervous system’s job to pay the rent, sometimes the “gut brain” feels the stress.
Stress or psychological pain can increase and trigger uncomfortable gut reactions and symptoms. A hyperactive enteric nervous system often can manifest as a spastic colon, diarrhoea, constipation or other symptoms. An uncomfortable gut and other digestive disorders can cause stress to the brain in the head.
“With all the stress in the world today, with both women and men needing to juggle jobs, careers, children, friends and their own relationships, it is no wonder IBS is increasing in the population of the world year by year.”
Constipation
No food is digested in the colon. That work takes place efficiently in the small intestine. The function of the colon is to absorb water and salts from digestive products that enter from the small intestine, therefore acting as a “drying tank”. When a spasm occurs, the cramping can trap stool in much the same way a kink in a garden hose traps water. This process produces constipation.
When a bowel movement does take place, it is with difficulty through straining, and the stool is hard and said to resemble “rabbit pellets” or “rocklike marbles”, or is described as “pencil thin” or “ribbon like”.
There is a wide range of normal for daily bowel movements. For some three times a day is normal, for others three times a week. It is important to know what constitutes normal for you.
The most common suggestions for most people to relieve constipation are:
1. Increase fibre in your diet (not for everybody, but most)
2. Increase fluid intake, preferably water
3. Increase physical movement, walking, sit-ups, etc;
4. Relaxing when you feel stress
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is loose and frequent bowel movements. It might result from a virus or bacterial infection. It can also result from prescription drugs, such as antibiotics, aspirin, and many over the counter remedies. It can also occur from eating too much fruit or fruit juice, emotional stress, intestinal parasites, lactose intolerance, food poisoning, or water or food that upset you when traveling to another country.
Since there are also serious conditions that cause diarrhoea, you MUST consult your physician if it lasts for more than a few days. If you are suffering, be sure to drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Hot water is often very soothing as well.
Alternating constipation and diarrhoea
Unfortunately, IBS sufferers often experience the difficulty of having both constipation and diarrhoea, although they tend to have one more than the other. Occasionally there is mucus in the stool. Constipation is from an inhibited motility disorder.
Diarrhoea is often when there are spasms in the colon, the movement forces stool to move too quickly before the fluid part of the feces can be absorbed. Interestingly, people with diarrhoea are seldom awakened from sleep with the feeling of impending diarrhoea. It often occurs immediately after breakfast or after other meals throughout the day. Food does not itself trigger the explosive diarrhoea, but instead activates the gastro colic reflex, a neurological and chemical response that tells the colon to empty itself.
Always tell your doctor if you experience any blood in the stool, as it is not usual with IBS.
Fibre Warning
We are not nutritionists, nor can we advise you on nutrition. However, we want to share with you some things we have learned. In general, fibre is helpful for 85% of IBS sufferers, but has a negative reaction to the other 15%. Find out from your doctor or nutritionist to see which direction is best for you.
Americans consume, as an average, significantly less than the recommended amount of fibre, according to the National Cancer institute.
Fibre refers to a wide variety of substances found in plants.
There are TWO kinds of fibre:
Insoluble Fibre is rough. It passes intact through the intestines, which is why it is called “high-residue”. It increases the frequency, water content, and looseness of bowel movements. Although crucial for good health, it can be a powerful IBS trigger. It needs to be incorporated into your diet in large quantities, but with great care. Insoluble fibre should never be taken alone or on an empty stomach.
Soluble fibre is smooth, very low-residue, and soothing to the digestive tract. It absorbs excess water in the colon, forming a gel that pushes through impacted fecal matter, and it stabilizes and regulates intestinal contractions. In this manner, it helped prevent the painful spasms and relieve both the diarrhoea and constipation of IBS.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW
IBS Facts
IBS affects 10 to 22% of otherwise healthy adults. Over 50 million Americans have had or now have IBS symptoms, approximately 85% of which are women. IBS is the number one reason why people see gastroenterologists, accounting for as many as 3.5 million physician visits a year and 2.2 million prescriptions per year. They account for 10% of visits to primary care doctors and at least 40% of visits to gastroenterologists.
Its symptoms are second only to the common cold in the reason people see their doctor. It is the second highest reason for absence of work by employees in the United States. Studies estimate the price of IBS care is $8 billion yearly. One Seattle study showed $4, 400 spent per patient just during the first year they were diagnosed.
IBS is a worldwide problem and is prevalent in China, The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia, and reported among men in India (women in India do not have the same health care access men do). The United Kingdom is where the breakthrough studies first happened that proved hypnosis was among the most important ingredients in a successful elimination of the symptoms of IBS.
IBS is sometimes called “spastic colon” because spasm of intestinal walls is largely what causes its symptoms.2 It is also sometimes called by spastic colitis, mucus colitis and nervous stomach. However, colitis may be the wrong name as it implies an inflammation and IBS does not have an inflammation. That is something else and that would be Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are examples of true IBD.
For most people, IBS follows a predictable path. Their health symptoms start out as a minor problem. They do not think much about these symptoms at first and expect to feel better. However, over time their symptoms just will not go away. Therefore, the person starts out by seeking to get a medical diagnosis in the hopes of a quick cure. Usually, they consult a conventional medical doctor who tells them that their symptoms are found in a wide range of health problems and it is best to take many tests to find out what is going on. When the tests come back negative, their doctor gives them an IBS diagnosis, which is a diagnosis of exclusion. So begins the long and painful journey into the emotional stuck states we have named “The Chronic Trap”. Unable to explain your symptom, conventional medical doctors all too often recommend anti-depressive drugs or seeing a mental health care professional.
Many patients stop taking the medicines because their toxic effects and/or lack of benefits turn them off. Most of these people resent being told that their very real symptoms are all in the head. Despite all their best efforts, tens of millions of people with IBS run from one type of health care practitioner to another without relief!
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW
People are searching
One recent study conducted at the royal London School Of Medicine questioned 225 patients with intestinal problems. Of those with IBS, half were using complementary alternative therapies.
What About prescription drugs, like Zelnorm?
Zelnorm?! CONSUMER REPORTS, September, 2004 issue reported that the Food and Drug Administration and even Zelnorm’s own company (Novartis) started releasing new warnings linking Zelorm with exactly what you don’t want— diarrhea and intestinal problems that actually lead to hospitalization, surgery and cases of death. If you take Zelnorm, the FDA suggests you keep an eye out for rectal bleeding, bloody diarrhea, fainting, and new or worse abdominal pain.
In one paragraph titled “Slim Advantage”, we find that “Zelnorm’s effectiveness was not impressive in the studies on which the FDA gave it’s approval”, according to experts CONSUMER REPORTS consulted. At its present cost of $160 a month, CONSUMER REPORTS sums it up in the last paragraphs under “What You Can Do”, listing instead certain dietary changes, exercise and reminding sufferers of hypnotherapy and stress management techniques that are safe alternatives.
We cautioned that there were better ways to deal with this problem than Zelnorm and today, it has been taken off the market, except in special circumstances.
THERE IS A BETTER WAY!
In recent years, international medical studies have proven the efficacy of hypnotherapy for people suffering with IBS. Adding hypnotherapy has proven to be more effective than most IBS treatments currently available.
What Can You Expect from The Power Within QUANTUM FOCUSING?
If you can imagine a YOU totally free of the symptoms of IBS, a YOU that is completely free of IBS-related discomfort. If you can let yourself feel what your life would be like if IBS-related fears no longer limit you and hold you back—and lock on that image of yourself, then you have everything needed to put a smile on the signals that used to irritate you.
A Breakthrough View of IBS—The Power Within QUANTUM FOCUSING Approach
Our approach starts with a holistic view of IBS. The Power Within Quantum Focus system looks to resolve IB-Syndrome symptoms where they start as a learned behaviour in your mind and brain. We do not just work on the IBS, but with the entire person to take charge of their stress, health and life!
RE-Thinking
In so-called functional disorders – like IBS, the symptoms are very real but there is no pathology to explain the symptoms. This suggests to us that IBS is caused by unrecognized “gut reactions” that produce spastic over and/or under tensing of the person’s gastrointestinal tract. That is very good news because the symptoms of the IB-Syndrome are unconsciously learned reactions to unrecognized stimuli.
These neurological patterns can be neutralized and you can reprogram yourself in new, healthy ways.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW
Exercise One—Finding the Zone
TIME: 2 minutes… 2x to 7x a day (or more)
To get the most out of this exercise, use it first thing when you wake up and last thing before going to sleep. During the day, we highly recommend that you practice this short exercise whenever you are changing from one activity to another. When you do, you will automatically feel better and be more effective in whatever you are doing.
1. Become comfortable with your surroundings and not focusing on anything in particular, as you allow your attention to glide into doing this exercise.
2. Do the Power Breath (Piko Piko) breathing technique that I teach. Do it for at least 40 seconds
3. Without thinking about it – now gently bring your attention inside of your body…imagine being inside your body.
4. Fill your mind with a sense of occupying all of the space from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet … Become aware of every atom in your body dancing in total harmony.
Say to yourself- “I live with a happy heart, a peaceful mind, and a playful spirit.”
Stay with it for about 2 minutes…
5. Just before ending the session, inhale deeply, and in the privacy of your mind quietly shout, “I deserve to be healthy”, “I am worthy”.
6. As you exhale, take a moment to feel complete and good about what you just did.
6. Repeat as needed.
Throughout your day and night, whenever changing activities—repeat the exercise to put yourself in The Power Within Quantum Focus Zone first.
We wonder how quickly you will notice that your life is more exciting, pleasurable, satisfying and rewarding when you do this simple exercise several times a day— every day.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW
Exercise Two-Being in the Zone
In this exercise, please sit on a chair with feet flat on the floor, your spine erect and your hands at your sides or in your lap. Please keep your eyelids open and your eyes unfocused; that is, staring blankly into space without actually looking at anything, just as you might do in a daydream. As you begin to consciously, connect with yourself as a bodymindspirit sitting in a chair and becoming aware of the self-initiated relaxation process. Mentally scan your body slowly, and passively let yourself relax completely. Simply focus your attention on the process of letting go.
Now slowly open up your attention to everything around you . . . extend your sense of hearing so you are aware of the sounds inside and outside you. Be aware of every sound, near and far, and even the silence beyond. Extend your sense of feeling in a similar manner. Become aware of all your exposed skin and the different sensations of air on your forehead, the back of your neck and your hands.
Permit your eyes to receive color and form without classifying or categorizing whatever it is that comes to your eyes. Simply note the shapes and colors. Notice any aromas that may surround you. Perhaps you may even observe a sensation of taste as you continue to expand your senses.
As soon as you feel good with this part of the Basic Exercise, practice it standing up. After a few days practicing this sitting and standing, begin to attempt walking. Keep your attention on every step you take (that is, consciously feel your feet when and where they contact the ground as you walk) and be fully aware of the basic movements and shifts in support. Very good!
Next, use this exercise before beginning each activity of the day . . . i.e., wake up and do the exercise for 2 minutes. Before showering, do the exercise for 2 minutes. Similarly, before shaving, brushing your teeth, getting dressed and eating your breakfast, do the exercise for 2 minutes and bring your conscious intent into your activities. As you continue your day, notice the stop and start of all your activities and commit to going into a waking here/now Quantum Focused state also called The Zone. Bring this into the very heart of all your actions.
Now, as you begin this practice, in your ordinary day-to-day activities, become aware of how you actually slip from the enhanced state of consciousness into the ordinary state of consciousness you find yourself in before your next activity.
