Do or Do Not… There is No Try

How This Unique Approach For Treating Hard-To-Solve Conditions Is Different From Anything Else You’ve Tried “Do…or do not. There is no try.” This iconic quote is from Yoda, in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. * And it often applies to many of my patients and families. By the time I see patients, […]
How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Treat IBS By Healing Your Gut Microbiome

By Jeffrey Lazarus, MD, FAAP on March 24, 2022 Author, Controlling Your Gut Feelings Blog How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Treat IBS By Healing Your Gut Microbiome A couple of years ago, I spoke with an old friend whom I hadn’t spoken with for a couple of years. I asked him how he was doing, […]
Why the Mind-Gut Connection Is the Key to Solving Your IBS & Ongoing Stomach Issues

By Jeffrey Lazarus, MD, FAAP on March 2, 2022 Author, Controlling Your Gut Feelings Blog Why the Mind-Gut Connection Is the Key to Solving Your IBS & Ongoing Stomach Issues Most people are at least somewhat familiar with the concept that our bodies are integrated systems that talk with and affect one another. However, traditional […]
Parents, Congratulate Yourselves!

By Jeffrey Lazarus, MD, FAAP on February 3rd, 2021 Author, Controlling Your Gut Feelings Blog Parents, Congratulate Yourselves! I believe that being a parent is the hardest job in the world. And the current pandemic is making this job even harder. We parents do the best we can. And my feeling is that each generation […]
How COVID-19 Could Be Affecting Your Child’s IBS

By Jeffrey Lazarus, MD, FAAP on January 7th, 2021 Author, Controlling Your Gut Feelings Blog Is Your Child’s IBS Made Worse By The World Today? During this time of COVID-19, more people are attending school online and working remotely from home. You may be wondering how this affects patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). […]
Teenage Girls Dealing With Digestive Issues & Gut Pain

By Jeffrey Lazarus, MD, FAAP on May 18, 2020 Author, Controlling Your Gut Feelings Blog Overview Let’s face it, life for teenagers isn’t as easy going as it was 50 or 60 years ago. Put yourself in the shoes of a teenage girl, and the stress really piles on. Between rigorous schedules, the demands […]
What Is a Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder (FGID)?

By Jeffrey Lazarus, MD, FAAP on May 5, 2020 Author, Controlling Your Gut Feelings Blog Overview Historically, traditional medicine has divided gastrointestinal problems into 2 main categories: Organic diseases Functional disorders Organic GI diseases are those for which a specific diagnosis can be proven by an abnormal physical examination, lab test, or biopsy result. […]
What Does the Research Say About Treating Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders?

There is a growing body of research that addresses functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and their treatment. These are some of the studies I have found helpful as I continue my work with children, adolescents, and young adults with these conditions. A large trial that focused on children with functional abdominal pain (FAP) and irritable bowel […]
How Prevalent Are Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders?

If you have a child with a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID), you may wonder how common these kinds of conditions are among other children. This article quickly breaks down some of the most recent numbers. Of 644 patients older than four years seen by pediatric gastroenterologists in their outpatient practices, 486 (75%) met diagnostic criteria […]