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Understanding IBS & the Gut–Brain Connection
Clear, practical articles to help you understand IBS and other disorders of gut–brain interaction, the gut–brain connection, gut-directed hypnotherapy, anxiety and stress.
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What Is irritable bowel syndrome?
Gut-directed hypnotherapy
- an effective IBS treatement
Your Gut Has Its Own Nervous System
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RECENT POSTS
The Gut–Brain Axis — How Your Gut and Brain Communicate
The Gut–Brain Axis — How Your Gut and Brain Communicate
If IBS is a disorder of gut–brain interaction, what does that actually mean in practice?
In the second article in my 3-part series, I look at the gut–brain axis — the biological communication network linking your digestive system, nervous system and brain. I explain:
• why communication travels in both directions
• why the vagus nerve is only one part of the story
• what “gut–brain communication” really means
• why this matters for understanding IBS
• and why working through the brain can be a biologically plausible part of IBS treatment
Most importantly, this isn’t about suggesting IBS is psychological or “all in your head”. It’s about understanding the gut and brain as parts of one continuously interacting biological system. If you’d like a clearer, evidence-based explanation of how that system works, you can read the latest issue of my blog
Why Your Gut Reacts to Things That Haven't Happened Yet (Part 1 of 3)
Have you ever felt your gut tighten the night before a meeting, before anything's actually gone wrong? Most people call that "anxiety" and leave it there — but that word is doing far too much work and hiding at least four different things. In Part 1 of a new 3-part series, I unpack what anxiety actually is, how it differs from acute stress, and why IBS symptoms and anxiety can end up locked in a self-reinforcing loop. If you've ever googled "anxiety" after a hard day and come away more confused than when you started, this one's for you.
The meeting isn’t the problem…
The meeting isn’t the problem. The possibility of your gut hijacking it is.
You can lead a 60-minute meeting.
But can you trust your gut for 60 minutes?
That’s a very different question.
For many professionals with IBS, the challenge isn’t capability.