Tag: Gut Health

Posted on

Nerva Hypnotherapy for IBS Relief Review

Have you heard of the Nerva app? Maybe you’ve seen the ads popping up while scrolling Instagram? I did. And I clicked on it. And I read about it and thought about it and one day, after a frustrating week of tummy troubles, I took the free 2-week-trial plunge. Here is my Nerva Hypnotherapy for IBS and Gut Relief review.

The Nerva App is an app designed to use hypnotherapy as a healing tool for IBS symptoms. The types of symptoms Nerva can help with are bowel movements, reflux, abdominal pain, gas, and nausea, among others. Finding medications that will work for these types of symptoms that come and go sporadically, is nearly impossible. When you realize that the chances of any number of IBS medications working are very low while the chances of hypnotherapy working are in the 80% range, it seems like a no-brainer. Also, Nerva was designed by a Psychophysiologist who is also a Gut-Directed Hypnotherapist, Dr. Simone Peters. Also, on the medical board is Dr. Michael Yapko, a clinical psychologist and hypnotherapy expert.

Review of Nerva Hypnotherapy App for IBS Relief

Why I Tried Nerva

I think Nerva caught my eye because the ad said you may be able to stop eating a restricted diet after using their app. When I look at all the foods I’ve removed from my diet, it’s staggering. I have stopped eating black pepper, garlic, ginger, and so many more foods because I tested as sensitive to them on my MRT test. (Read more here.) I have been more than diligent at keeping these foods out of my diet and yet I haven’t seen the improvement I would like. I now know, thanks to further testing, that I also have Lyme Disease which can further disrupt digestive functioning. I am not at the treatment part for Lyme Disease, so I figured I could try Nerva for a couple of weeks and see if it would help improve regularity and consistency – my 2 biggest complaints.

I believe in hypnotherapy. I used HypnoBabies for my third birth and the nurse exclaimed that she’d never seen a more relaxed laboring mother, ever! (Birth story here.) I would listen to the recordings in bed at night, drifting off to the suggestions and words as they imprinted on my brain. I definitely stayed relaxed during birth, so much so that I really just wanted to go to sleep instead of actually work to get my baby out! So I was already a believer, clearly. Because of this, I decided to give Nerva a try.

I have tracked my digestion for the last seven months. When I looked back at my habit trackers, I was surprised how long I’ve been tracking. I must have started to see how eliminating foods was helping and then I just kept doing it, frustrated by the inconsistency. You may have different goals than mine, but the most important thing digestively, for me, is daily movement. Motility became a huge issue as I worked to heal from SIBO. Keeping my bowels moving regularly is key to preventing a recurrence of SIBO. This was going well, according to my charts, but a discouraging cycle began that reminded me of the days before I was diagnosed with SIBO. The cycle would be regular, less regular, then nonexistent followed by urgent, loose, and painful. I basically always knew that if I didn’t have a bowel movement one day, the next day was going to be painful. Add to this the typical emotional and psychological triggers: anxiety, stress, nerves and I was at a loss.

Nerva is an expert at understanding the gut-brain connection and using that knowledge to help people heal. I jumped into my 2-week free trial and committed to the sessions every day. Here’s what I experienced:

Nerva IBS and Gut Hypnotherapy Review

What to Expect from Nerva

Every day there is a reading assignment. It’s pretty short; about the length of a short article and very easy to read. I knew a lot already and basically skimmed.

After reading, there is a “short, 15-minute hypnotherapy session”. They’re actually 18-19 minutes long. I hate to be a stickler, but for someone who struggles with sitting still, there is a big difference between “15 minutes a day” and a reading assignment plus a 19-minute hypnotherapy session. That’s 20+ minutes! This bothered me for awhile. I try to carve out time for everything I find important: exercise, food prep, daily devotionals, reading, writing, etc., and when I add one more thing, I have to know it’s doable so that I don’t set myself up for failure.

Also, the woman with the British (?) accent who conducts the hypnotherapy is very soothing, but sometimes I wished I could choose different voices, just to shake it up a little. Sometimes, her voice would drop out at the end of words so “face” would sound like “fay” or “reflux” would sound like “refluh”. My brain kind of trips over things like this and focuses on them instead of the session.

Okay, enough of my nit-picking. My review of Nerva is that is completely worth trying because I definitely have seen results, so much so that I signed up for a year. I will say it’s annoying that there’s only a 1-year plan and not a 3-month plan or a 6-month plan. I hate paying so much money ($149) up front for something I may not need for an entire year, but that’s the model. (I happened to see a Black Friday 40% off ad for Nerva on Instagram, so I wrote the company and they honored that for me, refunding me 40% of what I paid. That is honorable and I appreciated the refund greatly!)

I had more “perfect” days in the one week than I had in the 7 months I tracked my digestion prior to using Nerva. That’s probably more than I’ve had in the almost 4 years since I have had to treat SIBO. Maybe even longer. Honestly, that alone is worth the money.

Should You Do It?

Should you do it? I suggest you look for the ads and try to find a deal like I did to save money, but also that you give the 2-week free trial a chance. It may not be for you and better to find out for free then to wonder, right? I will say, my “perfect” days didn’t actually start until the very end of the free trial, but it encouraged me to keep going. Every time I listen to a session, I know my brain is storing away these carefully crafted messages to reprogram the way my mind and gut communicate and operate.

If you’re going to try Nerva, make sure you commit to it daily. I did my sessions after lunch. Some people prefer mornings and evenings. I stopped laying down because I’d fall asleep – just FYI.

Also, and I’ve said this to clients over the years, it’s hard to know you’re making improvements if you aren’t truly clear on where you stand beforehand. It’s a good idea to make a chart for yourself. Open a Notes file on your phone or grab a notepad or a calendar page printed off. Create your own key for what your days could look like. Here are some ideas: F = Formed, S = Soft, P = Perfect, N = Nothing, D = Diarrhea, L = Loose, C = Cramps, U = Urgent. If you can see clearly what is currently happening with your digestion, you’ll be able to truly see if Nerva has been able to help you. If you struggle with reflux (R = Reflux) or painful gas (G = Gas), you can track those things too. When you take the assessment on the Nerva app or website, you’ll be able to pinpoint the digestion issues that are most important to you and these key words and ideas will be focused on during the hypnotherapy sessions. It’s kind of genius actually!

After about 3 months of consistent Nerva use, my digestion reached a steady state and I had more “P’s” on my tracker than ever in my life (?)! I eventually stopped using it and canceled the renewal when it arrived. I really appreciate what Nerva did for me. I don’t think you should have to pay for a whole year to have longer than 2 weeks. I wish, after paying that much money, I could have access to the recordings in case my brain needs a reminder… but no complaints will change the fact that Nerva pushed my health to the next level and I am so grateful for that.

Also, in doing some research for this blog, I see they have an app for mental health. I’m fan-girling over here a little bit. I’m all about food, health, digestion, and mental health. Maybe I’ll try that one next year! As for you and your gut health goals, I wish there was a referral code I could offer you, but they don’t have that yet… try it out, give it your all, and track those symptoms to get the most out of it.

Nerva IBS and Gut Hypnotherapy Review by At Peace with Health
Posted on

Feeling Stuck? What If It’s Not Constipation?

Trust me, I know it’s not exactly the most comfortable conversation to be having, but if you struggle or have struggled with constipation, it’s worth talking about it! What if you’re not constipated? 

So, if you wake up in the morning and after a few hours, you don’t have a bowel movement, do you think you’re constipated? Do you tell people that you struggle with constipation? Do you subscribe to the IBS diagnosis that’s virtually meaningless? 

Don’t beat yourself up and don’t make any assumptions. You might not suffer from constipation. It is possible, as I’ve learned in my gut healing process, that what you’re experiencing is a motility issue. 

While constipation is defined as difficulty emptying the bowels, it is associated with hardened feces. Hard little balls. That’s the image we think of when recognizing constipation. Is that you? Or do you just have trouble having a bowel movement? 

Gut motility may be the bigger issue, as opposed to constipation. Gut motility is the movement of the digestive system. Movement is the key word. When you’re down to the bottom of the toothpaste tube, you squeeze the tube. If you’re really frugal, you start at the bottom of the tube and push while rolling the tube up. (My dad put paperclips on the edge to hold the fold… I keep meaning to do that for the kids!) Our colon has to do this too. It’s called peristalsis: the gentle waves that occur in the colon to move waste through and out. Sometimes, when you can’t have a bowel movement, you aren’t dealing with constipation, you’re dealing with gut motility issues. 

The reason this is important is because of how you deal with a situation based on the definition or diagnosis you attach to it. If you’re constipated, you may reach for a laxative or one of these over the counter products geared toward constipation. Take it from someone who knows, if it’s not constipation, then constipation remedies will not change anything. Drinking warm water, staying hydrated, consuming fiber, exercising, and probiotics won’t help. If it is constipation, then those things should help. 

Since motility has to do with movement of the GI tract and not the state of the waste in the colon, you have to look at it differently. In the SIBO world, we call these prokinetics. Prokinetics help increase the waves of the colon without disrupting the rhythm. The difference between a prokinetic and a laxative is that a laxative will force waste from your body, disrupting your body’s natural rhythm. Abuse of laxatives can permanently damage your body’s ability to expel waste. Prokinetics work with your body’s natural rhythm so you can naturally move your bowels. Below are the affiliate links to the products I’ve used, researched, and believe in. 

The first prokinetic I tried was Iberogast. Oh my goodness it worked like a charm. I had a week of normal, healthy and regular bowel movements. Unfortunately, I also had a reaction to Iberogast that included a sore and itchy throat. I know better than to mess with those symptoms so I pushed it aside and continued my search. It might be perfect for you, though! 20 drops with each meal is the aggressive start. You can then taper down until you only need a few drops in the evening. It’s worth a try. It’s truly a life-changing product. 

Another prokinetic is triphala. Triphala is an Ayuvedic herbal formula. I bought the powder and used a scoop a day. I still use this, however it is not the only product that keeps things moving for me. I know it’s incredibly healthy for you and serves many purposes including being a gentle bowel tonic and helping support gastrointestinal health. This is the exact product I used (below) and will continue to take daily. 

My favorite supplement, though, for digestive health, is Atrantil. Atrantil uses peppermint, quebracho and horse chestnut to prohibit the growth of methane and hydrogen in the gut, which greatly contribute to SIBO and other digestive disturbances. It has been miraculous for me. I started off taking 2 capsules with every meal and eventually tapered to just 2 capsules at dinner. This wasn’t enough for me and I added in 2 more capsules at lunch, for a total of four. For our budget and my desired health, I wasn’t happy taking 4 caps a day. After talking with some people in my SIBO support group on Facebook, I’ve been taking one capsule with each meal with great success. I was nervous to try another supplement. I always am, but I am so glad I found this. You can take it for acute issues, like a meal that didn’t settle well, or you can take it regularly for GI motility. I definitely recommend keeping this on hand. 

All of this in mind, you have a LOT of options for keeping your gut healthy and your bowels moving. That is key for preventing the recurrence of SIBO especially. Still, sometimes stuff happens, or it doesn’t rather, and you may find yourself desperate to use the bathroom. I’ve been there. For me, I’ve discovered it’s vitamin D!!!! Of all the things. This happened in May last year too. I was doing great, I had cured my SIBO and was using a prokinetic and everything was going smoothly (literally) until it stopped (literally). It happened after I took a dose of vitamin D, trying to get back into my vitamin routine. Everything stopped. For days. It was torture. Since then, I’ve switched up my fish oils and have started taking one that already contains vitamin D without any trouble. That is, until my doctor prescribed me vitamin D, for my low vitamin D test results. I was prescribed the kind you take once a week for 6 weeks. Every darn time I took that I would get locked up. It was like a nightmare. I tested it by skipping a dose and I was perfectly fine. As soon as I resumed taking it, I was not fine. I was advised to take it every other week to give my body a chance to recover, but I started searching for emergency bowel moving tips and now I’m going to offer them to you! 

Prunes. Yeah, the old lady fruit. They’re actually really tasty. And usually 3-5 will do the trick. I think they work best on an empty stomach as opposed to taking them with breakfast or another meal. And I found some organic prunes on Amazon to keep on hand for those emergencies. This deal comes in a package of 3 bags so they stay sealed and fresh. 

Posted on

Treating SIBO (aka, IBS or other digestive challenges)

Have you been diagnosed with IBS? Do you think that’s just a diagnosis like the common cold or celiac disease and you just have to deal with it? Do you think treating your symptoms is the best option, or would you rather find the root cause and eliminate it? 

Your answers to these questions might be different than mine. I’ve always struggled with digestive challenges and relatedly, anxiety and depression. You might be surprised to find that anxiety and depression are related to digestive troubles (as are the immune system and hormones). Since they all live in the same place: the GUT, they tend to affect each other. 

One of the first questions I’m asked lately is, “How did you know you had SIBO?” Short answer: I didn’t. I thought I had internal bleeding, cancer, or an ulcer. Or all of the above. I shook as I explained my symptoms to my friends, my husband and eventually my NP. I was flooded with relief when I heard that, most likely, I had a gut issue that could be resolved.

I’ve never been diagnosed with IBS. I know many people have. If I went to a GI doctor and described my digestion, I probably WOULD have been diagnosed! I just know what’s not normal. While I am familiar with sluggish bowels and anxiety-induced diarrhea or traveler’s constipation, I know that it’s normal to have a bowel movement every day. And I know that bowel movements should be formed, not liquid or hard as a rock. Thankfully, Dr. Oz has normalized the conversation about bowel movements, right? You wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t ready to think about it and talk about it. Your toilet can tell you a lot if you pay attention. 

So, I knew something was wrong. My anxiety was so high and I was either regular, constipated, or having diarrhea. I never knew from one day to the next what I was going to be dealing with in the bathroom. At some point, that transitioned into horrible bowel movements that resembled what the Internet told me was internal bleeding. This is what led me to my Nurse Practitioner (NP) at an Integrative Health Practice.

My Nurse Practitioner told me I might have SIBO and that it’s relatively easy to remedy, which brought me great relief. My comprehensive stool analysis results took several weeks to return and in that time I was treating the H. Pylori I’d also discovered I had (read that story here). 

Once we confirmed I had SIBO, I launched into action.

Treating SIBO is best accomplished as a two-fold process: diet and supplementation. You may choose different treatment plans, but I’m sharing what I’ve chosen. My first, and most valuable resource, is: SIBO INFO. This is the website my NP recommended to me as having valuable and up-to-date information as well as

successful outcomes. From looking at this website, you’ll see they offer various treatment options. From the Herbal Antibiotics options, I chose Metagenics. My choice was based on reviews on Amazon when I compared the two options. Being so uncomfortable, I was looking for relief and not more side effects. The Amazon reviews offered me hope that the Metagenics supplements could offer me that.

I purchased a bottle of Metagenics Candibactin AR and Metagenics Candibacting BR. See affiliate links below:

CandiBactin BR CandiBactin AR

Yes, I flinched at the cost. Yes, I cringed at the 2 of each twice a day regimen, but I was desperate.

The other part of the treatment involves dietary changes. You’ll see under SIBO INFO’s Diet dropdown menu that there are many diets to choose from. My NP recommended the SCD diet and since it allowed for red wine, I was all in! 

The diet is restrictive. Very restrictive. The only sugar allowed is honey. No maple syrup or coconut sugar. No flours or grains or starches. No sweet potatoes, or mayonnaise (unless it’s homemade), no soy, no corn, etc, etc. I’ve heard many people say, “I could never take on a diet like that.” I’ve also been told that I have such great willpower. But it wasn’t a choice.

There comes a point where you will do anything to not be in pain, or anxiety, or dis-ease. When you reach that point, it doesn’t matter anymore what you want to eat, what matters is what will help you regain your health.

If you’ve followed along this far, then you may be interested in the intricacies of the SCD diet. The best website for information is: Breaking the Vicious Cycle. This website is based on the book that was written to outline and define the SCD diet. As I progressed with research, I’ve met many people who’ve had the SCD diet change their lives. Instagram moms, Facebook group participants, and bloggers all write about the benefits of this diet. 

In the beginning of the treatment, I was still struggling in the mornings with multiple bouts of diarrhea and anxiety. There were days I struggled to make the 10 minute drive to drop the girls off at school. Usually, I would be fine by late morning. I figured I could just live with this, if it was to be the worst of it. As luck would have it though, I went on a 3 day trip with some friends and our kids, to the beach, and I forgot my probiotic. I was so nervous about traveling and I was basically a “maybe” up until the day we left. While we were there, I didn’t have any distress. I used the bathroom once in the morning and felt FINE. It was the probiotic. You see, SIBO is Small Intestinal BACTERIA Overgrowth. So my body did not want any more bacteria. Period. After confirming with my NP, I never took it again! 

The treatment plan I chose was for approximately 4 weeks. At the 4 week mark, I was so nervous. I actually did feel better, with some ups and downs here and there. The road was rough at times with painful bloating, bathroom emergencies, and overall anxiety when I didn’t feel well. I had bone broth or chamomile tea with me most of the time. There was also the adjustment to the SCD diet, which I hadn’t thought would be too difficult after being fairly low-carb, Paleo-esque for months already. But when Easter and Passover came around and everyone was enjoying the food associated with these holidays, I struggled with sadness. The emotional attachment to the enjoyment of food is not to be taken lightly! 

Still, after 4 weeks, I could tell that on a scale of 1-10 I was an 8 or a 9 some days. I wasn’t on the verge of a panic attack. I wasn’t in the bathroom multiple times a morning. I had become regular, like clockwork, and felt stronger than I had in months. The few symptoms I did have and my fear of not doing everything right, prompted me to do a SIBO Breath Test from Genova Diagnositcs. 

My results were negative. I was SIBO free! After I exhaled and did a happy dance and sent messages to all my loved ones, I asked what now? Do I just stop everything? I knew from my research that I needed a prokinetic (a supplement to keep my intestines mobile, so that nothing gets stuck and grows there). The recurrence rate for SIBO is 70-80% and I did NOT want it to reoccur. 

Again, between my NP and my Amazon reviews research, I settled on a prokinetic. Also, it was agreed that I would only add in one new food a week and then wait a week before changing anything else, to see if I had any reactions to foods. It was like I was side-stepping my way out of a jail cell, hoping not to get caught. The scent of freedom was there, but I couldn’t quite taste it. 

​The prokenetic I chose was Iberogast (see affiliate link below): 

iberogast

As soon as I started Iberogast, I noticed 2 things: 

1) My throat hurt a little. Some kind of reaction was happening and I decided that 20 drops at every meal just wasn’t for me. I did 10 instead. 

2) My stools were NORMAL, healthy, regular, and there were NO symptoms. I’d struck gold! Iberogast would always be in my life! 

During my first week of potential freedom, I relished in the good feelings and planned on eating tortilla chips at dinner Friday night. How I missed the crunch of something. Nothing in SCD diet-land is particularly crunchy, to satisfy that urge. You’d think my first food would’ve been chocolate, but I guess this just showed how far I had come. The chips weren’t even that good, but I enjoyed the crunch immensely. That weekend, I noticed no discomfort or issues. As the days went on, I continued feeling wonderful. 

I decided I should start adding my supplements back in because I want to be my healthiest self. I started with Vitamin D3 and that afternoon I felt a little crampy and bloated, but hoped it was nothing. Four days went by without a bowel movement. I was panicking. I was convinced that SIBO was coming for me with the keys to lock my jail cell again. I felt backed up (pun intended) against a wall and I frantically e-mailed my NP. Repeatedly. 

None of the usual things worked. This wasn’t constipation, this was my body reacting severely to something in the Vitamin D3. I was devastated. I knew that magnesium and Vitamin D3 were very connected so I decided to try the magnesium recommended for SIBO: Magnesium Glycinate (see affiliate link:)

Magnesium Glycinate

Eventually, the blockage ended, but I was so scared of experiencing that again. I started the Magnesium Glycinate, which is supposed to be good for SIBO (and it might be right for YOU!), but it wasn’t for me. Unfortunately, I have this issue with magnesium. When I take it, I get a sore throat and this time was no different, except it was accompanied by nausea, headaches and anxiety. Fabulous. I stopped that on Day 3. 

I also needed to address this prokinetic issue since Iberogast wasn’t ideal for me and I never got back to that wonderful week of normal and healthy bowel movements. I decided to try Triphala. I learned about it from this awesome podcast I listened to (The Science of Success). It’s basically an interview with a neurologist who had migraines and couldn’t cure herself. She ended up at an Ayurvedic Practitioner that educated her (a neurologist!) on how important the gut is for the rest of the body’s health. She discussed Triphala and how valuable it can be for the gut health and a quick Google search showed me that it is often used successfully as a SIBO prokinetic. 

Here is what I got (affiliate link): 

Triphala

Thankfully, this powder has been working well. No sore throat. No nausea. No headaches. And slowly, but surely, leaning towards normal again.

This is a saga. At some point I just have to publish this blog and update you later as I learn more information. Because, the truth is, health is a journey. And SIBO is a very complicated journey. It’s not as simple as “take 3 of these and call me in the morning.” Just because I got a negative breath test, doesn’t mean that everything returned to normal. Kefir didn’t work for me. Magnesium was a no-go. Iberogast was intermittently helpful. Probiotics failed me as well, even the one that’s considered good for SIBO (affiliate link below). 

SIBO Probiotic

My Nurse Practitioner said that I may never be able to handle a probiotic again. The delicate balance in our guts is very complex and there is no “one size fits all” approach to our health! When I see commercials pushing certain supplements, I scoff and say, “Not if you have SIBO!” All bets are off now. 

Here I am, 4 months into this process and I’m still on the SCD diet. I’ve added tiny amounts of homemade chocolate, tortilla chips, and popcorn. It’s nice to have those indulgences sometimes. I also still have mornings where things just aren’t right and I worry, worry that I’ll never have the perfect gut health I used to. It is definitely possible that this will be a lifelong challenge for me. Sometimes that exhausts me. Other times, I think how much I’ve learned because of it.

I named this website At Peace With Health because I understand that the journey is complicated and no matter how challenging it is, my goal is to be at peace with it. This is the only life I get to live and I want to enjoy it and thrive in it. May God give me the grace for myself that I need in order to be at peace with where I am!