Keep your irritable bowel syndrome in check
Diarrhoea, constipation or both: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has very annoying chronic symptoms. Good news: there are solutions to do something about it and to relieve the complaints.
There are three types of irritable bowel syndrome: constipation, diarrhoea and a mixed form, where one suffers alternately from constipation and diarrhoea. The mixed form is the most common. Related complaints include abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, and nausea.
Doctors who diagnose the syndrome generally base themselves on the 3-3-3 rule. You likely have IBS if you have had complaints for more than three times a month for three months and, furthermore, have to go to the toilet more than three times a day. Naturally, other possible disorders must be ruled out, and this can be done through stool testing, blood analysis, and a colonoscopy (examination of the large intestine).
Several causes at once
One hypothesis is that irritable bowel syndrome is related to stress. Nevertheless, diet also plays a major role. An intolerance to certain nutrients or an allergy can also be possible causes. In addition, genetic factors make some people more at risk of IBS than others. In short, IBS can be caused by a combination of elements.
Provide your bowels with a nutrient source rich in good bacteria!
Low-FODMAP diet, a promising solution
To keep IBS under control, it is important to analyse your diet and adjust it if necessary. The low-FODMAP diet has already proven its value. With the low-FODMAP diet, you first eliminate four types of carbohydrates (sugars) for several weeks: glucose, fructose, oligosaccharides, and polyols. Then, you reintroduce a certain type every week to see which kind causes annoying symptoms. In this way, you can investigate the effects of wheat products, for example, which are an important source of oligosaccharides.
Tips for daily life
- Avoid triggering factors that stimulate bowel contractions, such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.
- Also be careful with medicines. For instance, laxatives and anti-diarrhoeal drugs relieve problems in the short term, but are burdensome for the bowels in the longer term.
- Keep stress under control. Certain relaxation or breathing exercises can help with this. If necessary, psychological therapy can also provide relief.
- Provide your bowels with a nutrient source rich in good bacteria to restore the balance of the intestinal flora, which is then good for the digestive process.
Scientific references
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