Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome affects each person differently. The hallmark of IBS is abdominal discomfort or pain. Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the large intestine (colon). Symptoms include crampy abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea.

Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

An expert panel has outlined a list of symptoms common in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Doctors often use this list of symptoms, known as the Rome II criteria, to distinguish IBS from other intestinal problems. Irritable bowel syndrome is a group of symptoms you have had for at least 12 weeks in the last 12 months. It always involves abdominal pain or discomfort along with two of the following three characteristics:

• Pain or discomfort relieved by defecation

• Change in the frequency of bowel movements

• Change in the appearance of stools

Nongastrointestinal symptoms

You may sometimes have other symptoms that don't affect the intestines, such as:

• Anxiety or depression.

• Fatigue.

• Headache.

• Unpleasant taste in the mouth.

• Backache.

• Sleeping problems (insomnia) not caused by symptoms of IBS.

Irritable bowel syndrome diet

It's natural for anyone to think that IBS attacks are linked to food and drink. Sometimes the episodes are brought on by stress or other situations, but in many sufferers, food and drinks do play an active part in triggering symptoms. The success of the dietary treatment of IBS lies very much in individualized patient assessment, planning and follow up; there is no blueprint of generalized dietary advice which will work for everyone. We will all react differently to the manipulation of our diets.

A diet that will help one may not be as effective for the other, but following certain basics will help.

-- Never skip your meals, especially breakfast. Eat small quantities at regular intervals. People who skip meals put on more weight since they tend to overeat.

-- Reduce your fat intake.

-- While eating meat, make sure that it is lean and without any fat.

-- Before cooking chicken and any bird remove skin and trim excess fat.

-- Fiber, fiber, more fiber. It will work wonders if you have IBS.

-- Avoid fried food, fat laden fast food, and foodstuff made of refined flour. Opt for wholegrain flour instead.

-- Limit your intake of sugar

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Some common causes of IBS may include the following.

-- Eating in large quantities

-- Being on too much medication that interferes with normal digestion

-- Eating too much chocolate, milk products like cheese, and wheat can cause IBS in some persons

-- Consuming too much alcohol

-- Too much tea or coffee

Natural Remedies

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is widely used for irritable bowel syndrome. It is thought to reduce the abdominal pain and bloating of irritable bowel syndrome, possibly by blocking the movement of calcium into muscle cells in the intestines and easing excessive muscle contraction there.

Although peppermint oil is available in many forms, it should only be used in enteric-coated capsules otherwise the oil can relax the lower esophageal sphincter and cause heartburn.

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