Irritable bowel syndrome, what can you do about it?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (also known as functional colopathy) is a disorder of the intestinal disorder that affects the large intestine.

Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhea and/or constipation.

This is a chronic disease that sufferers must manage over the long term.

Only a small number of sufferers experience severe symptoms. Some people manage the disorder by controlling their dietlifestyle and stress.

The most serious symptoms are usually managed by doctors.

Let's take a closer look at what irritable bowel syndrome is, and what you can do to improve your living conditions.

How is irritable bowel syndrome triggered?

The cause or causes of irritable bowel syndrome remain a mystery to this day. Some experts believe that a combination of problems may trigger the disorder.

It seems that different factors can trigger it in different people.

To date, no scientific study has been able to establish a clear cause or causes, but some observations have been made on the basis of cross-checked testimonials from reported cases.².

• Nervous problems: Abnormalities in the nerves of the digestive system can cause greater-than-normal discomfort when the abdomen is stretched by gas or stool.
  Poorly coordinated signals between the brain and the intestines can cause the body to overreact to changes that normally occur in the digestive process, resulting in pain, diarrhea or constipation.
• Severe infectionThe syndrome may develop after a severe episode of diarrhea (gastroenteritis) caused by a bacterium or virus. The disease may also be associated with an excess of bacteria in the intestines (bacterial overgrowth).
• StressStress : People exposed to stressful events, particularly during childhood, tend to have more symptoms of this disorder.

Certain problems are more common in people with IBS. Experts believe that these problems may play a role in the onset of IBS.

These problems include:

• The infections of the digestive tract
• Stressful events or difficult events early in life, such as physical or sexual abuse
• Intolerances or food sensitivities, in which certain foods cause digestive symptoms
• Proliferation of small intestinal bacteria, an increase in their number or an type of bacteria in your small intestine
• Some mental disorderssuch as depression (NIH external link), anxiety (NIH external link) and somatic symptom disorder (NIH external link)

What can be done?

Given the still limited knowledge surrounding this syndrome, at present, there is no scientific consensus on what to do. on the subject of treatment.

On the other hand, science has discovered that good diet management can have very beneficial effects on the syndrome.

Treating irritable bowel syndrome by modifying your diet

Researchers at Belgium's Katholieke Universiteit Leuven claim to have discovered similarities between the way irritable bowel syndrome sufferers experience abdominal pain and the way some allergy sufferers react to food.³.

So here's a diet suggestion that could help calm the symptoms of this still little-known condition:

• Eat cooked vegetables, with the possible exception of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli - which can cause too much gas
• Try fruit without the skin. Some people have problems with melons, apples and citrus fruits.
• Some patients may benefit from increasing the fiber content of their diet. As far as fiber is concerned, increase it slowly, and ensure a water intake of 1.5 to 2 liters per day.
• Balance your intestinal microbiota. Supplements such as Beocin can help
• Some people find seeds difficult to eat, but experiment to see whether they bother you or not.
• Dairy products are only a problem for lactose-intolerant people, so enjoy them freely. If you suffer from lactose intolerance in addition to irritable bowel syndrome, you can try lactose-free products.
• Enjoy all meats, chicken and fish
• It may be worth avoiding foods that are highly spiced, in sauce or fried
• Look for low-fat products to enrich your diet

Sources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2229647/
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360016
3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03118-2