| Are you still looking for the right combination of | | | | And while traumatic events may be frightening |
| foods to soothe your Irritable Bowel? A dietary | | | | and painful, these experiences by themselves do |
| approach is often recommended as the best | | | | not lead to Irritable Bowel symptoms. The real |
| treatment for IBS, yet many people find that IBS | | | | problem happens when the brain and body are |
| foods don't work for them. Some even find that | | | | unable to let go of the memory of the traumatic |
| they can eat an "approved" food safely on one | | | | incident and continue to react as if it is still |
| day but react to it with symptoms the next. | | | | happening! This triggers the cycle of digestive |
| Why does this happen? What's going on? The | | | | problems in people who suffer from IBS. |
| answer takes a little explaining, but once you | | | | Fortunately, it is possible to release the stored |
| know it, you'll understand how to treat your | | | | memories of trauma and end that cycle. |
| Irritable Bowel symptoms. Possibly even end | | | | To do this, Dr Scaer recommends body-mind |
| them. | | | | healing techniques such as Dr Peter Levine's |
| Paying attention to food is valuable but it's only | | | | Somatic Experiencing or Gary Craig's Emotional |
| one piece of the IBS puzzle. And sometimes not | | | | Freedom Techniques (EFT). Dr Berceli uses |
| the most important piece. That's because, | | | | Trauma Release Exercises (TRE), a process he |
| according to evidence from recent trauma | | | | teaches all over the world. Dr David |
| research, Irritable Bowel doesn't start in your gut | | | | Servan-Schreiber suggests EMDR, Eye Movement |
| but in your brain. | | | | Desensitization and Reprocessing. All of these |
| In fact, according to the brilliant neurologist, Dr. | | | | methods are highly effective for letting go of |
| Robert Scaer, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a result | | | | stored trauma. The body is then able to heal. |
| of the way your brain processes trauma. This | | | | This is not a simple answer to treating Irritable |
| explains why you can have all kinds of gastro | | | | Bowel, but the plain fact is, there is no simple |
| symptoms even though your diagnostic tests | | | | answer. IBS is a complex condition. |
| show no damage to the intestines and bowel. | | | | To treat Irritable Bowel when IBS foods don't |
| Dr Scaer defines trauma as any experience | | | | work requires: |
| where you feel your survival is at risk and you're | | | | - clearing old trauma with one of the methods |
| helpless to do anything about it. Some obvious | | | | mentioned above |
| examples of this are being in a car accident, a | | | | - eating a healthy diet |
| war or a natural disaster. | | | | - uncovering food sensitivities and allergies so you |
| There are also many less dramatic forms of | | | | can find out which IBS foods will work for you |
| trauma. They tend to be dismissed as the price | | | | - restoring the internal environment of the |
| of growing up yet the effects of bullying, verbal | | | | digestive tract with probiotics and appropriate |
| abuse, and neglect are just as damaging for many | | | | supplements |
| people as going to war. Experiencing trauma can | | | | - avoiding antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, and |
| result in mental, emotional and physical problems | | | | chemical toxins |
| including the symptoms of Irritable Bowel, | | | | - being very proactive about your health |
| fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, depression and | | | | When you do this, it may seem like a lot of work |
| anxiety. | | | | at first. It's well worth it! (And it gets easier after |
| Trauma specialist, David Berceli, PhD, points out | | | | you're through the learning curve.) Once you take |
| that feeling traumatized is not a weakness. You | | | | these actions, you can clear up your Irritable |
| CANNOT control your reaction to trauma. It is | | | | Bowel symptoms. And instead of years of |
| automatic - part of the survival instinct that | | | | physical and emotional suffering, you'll enjoy a |
| protects your body. | | | | lifetime of good health. |