The digestive tract is often called the second brain, as neurotransmitters are found abundantly along the whole tract. Neurotransmitters (90 have been identified so far - e.g. serotonin, the 'feel-good' neuropeptide), also called 'molecules of emotion' by Candace Pert, communicate in a two-way direction between digestive tract and brain and vice versa. Your gut literally 'feels' the way you do. The most important 'treatment' therefore, is stress management and relaxation training.
Certain foods may contribute to IBS by irritating the gastrointestinal tract. It is recommended to consult a registered dietitian, nutritionist, or natural health practitioner, to implement dietary changes and guidelines in your meal plans, since these guidelines could be as individual as the symptoms. To establish individual guidelines, a thorough history of eating habits relating to symptoms is very useful. It is recommended that you keep a journal of your symptoms along with your daily dietary intake. Add notes on your thoughts and feelings to this brew, and you will soon become aware if certain events, thoughts and feelings, together with certain foods, exacerbate the symptoms.
It may be necessary to cut the consumption of dietary fat, whether vegetable oil or animal fat, saturated or unsaturated. Other known irritants are eggs and dairy products, spicy foods and coffee. An elimination diet may help to discover food sensitivities. Do not eat a suspected food for 14 days. Then try it again and if you get an adverse reaction, avoid that food in future.
Most people do not eat enough fiber. It is therefore recommended that you gradually include the following one by one into your daily diet, while carefully monitoring your symptoms: - Gradually increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and bran in your diet.
- Take one tablespoon of bran over your breakfast cereal, in salads, stews, soups, or stirred into a glass of fruit juice or water every day.
- Take one tablespoon of soluble fiber such as psyllium or guar gum in a glass of cold water or juice once a day.
- Wholewheat or brown bread, minimally processed cereals, such a brown rice, unsifted maize meal, sorghum porridge (Maltabella), bran-rich breakfast cereals and products like muffins made with bran cereal and/or wheat bran (obtainable from your local health shop)
- Raw, unpeeled fruit and vegetables, or lightly cooked vegetables, jackets potatoes, fresh fruit juices, and dried fruit soaked overnight in hot water, eaten with live AB culture yogurt and All Bran flakes
- Legumes, such as dry beans, peas and lentils, and products made from legumes or soy. Try them one by one to notice of any one tend to increase intestinal gas or abdominal discomfort.
Always remember to drink 4-5 glasses of water in addition to your normal fluid intake. Water helps dietary fiber to swell and provide bulk in the intestines, thus improving regularity. However, overdoing water intake can lead to low calcium, magnesium and potassium levels. Drink eight glasses of water in total a day.
At first the amount of intestinal gas may increase, but it should subside as your body adjusts. Try to eat smaller meals more often or eat smaller portions of foods during meals.
Do not smoke, as that in itself, can irritate the bowel.
Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine, for example in coffee, colas and chocolate.
Elimination diets: avoiding foods related to intolerance or eliminating all foods that could aggravate symptoms could be useful to delay or decrease symptoms. These include:
- dairy products (excluding organic live AB culture yogurt)
- wheat products: possible wheat sensitivity and insoluble fiber
- fiber enriched foods: high content of insoluble fiber
- skins and pips: brinjals, tomatoes, berries, figs, raisins, nuts and seeds, whole peas and corn
- intestinal irritants: citrus fruits, tomatoes, chilli and spicy foods, caffeine, carbonated drinks
- smoked and processed foods: sensitivity to food additives
- gas-forming foods: lentils (whole), beans, onions, garlic, cabbage-family vegetables. Include these one by one after the elimination period. Chances are that not all of them will be culprits.
- alcohol
Elimination diets are not only useful to relieve symptoms, but also to identify whether food intolerance or allergies exist. Therefore, foods that cause or aggravate symptoms could be excluded from your diet as and when necessary.
The wheat and wheat bran controversy: Wheat bran, also known as digestive bran, is controversial in the treatment of IBS. It has been found that IBS symptoms could be aggravated with the inclusion of wheat bran into the diet. The possibility of wheat bran causing or aggravating inflammation is being investigated. Some people suffering from IBS also seem to have fewer symptoms when reducing their intake of wheat products. This could be related to the fact that wheat starch is more difficult to digest than other starches such as that found in potato or maize.
Fructose: Fructose, a natural sugar found in fruit, is often used to replace cane sugar. However, some people might have a fructose intolerance, characterised by diarrhea, abdominal cramping and bloating after eating fructose rich foods such as fruit, fruit juices or pure fructose. People with IBS should be careful with the use of fructose, because with a fructose intolerance, their symptoms could be aggravated. Fructo-oligosaccharides such as found in asparagus, can however, be very beneficial for IBS.
Dietary fat: It has been found that intestinal contractions are exaggerated in people with IBS after eating a high fat meal, such as deep-fried foods, foods with fatty meats and creamy sauces. It is therefore recommended that the fat content of the diet should be within normal healthy recommendations.
Meal sizes and frequency: People with IBS are recommended to eat smaller, more frequent meals.
Get regular exercise to help regulate bowel movements. There are many different types of gentle exercise which can help you not only to de-stress, but also get your bowel motions back to normal. Yoga is probably the most relaxing exercise regimen available. Try and join a yoga class which emphasises relaxation and deep breathing. Taking leisurely walks in the fresh air is also a good idea. Swimming gentle laps or dancing to mood music will also help. Specific yoga asanas to try for symptoms of IBS include cat pose, sun salute, pawanmuktasana series (raised leg pose, leg rotation, cycling while lying on the back, leg lock pose, rocking and rolling, abdominal stretch, universal spinal twist, boat pose), all forward bend asanas, sitting in vajrasana (thunderbolt pose) for at least 10 minutes after meals.
Aromatherapy, therapeutic massage and reflexology are wonderful ways of getting rid of stress and making every part of your body, including your intestines, relax. Natural antispasmodics, antidiarrheals or laxatives can be used for short periods when the symptoms of cramps, diarrhea or constipation are severe. If you are depressed or under excessive strain, you might consider a herbal antidepressant such as St John's wort. It is important to realise that depression and anxiety need more than a symptomatic approach. By all means, use SJW if symptoms are severe, but also go for psychotherapy or group therapy to address the deeper emotional or even soul issues underlying IBS. |
