Gut reaction
Even though it's not fatal, irritable bowel syndrome can make life just about unbearable for people suffering from it.
In fact, research has shown that the psychological effects of this illness --like anxiety and fear of going out in public --can be downright crippling. And for the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients who deal with chronic constipation, the hard-to-control diarrhea caused by the prescription medication they often have to take can make venturing out a really hard thing to do in the first place (anxiety or no anxiety).
But researchers are getting closer to finding drug-free ways of treating this problem.
Recent research has shown that hypnotherapy can have a profound effect on fixing IBS problems.
In a study of 75 IBS patients (both men and women), participants received between five and seven half-hour hypnotherapy sessions over a three-month period. During the sessions, the patients were asked to put their hands on the place where they felt the most abdominal discomfort to create feelings of warmth and comfort in that area.
Then, the patients were told to imagine their guts as a river. Constipated patients were supposed to envision the river as freely flowing. Patients with diarrhea were supposed to imagine the river moving slowly.
When it was over, all the patients -- regardless of the form of their IBS -- reported reductions in pain and bloating. They also saw improvements in their emotional stability, energy levels, sleep, diet, anxiety levels, and in their overall physical health.
Colder but healthier
They may live in colder climates. They may smoke more. But it turns out our Canadian counterparts are still a good bit healthier than us Americans.
In a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers revealed that Canadians have a much lower rate of disease and are much better about seeking medical help than we are.
To get the results, the researchers gathered data from the Canadian census office and the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, and interviewed 3,505 Canadians and 5,183 U.S. residents.
It turns out that U.S. residents had higher rates of obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and pulmonary disease.
Hmm. Could this have anything to do with the high level of healthcare available to Canadians, but completely lacking in the United States?
First of all, Canada has a universal health insurance program (providing insurance to all Canadian citizens, no matter what their income), which the U.S. doesn't have. And -- perhaps because of that -- Canadians have proven more likely to have a regular doctor, and seem to be more satisfied with the quality of their medical care. They're also less likely to neglect going to the doctor when they need to and more likely to have their healthcare needs met.
Unfortunately, there's no advice I can give to fix the state of our medical system. I, along with every other doctor, can only work to improve it one patient at a time.
But the decision to be healthy lies in your hands. Go to the doctor if you need to. If you feel like you can't afford it, look into affordable clinics that see patients with or without insurance. Even if it's expensive, it's money that you'll never regret spending.
