IBS is the Honey Badger of Illnesses

I’ve been writing for this site since 2016 and have written probably close to 300 articles, running (what I thought) was the gamut of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) related subjects. Diet, mental health, exercise, pharmacology, doctors etc.,etc., etc.. As a contributor, it is easy enough to run into writer’s block when trying to come up with fresh ideas.

That’s not to say that IBS doesn’t offer those things on its own, lord knows, but what I have to consider today might be the more fun I’ve had writing about IBS. The query? If my IBS was an animal, what kind of animal would it be?

Easy, peasy… THE HONEY BADGER. Stay with me... I know the honey badger is not exactly as familiar an animal as say a tiger or shark is, but here goes…

If IBS was an animal

For those not familiar with the honey badger, it is something akin to a wolverine that lives mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. I’m going to get straight to the comparison between this truly remarkable creature and IBS, or at least my experience with it. Honey badgers are famous for surviving pretty much anything you throw at it.

It eats snakes, it steals food from lions and tigers, can survive in ridiculous climates and is smart as a whip. So, not only is this thing almost indestructible. It’s also intelligent and can adapt as well. Sound familiar at all?

All I can think of is all of what I've thrown at my illness. Tons of different medications for both body and mind, exercise, constant dietary changes, acupuncture, prayer…a lot. Gone yet? Have I beaten IBS? Nope, not by a long shot.

It stands relatively unscathed, much like a particular YouTube clip that shows a honey badger somewhat easily shake off several highly poisonous bites from a cobra. Yup, seems pretty right on to me.

Trying to defeat IBS

I considered other animals, but its just this minefield of traps and attacks, defensive tactics and self care that I have thrown at IBS should have had some effect. Sure would have killed a shark, hell, I’m pretty sure my diligence and guile would have brought down an elephant.

Like I said, this is not meant to give a lesson on honey badgers. There are tons of stuff online and trust me, you owe it to yourself to check them out. But to the real lesson and business of this. This comparison or thought process has brought to my attention just how much I’ve done to ‘defeat’ IBS, even though I was told from the beginning that was not something that could be cured.

I know I’m not alone. That’s what most of us doing here right? Trying to find ideas, approaches, tactics, golden bullets to kill this awful illness.

You notice I speak in almost war-like terms. Well, not always, but sometimes, that’s how I approach this whole thing. So if I just get that honey badger to take over for a while, I just might stand a chance. Until then I suppose I will keep drinking a lot of water, meditating, exercising and eating as well as I can. The best I can do is sort of make friends, rather than destroy. I think I would prefer the latter…hmm.

Where is that darned badger again?

Have you ever thought of YOUR IBS as an animal?