Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Health Tips
No cause and no cure for IBS has been found, but there are ways to fend off these abominable symptoms.
- Drink plenty of liquids. Try to drink plenty of fluids every day. Water is best. Alcohol and beverages that contain caffeine stimulate your intestines and can make diarrhea worse, and carbonated drinks can produce gas. For people with constipation this helps the fibre to work; for people with diarrhea it replaces lost fluids.
- Identify the triggers. This is a key step both in managing your condition and in helping you feel you have control of your life. The factors to consider include food intolerances, eating habits, dietary factors, emotional stress, exercise habits, use of laxatives, and vitamin C intake. Pay attention to when your symptoms occur. It may help to keep a diary that relates symptoms to daily activities.
- Exercise. Exercise reduces stress and depression, stimulates normal contractions of your intestines and can help you feel better about yourself. There is no need to subject yourself to a strenuous workout regimen. Walking for 20 minutes a day or doing yoga a few times a week are good for digestion. More intense activities like aerobics, running, and biking can be beneficial as well.
- Colonic massage. Perform the massage either sitting on the toilet or lying down with your knees bent. Make a fist with your right hand and massage your colon using a digging, circular motion with your knuckles. Start at the lower right quadrant of your abdomen (just inside your hip bone) and work up to under the right side of your ribcage, then straight across, then down the left quadrant of your abdomen and when you get to just inside your left hip bone, massage in towards your groin/pubic bone. The idea is to massage the length of your colon which starts at the lower right quadrant of your abdomen and then up in a horseshoe shape under the ribs and down to the lower left quadrant of your abdomen. The rectal canal then extends from the lower left quadrant diagonally across to the groin (or pubic bone). Repeat this massage several times experimenting with varying pressure and your massage technique. This is a fantastic technique that can be used by anyone during, or to encourage, a bowel movement. It also relieves colic in newborns by helping them expel gas and stool.
- Healthy eating habits. Eat in a relaxed, quiet environment. Eat slowly and chew your food well. If you gobble down your food, you're more likely to swallow air, which can travel through the digestive system in the form of intestinal gas. Chewing gum can also cause you to swallow air.
- Eat smaller meals. Try eating six small meals a day rather than
three larger ones. Large meals can overload the digestive system, causing
cramping and diarrhea. Smaller, more frequent meals over the course of
the day are easier for the body to handle. This is why so many people
have trouble after eating out at a restaurant, because we tend to eat
foods we don't normally eat
- Fiber. Important key is to not increase your fiber suddenly, you need to do it gradually. For example, increase your fiber by 2 to 3 grams per day, making sure to drink plenty of water through the day and slowly work your way up to the 30 gram mark. A high-fiber diet may improve constipation and by virtue of fiber's ability to absorb fluid, may also make the stool less watery. Thus, fiber can help lessen the swings from constipation to diarrhea. The foods that have the most fiber are grains (especially bran), whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Foods high in soluble fibers (like oats, peas, and beans) have been shown to ease both constipation and diarrhea.
- Avoid problem foods. Foods do not cause IBS. But some foods may make you feel worse. Common culprits include alcohol, chocolate, caffeinated beverages such as coffee and sodas, medications that contain caffeine, dairy products, and sugar-free sweeteners such as sorbitol or mannitol. For some people, fats such as butter and margarine or foods high in fat such as mayonnaise, nuts, cream, ice cream and red meat also may aggravate symptoms. But do not cut out foods unless they have caused you problems more than once. Be careful that your diet doesn't become too restricted, though.
- Eat at regular times. Don't skip meals, and try to eat about the same time each day to help regulate bowel function. If you have diarrhea, you may find that eating small, frequent meals makes you feel better. But if you're constipated, eating larger amounts of high-fiber foods may help move food through your intestines.
- Hot meals. Avoid very hot meals because they tend to cause diarrhea.
- Rest after meals. This can help slow the rate at which food passes through the intestines.
- Use anti-diarrheal medications and laxatives with caution. If you try over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications, such as Imodium or Kaopectate, use the lowest dose that helps. In the long run, these medications can cause problems if you don't use them appropriately. The same is true of laxatives. If you have any questions about them, check with your doctor.
- Learn how to relax. The first step in learning how to relax is to simply be aware of when your muscles have tensed up, so you can undo that tension. One technique for easing that tension is progressive muscle relaxation. One by one, you purposely tense, or tighten, and then relax each muscle group throughout the body. This allows you to become more aware of what your muscles feel like when they are tense and when they are relaxed. While this technique can be helpful for some people, you should try different methods of relaxation and see what suits you best.
- Stress. There is certainly something known as the brain-gut axis. Your mind really does have a lot of control over your digestive tract. Stress reduction techniques, such as yoga and other forms of meditation can be very helpful in selected individuals.
- Traditionsl medical approachs:
- Constipation-predominant IBS. Guar gum, fiber, exercise, episodic use of antispasmodics, peppermint oil, and adequate fluid intake are recommended as initial therapy for persons with constipation-predominant IBS.
- Diarrhea-predominant IBS. Loperamide (Imodium), episodic use of antispasmodic agents, peppermint oil, and dietary manipulation are recommended as initial therapy for persons with diarrhea-predominant IBS.
- Pain-predominant IBS. Tricyclic antidepressants and psychotherapy may be considered for persons with pain-predominant IBS or for any with more severe symptoms.