IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

IBS is an extremely common digestive disorder affecting around 55 million Americans—with a high percentage being women.  Although IBS is not life-threatening, can be extremely uncomfortable and disabling. IBS is a functional health problem, meaning that your digestive system just doesn’t work properly. The pain and discomfort can get so bad that it can triple the likelihood of missing work or school. IBS can also make you more susceptible to other Gastrointestinal (GI) conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), endocrine disorders, or cancer in the gut linked with underlying nutrient deficiencies and toxin overload.

IBS is associated with a hypersensitive colon where a person develops abdominal pain and irregular bowel habits which often switch between diarrhea and constipation. Heartburn, excess gas, urinary or sexual issues may also occur. IBS is triggered by certain foods, medications, stress, and/or hormonal imbalances. 

IBS can seriously affect your daily quality of life. Many people just kind of put up with it, but you don’t have to! There are many things you can do to reduce your symptoms and improve your comfort, health, and well-being.

TRIGGERS AND SYMPTOMS OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME

It can be hard to diagnose IBS because of the varying range of symptoms and how they are experienced by different people. Symptoms of IBS may come and go, which is why some people never consider the possibility that they have a chronic illness. Some people primarily experience diarrhea, while others suffer more from constipation, but there is also a lot of alternation between the two. IBS can also be a symptom for another underlying condition.

To effectively treat IBS, it is critical to understand the root cause of the gut sensitivity and devise a personalized treatment plan. Every case is unique because there are so many factors involved. Although it can be hard to pinpoint, your IBS can be caused by a few key triggers.

The most common foods well recognized to trigger IBS include eating too much insoluble fiber, fried and fatty meals, and large meals which include dairy products, other animal protein, GMO grains (e.g., wheat, corn, soy, rice), and processed food. Dehydrating beverages, such as coffee and other caffeinated beverages, sugary carbonated drinks, and alcohol further aggravate IBS.

To improve IBS symptoms, boost your whole foods plant-based fiber intake, drink more water, and become active. For example, replace animal products with more green vegetables grown above the ground and complimented with mushrooms and small legumes (e.g., lentils, black beans, dals). Sparingly consume ancient whole grains like amaranth, quinoa, and millet.  

Be mindful that vegetables like broccoli, brussel sprouts, onions, and cabbage may trigger gas pains and hence, need to be cooked well. Adding digestive spices like cumin seeds and turmeric can counteract the gassy effects. Try to also soak dried beans overnight to ease digestion.

Try to eat smaller meals, incorporating a moderate amount of leafy greens in your diet, and avoid drinking beverages with meals. Other triggers that can aggravate symptoms of IBS include eating too quickly and eating while multi-tasking. Recent research has also suggested that taking a non-dairy probiotic supplement can increase the amount of good bacteria in the digestive system and reduce general symptoms of IBS.

Women are more likely to have IBS than men and experience worse symptoms during their menstrual periods.  Research has shown that since IBS is directly tied to liver health and the liver is in control of hormone metabolism, IBS will worsen with hormonal shifts.  

EFFECTS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY ON IBS

IBS can often be triggered by increased physical and/or mental stress. To reduce stress, try exercising more and incorporating mindfulness, meditation, or yoga into your routine. Exercise helps decrease the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, in our bodies, while increasing the production of serotonin and dopamine, the happy hormones. You can also try some of these other integrative medicine techniques for reducing anxiety.

TREATING IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS) with integrative functional medicine

GUARANTED RESULTS

If you think you are experiencing symptoms of IBS, contact the nation’s leading expert in integrative and functional medicine physician. Dr. Bhandari, M.D. combines the best in Eastern and Western Medicine to understand the root causes of diseases and provides patients with personalized treatment plans. She will help you take back control of your health through implementation of simple empowering tips that drive quick and effective results.