As far as illnesses go, intestinal disorders are definitely at the bottom of the list (no pun intended)! People will openly talk about breast cancer, anemia, arthritis, a sinus infection, the flu, etc., but if you mention “the runs” or mention your colon at all, people feel uncomfortable.
Actually, that’s understandable – how do you say in polite conversation, “I had a run yesterday and my colon cramped up so badly that I actually peed my pants in the car because I didn’t make it home on time?”
How would anyone even respond to that? Another example: Try explaining to your boss why it’s a bad idea to have you as the main presenter at an important client meeting:
“Well, first, I’ll be constipated for at least three days beforehand from the anticipation of being in the spotlight. Then, about five minutes before the meeting starts, I’ll go for my runs and spend the next two hours excusing myself every 10 to 15 minutes to rush to the bathroom.” Can you understand that??
Although it isn’t talked about much, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common intestinal disorder that affects approximately 50 million Americans – and can easily lead to any of the situations mentioned above. However, for a disease with such a high incidence rate, it receives very little discussion and virtually no media attention. Again we run into the same problem: Which news anchor wants to talk about farting and defecation on the air, and how exactly would you go about getting a major corporate sponsor to fund research and awareness?
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are varied and can include any number and combination of the following symptoms:
Depending on the severity, combination, and frequency of symptoms, irritable bowel syndrome can be a minor nuisance or can really impact your quality of life. Unfortunately, drug treatment protocols for IBS are not very effective in the long term and some of them have side effects that are often worse than the original symptoms. For example, I once took an anti-diarrheal medication that caused me to bloat like a pelican’s esophagus and emit large, loud, smelly farts all day long. To be honest, I preferred the diarrhea!
The good news is that there are many natural treatments for irritable bowel syndrome that are very effective and synergistically heal your body. However, even if you have not been diagnosed with a bowel problem, these remedies can help cure any irregularities. Here are just a few natural treatments for some of the most pressing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome:
CONSTIPATION
The simplest remedy for constipation is simply to increase your intake of vitamin C (in the form of ascorbic acid) and magnesium citrate. To this, add a stool filler and softener – taken once or twice daily – my favorite is 1 tbsp. sprouted flaxseed and chia powder, along with 1/2 tsp. Bentonite clay.
NOTE: You cannot use these remedies if you eat an exclusively elemental diet – only if you combine Absorb Plus with normal foods. Vitamin C is an excellent immune booster, and many extensive clinical studies have shown that large doses are quite safe. About 40% of Americans are magnesium deficient, so this is a mineral that will likely only benefit you – the only side effect of too much vitamin C or magnesium may be diarrhea.
Start with 2000 mg of vitamin C and 250 mg of magnesium citrate per day. You can increase up to 6000 mg of vitamin C and 1000 mg of magnesium. To maintain, eat plenty of fresh fruit and “non-scratch” complex carbohydrates (zucchini, carrots, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, etc.) and drink at least 8 – 10 glasses of spring or filtered water per day, along with one or two doses of the combination of flax/chia seed powder and bentonite.
It is important to note that this is a quick remedy that relieves the symptom and stimulates bowel movements, but does not provide a long-term cure. To cure the root cause of constipation, you need to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms (such as bad bacteria, yeast, fungi, etc.) with an intestinal broom (such as wild oregano oil or olive leaf), and then repopulate the intestines with good bacteria using probiotics. You can find a lot more information about this in my book “Listen To Your IBS” and my entire blog.
DIARRHEA
An amino acid called L-Glutamine is the best anti-diarrhea remedy I know of, and it works very quickly (usually within 2-3 days). It is practically tasteless and dissolves easily in water. L-Glutamine directly nourishes and heals the intestinal lining and causes the intestines to reabsorb the water in the stool, reducing the number and frequency of bowel movements. Do not use if you have liver or kidney disease.
The combination of flaxseed/chia seed powder and bentonite is also an excellent product for water absorption and producing bulkier stools and appears to be well tolerated by most people. As I mentioned above, to cure your diarrhea long-term, you need to eradicate pathogenic microorganisms (like bad bacteria, yeast, fungi, etc.) and then repopulate the gut with good bacteria.
Avoid foods that cause diarrhea such as refined sugar, refined flour (white, bleached), hydrogenated fats, caffeine, and acidic tomato-based foods such as spaghetti sauce and pizza. Most people also find coffee (regular or decaffeinated) to be highly irritating. Anyone with IBS should automatically avoid processed foods, lunch meats or hot dogs, and foods with artificial flavors/colors, preservatives, or additives. Colon massage is also an excellent way to reduce frequent bowel movements because massage helps move all of the small stool deposits around the colon and out at once, rather than in many individual bowel movements:
HEALING OF MIND AND BODY
As with any illness or disorder of the body, complete healing can only be achieved when the emotional and mental components are also taken into account. Anger, fear and anxiety are emotions that are typically stored and expressed in the gut. This is clearly evident in our language – how often have you heard expressions like: “His insides twisted with fear” or “As she thought about what he had done, bile rose in her throat” or “Her stomach clenched with fear?” What do people actually do when they are confronted with extreme violence or fear? They often urinate or defecate uncontrollably.
All body therapies that utilize somato-emotional relaxation will be very healing for people with irritable bowel syndrome. Somatic (physical) emotional release is based on the assumption that emotional trauma is actually stored in the physical tissues of the body – not just the mind or soul. When you let go of the event, memory or feeling at this level, the catharsis is particularly effective and healing. Therapies such as craniosacral, EFT, matrix reimprinting and other forms of energy healing can all facilitate somato-emotional relaxation. It’s best to look for a therapist who explicitly incorporates somato-emotional relaxation into their practice. Choose your doctor the same way you would choose a counselor – make sure they are someone with legitimate qualifications who you feel comfortable and confident with.
I once went to a craniosacral therapist who specialized in somato-emotional relaxation. We started with my neck first and he just held it while I lay on my back (fully clothed). Then, as I relaxed, he slowly began to gently turn my head to the left and up a little. Much to my surprise, I immediately experienced a colorful memory of being beaten as a child. Even more surprising, I found myself reliving the fear and anger I had felt at the time and tears streaming down my face. When he felt the emotions were getting a little too much for me, he gently moved my head back to its original position and the memory, feelings and tears disappeared instantly! I was as happy as I had been when I walked in there and lay there laughing at how bizarre it was while wiping away my tears. He waited for me to relax again, then moved my head back to the same position – and immediately I was back in the memory and crying again. He continued this process until I had worked through the memory and let it go, then he moved on to working with other parts of my body.
A friend of mine was having visions and feeling like she was leaving her body during certain acupuncture sessions. Another friend relived a memory of childhood sexual abuse and triggered it when the craniosacral therapist began working on her arm. You wouldn’t think that a memory of sexual abuse would be stored in a person’s arm, but the memory started with her being violently grabbed by the elbow and marched up the stairs, so that’s where her body stored it. Another woman I know feels clearly connected to her inner child when her energy healer works on her colon. She cries throughout the session and sometimes for a while afterwards, but does not experience any symptoms of intestinal distress for the next few days. Going beyond the psychological talk therapy approach and into the body itself can be a very profound and deeply healing experience.
There are many paths to healing and everyone must find their own way. Remember that the simplest treatment protocol (such as taking a pill) is not always the best for your body in the long run. Experience teaches us that it is best to look for healing methods that work holistically and heal the entire body in an integrated and long-lasting way. The Mind/Body/Spirit section of my blog can be found here and I encourage you to look around and see what you find there.
In my book, LISTEN TO YOUR IBS, you will find many other effective treatments for common symptoms of IBS, including heartburn (acid reflux), spastic colon, abdominal pain and cramps, joint swelling, etc. You can also find more information in my Home Remedies section.
Original post from June 2012. Last updated February 2020.
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert in natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s disease and has been medication and surgery free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcasts, TV and radio shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, giving people hope and vision on how to heal their colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using all-natural methods. Her books on natural healing of digestive diseases have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Jini is married and has three children, nine sheep, 11 horses, a cat and three dogs.
