Irritable bowel syndrome. It’s a death sentence, right? Wrong. Many people have it and, while
doctors routinely prescribe medication to control flareups, there are actually many ways to treat the
illness. What you have is a kind of chronic inflammation in your bowels. What you need is to
change your diet and lifestyle.
Get Exercise
Exercise is sometimes prescribed as a remedy for IBS. How does it work? By moving around, you
can strengthen your muscles but also improve your digestion. In fact, according to biomechanist
Katy Bowman, movement is crucial to proper digestion. Something as simple as improper posture
can inhibit it if you have IBS, this could become a constant trigger for symptoms.
DeStress
Stress can be a trigger for IBS, and many people who suffer from IBS are also under a lot of stress.
Now, your body is designed to be able to take acute bouts of stress. But, where things get messed
up is if you’re under constant, chronic, stress. Your body releases cortisol and never lets up on it.
The constant stress causes inflammation. The inflammation triggers symptoms.
Avoid Fermentable Fibers
Fermentable fibers, like refined wheat products, insoluble and soluble fiber, or any “whole grain”
products can be triggers. Stay away from them until you’ve sorted out the underlying issue.
According to health practitioner Chris Kresser, it’s a good idea to stay away from all
“FODMAPS,” which include Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and
Polyols.
These are all fermentable carbohydrates (sugars) that are incompletely absorbed in the
gastrointestinal tract. Instead, naturallyoccurring bacteria digest these sugars and produce gas.
The sugars also exert an osmotic effect. What happens next is something you’re probably familiar
with fluid moves to the large bowel as the body attempts to rapidly get rid of those sugars and the
bacteria.
However, ultimately, to heal this condition, you need to find the underlying cause. Smetimes, IBS
suffers also suffer from some kind of bacterial imbalance in their gut called SIBO or “small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth.” Correct the imbalance and symptoms often go away.
Another cause may be gut dysbiosis or a compromised mucosal barrier in the intestines. Either
way, avoiding fermentable foods will help.
Avoiding Alcohol
Alcohol is also a trigger for IBS. If you suffer frequent bouts of constipation or diarrhea, the cause
may actually be from your alcohol consumption. Because alcohol can be a very addictive
substance, many people find it difficult to quit.
If you find that you just cannot stop drinking, but you don’t want to go to an AA meeting, you can
try alternative methods, found here, that will help you reduce alcohol consumption and thus relieve
your IBS symptoms.
Avoiding Caffeine
Caffeine acts like a diuretic in some people causing fluid to flow to the intestines. It also tends to
be acidic, which can upset IBS suffers’ stomachs and lead to a fullblown attack. Stay away from
the coffee and you might notice your symptoms improving.
Medication
Medication is sometimes helps patients, but it has to be targeted to symptoms. If you suffer from
constipation, for example, then medicine will be prescribed to soften stools. If you suffer from
diarrhea, you’ll be prescribed medicine to control that. Sometimes, probiotics are prescribed to
help modulate the immune system and reduce symptoms.
Steve Tucker’s medical practice makes great use of natural and holistic medicine. Through
research and experience, he believes medications and lifestyle work well in tandem towards a
healthier life.
