Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Q: I've been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. My doctor has prescribed anti-depressants, but I would prefer not to take drugs. What holistic treatments do you recommend for IBS?
John Neustadt, ND replies:
A: Many natural treatments can help IBS.
Meditating 30 minutes a day for just six weeks significantly decreased diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and belching in one study. Not surprisingly, the study reported no side effects.
Dietary allergies can contribute to IBS symptoms, and eliminating them can lead to dramatic improvement as well. A recent review of dietary allergies in IBS published in Neurogastroenterology and Motility found that excluding dietary allergens can lead to an improvement in up to 71 percent of IBS sufferers.
We can identify food allergens several ways.
Blood tests for IgG4 antibodies and the allergy elimination-challenge tests are the most sensitive. In an elimination-challenge test, patients follow a hypoallergenic diet for a prescribed period of time and track their symptoms in a journal. Then they methodically, and with guidance from a clinician, reintroduce foods one at a time. If symptoms return with specific foods, it is eliminated them from the altogether, perhaps not forever, but for a while.
Dietary supplements, including Probiotic and peppermint, can also benefit people with IBS. Probiotics, which are beneficial gut bacteria, have been the subject of multiple clinical trials of IBS. In one study, for example, volunteers received 10 billion cfu (colony forming units) of Lactobacillus salivarius or Bifidobacterium infantis, or a placebo, in a malted drink once daily. Those who took the B. infantis probiotic experienced a significant improvement in abdominal pain, bloating, and bowel movement difficulty or urgency.
A clinical trial has also shown that enteric-coated peppermint oil decreases pain in children with IBS. In this particular trial, 42 children received peppermint oil capsules that didn't dissolve until they were in the lower intestines (enteric coated). After two weeks, 71 percent of the volunteers in the peppermint oil group reported improvement in symptoms compared with 43 percent in the placebo group.
I respect your decision to want to investigate other, non-drug options for IBS. A combination of these therapies may provide the best long-term relief for you.
Reference
Source: www.naturalsolutionsmag.com, blog of treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Author: John Neustadt, ND
3 Ways to Stop Chronic Diarrhea or Constipation due to IBS
If you have frequent diarrhea from eating meals, the truth is that it is just a label and in no way addressed the real cause. The most common cause of people experiencing frequent diarrhea that is not caused by a virus or temporary bacterial infection is a yeast known as candida. This yeast exists in approximately 90% of the population, although a smaller proportion experience symptoms as a result of it. These symptoms almost exclusively occur after something destroys the normal balance of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. This can be caused by drugs, antibiotics or simply a diet very high in sugar if only for a temporary amount of time.
Three things to begin getting relief from Chronic Diarrhea
#1 – Cut out dairy products: With the exception of sugar free yogurt you should cut out all other dairy products, many times people will develop a sensitivity to dairy which can have it cause constant diarrhea after eating it. Outside of this dairy is just bad for your digestive tract in general and will need to be removed from the diet if only for a little while to effectively recover.
#2 – Take Probiotics: These are the beneficial bacteria that help keep your digestive system running smoothly. They help to also destroy candida and many times taking these frequently in large doses will effectively help to eliminate candida from the body, although most times more is needed to completely eliminate candida.
#3 – Try Bentonite: This natural clay is often used to help absorb toxic waste stuck in the colon, it is also an excellent way to slow down excessive diarrhea. It comes in pill and liquid form, although the liquid tends to be much more potent.
Source:
www.ibssymptoms.co.uk/blog
February 15