Natural Remedies for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

First of all, please note that Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is completely different from another condition that sounds very similar, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

IBD is an autoimmune disease that does have very serious consequences. However, irritable bowel syndrome, even though it can cause debilitating pain, is a functional bowel disorder, meaning there are no significant physical conditions that contribute to the problem.

So how do you know if you might be suffering from IBS?

Common signs and symptoms include frequent:

• Diarrohea
• Constipation
• Abdominal discomfort and/or pain
• Bloating
• Gas
• Spastic colon (spastic contractions of the colon)

There are some simple, basic strategies you can use as an alternative to the drugs that are typically prescribed. These drugs may help control the symptoms but do nothing to address the underlying cause.

Avoid ALL sources of gluten — The first step is to go on a gluten free diet.   Most people realise this means avoiding all forms of wheat, but there are also many other hidden sources of gluten in your diet.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and also other grains such as:

• Barley
• Rye
• Oats
• Spelt

Usually, avoiding gluten for two weeks is enough to see significant improvement.

Food allergies can also be a culprit, so conduct a trial and error process to determine which ones you may have.

Get checked for parasites — Another important strategy, is to make sure you’re not struggling with a physical condition that could be simulating IBS. Have your stool checked for parasites. Some parasites, such as Gardia, can sometimes be a contributing factor that needs to be treated.

Eat for your own personal biochemistry — Some people thrive on low-carbohydrate, high-protein and high-fat diets.

The opposite is required for others: a high carb, low fat and low protein diet. (However, it’s important to realize that there is a major difference between vegetable carbs and grain carbs, even though they’re both referenced as “carbs.” Grains will convert to sugar, which is not what anyone needs in their diet in high amounts.)

It’s important to realize that if you don’t eat a diet that is suitable for you, you’re likely to suffer health challenges, spastic colon being one possibility.

Boost healthy bacteria in your gut — Make sure you have enough healthy bacteria in your gut. You can get healthy bacteria from fermented foods or a high quality, targeted strain, supplement.

Once you lower the amounts of sugar and processed foods in your diet, you’re automatically creating an environment that will support the growth of good bacteria and diminish the growth of bad bacteria.

Take your fibre – Taking additional fibre can also be very helpful to control IBS symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea. Ideally, shoot for 50 grams of fibre per 1,000 calories consumed.

Psyllium is an adaptogenic fibre (meaning, if you’re constipated it will soften your stool and help increase your bowel frequency and if you have loose stools and frequent bowel movements, it will help with stool formation and decrease the frequency of bowel movements).

If you use psyllium, make sure it is organic as most products out there are not. The damage from the pesticide residue in most products far outweigh the benefit you would receive from the fibre itself.

Another good fibre is whole, organic flax seed. You can take a few tablespoons of freshly ground flax seed per day. Another benefit of flax is that it’s also a high-quality source of plant-based omega-3 fats, which nearly everyone needs on a regular basis.

Address emotional challenges – Many people with IBS have an unresolved emotional component that contributes to their physical problem.   Meditation, prayer, and psychological techniques and tools are all strategies you can use to effectively address your emotional challenges.

There are simple, basic, natural strategies you can use as an alternative to the drugs that are usually prescribed for IBS. In most cases the drugs treat only the symptoms and nothing to address the underlying causes.