External Collab - yoga and IBS

I knew that yoga is a good tool/exercise for many different uses, including IBS. However, I didn't realise how effective it was until I heard the Deliciously Ella podcast featuring Megan Rossi. In the podcast, Ella made reference to one of Megan's instagram posts, highlighting a study into yoga in treating IBS.

WHAT DID THEY DO: 
Randomised 59 IBS patients to either low FODMAP dietary advice or yoga 🧘‍♀️ 🧘‍♂️ twice a week, for 12wks.

WHAT DID THEY FIND: Despite the yoga group not altering their diet, the intervention was EQUALLY as effective as the low FODMAP diet in terms of improving IBS symptoms. In fact 82% reported their IBS symptom had greatly improved in the yoga group.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN: Diet is not always the answer to managing gut symptoms.

This really surprised me as I thought diet would be the most effective in treating IBS, due to the relationship between food and the gut. This has lead me on to do more research onto the subject, because if the exercise is this effective of a treatment, I could include a big section on this in my publication.

https://www.charlottewattshealth.com/nutrition-2/digestion/yoga-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/
In this article I looked more into the connection with IBS and yoga and found some interesting information.

With IBS shown to be a condition of nervous system, many people are turning to practices that de-stress and also reconnect to the importance of fundamental needs like rest and self-compassion. Yoga has traditionally helped IBS by recognising that dropping beneath mind-fluctuations helps us release stagnant energy rising up from the lower body and the belly. When this is blocked, symptoms of anxiety and disturbance are held in the gut (Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015; Epub ahead of print).

- strong connection to the mind/mental state and nervous system 

Another study focused on men with diarrhoea-predominant IBS with half receiving the medication lopermamide (Imodium) and the other half practising 12 yoga poses and a specific breathing practice twice a day for two months (Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2004;9-33). Both groups showed a significant decrease in gastro-intestinal (GI) symptoms and anxiety, but whilst the lopermamide group displayed increased GI activity, the yoga group showed increased parasympathetic (calming) activity believed to be the cause of symptom relief and leading the researchers to conclude that yoga may be more the more beneficial treatment.

- yoga more beneficial than anti diarrhoea medication in treating diarrhoea predominant IBS. emphasis on parasympathetic system.

Stretching, compressing and twisting of the GI tract and viscera (organs) are a large part of supporting digestive health within yoga traditions. These are often related to specific asanas for the second chakra under the navel (svadisthana), represented by the colour orange and said to be the seat of emotion, where we can store feelings that have arisen from experiences. This correlates with neuroscientific research into how somatic markers (body state memories associated with previous feeling states) are set from positive or negative emotional responses being associated with gut reactions in similar situations. According to this theory, these body loops may play a part not only in how somebody feels at a given moment, but may also influence future planning and intuitive decision like whether we feel safe with particular people or suffer anxiety-related IBS at work (Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2011;453-66). Safety via the belly is can break these cycles of stress reactive symptoms.

- This section of the article was the most interesting to me as it ties in the more spiritual side of yoga as opposed to the physical movement. I will need to do more research into chakras and body loops as these seem to be very important. The referencing of a specific colour is really useful as this gives me a colour palette to start building for my publication.