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IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)
Are you prone to a problem with 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Digestion by taking the
free digestion quiz.
Origins & Introduction
Whether due to past trauma, digestive disorders, or habitual lifestlye of change, some people have never experienced true 'comfort' in their gut. Anxiety, from an Ayurvedic perspective, attacks the gut and digestion primarily, which you may experience as tension, nausea, a burning sensation, or simply butterflies in the belly. Chronic discomfort and tension in the abdomen has a psychological effect as well. It significantly hampers our ability to listen to gut feelings and use our gut for discernment. If chronic anxiety lodges in the intestines, it may cause IBS. IBS is called "grahani dosha" in Ayurveda and "Liver Invading the Spleen" in Chinese Medicine.IBS is a functional disorder of the digestive tract. Usually, diagnostic testing of organs fails to uncover structural problems, inflammation, or infection. IBS is not the same as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. IBS causes pain, discomfort, loss of confidence, and potential loss of weight. In addition to pain and discomfort, individuals with severe IBS may withdraw from social situations where a bathroom is inaccessible. Women are affected three times more than men, with the average age of onset being between 20 and 40. There are two main types of IBS in western medicine: diarrhea pre-dominant and constipation pre-dominant.
Physical Effects of Stress on Digestion
Stress causes activation of the Sympathetic "flight or fight" nervous system and deactives the parasympathetic "rest and digest" nervous system. Effectively, stress shuts down circulation to the digestive organs, and increases muscle tension in the abdominal area.Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms may include:- Frequent or alternating diarrhea and constipation accompanied by pain
- Abdominal distention, fullness, gas, bloating
- Abdominal pain that comes & goes, occurs after meals, or is relieved by a bowel movement.
- Emotional distress makes symptoms worse
- Tense, anxious, easily distressed or threatened
Types of IBS
- Past Severe Diarrhea / Infection
- Emotional Trauma
- Tension in Lower Abdomen
- Colic
- Burning above belly button
- Irregular Routine / Travel
- Toxins, Dryness, Inflammation, Mucus, etc.
- Infection with Dientamoeba fragilis
Past Severe Diarrhea / Infection
Emotional Trauma
Tension in Lower Abdomen
It's important to honor gut feelings before making a decision. The "uh-oh" gut feeling we experience whenever we're about to make a risky decision actually affects circulation to your digestive organs. Butterflies in the stomach naturally cause tightening of surrounding musculature, including those muscles attached to the pelvic floor, literally cramping and constricting space for digestion. Relaxation of these muscles will bring a greater sense of calm and ease to the gut area. Ayurveda places great emphasis on stress and anxiety management. Yoga, breathing techniques, prayer, and meditation all help to restore calm.
- Do you notice butterflies or anxiety in your stomach when stressed?
- Do you feel any tension in the muscles above the pubic bone?
- Does your stomach feel comfortable and at ease?
- Do you feel strong enough to honor your personal space and boundaries when threatened?
Burning Above Belly Button
A burning sensation above the belly button correlates to diarrhea pre-dominant IBS. In addition to diarrhea, other common symptoms include pain, bloating, urgency, and urinary incontinence. This condition is called "Pitta Grahani" in Ayurveda and "Liver Invading the Spleen" in Chinese medicine. Tension in the solar plexus area may cause food to move too rapidly out of the stomach. Lack of coordination with the pancreas and pancreatic insufficiency may lead to an inability to neutralize stomach acids, causing irritation and burning in the upper GI. There may be an excess release of bile from the liver. The pre-dominant emotions leading to diarrhea pre-dominant IBS are shame, envy, and anger.
Colic
In Ayurveda, Vata governs all motility. Uncoordinated movement is a sign of Vata disturbance. Intestinal muscles may lose coordination when there is a buildup of toxins, anxiety and tension, an electrolyte imbalance, inflammation or irritation somewhere in the intestine, or too much gas. Loose stools with painful colic is called 'Excess Cold in the Spleen' in Chinese medicine, possibly signifying a systemic Yang deficiency.
Irregular Routine / Travel
- Do you have a history of habitual change, or an experimental or alternative lifestlye?
Summary
When Kapha dosha attacks digestion to symptoms of nausea or heaviness. Wheat, dairy, oily, and rich foods aggravate this condition. In Pitta type, chronic inflammation anywhere in the body, anemia and infection can weaken the digestive fire.
Disclaimer: 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.
ARE YOU NEW TO AYURVEDA?
Are you wondering what Ayurveda is and how to use it for 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)' and health in general?
LEARN MORE
REBALANCE YOUR BODY WITH DIET, LIFESTYLE & HERBS HAVING THESE QUALITIES
Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using gunas. Gunas are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)', you should select foods with the following qualities (gunas). Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance. For best results, get a one on one consultation.QUALITIES THAT USUALLY CORRECT IMBALANCES
RELATED TO IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)
| GUNA | FOODS TO FAVOR | CONDITION IN YOUR BODY |
|---|---|---|
| EASY | EASY INGREDIENTS EASY RECIPES |  Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you need to increase Easy to digest foods |
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.
FAVOR HERBS WITH THESE MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Ingredient and herbs each have unique effects on the various organs of your body. Herbalists study these effects and categorize them, so it is easy to identify which foods and herbs are most helpful for your unique body type. Click on the medicinal properties below to learn more about them, and to figure out which recipes, ingredients and products will be a good match for you. Individual results will vary depending upon the root cause of your imbalance.The following medicinal properties are useful for a general case of 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)'. You must independently verify whether these medicinal properties address the root causes of your case of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The best way to do this is with a one on one consultation.
DIET TO BALANCE 'IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)'
DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE BODY?
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)
Browse these educational resources for 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)'.
SPECIALITY FORMULAS, AYURVEDIC HERBS, & NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)
We've specially chosen these products because of their potential for healing imbalances associated with 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)'. Choose a product from this list that also matches your imbalanced doshas and qualities, to ensure a good fit. Please review these products to determine which are right for you. Before making any changes to your health and wellness routine, please check with your medical doctor.
REMOVE THE CAUSES OF YOUR IMBALANCE
With Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), one or more of the following doshas and qualities may be aggravated. If you have an imbalance of one of these doshas or qualities, Ayurveda recommends avoiding foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate that quality and/or dosha. These imbalanced doshas and qualities will need to be brought back into balance before this condition can be healed. Click on the quality to learn what foods and lifestyle habits should be avoided. If you have a systemic imbalance of one of these doshas or qualities, Ayurveda would generally recommend avoiding foods and lifestyle habits with that quality.IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS) USUALLY MEANS THESE
DOSHAS & QUALITIES ARE AGGRAVATED 
Symptoms Tell A Story
The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms.
Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances, showing you where your body is weak.
Specifically, they reveal the doshas & qualities that may have become aggravated.
If you notice a quality or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms,
it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.
Symptoms Tell A Story
The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms. Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances, showing you where your body is weak. Specifically, they reveal the doshas & qualities that may have become aggravated. If you notice a quality or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms, it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.
| GUNA | FOODS TO AVOID | DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE? |
|---|---|---|
| DRY | AVOID THESE DRY FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS) | Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Dry' guna |
| DIFFICULT | AVOID THESE DIFFICULT FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS) | Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you need to decrease Difficult to digest foods |
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.
Are you prone to a problem with 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Digestion by taking the
free digestion quiz.
STAGE OF DISEASE: 3 - ATTACKING TISSUE
If you have symptoms in this category it means that your imbalances are becoming stronger and weakening your body's resistance. Most people have a weakness in one or more organs. These areas of weakness are the 'weak link in the chain.' They are first to succumb when an imbalance reaches a tipping point. Repairing imbalances in this category often represent your last opportunity to prevent disease. At any moment, these imbalances could overwhelm weakened tissue and develop into a disease. You may feel pain or discomfort in the weakened area. At this stage you will need to support the weakened tissue with specialized foods and herbs for the weakened tissue.HOW AYURVEDA WORKS
ARE YOU WONDERING HOW AYURVEDA CAN HELP YOU?WHY IS AYURVEDA THE RIGHT SOLUTION?
Ayurveda strengthens the body, in addition to addressing the disorder. It take a holistic, systemic approach, instead of myopically focusing on the disorder in question. Ayurveda shows a person how to interpret signs and symptoms of imbalance, and how to address them using materials from home, so they can optimize their health on a continual basis. You can't take the doctor home with you, but you can take Ayurveda home with you. Ayurveda is the most advanced and easy to use home system for self healing with an exceptional focus on digestion.HOW DOES AYURVEDA WORK?
Ayurveda works by first discerning your body type, which identifies certain tendencies in your body to get sick (as well as identifying your strengths). It uses body type to determine the likely root causes of your disorders. Next, Ayurveda works by analyzing the nature of your disorder. It fits all your signs and symptoms into a pattern, expressed as a combination of gunas / quali- ties. For example, you may have a heat disorder, a cold disorder, or an oily disorder, etc. This simple categorical approach shows you how to correct systemic imbalances and strengthen your body as a whole.On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food in relation to qualities (gunas). By eating an optimal diet that balances your gunas, your whole body is strengthened and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies - such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance your healing.
Want to learn more about Ayurveda and its step-by-step approach to healing? Click below.
LEARN MOREGET STARTED
To get started on your Ayurvedic journey, we first recommend that your first find your body type by taking our free quiz. In Ayurveda, every solution is based on your unique body type, so by taking this quiz, you’ll get the best results.5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY
WITH AYURVEDA - FREE eBOOK!
RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITS
The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.
About the Author
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well.
Comments & Personal Experiences
How does 'irritable bowel syndrome (ibs)' affect your quality of life? What aggravates it? What has helped you? Is there something you'd like to know about 'irritable bowel syndrome (ibs)'?
What is Joyful Belly?
What is Ayurveda?
Learn about Ayurveda from the author of this article and founder of Joyful Belly,John Immel.
