Have you ever felt stomach pain so bad that you found yourself keeled over on the floor? Or maybe you were afraid to go out for the day for fear that you would need a bathroom right away? People who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or IBS suffer from these and other pain issues daily and are desperate to find treatment and prevention options.
What is IBS?
IBS is a disorder of the intestinal tract that involves abdominal pain, cramping and changes in bowel movement. There are no medical tests that are conclusive in diagnosing IBS in a patient. Instead, an IBS diagnosis is a result of either having doctors exclude what they do not have, or by identifying it through common symptoms. At present, there is no cure for IBS. While IBS can be painful and disruptive, the good news is that it doesn't cause permanent damage to the colon and IBS can usually be managed effectively by simple diet and lifestyle changes.
April is IBS awareness month so it is a good time to become familiar with some facts about the syndrome as well as symptoms and treatment. Most people are unaware of how common IBS is in this country. About 1 in 5 Americans get IBS, most IBS sufferers are under age 50 and two-thirds are female. Approximately 20 to 40% of all visits to gastroenterologists are due to IBS symptoms.
There is still no definitive reason why certain people get IBS. Some theories say sufferers have a sensitive colon and large intestine that reacts more strongly to food and stress. It has also been said that symptoms occur because of the way the gut, brain and nervous system interact.
Typical IBS Symptoms
The IBS symptoms, which can occur after eating or feeling emotionally stressed, can be abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, diarrhea and bloating. Anyone dealing with these symptoms wants relief pronto! A visit to the doctor will most likely yield a prescription for an anti-spasmodic, antidepressant or an anti-diarrhea medication depending on the symptoms. But learning how to prevent symptoms of IBS and control IBS with diet and lifestyle changes will help most sufferers in the long run.
Prevention of IBS Symptoms Through Diet
The Food and Nutrition Approach
Food and diet play a major role in preventing IBS symptoms. If you are eating the right foods and avoiding those that cause problems, you will likely feel much better. Below are a few simple tips and suggestions that can get you started in developing an IBS symptom-free regiment. It is important to develop an individualized approach that works best for you.
Start by figuring out exactly what you are eating daily with a food diary:
• Enter everything you eat each day
• Note how you feel after each meal. This will allow you to become aware of patterns in your diet that are giving your pain
• Eliminate problematic foods/drinks for three weeks and then add them back in one at a time and note your pain level
Other ways to prevent IBS symptoms:
• Eat smaller meals more often instead of fewer larger ones
• Be aware of key offenders to keep out of your diet including-
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup
• Gas-producing vegetables
• High-fat foods
Add in to your diet-
• Water, at separate times from meals
• Soluble fiber (leafy green veggies; bran) incorporated slowly
• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole-wheat foods, unless you are gluten sensitive
• Whole grains (oatmeal, barley, etc.)
• Preservative free, baked-daily bread
Prevent and Treat IBS Symptoms with Alternative Medicine and Other Approaches
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an option for improving IBS symptoms. It has been found to give relief from pain and offers a significant amount of stress reduction. Various studies differ on the degree of effectiveness, but most agree that acupuncture can be helpful in alleviating and preventing IBS symptoms in conjunction with other treatments.
Hypnotherapy
Another alternative way to go is hypnotherapy, or Gut-Directed-Hypnotherapy to be more exact. This was developed for IBS patients and although it cannot cure IBS, it can apparently help alleviate stress by giving the sufferer more control over relieving symptoms.
Yoga
Yoga is another good option for managing IBS. Yoga has been shown to reduce and even prevent digestive issues. It allows for your body and mind to work on both physical and mental areas at the same time.
Establish a Daily Routine
Other ways to reduce stress and maintain a healthy digestive tract is to increase regular exercise and improve sleep habits. Getting into a healthy routine with food, exercise and sleep will help relieve the workload your body needs to perform, so it can still function well when you eat unhealthy food, are lethargic and have changing sleep patterns.
Manage IBS with a Health Coach
Many people have a difficult time establishing a successful healthy routine around their busy lives. Not knowing how to improve and keep a better routine, can lead to frustration and hopelessness, feelings of being alone and unsupported. A Health Coach helps IBS sufferers by developing an effective program that is customized and by offering advice, guidance and support to help the individual learn effective new ways to continually manage IBS on a day-to-day basis.
Is IBS and Depression Connected?
Last, there is a clinical trial going on at Massachusetts General Hospital that is looking at the effects of a specific probiotic bacteria, GanedenBC30, on patients with IBS and major depressive disorder. It's the first research of its kind to look at common factors between gut and psychiatric disorders and the use of probiotics to help with depression.
No comments:
Post a Comment