Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the digestive tract. Both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are forms of IBD. Ulcerative colitis is when the inner lining of the colon and rectum become inflamed causing acute and chronic pain. Crohn's disease may involve inflammation anywhere in the digestive tract from the mouth to the rectum.

IBD can be and often is disabling to the person experiencing it. It is highly advisable to seek a medical doctor’s advice when you experience any of IBD’s symptoms.

Although the exact cause of IBD is unknown, it is speculated that it is caused by a bacteria or an immune system problem. At this time the only thing doctors can do for IBD is to give you drugs that may or may not work. If the drugs don’t works then surgery to remove part of your colon is discussed.

What Can You Do?

Although no one knows exactly what causes IBD, experts agree that controlling stress and diet can often lead to relief of the most severe symptoms. Here are three things that most experts agree that can help a person suffering from IBD.

The first is to eat well. A nutritional, balanced diet will give you the energy you need for the day and can go a long way toward helping you feel better. Discuss your nutrition with a registered dietician if you think that may help you improve your eating habits.

The second is to Exercise. From walking to tennis, getting your heart rate up can actually help you calm down. Exercise helps relieve stress by releasing soothing endorphins throughout your body. Endorphins are natural drugs that can help you to feel better and can even help to relieve pain. Part of your Total Mind Therapy for IBD could be learning Tai Chi which is an excellent form of low impact exercise.

The third is to learn to relax. By using proper breathing techniques, visualization and hypnosis you can begin to take control over the stressors that trigger your colitis. This is an area where Total Mind Therapy can really help. Using hypnosis and NLP you can learn how to relax which can help you control the triggers that cause IBD. You can also learn deep breathing techniques from the martial arts to help lower your blood pressure and stress levels.

If you are experiencing IBD and would like to learn how to control your triggers gives us a call. We can help you get your IBD symptoms under control.