Today we are delving into Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. It is a multifaceted condition, affecting not only the digestive system, but also hormones, the nervous system, the immune system and more. Let’s start with the basics of what it is, why it happens and then move on to what you can do to combat it.
What is IBS?
IBS is communication disorder, where the brain sends misfired signals to the gut and vice versa. As you can imagine the message is very scrambled, and the digestive system ends up in a hypersensitive state. What this means is that it becomes over reactive to every small stimulus it receives. This includes food, stress, vitamins, medications, hormonal cycles, alcohol, coffee and basically anything that goes into the gut.
It is a condition that becomes worse when the sufferer is under stress, tired and overwhelmed; this is owed to the gut brain connection being scrambled.
The following is a list of risk factors for the development of IBS. There is no single known cause:
- Gut infections whilst travelling. In fact, this increases your risk of developing IBS up to 4 times if you’ve had travellers gastro in the last 12 months.
- Bacterial/fungal overgrowth in the large and small intestines.
- Similarly, bouts of food poisoning can initiate IBS
- Females have higher incidence of IBS
- Nervous system disorders, such a anxiety and depression
- Genetics, however this is still under study
- Food intolerances can also initiate IBS
The main symptoms of IBS
There are a number of types of IBS, and they all have a similar symptom picture. These are the main ones we see:
- Diarrhoea and constipation. You can have both alternating, or predominantly one, dependent on the type of IBS you experience.
- Gut pain, cramping and wind.
- A sensation of incompleteness after bowel motions, like there is more to come but it is not coming out.
- Bloating and flatulence to the extremes.
- Mucous in the stools.
- Nausea can also commonly occur.
IBS does not present the same for every sufferer. You may recognise some symptoms on this list but not all. You may also have symptoms that are not on this list, which is ok too.
The different types of IBS also dictate which symptoms you will have more of.
The three main types of IBS are:
IBS – D – diarrhoea prominent IBS.
IBS – C – constipation prominent IBS.
IBS – M – mixture of constipation and diarrhoea IBS.
Management for your IBS
As we’ve mentioned above, IBS presents differently for each person. This means that your treatment will most likely be individual as well. However, there are several area’s that it will encompass, and they include:
- Nutritional changes
- Stress management techniques
- Herbal or nutritional medicine
- Other personalised lifestyle changes
Nutritional changes
This is a big one for IBS sufferers. It includes the foods that you eat, the way that you eat, whether you are eating enough fibre and whether or not FODMAPS are playing a role in your IBS symptoms.
In regard to the way that you are eating, here is a good picture to illustrate what I mean by that. If you don’t eat all day and then inhale a big dinner in front of the tv or your phone at night time, you can experience IBS symptoms simply because of this eating pattern. It’s also true if you are always working or reading emails whilst you eat your breakfast and lunch. The environment in which we eat and the way we pay attention to our food (or not) really affects how it gets digested.
Fibre is one of those things that can be either too much or too little, with both causing issues. It’s highly important for IBS that you are getting enough of the right types of fibre. During your consult we will go through your diet together and I will assess your dietary intake, how you are eating it, if there is anything lacking and make the necessary changes to heal your gut.
Fodmaps
FODMAPS are in a class of their own. They are a group of sugars that are not completely digested or absorbed in our intestines. When FODMAPS reach the small intestine, they move through slowly, attracting water. When they go on to pass into the large intestines, FODMAPS are fermented by the gut bacteria producing gas a result. The extra water and gas cause the intestinal wall to expand, causing sensations of pain and discomfort. It stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. FODMAPS occur naturally in fruits, vegetables and some grains. If your gut isn’t functioning optimally, a build up of FODMAPS can reach the large intestine, causing huge amounts of bloating, cramping, diarrhea and other awful symptoms.
A low FODMAP diet may become part of your treatment plan if it is indicated, however this is not the case for every IBS sufferer. It is something that you need to undertake with professional guidance, as you can miss out on important nutrients in your diet if you try to go it alone. This situation can make your health worse, which we want to avoid at all costs.
Herbal and Nutritional Medicine for IBS
One of my favourite parts of being a Naturopath is creating personalised herbal mixtures for patients. Herbal medicine is potent, especially for gut health and healing. A mixture made for you will be different than a mixture made for another person with IBS. Together we discuss your symptoms and needs and I will formulate a mixture to suit your exact needs in the moment.
Stress and IBS
IBS has a huge connection to the brain and some patients experience it simply because of a strung-out nervous system. Couple this with continued high stress and poor sleep and you have a mixture for prolonged gut complaints.
In a consultation with me, we will discuss all of these factors and address them with a plan that is ideal for you and your individual needs. For nervous system health, that plan may include things like meditation, yoga, spending time in nature, relaxation, journaling etc.
If you resonated with this blog and are experiencing IBS symptoms, contact me for a free chat to find out more about how I can help you reclaim your health and soothe your digestive complaints.
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