Meditation For Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a peritoneal disorder that causes cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. IBS does not lead to serious disease but does cause extreme discomfort and distress for sufferers. Controlling the symptoms is the key to managing IBS, but some people find it disabling. Besides traditional remedies, some sufferers have found help in managing the distress by using meditational therapy such as yoga. There is no known cure for IBS.

Diet & Meditation

The basic idea behind a meditational diet is to have an attitude of harmonizing with nature. The yogic diet is for detoxification and is mostly purely vegetarian, requiring a disconnection from the violent nature of humanity involved with the killing of animals. The effect of meditation and diet helps in the development of vital energy, which is conducive to body cleansing. In the case of the bowels, and the digestive tract, meditation is best done on an empty stomach earlier in the day. It increases the blood flow to the digestive tract and stimulates the intestinal action known as peristalsis so digestion is more efficient. Yoga is calming, especially forward bends, and in effect relaxes your digestive system and leads to more effective elimination, also facilitating the release of entrapped gases.

Abdominal Pain & Meditation

Some meditation techniques reduce pain, but there have been no scientific studies on how meditation affects the brain's response to pain. Emotional stress does not cause IBS, but people with IBS may have their bowels react more to stress. Learning to reduce stress can help with IBS by reducing cramping and pain. Deep meditation therapy helps with stress reduction (see Resources).

Cramping & Meditation

Deep breathing, "white noise" meditation, Lamaze pre-birth "panting" and warm baths usually help alleviate cramping. Intestinal cramps come in waves because peristalsis is a wavelike movement of the bowel which has a rhythm. These techniques usually call for "going with" the pain instead of holding the breath and trying to fight it off. It also doesn't hurt to take a painkiller such as ibuprofen.

Distress & Meditation

Meditation is known for improving body luster and general health. Blood flow increases oxygen and nutrient flow to cells and tissues. Meditation can help to resolve deep neuroses, fears and conflict which play a role in causing distress and ill health.

Types of Meditation

There are two types of meditation: active and passive. Active meditation relates to activities of everyday life such as walking, working and eating. Passive meditation techniques involve introversion and inner receptiveness such as the kind that happens when you get in a quiet place, concentrate on nothing more than the sound of your own breath, pick an object to focus on --- something soothing --- and stay frontally detached from "drowning" thoughts that disturb you under different circumstances. Coupled with pain management, a change in dietary habits and a few yoga moves, meditation therapy can help control and manage the distressing effects of IBS.

Tags: digestive tract, does cause, meditation techniques, meditation therapy, with pain