IBS or anxiety? 3 simple ways to find out…
We are a nation too embarrassed to talk gut stuff. Fact. But with 1 in 5 Brits thought to be living with IBS, it’s probably time we got a bit more comfortable discussing digestive discomfort – because you may end up finding out it’s being caused by something else…
Don’t worry, reader. I’ll go first… 😉
If you’ve followed me for a while, you may have heard me gassing (pun intended) about a time I once found myself with such debilitating belly pain that I ended up in A+E. When what I thought was a hernia ended up being trapped wind (!) I began thinking about other IBS symptoms I’d been experiencing and set to work on diligently “fixing” my diet. But when that didn’t even seem to change anything, it finally clicked.
It was anxiety.
Now, the Jess of today knows that the relationship between our brain and gut is one of the most powerful lines of communication in the human body. Hooked up via the vagus nerve, it’s the connection that can send those ‘fight or flight’ signals to our gut and send digestion out of whack when stressed…
But back then, I didn’t. And often, it’s not until you start stringing the dots together that you realise that anxiety and stress are the things that are flaring all those symptoms up. As I can vouch, it’s well worth investigating…
So here’s 3 simple things you can try too:
#1 TRACK YOUR TRIGGERS 🔎
When are you getting your IBS symptoms? What happened before they came on? Was there an awkward conversation, or something that made you uncomfortable? Sit down with a journal and try some gentle self-enquiry to identify your triggers. As you write them down, you may uncover some interesting things – even in just a few minutes!
#2 DO SOME DOWN-REGULATION 💆
If you suspect anxiety could be at play, take the time to help your body come out of that up-regulated state and bring yourself back in balance. Try some gentle movement or yoga, grounding techniques, spend time in nature or with people who put you at ease. These kinds of activities kick your parasympathetic nervous system into gear to help calm you down.
#3 FIND SPACE TO BREATHE 😮💨
You know me, I love a bit of breathwork – and when it comes to anxiety, there really is nothing better. Altering your physiology and bringing the body back to a place of safety and calm, it can help return us from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest – the perfect state for your gut to act as it should.
Interested in finding out more? In my "Breath-work for Anxiety & Stress" course I go into much more detail about how you can do this. It’s packed full of resources and research to help you reduce stress and anxiety as well as your IBS symptoms and you can do it all at your own pace.
To get a little discount on the course price use code STRESSFREE and any questions at all, just drop me a message. If you feel you need more in depth and personal guidance with any conditions or issues you're having then click here to drop me a message.