Talking 💩
Bloating, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and constipation are an everyday reality for many. People can find it difficult to seek help in a society that makes bowel talk the butt of jokes, treats it as a conversational taboo, or plainly dismisses symptoms. As a dietitian specialising in gastrointestinal health, I have seen clients who have suffered for years with abdominal pain and bowel motions wreaking havoc in their daily lives, too embarrassed to seek help. Talking about gut issues is a critical part of any dietetics consultation.
“The more you experience this negative association with food, the more your brain is primed to interpret pain and discomfort every time you eat.”
Gut symptoms often result from food intolerances, stress or anxiety. And sadly, it’s a vicious circle. When people experience ongoing gut symptoms, they start to develop anxiety around eating, so they don’t eat, further exacerbating anxiety. The more you experience this negative association with food, the more your brain is primed to interpret pain and discomfort every time you eat.
Seeking help from your GP to investigate symptoms and pathology is the first step in checking for issues that doctors can definitively diagnose. There is no test for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and doctors often diagnose it only after ruling out everything else. 17% of the worldwide population are believed to be affected by IBS. The National Health and Medical Research Council reports up to 30% of Australians are living with IBS.
“Hypnotherapy as an evidence-based treatment for relieving IBS symptoms”
The good news is that there are strategies to help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Monash University is a leading researcher in this area and developed the low FODMAP diet. This diet is not nutritionally adequate long term, so you should follow it only with a qualified health professional who can systematically test and reintroduce foods. Hypnotherapy is also established as an evidence-based treatment for relieving IBS symptoms. It involves guided relaxation and suggestion to settle hypersensitive nerve endings in your gut.
“I have seen clients who have suffered for years with abdominal pain and bowel motions wreaking havoc in their daily lives, too embarrassed to seek help.”
As an accredited practising dietitian and clinical hypnotherapist, I offer nutritional counselling, gut-directed hypnotherapy or a combination of both services. Clients can book in-person or online consultations. I work with adults, adolescents and children from 10+ years old.
If you have ongoing gut issues or IBS and would like to discuss strategies that can help improve your quality of life, click here to book an appointment. I look forward to meeting you!