IBS is no BS

If you suffer from chronic abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn or nausea, it's possible you might have irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome, aka IBS, affects an estimated 13-25% of Canadians. It can begin at any age, resolve, and then reoccur again at any age. If you are young, female, and have a family history of IBS, you're more likely to have this disorder. April is IBS awareness month, and particularly in Newfoundland and Labrador we need to bring more awareness to this condition. According to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, Canada has one of the highest rates if IBS in the world, and our province has the highest provincial rate across Canada.

Despite the discomfort associated with IBS, it doesn't cause permanent damage to the intestines like inflammatory bowel diseases such as crohn's disease and colitis. It's not known exactly what causes irritable bowel syndrome. The walls of the intestines are lined with muscles that contract and relax as food moves from our stomach down through our intestinal tract. With IBS sometimes these contractions are stronger and last longer than normal, causing food to travel through our intestines faster, creating gas, bloating and diarrhea, or the opposite effect of moving too slowly and the opposing problem, constipation. It is known that stress can play a significant role in disturbances of food moving gingerly along our digestive tracts and that obesity too, worsens symptoms. Stress and weight management are therefore important aspects of IBS treatment.

With IBS, certain foods can often be symptom triggers. These foods vary from person to person, but generally speaking common culprits include alcohol, chocolate, caffeinated beverages like coffee and soft drinks, dairy products, and sugar-free sweeteners (which end in 'ol'). If you think certain foods affect you, then try keeping a food and symptom journal to pin point any potential food triggers. In addition to that, there are a few dietary things you can do to relieve and manage symptoms. 

Eat smaller and regular meals. Be sure to drink adequate fluid too, especially if you don't go for a number two as often as you should. Eat slow too. Eating fast, chewing gum, drinking carbonated beverages and using straws, all cause us to swallow more air, which creates gas. If gas is a problem for you, foods that might make symptoms worse include beans, cabbage, turnip, cauliflower and broccoli. Fatty foods may also be problematic for gas.

When possible, incorporate fiber from whole grains, fruits and veggies and legumes into your diet. But only do this if you aren't running back and forth to the bathroom. Increasing fiber will help to decrease constipation, but doing so quickly can make gas and cramping worse. Be sure to do this gradually, and drink plenty of liquids. Water is best.

Take care with dairy. Lactose intolerance seems to be more prevalent in IBS. If you're intolerant to lactose, try substituting yogurt for milk, as it contains less lactose. Using an enzyme product to help break down lactose is another option. Consuming small amounts of milk products or combining them with other foods can sometimes help too. 

Last but not least: exercise! This helps to relieve depression and stress (a key trigger for IBS flares). It also helps to stimulate normal contractions of your intestines to get you going regularly. 

As seen in The Telegram April 15, 2013