Quick Guide

• Breath: Use slow, diaphragmatic breathing to calm the gut-brain axis.
• Pain scale: Keep discomfort ≤4/10 daily; aim for gradual improvement, not instant elimination.
• Success signs: More predictable bowel movements, less post-meal swelling, fewer high-urgency episodes.

Step 1 — Daily Gut-Calm Breathing (5 minutes, 1–2×/day)
Goal: Reduce nerve hypersensitivity in the gut and activate the parasympathetic nervous system

1. Sit or lie comfortably with one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
2. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, letting the belly expand while keeping the chest still.
3. Exhale gently through pursed lips for 6–8 seconds, imagining the digestive tract softening and unwinding.
4. Continue for 5 minutes, focusing on a slow rhythm and releasing tension with each breath.

Success: Sense of abdominal softness and reduced urgency after practice.

Step 2 — Low-FODMAP Food Audit (14–28 days)
Goal: Identify trigger foods that ferment excessively and cause bloating/gas

1. Remove common high-FODMAP foods (garlic, onions, beans, certain fruits, lactose, wheat-based bread) for a set period.
2. Keep a symptom diary — note bloating level (1–10), bowel changes, and energy levels daily.
3. After elimination, reintroduce foods one at a time every 3 days to test tolerance.
4. Keep tolerated foods; avoid or limit confirmed triggers.

Success: Reduced bloating and more predictable bowel patterns during elimination phase.

Step 3 — Gentle Abdominal Massage (3–5 minutes)
Goal: Encourage bowel movement and reduce gas build-up

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
2. Using both hands, apply light pressure in slow, clockwise circles starting at the lower right abdomen (just above the hip bone).
3. Follow the path of the colon: up the right side, across under the ribs, down the left side.
4. Maintain relaxed shoulders and steady breathing throughout.

Success: Softer belly, possible release of trapped gas, or urge for a bowel movement within an hour.

Step 4 — Stress-Reset Micro-Breaks (3×/day)
Goal: Interrupt stress spikes that trigger IBS flares

1. Set reminders to pause every 2–3 hours.
2. Stand, roll your shoulders, and take three deep belly breaths.
3. Gently stretch the sides of your torso to release tension along the digestive tract.

Success: More stable energy and fewer urgent bowel episodes during the day.

Step 5 — Evening Wind-Down (15–20 minutes)
Goal: Ensure the gut enters a rest-and-digest state before sleep

1. Switch off bright screens at least 30 minutes before bed.
2. Lie on your left side with knees slightly bent and a pillow between knees.
3. Breathe slowly, visualising the gut releasing the day’s tension.
4. Optionally, sip warm peppermint or chamomile tea if tolerated.

Success: Reduced overnight bloating and calmer morning bowels.