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Defeating IBS Naturally

New strategies help you get your life back

by Kathy Canavan

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It’s time for people with irritable bowel syndrome to come out of the closet. And the bedroom. And most especially, the bathroom.

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, strikes when there’s miscommunication between your brain and your bowels for reasons that are still unknown. The results: loss of control over bowel function, severe cramping, bloating, and chronic abdominal pain. Some people have frequent diarrhea, others are often constipated, and others alternate between the extremes. As many as one in five Americans has IBS, accounting for one of every 10 visits to a doctor’s office.

Fortunately, most folks have mild symptoms, but for a minority, IBS is so severe that life becomes a daily, painful challenge. On the positive side, though, IBS doesn’t lead to more serious problems; it can go into remission or disappear entirely, and most people can successfully control—or at least minimize—symptoms by modifying their diet, controlling stress, and using some proven natural remedies.

IBS

First, See Your Doctor

Because IBS can mimic more serious illnesses, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, an accurate diagnosis is essential, says Lin Chang, MD, an IBS researcher and director of the Women’s Digestive Health Center at UCLA. Diagnosing IBS is tricky, so tell your doctor about all your symptoms, no matter how awkward or embarrassed you may feel about sharing icky, intimate details.

Tell your doctor about all your symptoms, no matter how awkward or embarrassed you may feel about sharing icky, intimate details.

As part of your medical history, let your doctor know if you have depression, fibromyalgia, heartburn or reflux disease, chronic fatigue, or muscle aches. Some IBS patients have problems that overlap, and giving your doctor a bigger picture will help in your diagnosis.

Besides taking a medical history, your doctor should do a physical examination and order diagnostic tests if indicated. Dr. Chang says tests generally aren’t necessary to confirm IBS, but they can rule out other conditions with similar symptoms, including GI infections, lactose intolerance, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. Your next steps include the following.

Write Your Way to Wellness

Keep a precise log of symptoms, rating their severity on a scale of one to five. Note what you eat, your activities, what stresses you’re under—everything. Within a few weeks, you should be able to connect some dots between your lifestyle and your symptoms.

IBS

Rethink Your Diet

The list of symptom-producing foods is long, and it can vary widely from person to person. A few of the commonly cited triggers include:

Gas-producing greens Major offenders include cabbage, broccoli, raw fruits and veggies, beans, and legumes.

Dairy products Some people with IBS may be lactose intolerant; others may react to dairy fat.

Caffeine and alcohol Both act as intestinal stimulants.

Diet foods Those sweetened with sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and maltitol can cause diarrhea and flatulence.

Try Germ Warfare

Experts theorize that a bacterial imbalance in the gut is linked to the development of IBS symptoms. In a recent review, seven of 11 clinical studies showed that probiotics (beneficial bacteria) significantly improved IBS symptoms as compared to a placebo. In particular, a combination of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus species is proven to soothe symptoms. A good probiotic supplement to try is Nature’s Way Primadophilus Optima, available from amazon.com and other online sources and at health food stores. Follow label directions.

Explore the Mind/Body Connection

Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that IBS is “all in your head.” You know better: It’s real, and it’s awful. But don’t discount the connection between your mind and body either. Because stress triggers chemicals that can exacerbate pain, many experts recommend using stress-reduction techniques, including exercise, yoga, biofeedback, and hypnosis, to combat IBS symptoms.

Seek Support

Jeffrey D. Roberts, a 46-year-old computer professional living in Toronto, Ontario, was first diagnosed with IBS when he was a high-school freshman. His symptoms are so severe that his family delays birthday parties and cancels trips when he has flare-ups. Still, Roberts says he considers himself lucky because he has found some relief with exercise, probiotics, and prescription meds.

Most folks have mild symptoms, but for a minority, IBS is so severe that life becomes a daily, painful challenge.

To share what he’s learned with others, Roberts founded the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Association in 1987 and put the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Self-Help and Support Group on the Web in 1995. The site (http://www.ibsgroup.org) gets 200,000 visitors a month to check out its news, forums, blogs, chat room, and pen pal program for those affected by IBS.

“People suddenly find us, and they usually post a message, saying, ‘I can’t believe there are other people who feel the same way I do. I thought I was the only one,‘“ Roberts says.

Most people find they benefit from not only the camaraderie but also each other’s experiences, which can often lead to relief. “You need to take charge of yourself,” Roberts says. “You can’t rely on your physician to know everything. Do your research, and talk to your physician about that research.”

Kathy Canavan is an award-winning newspaper journalist in Delaware.

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