Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the large intestine characterized by a disturbance in the speed of passage of food. This causes abdominal pain, sometimes very intense. This syndrome is characterized by constipation or diarrhea or both alternately. When the contractions of the intestinal muscles are too strong and rapid, there is a lack of absorption of water by the colon, resulting in diarrhea. When the contractions are weak and slow, the colon absorbs too much water and constipation results.
Other typical symptoms associated with stomach aches include: stomach cramps, bloating and mucus secretion in the stool.
In most cases, symptoms are relieved after having a bowel movement, but there may be a feeling that the colon has not completely emptied.
Several causes have been documented: hormonal changes in women, having had a gastrointestinal infection, abnormal serotonin levels, disruption of the intestinal flora, food intolerances, genetics.
This syndrome also includes a psychological element (anxiety, depression) and stress increases the symptoms.
What to do?
1. Increase fiber, but prefer soluble fiber which is gentler on the gut than insoluble fiber.
2. Any food intolerance leads to inflammation and intestinal permeability. Eliminate foods for which you are intolerant. These may include dairy products, gluten, eggs, corn, soy. You must then conduct a real investigation by stopping all these foods for 1 month, then reintroduce them one at a time, at a rate of one food every two weeks. Obviously other foods may be involved. Food intolerance tests are of great help, in order to find any other intolerances, as the case may be.
3. Refined sugars and bad fats make symptoms worse. Coffee, chocolate, alcohol, strong spices, sulfites, carrageenan, aspartame and monosodium glutamate irritate the intestine. It is best to avoid them.
4. It is important to drink enough water (30 ml per kilo of weight).
5. In any case, it is important to think about facilitating your digestion. Chewing your food well and only swallowing when it has the consistency of baby puree; eating small quantities at a time in a calm environment and at set times; putting down your fork after each mouthful and breathing deeply are some of the good habits to adopt during meals.
6. Adopt better lifestyle habits. Manage emotions and daily stress levels, exercise regularly, ensure adequate sleep and think positively. Regarding stress management, hypnotherapy, meditation, cardiac coherence, yoga and other relaxation techniques will be of great help to you.
7. Some medications cause diarrhea. Check with your pharmacist if your medications cause such side effects.
Supplementation:
To reduce bloating, peppermint essential oil in enteric capsules or activated charcoal will help release abdominal tension. For good intestinal flora and to improve symptoms, probiotics such as lactobacillus acidophilus are very useful.
To soothe nervous states, skullcap mother tincture, tilia tomentosa bud macerate or L-tryptophan are very effective. However, it is preferable to seek advice from a naturopath, especially if you are taking medication.
Finally, and depending on the case, it is important to calm the inflammation and repair the intestinal mucosa. Several avenues are available in naturopathy. We can think of L-glutamine, turmeric, boswelia, cranberry or glutinous alder in gemmotherapy. Once again, consult a naturopath if you are taking medication.
Green clay soothes minor inflammations and remineralizes. Soak a teaspoon of green clay in a glass of water overnight and drink only the water the next morning. Be careful, no metal when handling the clay (wooden spoon, glass bowls).
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