Irritable Bowel Relief
(c) Immuno Laboratories, Inc.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders that affect a growing number of the world population. It affects the rate at which one’s bowel is able to process human waste and can thereby cause abdominal pain, constipation, headaches, backaches, depression, fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, bloating, rectal discomfort or weight gain. According to experts’ estimates, approximately 58 million Americans suffer from the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, 80 percent of which are women. It affects up to 20% of the world's population. It is the most common chronic health disorder in America, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. It usually begins around age 20 and costs the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $30 billion annually in direct and indirect costs. IBS causes patients to spend approximately one out of every three days suffering with its symptoms. Irritable Bowel Syndrome can best be treated by simple changes in one’s diet and lifestyle. Although dietary guidelines require individualization and personal examination, the following general practices are most likely to benefit most of the people: Consume foods with adequate fiber.
Drink plenty of water - (around eight cups) per day.
Eat small not large meals each day.
Minimize intake of fatty food items- especially meats and fried foods and dairy items.
Minimize consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
Avoid taking food additives like fructose and sorbitol. (They increase the molecular activity in the intestine.)Peppermint tea can also help to reduce the pain. Canadian expert Dr Grant Thompson points out, ‘Coffee for breakfast, nothing for lunch and high-stress gorging at dinnertime exaggerate the gut’s already-sensitive reflexes’. Therefore, how and when you eat is just as important as what you eat.
Sources:
1. American College of Gastroenterology
2. IBS Self Help Group
3. International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Inc.
4. The Mayo Clinic
Publish date: 11/02/04
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