Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, afflicts nearly 1 in 4 Americans. With these extremely high numbers, you'd be surprised to find out that doctors have yet to discover a cure or even drugs to treat IBS. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a physically manifested condition that is characterized by abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Those afflicted with IBS experience a great range of symptoms and pain, from occasional discomfort to daily and excruciating agony.

While doctors seem to have neglected Irritable Bowel Syndrome's victims and their struggles, thankfully there does exist a good body of literature online and in bookstores discussing IBS. Many who have experienced excruciating pain due to IBS have given their lives to writing about their experiences and recommending certain treatments for ameliorating, or even eliminating, the symptoms of IBS. Under the resources tab in this article you will find some of the best resources I have discovered during my IBS research.

Recognizing Irritable Bowel Syndrome

While Irritable Bowel Syndrome manifests itself differently in all of its victims, some of the most reliable symptoms of IBS are the following:

1) Abdominal Cramping

2) Nausea or Dizziness

3) Abdominal Bloating

4) Diarrhea or Constipation

5) Abdominal Discomfort

6) Vomiting

If you have any of these symptoms and they seem to be recurring, a visit to the doctor is in order. While doctors dole out IBS diagnoses quite easily, it is still recommended for you to seek a doctor's advice because IBS symptoms can often look similar to larger health problems, such as different types of cancer, Celiac's disease, and other gastrointestinal diseases.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome victims describe a range of pain when describing their afflictions, and the symptoms are felt throughout the day. While some feel great discomfort immediately after a meal, others feel reliably sick in the mornings or evenings. Because of this, IBS can often be confused with lactose intolerance. If lactose intolerance runs in your family, consider this as a possible diagnoses and try abstaining from all foods containing lactose, or try taking "Lactaid" with lactose foods. If this does not work, you may have IBS.

Coping with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

While I would like to call the following advice "treatments", you should know that Irritable Bowel Syndrome has no known treatments or cures. Therefore, I must recommend the following techniques simply as ways of "coping" with IBS:

1) Eat Smaller Meals More Frequently

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is often aggravated by large meals. Many Americans tend to skip breakfast, eat a small lunch, and then chow down on dinner, but this is not recommended for IBS victims, nor is it recommended for general health. Instead, you should try eating smaller meals (around 4-5) throughout the day. Eating smaller meals should help the pain due to IBS.

2) Fiber

Fiber is a confusing but important element of coping with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. There are two kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and it has been shown that those with IBS who eat more soluble fiber see their symptoms decrease. Hailed as a savior, "Heather's Tummy Fiber" is a soluble fiber supplement made from Acacia-taken 1-4 times a day, this supplement may work wonders for your intestines (see a link to purchase this product under 'resources'). While it is unclear whether insoluble fiber hurts or helps those with IBS, I recommend that you decrease your consumption of insoluble fiber and then add it slowly back into your diet. Very briefly, soluble fiber can be found in foods such as beans, oats and flax seeds; insoluble fiber is commonly found in vegetables, whole wheat and bran. To find out more about the different kinds of fiber and where to find them, check out the websites under 'resources'.

3) Avoid Trigger Foods

"Trigger" foods are what IBS'ers call foods that tend to aggravate their symptoms, and thus these are goods that you want to avoid. While you may figure out your own trigger foods as you proceed with your recipes for coping, keep a look out for the effects of some of these foods on your body:

Coffee

Spicy Foods

Foods High in Insoluble Fiber (whole grains, nuts, legumes)

Fatty Foods

Alcohol

Dairy

I highly recommend keeping a journal of the foods that you eat and your IBS symptoms following those meals. This is very helpful in allowing you to track your own trigger foods.

4) De-Stress Yourself

Many people who are afflicted with IBS notice that their symptoms are triggered with the onset of stress, and are ameliorated with decreased stress. This can be rather difficult, seeing as the IBS itself causes an increase in stress, thus creating a vicious cycle of stress and aggravated Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Many folks have a range of different methods to de-stress, so if something works for you, do it and do it often. Some other ways of reducing stress are: exercising, yoga, silent reading, meditating, and other activities that you may enjoy.

5) Drink A Lot of Water

Especially if Irritable Bowel Syndrome gives you diarrhea, drinking plenty of water is really essential to remember. Diarrhea quickly dehydrates its victims, so replenishing that water in your body is very important. Try to drink at least 6 glasses of water a day.

Closing Thoughts

Remember, Irritable Bowel Syndrome may get worse and better throughout your life, but most likely will not go away entirely. But if you change your eating habits and work on decreasing your stress levels, Irritable Bowel Syndrome should not have a hold on your life.

Under the resource section of this article you will helpful websites, links to books, and other resources that should assist you in decreasing your Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms.