Why Don’t More IBDer’s Prioritize THIS Gut Healing Technique?
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Have you heard about my F.L.U.S.H. Formula Framework? It’s the beating heart of my IBD coaching practice—a game changer for many—and its aim is to be the catalyst that finally propels you to a place of long term healing, thriving, and flourishing.
Can I get an Amen? We all want that in our lives.
Food
Lifestyle (momstyle)
Unconventional Treatments
Supplements
Higher Mindset
These are the 5 pillars that make up the F.L.U.S.H. Formula Framework.
Can you guess which of these pillars gives clients the hardest time? Which one is the hardest hurdle to embrace fully, to own deeply, and to unapologetically and fiercely commit to?
If you said “H” higher mindset, you’d be right my friend!
It’s not food, it’s not supplements, it’s not even embracing a new momstyle or unconventional treatments that give you pause. It’s the higher mindset piece of the puzzle—the mind/body (gut/brain connection) component that leaves you stuck, uncomfortable, and afraid about moving forward.
I’ve seen it time and time again. Hell, I know this fear well because I lived it for years and years and had to hit rock bottom before I acknowledged that I was never going to fully heal without a higher mindset action plan.
In today’s episode of The Cheeky Podcast for Moms with IBD, we are exploring why this pillar is such a stumbling block for most of us with IBD. We are demystifying fact from fiction about what’s actually accurate about what a solid mind/body practice can bring to your IBD life.
If you’ve ever struggled to get on board with mind/body medicine for your personal gut healing journey; if you just can’t seem to find the time to commit to this life changing technique; if you would benefit from a step by step plan that walks you through the easiest way to make this game changer a simple daily habit in your life (where it doesn’t take up too much time, it doesn’t require you to “quiet your mind,” and it can easily be done while you’re doing other things)…
This is the can’t miss episode for you, dear one.
Tune in As We Talk About:
✅ [00:03:45] The reason why the “Higher Mindset” pillar in the F.L.U.S.H. Formula is often the hardest for IBDe’rs to embrace
✅ [00:07:18] Common misconceptions about mind/body techniques like meditation, mindfulness, and breathwork, and how these myths might be holding you back from full IBD healing.
✅ [00:11:56] The disconnect between perceived “facts” about mind/body practices vs what the scientific research actually finds to be true about this topic.
✅ [00:19:22] My step-by-step plan on how to gently and effectively incorporate breathwork into your daily life, even if you’re short on time, feel overwhelmed, or need to multi-task while you do it.
✅ [00:26:34] My “Do it Like a Mom” practical tips to help you overcome resistance to mind/body techniques and ensure you stick with these practices long enough to ensure your gut and whole body thrives and flourish’s under their life transforming effects.
✅ [00:31:08] Why addressing the mind/body connection is essential not just for symptom relief, but for preventing future flare-ups and achieving long-term remission.
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Mentioned in the Episode:
>> Your Breathwork 101 FREE Resource
>> The Ultimate IBD Diet Decoder Quiz
>> Join The Gut Love Community for Moms with IBD
>> Book Your FREE IBD Consultation with Karyn Today
Connect With Karyn:
Episode Transcript:
Karyn [00:00:08]:
Hey there, mama.
Karyn [00:00:09]:
Welcome to season two of the Cheeky podcast for moms with IBD. I’m Karyn Haley, functional IBD nutrition and wellness coach and Crohn’s warrior. This podcast is all about us moms because our IBD plays by different rules. Season two is juicy, full of unconventional wisdom, real talk, new ways to tackle our illness, and a whole lot of community empowerment, and all of us advocating.
Karyn [00:00:35]:
The hell out of our illness.
Karyn [00:00:37]:
We’re in this together, and I’m here to help you find healing on your terms.
Karyn [00:00:42]:
Let’s do this. Well, hey there, my friend. It’s an honor, as always, to connect with you. I want to jump right into our topic because it’s a controversial one. And I have to be honest with you.
Karyn [00:01:00]:
I don’t get.
Karyn [00:01:01]:
I don’t get it why it’s so controversial. I don’t get why this topic is so misunderstood. I think the best place to start today’s episode is just with a question. Have you heard about my flush formula framework? If you’ve been around the podcast or you’ve worked with me, you know what I’m talking about. My flush formula is the guiding principle that I built my coaching practice around. It’s deeply rooted in five crucial pillars for health and well being, and those pillars are the basis of a thriving, flourishing life. And these pillars are very specific to IBD healing. So, of course, flesh is an acronym, and it stands for food, lifestyle, unconventional treatments, supplements, and higher mindset.
Karyn [00:01:57]:
So here comes my question. Guess which pillar I get the most push back on when I just know you’re not going to be surprised when I tell you that it’s the last pillar. It’s pillar number five. It’s H. Higher mindset. And that’s why when I work with IBD gals and I sense that there’s just a little bit of pushback, a little bit of resistance with this pillar, I always probe deeper, and I ask, why? Why is this particular healing pillar? Why is it the last thing that you want to do? And most of the time, the answer I get absolutely mirrors what the scientific research is finding on this topic as well. So recent research shows that there’s a disconnect between the patient and the perceived benefit of mind body techniques like meditation, breath work, and mindfulness. So let me give you a few stats here.
Karyn [00:03:00]:
A 2018 study found that while 70%, that’s a lot. 70% of patients with chronic conditions are aware of mind binding techniques like meditation, breath work, and mindfulness, only about 20% regularly use these practices to manage their health challenges. And then yet, in another study, it found that over 40% of people with chronic illnesses believe that the mind body techniques that you can use, they believe that they don’t have any significant impact on their physical symptoms, leading to lower adoption rates, despite the evidence that shows that they have benefit. And then another study found that 50% of individuals with chronic conditions reported that their healthcare providers, they don’t discuss or recommend mind body interventions. 50%. And so of course that reduces the likelihood that these techniques are going to be integrated into their treatment plan. Another study found approximately 30% of people, they indicated that the lack of access to trained professionals and resources, that was a significant barrier to them practicing mind body techniques. And then lastly, about 25% of people in another study reported that there’s a cultural or even a social stigma associated with using mind body techniques.
Karyn [00:04:36]:
So even though many adopt these negative belief patterns surrounding mind body techniques, the reality is actually much different. So we have all this research saying one thing, but what’s actually real, what’s actually true is completely different. These statistics that I just rattled off, they don’t play out in the real world. In fact, there’s just enough research that shows the complete opposite. There was a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology that found that mindfulness based stress reduction, they call that MBSR, it led to a significant reduction in the severity of symptoms in those with both IB’s and IBD. And research shows that mindfulness and meditation practices, they can lead to a 22% improvement in the quality of life for people who live with chronic conditions like IBD. We’re talking about both physical and psychological well being here. So the double whammy, hitting it from all sides.
Karyn [00:05:44]:
Another study, this one was from the behavioral Medicine journal, found that patients who engaged in regular meditation or mindfulness practices had a 43% reduction in their number of visits to their healthcare providers. And then in 2020, a study published in neurogastroenterology and Motility, it highlighted that mind body practices, particularly those that focus on breath work, can improve the gut brain connection in patients with chronic digestive issues. This resulted in a 25% improvement in their gastrointestinal symptoms, symptoms like pain, bloating and irregular bowel movements. Meditation has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels by 58%. That’s just not. That’s not just a little bit, that’s a lot. 58% of those with chronic conditions. And this reduction has the potential to have a profound impact, of course, on those of us managing our Crohn’s disease.
Karyn [00:06:51]:
Or ulcerative colitis. So, with all those stats in mind, the research is clear. The research is clear. Mind body medicine, it works, it matters, and it makes a statistically significant difference. Think about your own perception about mind body techniques. What comes to mind? What comes to your mind when I say mind body medicine, what’s your relationship to using the power of your mind to affect change within your body? Are you open, but maybe you’re just confused about it. Are you open, but you just feel like, I don’t have time for that. Maybe you’re just closed to all of it.
Karyn [00:07:40]:
Just doesn’t make any sense to you. Having insights around how you see this pillar, how you see it fitting into your healing plan, that’s really the first step. And there are so many practical, logistical, even emotional reasons why people have resistance around this area of being physical and mentally being well, being physically and mentally well. I’m going to give you some of those reasons. I want you to see. See if any of these reasons resonate with you. These are reasons given by our GlC moms, our gut love community moms. See if any of these resonate with you.
Karyn [00:08:22]:
So these are the ones I hear about all the time. The first one is time constraints. I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough time in my day to dedicate to a practice like this. Meditation, mindfulness, breath, work. I just don’t have the time. Another thing I hear is like, I just can’t do it. I can’t do it.
Karyn [00:08:40]:
It’s not that I don’t have the time. It’s just that I can’t. And this is a really big one. I hear this one all the time. When people hear the words higher mindset, they often think of meditation. That’s always what comes to your mind first. And then, of course, that often triggers anxiety, because you think about sitting still and you think about, well, I couldn’t even sit still for ten minutes. That seems impossible.
Karyn [00:09:05]:
So I hear that a lot. I can’t do it. Another reason I hear is skeptic, pure, pure skepticism. I don’t think it’s gonna work. It doesn’t work. And this can typically happen when somebody tries this one or two times and they don’t see immediate results, and they’re like, well, it didn’t work for me. I tried it one or two times. Didn’t work.
Karyn [00:09:26]:
All right. Another thing that I hear a lot of the time, see if this one resonates with you, is just lack of knowledge. I don’t know how to get started. I’m not really familiar with it. I don’t know how to do the techniques properly, so I just don’t know how to get started. Also, I mentioned this actually when I was talking about the research, that cultural stigma that surrounds mind body medicine. Some cultures, some communities, even they see this type of practice as, I’m going to put this in air quotes, alternative or maybe not legitimate, not as legitimate as traditional medicine. This was such a fit for a reason, for my mom.
Karyn [00:10:06]:
She absolutely fit into this category as a life long, I would call her a traditional nurse if she didn’t hear about it from her own doctor. She wouldn’t do it. She just wouldn’t do it. A doctor knows best. You know, that kind of mentality. Okay, what else? So maybe another reason that it’s kind of foreign to you or, or it doesn’t work for you is because you have misconceptions about what mind body practices are. Many people believe that mindfulness or meditation requires a clear mind. We hear that all the time.
Karyn [00:10:40]:
It’s about clearing your mind or it’s about complete stillness, which that can seem really daunting to us b mamas with squirrel brains. I fit into that category. Maybe you fit into that as well. Maybe you just feel uncomfortable or just discomfort with the idea of stillness. So sitting quietly or doing nothing, it might actually give you a physical uncomfortable response. It might even feel distressing to you. I find this one to be especially true when anxiety, stress or even unresolved emotional issues are at play. Because you think, well, if I sit quietly, those things are going to come up and I don’t want them to come up.
Karyn [00:11:28]:
Right. Another thought might be maybe you’re just impatient and we’re all guilty of that from time to time. We live in an impatient society. Mind body practices, they often require consistent long term effort. This is not a quick fix. And we live in a world of, isn’t there a pill for that kind of culture? Right? We live in that. Give me a pill. Give me that magic fix quickly.
Karyn [00:11:54]:
Some people might just have a fear of failure. They might feel like if I do, it doesn’t work, well, then I’m just a loser, right? If it doesn’t work for me, if I don’t see results right away, I’m not worthy. This gets right to the heart of your perfectionism. You’re overachieving nature. You’re overthinking nature. All those emotions really play in there. Maybe you prioritize other treatments over this. I can’t do this because I have to prioritize something else that my doctor told me to do.
Karyn [00:12:27]:
Mind body techniques are supplemental. Maybe you tell yourself that, so that just means that they’re less important. So I’m going to prioritize something else. So those are several. I think I maybe even mentioned like ten of them. Those are several reasons why this type of technique might just give you a little bit of trepidation. So tell me, can you relate to any of those? Did any of these? One did. Maybe two of these, maybe more than two of these resonate with you? Are any of these factors holding you back from incorporating the higher mindset pillar into your IBD healing regime? You’re in good company if these resonate with you, because these are the most common reasons that I hear when someone has resistance with this pillar.
Karyn [00:13:17]:
Now, I always believe that I have to be absolutely candid and upfront with you. That’s always my goal. So in the spirit of that sentiment, it’s time for a little bit of tough love here, especially if any of these reasons rang true for you. If you aren’t using some type of mind body technique, or even techniques, if it’s not anywhere in your wheel of wellness, and here’s the tough love part, you are going to fail. You’re going to fail at health. I know that’s harsh. Did she seriously just say that? Karen, who’s always so positive, so encouraging, so there is no one size fits all approach to healing? Yeah, I did say it. I said it and I don’t regret it.
Karyn [00:14:11]:
I am just keeping it real with you. I have been doing this a really long time, and although I didn’t get it at the beginning either, if you’re feeling that way, that’s what I was like a few years ago. But through the years, the experiences that I’ve had in this field, helping people in this field, it has made me an absolute convert on this topic. And it’s not even a choice, mama. If you want full, long lasting healing, especially from a digestive challenge like inflammatory bowel disease, others with chronic illnesses, maybe somehow with dealing with their emotions, maybe they don’t have to. But we don’t get that luxury because the gut and the brain are intimately connected. So some type of mind body practice that gets to the heart of your stress, your anxiety, depression, frustration, anger, denial, trauma, insert your emotional turmoil here. It’s essential.
Karyn [00:15:20]:
It’s nothing optional. It’s essential. All the other pillars in your gut healing framework, they can’t touch a candle to these emotions like a higher mindset pillar. Can that mind body practice. That’s what we’re talking about here. But let’s just say, for argument’s sake, let’s just say that you haven’t embraced this because maybe you haven’t. Let’s just say you haven’t embraced yet. A mind body practice pillar number five in my flush formula, higher mindset.
Karyn [00:15:55]:
But you have embraced other pillars on your healing journey. Let’s just say that you’ve gone all in on the gut healing pillar of food. Let’s do that one. Let’s say that you put all of your eggs in the food basket, or maybe you put everything, all of your energy into a supplement plan. And maybe you’re saying, Karen, you’re just full of it. You’re full of crap. My chosen path works. My food path, my supplement path.
Karyn [00:16:27]:
Maybe you feel better than you have in a really long time. Trust me when I tell you that if that’s the case, no one is happier for you than me because eradicating the pain that’s associated with chronic. And you see, that’s my ultimate goal in life. And I know, I know all the hard work and dedication that it takes to get to that place, to get to a place like that because I’ve been there. I’ve seen this also countless times. I’ve seen it countless times. I’ve had my own experience with it in my own life. But here’s the thing.
Karyn [00:17:03]:
Guess what? It doesn’t last. Okay? It might take a year, it might take two years, it might take five years down the line. It was almost ten years down the line for me. But those emotions, those emotional emotions that I mentioned earlier, the anxiety, the trauma, the stress, the anger, it’s still there. It’s still there when we don’t deal with it, it’s still there. It’s simmering beneath the surface. It’s waiting for just the right life event to trigger it. It might be taking care of a sick loved one, it might be chronic work stress, it might be family drama, it might be the death of someone close to you.
Karyn [00:17:53]:
It might be childhood trauma that you never dealt with. And then bam, bam, flare up city, you are right back where you started again. Can you relate to that? It may not happen right away. It may take many years. You might have lots of years of good health. But trust me, trust me, if you don’t have that pillar in place, the good health, it doesn’t last. And so this was my experience years ago, like I just alluded to as an IB deer in healing because I put all my eggs in, in the food and supplement basket. Hey, at least I had two baskets.
Karyn [00:18:36]:
It wasn’t just one. I put all my eggs into the food and supplement basket only to have my world come crashing down about ten years later. And now that that happened to me, I see the pattern. I see it over and over and over in my coaching practice. I see this over and over with my GLC friends, my gut love, community friends. Please. Okay, so take this. Let me just say this.
Karyn [00:19:06]:
If you, if you take nothing else from this episode, if you take nothing else from this episode today, this is such a personal episode for me, I have to say. But if you take nothing else from the episode, I want to tell you that either food alone or whatever pillar it is alone. Please trust me when I tell you that you can’t go around issues like this. You can’t continue to stuff them down because they will catch up with you. They will catch up with you at some point. All the healthy eating, all the supplement taking in the world, it can’t prevent these unresolved issues from catching up to you. And I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know. This isn’t life shattering, mind blowing news to you.
Karyn [00:20:03]:
I’m telling you what you already know. I’m telling you what you, just as a busy mom, you’re just not taking the time to really think about and bring into your life. And we’re all guilty of it, aren’t we? So here’s the time. It is time now. It’s time to take stuff. It’s just you and me here. Remember? This is a one way conversation. I can’t hear your response.
Karyn [00:20:29]:
And that’s okay, because it’s time for you to have an honest conversation with yourself. You may have been delaying this for a while even though you knew you needed to have it, but here’s that conversation. It comes in the form of a question. Where is your mind body health at? It’s just you. I’m here with you in this space, but it’s just you. Can you answer that question? Where is your mind body health at? Is it a dumpster fire with all kinds of past emotions never being let out or never being made peace with? Is it maybe just like, kind of so, so, you know, you put the time in here and there, but you just never are able to fully commit to the process. Or are you truly healed, mind, body and soul? Now, most of us still have some work to do in this area. I have been working on myself in the realm of mindfulness for several years now, and I can say that I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re just never done with this.
Karyn [00:21:33]:
I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re never truly done with this pill. And I’ve also made peace with that because I feel like it’s okay. We’re always going to find things in our life that need work. Mind, body work. It’s a process. It’s about always making process, always making progress. And the important aspect of this pillar is that we’re working on it. That’s it.
Karyn [00:22:02]:
It’s just that we’re working on it. We don’t have to get here to this and place. We’re working on it. We’re not stuffing it down only to let those negative emotions or flare ups that it can cause, those ones that are rooted deep in our subconscious. We’re not letting them come out and just creeping up at the worst possible time. It doesn’t always happen at the worst possible time. It happens at the worst possible moment, doesn’t it? And I have to tell you, that isn’t a coincidence. It’s not a coincidence that you’re flaring when your world is in chaos.
Karyn [00:22:38]:
It’s your body’s way of telling you, hold up, hold up. Dear one, I’m about to break here and I need some tender loving care. Please, I need some care. Our body is always talking to us. It’s our job to listen when the whispers come in, not when there’s this tympanic drum pounding in your head.
Karyn [00:23:03]:
Just a quick interruption. We will get back to the podcast in a second.
Karyn [00:23:07]:
I’m wondering, are you, like many of.
Karyn [00:23:08]:
Us with Crohn’s and colitis, you’re turning to food to help heal your gut, but you’re just feeling really overwhelmed by the myriad of gut healing diets out there. There’s gluten free and dairy free and paleo gaps and it can be really confusing and frustrating and leave you feeling disheartened about which diet is the right one for you. And I’ve been there myself. That’s why I created the ultimate IBD diet decoder quiz to help you find your best diet for your unique needs. Now maybe you’ve tried one of these diets, but you gave up quickly because they were just too strict or they didn’t fit with your lifestyle.
Karyn [00:23:51]:
Here’s the truth.
Karyn [00:23:52]:
There is no one size fits all diet. But there is one best diet for you. And the best diet for you isn’t just about your symptoms. It’s about your lifestyle and your personality too. Are you ready to find the gut healing diet that fits you like a glove? Head on over to karenhaley.com quiz to take my ultimate IBD diet decoder quiz. It’s free, and it only takes three minutes. Discover what you’ve been meant to be eating to put your IBD in its place. That’s karenhaley.com quiz.
Karyn [00:24:32]:
And now back to the show.
Karyn [00:24:34]:
Okay, so what I was just talking about, talking about there, that is the insight piece. That’s the insight piece of this episode. The part where we say, yes, yes, this resonates with me. These are the issues I have yet to deal with. These are the reasons I have yet to incorporate mind body practices. But now that you have that insight, it’s time for you to begin to take action, to begin the necessary changes, and start incorporating mind body techniques into your daily routine. So we started this conversation with step one. And step one is for everyone.
Karyn [00:25:24]:
No matter where you’re at on the mind body train, step one is all about an agreement that you make with yourself. The agreement that this is important. It’s important for both my mental and my physical health. Mind body health is important for my recovery. And that’s it. That’s it for step one. Step one is all about insight. That’s it.
Karyn [00:25:50]:
And you did that work today already. So go ahead. Just check that one off your list. Give yourself a pat on the back. And don’t worry just yet about how you’re going to get there, because acceptance and insight, that’s the first step. Now. Now, for those of you who are ready to move beyond step one today, and it’s okay if you’re not, step one might be all that you can do right now. But eventually, step two is a must do.
Karyn [00:26:20]:
So let’s go ahead and go through this together. Step two is about embracing a slow and gentle pace, saying to yourself, yes, I’m in. But I want these new habits to stick. I want them to become part of me so that I can commit to them fully. And to do that, I’m going to be the tortoise. Especially for moms with IBD, we don’t need to go all in on day one. We don’t need to do it all on day one. If we want these new and sometimes mentally uncomfortable, like, I kind of.
Karyn [00:26:56]:
To me, sometimes it gives me the heebie jeebies to be in that place. So I call it, like, mentally uncomfortable. If we want to get to these techniques, we want them to work, especially long term. The best thing that we can do is start with baby steps. And while I would, I would probably need, I don’t even know, several days maybe, to go into all of the ins and outs of every mindfulness practice that’s available to us. I always believe in starting with the lowest hanging fruit possible. You hear me say that a lot about many things with healing IBd, because why would you not start with what’s easiest? So, in step two, step two, we commit to starting at a place that’s easy, where what I call flow. Like you’re in a flow state where flow comes naturally.
Karyn [00:27:50]:
We commit to starting with a mind body technique where I. You already know that you’re going to be successful. That’s your best starting place. And for you. For you, dear one, on this mind body pillar, the lowest hanging fruits of the mind body world. It’s breath work. Yeah, it’s breath work. Easy peasy.
Karyn [00:28:14]:
You’re already doing it every moment of the day. Breath work. It’s a small but mighty small step, turning the unconscious breathing that you’re already doing into a more mindful, conscious practice. And it doesn’t take much, it does not take much for this baby step to bring you huge, awesome results. And that’s why it’s always, always my go to number one first. Mind body technique. Even though breath work is easy, even though it’s a small step, if you’re consistent with this mind body technique, and the word consistent is the key word here, if you’re consistent, you will find that it makes a big difference in your life. Do you have stress? Breathe your way through it.
Karyn [00:29:09]:
How about anxiety? You can’t be anxious and let your breath flow. It’s physically impossible. Got anger, frustration at your situation, the situation that you’re in, nothing calms you down more like breath work. Dealing with sadness or even depression, nothing puts you back into the present moment and grounds your body like breath work. It’s the mind body gift that keeps on giving, and you can do it in any moment, in any place, in any way that supports and fosters your personal healing journey. Now, why does something so simple like breathing work so damn well? To quell not just our mind, but our body and its GI challenges as well. It works because breath work is all about the connection between the mind and the gut. And that’s why I have my mind body shirt on today.
Karyn [00:30:15]:
If you’re on YouTube, you can actually see it. I have my mind body shirt on today. It’s all about that connection between the brain and the gut. And the gut is the place we most want to heal. Right. That’s probably why you’re listening today, right? And you’ve got IBD and you want to heal. So how fitting is it. How fitting is it that we use the power of our mind to affect change in our gut when these two parts of our body are so intimately acquainted, so intimately connected? Now, this connectedness, connectedness that I’m talking about, a connection like no other in our body, it’s made possible through the vagus nerve.
Karyn [00:30:59]:
The super communication highway. I like to call it the super communication highway of the vagus nerve. Now, I’d like us to do just a really simple exercise together so that you can not just see, but you can actually experience what I’m talking about here with the vagus nerve. So go ahead, get really comfortable if you can. If you’re in a place where you can do that, kind of like shake your arms, shake your legs a little bit, and then just kind of just relax. Okay? Sink into your chair if it’s safe for you to do so. Okay, now go ahead and let’s put one hand on your diaphragm. It’s just below your belly button in the middle of your stomach.
Karyn [00:31:45]:
So if you’re watching, again, if you’re watching on YouTube, you can actually see me doing this now. And when I count down three, two, one. I want you to take in a really big belly breath. Don’t do it yet, but I want. Because I want to tell you how to do it. Take it from a place where take it from the place where your hand is from the diaphragm, not from the lungs way up high, but way down deep in your belly. The hand on your diaphragm, it should push out when you breathe in. Okay? All right.
Karyn [00:32:17]:
Three, two, one, go. Take that deep breath in from the diaphragm. Hold it at the top and then let it go. Awesome. Okay, we’re going to do this one more time, but this time, this time I want you to take that same hand. I want you to keep it on the same plane. So just below your belly button. But this time I want you to bring your hand around to your back, the back of your body, right on top of your spine, okay? So right in the middle.
Karyn [00:32:52]:
In the middle. We’re going to go ahead and take one more deep breath together. We’re going to take a diaphragmatic breath together. We’re going to take it really deep this time. And we’re going to go on three, two, one. So, three, two, one. Go ahead. Breathe in.
Karyn [00:33:10]:
Hold it, and then breathe out. What did you notice this time? Did you notice the breath moving through your spine as well? Your breath doesn’t just move in and out in the front of your body. When we take the time to consciously breathe, the breath actually goes into our back as well. It goes up and down our spine. And guess what? That’s exactly where our vagus nerve is. The vagus nerve is a literal nerve. So it’s like you. It’s like having your body’s own built in wiFi.
Karyn [00:33:52]:
It’s like Wi Fi right in your body, connecting the gut to the brain, seamlessly transmitting signals in both directions, like a super communication highway. And this vital nerve, it serves as a direct line of communication between your gut’s enteric nervous system. That’s the nervous system that’s in your gut. And the central nervous system, the CN’s, the one in your brain. It plays a major role in regulating everything from digestion to what mood shows up for you in any given moment. It’s like having a constant silent chat between your gut and brain, where they share updates and influence each other’s thoughts, functions and emotions in high speed, real time. When you think about it, it’s actually pretty cool. It’s really cool how advanced our bodies are.
Karyn [00:34:45]:
And I like to think of this complicated concept. I like to just think of it in really simple terms, and we can make this really simple. A happy gut equals a happy brain. A happy brain equals a happy gut. It can be that simple. The vagus nerve even gets involved in helping us manage the key gut functions that we have, like digestion and motility and inflammation. And most importantly, when it’s stimulated through mindful practices like breath work, it can enhance digestion by ramping up production of stomach acid, by ramping up production of enzymes to help you digest your food better and absorb those new nutrients more efficiently. Plus, it has an anti inflammatory effect, calming down gut inflammation and promoting gut healing.
Karyn [00:35:38]:
And we have the power to do a simple, a so simple, a baby step action to aid our body in healing and calming our gut challenges by just consciously breathing. All because of the link between our gut and our brain. All because of the vagus nerve pathway. And that’s capital H. Huge, my friend. Now, I have to say that I’ve got a little question for you. Another question for you. I feel like this is the episode of questions.
Karyn [00:36:15]:
How is all this landing for you so far? Have I sold you on the importance of the mind body pillar? Do you see how conscious breath work has the potential to make a big difference in your gut healing, maybe not overnight. It’s not an overnight solution. This is not a quick fix. But with commitment and consistency, those are the two big words here, commitment and consistency. And just a little bit of more low hanging fruit effort. It can play a vital role in your IBD healing pathway. And I hope you’re over there saying, yes, yes, yes, that’s me. I am with you, Karen.
Karyn [00:36:59]:
I am with you because that’s all you need at this point. That belief system is what takes us from step two to now. Stephen? Three. And step three is knowledge. Ooh, I love me some knowledge. I love learning. Step three is all about gaining knowledge in this concept of breath work. Things like what are some of the best techniques known to help those with gut challenges? Within that breath work realm, what are the techniques that might work? And I’m also going to give you just a little sneak peek peek into step number four once you have that knowledge base about breath work.
Karyn [00:37:43]:
Step four is about figuring out how to make this breathing practice, how to bring it into your daily routine, how to, once I know the techniques and I have the knowledge, how can I now then form a habit around it? How can I make it part of my life? What’s going to work for you is different than what’s going to work for me. This is a very personal journey. Okay? So that’s the four step process. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. That’s the whole process of adding in an easy to adopt mind body process. Step one, insight and acceptance that this is important. Step two, your willingness to jump on the tortoise paced, slow train by embracing baby steps.
Karyn [00:38:35]:
That last step, number three, is your knowledge step. And then step number four is trying these techniques out, trying them out for yourself so you can begin to form a habit around them. All right, so I told you. I told you. You got this. It’s four easy peasy steps in this process, and I want you to be able to get started on your higher mindset pillar if that feels like a good fit for you. So all you’re missing at this point is a little bit of knowledge, and that’s step three. And some of my best practice tips on how to make this your own.
Karyn [00:39:14]:
That’s step four.
Karyn [00:39:16]:
Hey there, it’s Karen popping into the episode. I want to thank you so much for tuning into the cheeky podcast for moms with IBD today. You know, the great information that we’re dishing out on this pod is exactly the same type of conversation I get to have with my clients every day. And if you’re ready to take your IBD healing journey to the next level and move into being the mom you always dreamed you’d be, then hop on over to karenhaley.com consult and book your free IBD consultation with me today. Remember, my mom had to be a little bit different and spell my name with a y. So that’s karymhaley.com consult. Now, on our call, we will dive into what you’re struggling with most right now and make a plan for how we can work together to help you achieve your big, bold, beautiful, life transforming goals. No more sitting on the sidelines waiting for that miracle cure to magically happen.
Karyn [00:40:19]:
You’ve got what it takes to do this, mama. You just need a little nudge in the right direction and I’ve got your back. Karenhaley.com consult and now back to the show.
Karyn [00:40:33]:
All right, so let’s back it up and let’s go back to step three so that you really have that knowledge base. Step three knowledge about your breath work options. Now, if you were to Google breath work, maybe you already have googled it. You might have noticed that there’s a lot of information out there. There is so much information that it actually ends up confusing you rather than giving you clarity. And that’s why when it comes to breath work knowledge, I’ve simplified the process for you. I’ve done the research and I’ve compiled for you the best, top five best breath work practices when gut healing is your goal. No need for you to figure this out on your own.
Karyn [00:41:20]:
I’ve got your back when you are ready for step three, that knowledge step, go ahead and check out my hot off the press resource. It’s called breathwork 101. Breathwork 101. It is packed with everything you need to know about getting started with your breath work practice. If you’re new to breath work, if you want to embrace the slow and steady tortoise mantra, if you’re looking for the low hanging fruit of the mind body medicine world, this is the resource for you. It’s all yours. It’s made with love, and all you have to do to get it is go to karenhaley.com breathwork. This is completely free.
Karyn [00:42:05]:
It’s a completely free resource and it’s waiting for you. It’s got everything that you need to get started with this highly effective mind body practice. It’s got breath work. It’s got a breath work q and a section to get your most pressing questions answered. It’s got five different scientifically proven for the GI tract breath work techniques that you can try out. Plus, it also has practical tips. It has a practical tips section so that you can get yourself set up for that. Step number four, the habit forming step.
Karyn [00:42:41]:
It’s the next best thing to me. Taking you by the hand and leading you through the breath work exercises together. Now you’re absolutely going to get some great practical tips to help you take breath work into your heart and make it your own with this resource. But I also wanted to give you a few more tips before we part today. It’s not a cheeky podcast solo episode without my do it like a mom section. So let’s close out today with a few food for thought tips to do breath work like the badass ibd mama I know you are. Okay, here’s the first tip. It’s okay to multitask conscious breathing.
Karyn [00:43:28]:
It’s okay. It’s okay to multitask this. Let’s face it, as moms, we are multitaskers. Combining deep breathing with daily tasks is the only way to go. So you can combine it with tasks like doing the dishes or showering. You could do it during your bedtime routine. You could even do it during your bedtime routine with your littles. With deep breathing, nobody even knows you’re doing it.
Karyn [00:43:52]:
All right, tip number two. Start small. Be the tortoise. We’ve talked about this already, so short five minute sessions are really all you need. That’s all you need to make a difference. That’s a great place to start so you can sneak it in early in the morning. You could sneak it in before the kids wake up, during nap times, or maybe right before your bedtime. Whatever works for you.
Karyn [00:44:16]:
And of course, there are apps to help you with this on your phone, like insight timer. That’s my favorite. And that helps make this super easy for you to get started. Okay, tip number three. It’s a life skill your kids need, too. When you’re a mom, everything you do involves the kiddos, right? Include them in your mind body groove. Teach them breath work now, and you will be setting them up for mental health success success throughout their lifetime. Enough said on that.
Karyn [00:44:51]:
It’s just really important. Okay, tip number four, tech isn’t your enemy with this. It’s not your enemy. It’s actually a plus. I mentioned insight timer before, but there are so many mindfulness apps that encourage you and celebrate your breath work success. And those are things like the app headspace. Breathwork is another one, and in case you are searching for that one, it’s breathwork with no o. So the word work, no o, just w r k.
Karyn [00:45:25]:
Just in case you’re searching for that one. But find the one. The app that helps to motivate you. Trust me, there’s an app out there that’s going to help you make this new technique your favorite new habit. So don’t be afraid of technology. It will actually enhance your experience. And then number five, when you’re feeling stuck, when you’re feeling stuck, or you’re feeling like you can’t get motivated with this, connect with others. There’s always strength in numbers.
Karyn [00:45:55]:
We know that, don’t we? Whether it’s an online community or a local yoga studio that has breath work classes, connecting with others on a similar path, it can be incredibly motivating. Knowing that you’re not alone on this journey is all the motivation that you need to keep you going, to keep you moving, to keep you accountable. Okay, so those are my five. Get started. Do it like a mom. Tips for breath work there’s more tips and tricks to make this new skill work for you, and it’s waiting for you in my free resource, breathwork 101. So don’t forget to grab that one as soon as we hop off of today’s episode. It is your roadmap to steps three and four in this whole mind body medicine pillar of healing.
Karyn [00:46:52]:
It’s got your best breath work techniques. They’re all laid out for you, and it’s even got more tips and tricks to help make sure that you can make this your own and you can make this a vital and essential pillar of healing. You can make it a lifelong habit that you’ll not only do, but you’ll learn to cherish. Cherish is a tool that you can use anytime, anywhere. Now that’s probably my favorite, favorite thing I have to say about breath work. With most of the techniques that I’ve outlined for you in my resource, no one even knows that you’re doing them. So consciously breathe and get that vagus nerve stimulated while you’re doing the dishes, cooking dinner, driving the car, taking a shower, when you need to calm down after, maybe your coworker says one more annoying thing that you can’t tell take. Like I said earlier, breath work is the gift that keeps on giving.
Karyn [00:47:53]:
It can’t cure your IBD overnight, but when used in conjunction with other IBD healing pillars, it will help you move the needle, the healing needle, in the right direction. This is important. This is so important, mom. And like I said earlier on, this is an important episode don’t skip this pillar. Don’t skip this pillar of healing. Take it from me, I skipped it and things of course went haywire down the line. I’ve seen this over and over. This is not optional.
Karyn [00:48:25]:
It’s mandatory if you want to find true and lasting healing and use breath work as a jumping off point to other mind body techniques like meditation, mantras, therapy, spending time in nature. Remember, this is just your first step. This is your first step my friend. From here, the sky is the limit. There’s so many other techniques out there. You’ve got this. I’m by your side. But please reach out if I can help you on this pillar path.
Karyn [00:48:58]:
If you’re feeling any resistance about it, I’m here for you. Dm me on instagram. I am theibd health coach. That’s my handle. Heibd health coach lastly, one more time, I want to tell you how to get that free resource, Breathwork 101. It’s at karenhaley.com breathwork. Karenhaly.com breathwork and remember, my mom had to be a little different and spell my name with a y. So it’s karynhale yddez.com breathwork.
Karyn [00:49:33]:
All right, whether you get the resource, you dm me. Let me know how it goes for you. I can’t wait to chat with you until we meet again. I’m wishing you much gut love, much happiness, and lots of deep breaths. Always chat soon.
Karyn [00:49:57]:
If this podcast is meaningful for you, if it’s been helpful in your IBD mom life, I’d love it if you.
Karyn [00:50:03]:
Would do a couple things.
Karyn [00:50:04]:
First, follow the pod. You’ll never miss an episode. And those moms who are searching for podcasts about Crohn’s and colitis, they’ll find us easier. There’s probably a plus sign or a follow sign where you’re listening in right now. It’s at the top of your screen. Go ahead and give that a try tab and then also give the Tiki podcast a five star rating and review and share it with your friends who are also struggling with IBD. The more we are open about talking about our illness and bringing awareness around it, the more we’re able to connect and build a safe community around each other. I love being in community with you and I appreciate you, my friend.
Karyn [00:50:47]:
One last thing before we wrap up today. You know, I think you’re a rock star for taking time out of your busy life to listen in and invest in your healing. It is capital h huge. And the reason I know how huge this is for you is because I am right there with you in all of this, working my wheel of wellness, keeping my crohn’s at bay. It’s something that I invest in every day and I’d love it if we could continue our gut healing journey together. If you’re like me and you’re ready to soak up even more amazing gut healing information, it’s time to join the gut love community@karenheathy.com. community the GLC is my free and fabulous space dedicated to dishing out even more IBD resources, recipes, healing hacks, lots of bts secrets on how I manage my life with IBD, all wrapped up in a weekly newsletter to help you keep your momentum going strong. This IBD dish is gut healing insights that I only share within our tight knit community.
Karyn [00:51:51]:
Basically, it’s your one stop shop for a more diversified approach to true and lasting gut healing. Amen to that my friend. Let’s walk this gut healing journey together. Join me in the glc@karenhaley.com. community that’s karynhaley.com community. I can’t wait to meet you.