Talking to Your Intestines

Have you ever wanted to communicate with your body?  Today we will discuss the idea of talking to your intestines. This may seem like an abstract idea to some. And to others it makes complete sense. With practice, listening to and talking to your intestines can help manage IBD.

 

There are specific steps you can take to communicate with your bowels. You can help them heal, learn to control BMs, and even ask questions to your bowel.

In this article we will discuss

• How to talk to your intestines

• What to say before a meal

 

• What to say when you urgently need to use the toilet

 

• What to say when you want to heal

 

• What to say when you are in pain

 

Each of these ideas can help you manage IBD symptoms. They can connect you with your body on a deeper level. And can be an important tool in your IBD healing journey.

How To: Listening and Talking to Your Intestines

It is always advised when dealing with a digestive issue, that you listen to your gut. But if you are not familiar with this idea, it may seem a bit bizarre to you. Or far-fetched.

But your body is already communicating with you every single day. Through your intuition, pain, and symptoms. You just have to take the time to learn to listen.

So here is a step-by-step guide on how I communicate with my intestines:

1. I find it easier to lie back while doing this.  You should sit however you are most comfortable. Completely relax all your muscles. Take 3 long, slow deep breaths in, and three long, slow, deep breaths out.

 

2. Focus on your body. How do you feel? Do you feel anxious? Pain? Or completely relaxed. Make a mental note of your emotions in this state. Then set them aside.

 

3. When you are fully relaxed, focus on your gut. Visualize your intestines inside your body. You may find it helpful to gently rest hand along your abdomen.

 

4. Listen. Not only with your ears but with your whole body and soul. Listen to what your body has to say to you. Do not involve the mind. Try your best to clear your mind, and focus on the body.

 

5. Do not try and interpret whatever messages your body may, or may not send to you. Just listen. Be open.

 

6. When you are finished, sit quietly for a few more moments. Take another round of long, slow deep breaths. Smile to yourself. Say, ‘I love you’ to yourself.

 

You may feel a bit silly, or out of place the first few times that you do this. But like anything in life, the more that you practice, the better you will get.

Listening and talking to your intestines will eventually become very easy. It will not take you as long to get into that relaxed state of mind. You may even be able to reach a point where this level of connection with your body. Becomes your normal state of being.

This relaxed state of mind is important when you are communicating with your intestines. Like meditation, this state of mind helps to clear your busy mind of thoughts. It stops the mental chatter. It allows you to hear your body.

Spending time in this peaceful, quiet state of mind, has a huge array of benefits.

 

What To Say Before a Meal

 

Eating is not always an enjoyable task when suffering from IBD. I have experienced severe food aversion, and food fear.

 

There have been months of my life when eating has been a completely unenjoyable task. Where it became a burden.

When this is the case there is a way to use this technique of talking to your intestines. The next time you find yourself sitting down to a healthy meal, try this technique out. Remember that it is important to be eating healthy, easily digestible foods when healing IBD.

 

1. First, sit down in front of your meal. Ask others who may be around you to be quiet for a moment.

 

2. Then, follow the above steps, and get into a relaxed state of mind.

3. Once you are in this state, repeat this sentence aloud to yourself.

 

4. “This food is healthy for me. It is easily digestible, and absorbable in my body. My body loves this food. It is going to help me heal my body. This food is healthy for me”

 

5. Take another deep breath in, staying centered. Smile to yourself. And enjoy your meal.

I have found this practice to be very helpful when in a full-on flare. It has prevented me from rushing to the toilet immediately after eating.

What To Say When You Urgently Need to Have a Bowel Movement

 

No one wants to be in this situation. You have IBD, and know that you only have a few moments to find a toilet before you 💩 your pants. We have all been there. Sometimes you make it, sometimes you don’t.

 

This technique may require a bit of practice. As urgency can affect the ability to truly calm the mind. And enter the state necessary to communicate with your intestines. But it can be done.

 

If you find yourself in a situation, where you have to have a bowel movement. And there is a wait for the toilet, or you cannot find one right away. Try these simple steps.

 

1. Follow the steps above to enter into the calm state of mind. Remember to push through the urgency, and focus on your breath, and your body.

 

2. Clench your sphincter muscles together. Continue the deep breaths.

 

3. Once you are relaxed as you can be, try talking to your intestines. Repeat this sentence to your body.

 

4. “I respect the fact that you need to use the toilet. I hear you. We need to wait a few more minutes until one is available. We need to hold this bowel movement for 10 more minutes.”

 

You can modify this sentence to however you see fit. Remember that while you are practicing this technique. You may not always be successful.

I have found that it is best to talk to your intestines that how you would a small, innocent child.  Make them feel loved, and taken care of.  Like you are there to protect them.

 

But if you are in a desperate situation, there is no harm in trying this calming technique.

What To Say To Heal Your Body

 

This is a powerful one. This technique is best used when you are in a comfortable relaxed environment. Possibly on your own.

Your mind has incredible power to heal your body. This has been well documented, and makes complete sense once you begin to be connected to your body.

This is something that you could practice every night before you go to sleep. Or each morning when you wake up and are still in bed.

 

Doing this consistently will be a useful tool in your healing journey.  It can change your mindset from a dis-ease state of mind, to a healing state of mind.

1. Follow the above steps to enter in a peaceful, state of mind. Completely relax the body. And clear the mind of thoughts.

 

2. Say to your body, “I am healing.  I am healing the inflammation. I am healing my gut. I am healing my body. I am healthy. I am healthy. I am healthy.”

 

3. Repeat as many times as you feel necessary. Remember that you can modify this sentence to best suit your own individual needs.

 

4. In between repetitions, take a break and listen to your body. Do not try and interpret what it is saying to you. Just listen with an open awareness.

 

You can use this technique, any time of day. How ever often you feel the need.

 

I use this particular mantra, when my mind has become focused on how sick I am. Focusing on the negative aspects of a disease, only reaffirms these aspects in your body.

 

This does not mean to never focus on these negative aspects. But it does the body, and mind harm to hyper focus on these things, multiple times per day.

 

If you feel that you struggle with negative thoughts. Next time you feel yourself falling into that negative spiral. Focus your attention on the mantra above. Repeat to yourself that you are healing. That you are taking steps to connect with your body.

Doing this repeatedly can change the way that you view your body.

What To Say When You Are In Pain

Unfortunately, pain is a common symptom of IBD. It is something that many of us have become all too familiar with.

 

You can use this talking to your intestines technique to help manage pain in the body.

 

When you experience pain, try following these steps:

1. Follow the steps above to enter a peaceful state of mind. If you are busy when pain strikes, try and take a moment to step away as best as you can

2. Focus on your breath. You may find that deep breathing through the pain can be immensely helpful 

4. Say aloud to your body “I feel the pain. I respect that we are in pain. I am focusing on my breath, and letting the pain wash through my body.”
5. Do not create any resistance to the pain. Let it wash over your body.

I have personally used this technique to manage IBD pain so many times. It even works with menstrual pain, and emotional pain.

 

I have personally used all of these techniques to help manage IBD. Learning to calm the mind, and listen to your body is an essential skill. With practice, it can become second nature for you be to listening to and talking to your intestines.

There are so many ways to use this technique. You can use it to calm emotional stress, re-center the mind, and even manage IBD symptoms.

 

There are no negative side effects to these techniques. Or harm done to the body by trying this. If you are a bit unsure, just give it a try! And remember that practice makes perfect.  

Share your thoughts below!  I would love to know if you have found any of these techniques helpful.