Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) home remedies.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one very interesting illness. It is spread unevenly in the world, mainly in countries with very spicy cuisines, or in countries where the food is heavily processed and modified:
There are even no wikipedia articles in most languages, but I still know what it is and how dis-comfortable can It be.
Currently, the classifications divide IBS by 3 different symptom groups:
- A - Where pain and mixed symptoms are present.
- C - Where constipation and/or bloating are present.
- D - Where diarrhea and stomach gurgling are present.
The causes in all 3 main cases can be different, but all of them are grouped in one - IBS.
Diagnosis?
Are you sure it is IBS?
Diagnosis is better left to a certified physician and not self-diagnosed. Visit a medical doctor if you have:
- Abdominal pain
- Acid reflux
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Frequent urge for bowel movement
Remember - it may not be IBS at all and you may just have been eating stale food or something that does not work well with your GI tract.
[e.g. In case it is Celiac disease - you can't cure it with the same means as the IBS. Celiac disease needs lifelong diet change with avoidance of all gluten rich foods.]
The physician may need to do some lab tests involving getting fecal mass from your intestines and blood from your finger. Making ultrasound scan of your abdomen and/or endoscopy.
You can't make bacterial microscopy test at home.
But you can make everything else!
More IBS related articles
- 5 herbs to improve digestion.
A collection of herbs I have read (or tried myself) proven to help digestion, gas, bloating, post-meal sleepiness and other things you want to avoid while eating tasty (and not so healthy) food. Add those spices and herbs in all meals you can. Most o - Fruits and vegetables deficiency
Everyone knows how healthy are the fruits and vegetables. Why then are we avoiding them so vigorously? In all modern world countries, the fruits and vegetables are easy, accessible and healthy food. For some reason, the modern people, living in... - 12 ways to relieve intestine and stomach gurgling
There is almost no person that does not feel that from time to time. In some people it is caused bu chronic colitis, in others it is just the last meal. But the good news are - It is quite curable. Let's start with the causes: Tap water We put...
Diet
Eliminate hard to digest foods like beans, soya, lentils, peas. Stick with foods that have good absorption and don't make you belch and pass gas often.
It is often just a change of diet that makes IBS go away.
Most people eat very unbalanced diet and their digestion suffers.
The most important rule - Plan your meals like this:
- 08:00 - Breakfast (egg whites, fullgrain bread slice, slice of ham)
- 10:00 - Snack (any fruit that suits you)
- 12:30 - Lunch (steak and salad with some sour milk)
- 16:30 - Snack (another fruit is fine)
- 19:00 - Dinner (roasted meat with salad and glass of wine)
Not hard to follow at all. Just plan ahead and stick with it. Avoid french fries. Especially avoid deep fried food. Avoid hydrogenated oils at all costs.
Do you eat enough fiber?
Okay - maybe you are fed with all that "fiber" buzz and it is not tasty but - anyway - it IS important.
I have written another article in my main blog [http://www.m0rd0r.eu/how-to-make-pierre-dukans-bread-in-the-mw-furnace/] And this particular "bread" is okay with me. It has enough fiber and is tasty. It is a meal by itself, but you may use it as a side dish or instead of real bread.
In all cases - Find a high fiber food that is okay with your taste. If it is not tasty - don't force it inside your throat.
Eating is supposed to be a pleasure - not a masochistic self punishment.
Stress
Stress can be a major factor in your life.
And it is not just ruining your mood or self esteem.
It is also ruining your food habits and food absorption.
There is not single stress-relief technique out there in the world and explaining or listing them all is outside the scope of this article. For what I am sure to work, try the following:
- Yoga meditation.
- Hobby such as gardening.
- Blogging.
- Computer games (but not overplaying).
- Herbal teas such as mint, st. Johns wort, chamomile, valeriana roots and others. They will help you in digestion and good night's sleep.
- Sport.
Digestives
Actually they work with most stomach and intestine problems.
I've tried with the following:
- Black pepper (regardless it is demonized as a too-hot food - it is actually excellent digestive)
- Slice of pickled ginger with the main dish - works miracles.
- Savory in all forms - freshly picked or dried - add this spice to all food - I've explained in another hub for the benefits of the best one (Satureya montana).
- Fennel. The leafy part can be sprinkled on salads and used in dressings. The stem can be used as ingredient of the salad itself. It has a bit strong taste but the benefits are worth it.
The WikiPedia article I've mentioned in the beginning claims the digestive named Iberogast is created especially for IBS sufferers. I've never tried it, but if you have it in the nearby store - give it a chance. The ingredients are herbal and I can assure you - they are working in natural form. There is no reason to not work in extracted form:
- bitter candytuft
- angelica root
- milk thistle fruit
- celandine herb
- caraway fruit
- liquorice root
- peppermint herb
- balm leaf
- chamomile flower
So, to summarize:
- Visit a doctor - do not self diagnose.
- Eat healthy.
- Get enough fiber.
- Take digestives when you overeat with junk food.
- Relieve stress.
- Sport
- And above all: ...
Stay healthy!
Don't skip meals.
Chaotic and non-rhythmic feeding, overeating, missing meals and snacks so you overcompensate in the next meal - all lead to IBS sooner or later. Present day modern world person eats one or two meals per day.
People between 20 and 60 years old often reply "I don't have time to eat, lots of stuff to do". Those people tend to skip breakfast, eat some fast junk food for lunch and digest enormous dinner with a lot of alcohol.
A plan must be done, and then followed.
- Breakfast to get you going. Oatmeal, yogurt or fruit is perfect.
- Snack, an hour before lunch (fruit will do) or 10:00 AM if you are hungry.
- Lunch is very important but leave space, so you don't get drowsy.
- Afternoon snack (a handful of nuts is perfect) at around 16:00 PM
- Lunch, no later than 19:00. Something light and easy for digestion to just get you satiated until bed-time.
This way you get enough meals and can cut quantity. Your sleep will improve too. Get enough liquids, but avoid carbonated drinks.
