Natural treatment of IBS

The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) result from unpredictable and irregular smooth muscle movement around the gastrointestinal system which can lead to abdominal distension and pain, alternating constipation and diarrhea, flatulence and mucous in the stool. The cause of IBS is not known. There are significant risk factors associated with this condition therefore it is important to treat it. A multifaceted approach is best.

The risk factors for IBS are extensive and include:

- Having intestines that are overly sensitive to distension which leads to visceral sensations being abnormally perceived by the nervous system.1
- Hormonal influences can worsen symptoms. An example is menstruation and women are three times more likely to develop IBS.2
- Infective bacterial gastroenteritis (IBG) has been shown to affect bowel function for up to six months proceeding infection and to result in development of IBS in one in 14 patients in a clinical study. Women were shown to be at a higher risk to develop IBS.3
- SIBO is Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, thought to cause the excessive postprandial bloating, distension and flatulence in IBS. It has also been linked to abnormal CNS-GIT interaction, immune system activation and visceral hypersensitivity.4
- Asthma sufferers are thought to be more at risk to IBS than non-asthmatics.5
- Intolerances and allergies to foods will worsen the symptoms of IBS
- High stress levels have been linked to GUT dysfunction and the development of IBS.6
- structural abnormalities in the gut may increase the risk of developing IBS.
- Previous anti-biotic use
- High stress levels and irregular sleeping habits
- A history of sexual abuse.1
- Overuse of laxatives or antacids.7

Foods and drinks to be avoided include:
- Any that trigger IBS symptoms
- Sugar and refined carbohydrates
- Carbonated drinks as they worsen abdominal pain and distension
- Animal fats, fried foods, junk foods, spicy foods, fatty foods
- Foods containing sorbitol are thought to aggravate symptoms in some IBS patients.6
- lactose if you are experiencing a worsening of symptoms after eating dairy products including milk.8

Foods and Drinks to increase in the diet include:
- Water intake to a minimum of 1.5L daily
- Peppermint and chamomile teas
- Dietary fibre such as unprocessed wheat bran which has been shown to reduce pain and bowel habit in IBS patients.9
- Soluble fibre such as psyllium where there is a tendency for loose stools. Fibre and roughage where the condition is constipation dominant. Fibre intake should be increased gradually to avoid excessive bloating and flatulence.10
- Fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as brown rice
- Oats provide soluble fibre and are high in glutamine, a gut healer.1
- Foods containing Lactobacillus acidophilus such as yoghurt, promote to healthy gut bacteria.
-Spirulina/chlorophyll

There are numerous herbal remedies and nutritional products which help to alleviate the symptoms of IBS. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to talk about treating IBS naturally.

References
1. ed. Haslett C, Chilvers E, Boon N, Colledge N (2002) Davidson’s Principles and Practice of Medicine (19 th ed) Churchill Livingstone Elsevier Science Ltd, London
2. Jefferay, K. (2005) Nutrition as Therapy (vol.1) Australasian College of Natural Therapies, Sydney
3. Neal K , Hebden J, Spiller R (1997) ‘Prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms six months after bacterial gastroenteritis and risk factors for development of the irritable bowel syndrome: postal survey of patients’, British Medical Journal iss.314 p.779
4. Lin H (2004) ‘ Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Framework for Understanding Irritable Bowel Syndrome’ Journal of the American Medical Association v.292 iss.7 pp.852-859
5. Huerta C, Rodriguez L, Wallander M, Johansson S (2002) ‘ Risk of irritable bowel syndrome among asthma patients’ Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug safety v.11 pp.31–35
6. Farthing M , (1995) ‘Fortnightly Review: Irritable bowel, irritable body, or irritable brain?’, British Medical Journal iss.310 pp.171-175
7. Balch J, Balch P (1997) Prescription for Nutritional Healing (2 nd edn) Avery Publishing Group, New York
8. Torpy J (2004) ‘Irritable Bowel Syndrome’, Journal of the American Medical Association v.292 iss.7 p.886
9. Werbach M (1990) Nutritional Influences on Illness: A Sourcebook of Clinical Research, Keats Publishing Inc, Connecticut
10. Spiller R (2003) ‘Infection as a cause of irritable bowel syndrome’ Hospital Medicine. V.64 iss.5 pp.270-274