There is a lot of advice about ways to help improve IBS symptoms. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common problem that people don’t really talk about. 1 in 5 people in fact! Symptoms include bloating after eating, stomach cramps, constipation and diarrhoea to name a few. So what relief is there? Here are some quick tips you can start with to help solve the symptoms.
Food – You are what you eat
- Eat simpler meals. Eat more vegetables and salads. But limit gas-producing veg like beans, cabbage, sprouts, cauliflower.
- The bowel digests food easier when you don’t combine meat and starchy foods together, so try eating meat and veg, or starchy foods such as potatoes, pasta and rice with veggie options and see if this helps.
- A lot of people have an undiagnosed food intolerance – you can buy private food intolerance tests to see what could be aggravating it if you suspect it is one food that is causing the problem.
- Fibre can sometimes help constipation. Adding 1 tablespoon of linseed to your diet every day is a gentle way to add a little extra in.
- Try the FODMAP diet which cuts out known triggers. You then gradually introduce foods back into track reactions.
Go Pro with some healthy probiotics
- Probiotics help create a healthy digestive system by increasing the amount of friendly bacteria in the gut.
- Friendly bacteria helps digestion, allows better nutrient absorption, reduces wind and bloating, and eases constipation.
- Try to get a quality brand – one with at least 10 million per dose – see the OptiBac Probiotics that we stock.
- Be wary of the many yoghurts and drinks that claim to have healthy bacteria to help your gut. Many don’t have enough to do any good and are also packed with sugar, which you want to try and avoid eating.
Chill out!
- Your mind is at one with your gut. This means that daily stress, depression, anxiety can all affect your digestive system in a negative way (see my recent blog about how stress affects your digestive system ).
- Regular exercise helps with symptoms. This is true for many stress related illnesses.
- Add in some regular me-time to wind down after each day. Epsom salt baths, early bedtimes, no screen time, whatever takes the pressure off.
- Yoga helps digestive issues. Many of the poses stimulate the gut and massage the organs. Tuning in with your breath is also the perfect way to unwind.
And here’s a Brucie bonus for you (you didn’t think I would leave this out did you?!) –
Book in for a regular colonic!
- Many people seek out colonic hydrotherapy to relieve IBS symptoms.
- Regular colonics can help reduce symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea and bloating.
- Colonics help to remove the build-up of toxins and waste in the digestive system. It also removes excess gas that is trapped, causing pain. Removing both of these can help to remove what is aggravating your bowel.
As I treat all my patients holistically, I believe that using regular colonics alongside other lifestyle changes such as the three major ways to help improve IBS symptoms identified earlier – dietary changes, quality probiotics and stress relief techniques – will really help to alleviate the symptoms.
If you’d like to discuss having a colonic in detail and ask any questions, please contact me.
Click here to book one of my Colonic Hydrotherapy packages.
