Have you been told to cut out all your favorite foods to manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? What if we told you that food may not be the root cause of your symptoms?
In this blog, we’ll explain why—and, more importantly, how you can manage IBS without eliminating everything you love.
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What’s Really Causing Your IBS Symptoms?
Most people with IBS have something called visceral hypersensitivity, which simply means that the nerves surrounding the gut are more sensitive than they should be.
Here’s how this plays out:
When you eat certain foods—like those high in FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols)—they ferment in your gut and produce gas. That gas creates pressure, stimulating these already sensitive nerves.
But here’s the catch:
These nerves don’t just register the pressure. They overreact and send false alarm signals to your brain, making you feel like something is wrong. This results in pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal discomfort.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Stress and anxiety also activate these same gut nerves, making symptoms worse and often perpetuating the cycle—even if you haven’t eaten anything triggering. This is important because it creates a vicious cycle that many people struggle to break.
The Real Cause of IBS Symptoms
Hi, I’m Dr. Arian Mismer, a functional medicine practitioner, doctor of physical therapy, registered dietitian, and owner of The Moving Paradigm Integrative Health Center.
Many people believe IBS is caused by food intolerances. However, research shows that most people with irritable bowel syndrome actually have visceral hypersensitivity—a condition where the nerves in the gut are more sensitive than they should be.
Here’s how this plays out:
When you eat certain foods—especially those high in FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols)—they ferment in your gut and produce gas. That gas creates pressure, which stimulates these overactive nerves.
But here’s the catch:
These nerves don’t just register the pressure. They overreact, sending false alarm signals to your brain. This leads to symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation.
And it doesn’t stop there.
The Link Between IBS and Stress
Irritable bowel syndrome and stress are closely connected. Stress and anxiety activate the same gut nerves, making symptoms worse—even when you haven’t eaten anything triggering.
This creates a vicious cycle where stress worsens IBS, and IBS symptoms increase stress.
Studies show that 20% to 90% of IBS patients have visceral hypersensitivity, confirming the gut’s overreaction to normal digestive processes. A 2016 study in Gastroenterology found that people with IBS react more strongly to gut distension than those without IBS, reinforcing this connection.
The Problem with Avoiding Foods
Now, you might be thinking:
“If FODMAPs cause gas, shouldn’t I just avoid them?”
Not exactly—or at least, not long-term.
While a low-FODMAP diet can help reduce symptoms temporarily, long-term restriction can make your gut even more sensitive. Avoiding these foods decreases gut microbiome diversity, which plays a key role in digestive health.
Many people struggle to reintroduce foods after restricting them because they develop a fear of food triggers. But this can actually worsen symptoms.
A study found that IBS patients who fear food triggers experience more severe symptoms than those who don’t restrict as much. I see this daily in my clinic.
More importantly, cutting out food doesn’t address the root cause—an overactive nervous system in the gut.
The Solution: Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy
If food isn’t the real problem, what is?
One of the most promising treatments for IBS isn’t a diet—it’s gut-directed hypnotherapy.
This therapy trains your brain to stop overreacting to gut sensations, helping to calm the nervous system and reduce false alarm signals.
A landmark study published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology found that gut-directed hypnotherapy is just as effective as the low-FODMAP diet—but without dietary restrictions.
Studies show that gut-directed hypnosis can:
- Reduce visceral hypersensitivity
- Normalize gut-brain communication
- Improve colonic motility
- Decrease IBS symptom severity
By changing how the brain interprets gut sensations, gut-directed hypnotherapy helps relieve both physical symptoms and psychological stress associated with IBS.
How to Get Started
If you’re tired of eliminating foods and still struggling with IBS, it’s time to try something different.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy can be done in person with a trained practitioner or through guided online programs. If you’d like to learn more, I’ll share a resource and video below to help you get started.
Next Steps
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