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What a fascinating thread! I've often thought about food as a possible placebo, especially with all the struggles I've dealt with concerning IBS/gut TMS.

My personal experience has taught me my mental state dictates my TMS symptoms much more than food.

Point in case: In recent years my gut symptom has been extreme bloating. My anxiety was amped to the max as I searched everything about how to cure bloating on the Internet (of course, forgetting it was TMS). Most cures dealt with diets, diets that highly restricted what you consumed. I wasn't happy about it, but thought I'll try anything 'natural' if it ends in a cure! My first week ended in me being severely depressed So I decided to give up caffiene and restrict my carb intake. After two months I'd lost weight, but my bloating was a s bad as ever.

But wait a minute...Years ago I decided to change my entire lifestyle in order to become healthier. I gave up working in order to grow as much food as I could to preserve and eat fresh during the warm seasons, it was all organic food. I homemake ALL my food, gave up processed foods and anything containing sugar subsitutes (I also decrease suger amounts or leave it out completely, too), vegetable oils (I favor coconut oil and organic butter), I mill local wheat and only consume local beef (although I can't find a good provider of local chicken or pork, I raised my own poultry for eggs and decreased my usage of pork). I switched to organic milk/cream. Eat smaller portions. Although I was physically fit from being in the military, I integrated a wide variety of exercise into my day.

I got fit, healthy, and never felt better....But wait, there's more!

I haven't changed my diet or exercise since then. So WHY has my gut and body gone haywire in the past few years? WHY does it seem like I'm living an unhealthy lifestyle when nothing's changed? Mental anguish is the answer for me.

I will always remember Dr. Sarno talking about how strong our bodies have been created. We ARE NOT fragile. To me, this also goes for food allergies and intolerances. WHY are so many people nowadays affected by food and drink?!

YES I absolutely believe the things being put into food affects us negatively and we should eat as organically and whole as possible. Then why, even when people are on diets of every different kind STILL suffering? I think it all goes back to our mental state and the pressure society and we place on ourselves (that's the case for myself, anyway).

YES, if you are drawn to a certain diet or lifestyle and it genuinely makes you happy, I think it can only help your TMS symptoms But for me to alter my diet to something that only brings me down, if I feel any kind of pressure or force to do a certain diet (or exercise) that does not stem from my heart and soul, I know it will not help me, no matter how "healthy" it is.

This is why I am now drinking caffeine (only 2 cups of tea per day, coffee only on the weekends and for special occasions, don't drink soda or energy drinks) to prove to myself TMS is the cause of my symptoms. I'm also not restricting carbs anymore (just a healthy portion each day and when my body tells me so, I might not even have any). These things bring me joy. They are my passion. My symptoms are not gone...but my fear revolved around them is subsiding, making it much easier for me not to CARE about my symptoms. It's as if I don't have symptoms at all because I'm indifferent to them...and that's a big step for me