Late winter greetings from the IBS-Life.com team - your friendly fellow IBS sufferers who happen to run a website all about Irritable Bowel Syndrome!

Welcome to the first IBS newsletter of 2010.

It's now snowy February, and after a short break, all three of us are back in the driving seat, ready to continue writing articles of interest for our fellow IBS sufferers and friends.

We're also happy to report that our podcast and multimedia broadcast pages are now working properly again, and we have updated with a brand new on-page audio player system!

We've got lots to report, including many new and exciting additions to the IBS website, so onwards with this month’s magazine......

We're all excited about this one!

We are proud to announce the arrival of The Global IBS Diary.

The worlds first IBS blog/diary that ANYONE can contribute to.

It's quick and easy. You don't even need to register -just type and hit 'send'.

How are you feeling right now?
How is your IBS affecting your day or your week?
Has IBS stopped you doing something today?

Why suffer in silence, when you can share your IBS experiences with others, and get things off your chest in a community-minded way?

People will be eager to learn just how your life is affected by IBS, and how it compares to their own lives.

Others will gain reassurance from learning they are not alone in thier suffering. They can even comment on your entries, and you can add a blog entry as often as you want.

Click here to visit the global IBS Diary page and tell the world how you are feeling right now.

This is another way IBS sufferers can interact and communicate through the website.

You can now contribute your own thoughts and feelings about the subject matter wherever you see the 'Have Your Say' sign. (Usually located at the bottom of a subject page).

By adding your comments to the page, you will be directly helping others, giving them the benefit of your experience and knowledge, so don't be afraid to jump in and 'Have Your Say!'

A while back Rick wrote an article about how using guided meditation audio recordings virtually cured his IBS anxiety issues.

Since then, we have started to get some feedback from other people who say they have tried it out, and have noticed a measurable reduction in their over-all IBS anxiety levels brought about by listening to the 20 minute audio recordings we recommended.

If you haven't done so already, you can try this method for yourself right now by downloading a totally free 20 minute guided meditation audio recording called "The Secret Garden" from here

Sadly, one of the things we have noticed recently is a distinct increase in the letters and stories we are receiving from young people and even children.

Here are three recent stories we have been sent:

"IBS gets me bullied at School"
by Michael (Aged 12) from the UK

"Newly Diagnosed College Kid -- HELP"
by Jt (Aged 18) from New Jersey

"Sues School Bus Trip"
by Sue from the USA

You can now add your own comments to any stories that have been published via the new & improved submission form (all new storeis from now onwards).

We are always eager to read and publish your own stories of just how IBS has affected your life. You can remain anonymous if you prefer (just make up a name / location.)

You can submit a story on the IBS stories page Located here.

We are also keen to hear of any coping methods you may have discovered that help you in every-day living with IBS. If you have an IBS coping tip, you can use the submission form on the IBS Tips page here. Again you can remain anonymous if you prefer.

Please Note: The password this month for the IBS-Life.com FREE e-book library is: 'Please sign up to our free magazine for access to the library'

IBS is often associated with poor diet, and being overweight.

Our new featured book of the month is:
The Weight Loss Manual
by Jon Rutledge BPE, LLB

This excellent, straight-talking E-book gives a down-to-earth overview of why people get fat, and how they can change their mindset to become thinner permanently, without it being an ordeal!

Click here to visit the library - don't forget the new password is 'Please sign up to our free magazine for access to the library'

Last week we returned to our little studio to continue recording the IBS Podcast series, and will be releasing some new podcasts as soon as they are processed (Rick is working diligently on the post-production work to make them ready for release).

Here is our latest podcast; “Life with IBS 5”
Where we discuss our recent absence, and announce some new and exciting IBS community-building news.

Coming very soon - a brand new podcast - not to be missed!

Rick - "How I cured myself of IBS for one full month"

A startling revelation! Rick did an experiment for one month that enabled him to rid himself of his physical IBS symptoms - completely!

The recording has already been made, and as soon as it has been processed, it will be released on the website - so keep an eye out for it.

If you haven't already heard the IBS podcasts, they are like radio chat shows that discuss all aspects of living with IBS.
You can download them in MP3 format, or listen directly from the website here

Hi everyone, I have mainly been answering emails lately, and I appreciate that is is a great deal easier to talk to some-one via email than on a public forum, but we do hope that our new global IBS diary/blog will be useful to some people who might like to share their days with others, along with remedies they may have tried, suggestions or how IBS is affecting them.

I may be working on a book about some of my trials of IBS. I write a lot, but this is different, it is not fantasy, unfortunately.

It is said that exercise and having pets is good for both mental and physical health. I certainly thought that having a dog would mean some relaxing walks. Our collie-cross however, pulls like a train and I can barely keep hold of him. He startles at noises, car doors, house doors, cam-belts whirring on cars and bolts like a horse. I am often very hard put to even hold on. Relaxing it is not!

Take care every-one.

Siân

Well that's about it for another newsletter.

Thanks for reading, we hope you have found it useful, and we are happy to hear feedback should you have any ideas for content in future issues, or wish to see specific things happening on the website.

See you in a couple of months!

Sian, Rick and Kev (the IBS-life.com team)

The IBS-Life.com website