Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic disorder that affects the digestive system, particularly the large intestine. It comes with a host of symptoms, including abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or even both at the same time.
What exactly causes IBS is yet unknown, but some factors that appear to play a role include muscle contractions in the intestine, abnormalities in the nerves of the digestive system, severe infection, exposure to stressful events especially during childhood, and changes in the microbes in the intestines.
Because IBS is a lifelong condition, it can be a nuisance to live with, especially if you are constantly exposed to stress, which is one of the triggers that can aggravate your symptoms. Certain foods and beverages, such as milk, dairy products, wheat, carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, beans, and cabbage, may also trigger your symptoms.
However, you can manage your symptoms by making changes in your diet and lifestyle. Severe symptoms are uncommon, but should yours be worse than usual, you should see your doctor in order to get a proper diagnosis. You may need medication to handle your symptoms or it might turn out that you have a more serious condition that needs to be treated.
Remedies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS is typically treated with medications such as loperamide and rifaximin for diarrhea or fiber supplements and laxatives for constipation. Your doctor might also prescribe other medications to address your specific symptoms.
But you could also start with natural remedies by making changes to your lifestyle. Some of the things you can do include the following:
1. Watching What You Eat
One of the first things you can do to manage your IBS is to take note of what you eat and identify what foods and beverages trigger your symptoms. Some of the most common triggers include dairy, gluten, wheat, pork, beef, lamb, and soybeans. On the other hand, certain foods may lead to bloating and gas, such as beans, fruits, and raw vegetables.
2. Increasing Your Intake of Fiber
If your IBS is making you constipated, you should add more fiber to your diet. Some foods that are rich in soluble fiber include oats, carrots, broccoli, beans, peas, apples, oranges, pears, berries, and figs. You can also try sprinkling your dishes with high fiber seeds such as chia seeds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds.
3. Reducing Your Consumption of Alcohol and Caffeine
Both alcohol and caffeine are gastrointestinal stimulants, especially if you suffer from IBS characterized by diarrhea. Even decaffeinated coffee can trigger symptoms, so it would be best to cut back on your intake.
4. Adding Turmeric to Your Daily Diet
Turmeric has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat a range of conditions. The spice has recently been found to help relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
There are a number of ways that you could add the spice to your diet, including adding some turmeric powder to your roasted vegetables, scrambled eggs or rice, blending it into your smoothie, or making some tea. Try to take around 300 to 400 milligrams of turmeric up to three times per day.
5. Taking Some Slippery Elm Tea
Slippery elm is a tree that can be found in the central and eastern parts of the United States and in Ontario, Canada. Its slimy inner bark has been used by Native Americans for centuries as a remedy for a number of common ailments.
Recent studies have found that the bark of slippery elm can help ease symptoms of constipation associated with IBS. You can try making some tea by stirring one teaspoon of slippery elm powder and one teaspoon of sugar into two cups of hot water. You can add some cinnamon if you prefer. Take one or two cups of slippery elm tea each day.
How to Tell if You Might Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The symptoms associated with IBS may happen to anyone, even those who do not have the condition. They may even be normal occurrences that we all occasionally suffer from, especially when we make changes in our diets.
However, if your symptoms persist for around four or more weeks, you may have IBS or even a more serious condition. It is a sign that you need to see your doctor right away.
But should you catch any signs of IBS early on, you could try the natural remedies and lifestyle changes listed above to help manage your symptoms.
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