Diet and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a condition of chronic intestinal discomfort. IBS sufferers may experience lower abdominal pain, bloating, constipation alternating with diarrhea or frequent diarrhea, gas, mucus, urgent bowel movement, and a feeling of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement. The symptoms of IBS usually remain below the wait. However, the condition may also cause difficulty swallowing, a sensation of a lump in the throat, acid indigestion, nausea, and chest pain.

The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders says that IBS sufferers number between 25 and 55 million people in the United States alone. This condition is the reason for 2.5 to 3.5 million visits to doctors every year. IBS affects men and women of all races and all ages.

In the Western world, the frequency of IBS ranges from 6 to 22 percent. IBS affects apprxoimately 14 to 24 percent of women of all ages and 5 to 19 percent of men of all ages. IBS frequency is about the same among Whites and African Americans, but is lower in Hispanics and Asians.

Many IBS sufferers report that their symptoms began with a major life event: a death, a divorce, incarceration, or a financial crisis. Some IBS sufferers develop the disease after abdominal surgery or a bout with another intestinal disease. Recurrences of IBS sometimes occur after consumption of a food to which the IBS sufferer is sensitive. But while a flare-up of IBS may occur in response to any of these stimuli, it can also occur for no apparent reason at all.

Despite the fact that symptoms often occur for no obvious reason, IBS is not a “psychosomatic” illness. While many IBS sufferers understandably develop social anxieties after they develop a disease causing frequent diarrhea and flatulence, most IBS sufferers have normal psychological profiles before they develop the disease. On the other hand, attitudes definitely affect the course of the disease. IBS suffers who conceal aggressive tendencies are less likely to improve when given antidepressants. IBS sufferers who have dissociative tendencies, that is, who are in a state of denial about traumatic events in their lives, are also more likely to suffer longer and more severe symptoms.

And people who suffer dysthymia, a psychological condition that can be recognized by ongoing mild depression or irritability generally accompanied by other symptoms (as disturbances of appetite, insomnia, fatigue, and low self-esteem), are up to 33 times more likely to have IBS than people who do not.

A large number of IBS sufferers spent their childhood years in privileged or wealthy homes. Higher socioeconomic standing is frequently associated with excessive cleanliness, which has been found in dozens of studies to predispose children growing up in those homes to developing allergies. IBS is also associated with childhood use of antibiotics.

Since the exact causes of the condition are unclear, IBS falls into a category of diseases physicians call functional. This description means that while the bowel obviously does not function properly, there is no obvious cause. People who have IBS tend to have other functional diseases, including:

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Dysmenorrhea
Fibromylagia Syndrome (FMS)
Irritable Bladder
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Migraine Headaches
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome (MCSS)
Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS)
Periodic Limb Movement (PLMS)
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
Tension Headaches

The reason individuals can experience a wide range of symptoms from several syndromes is not clear, but a person who has the symptoms of one disease on the list is likely to have symptoms from several diseases on the list.

On the other hand, IBS can be distinguished from other intestinal diseases. IBS differs from celiac disease in that people with celiac disease experience marked intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and gas upon the consumption of foods that contain gluten, such as products made from wheat, oats, rye, and barley. When celiac disease sufferers eliminate gluten-containing foods, the symptoms disappear. IBS also differs from Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. In IBS there is no trace of blood in the stool, and no history of fever or chills.

IBS is not life-threatening. It does not lead to Crohn’s disease or colon cancer. IBS is, however, serious. IBS greatly diminishes quality of life. People with IBS are more likely to miss work, more likely to be placed in the hospital, and more likely to endure uncomfortable and embarrassing diagnostic procedures. The symptoms of IBS fluctuate over time, but even 5 years after the first episode, 35 percent of IBS sufferers will continue to have the disease.

What foods should you consume if you have IBS? If you have IBS, chances are you have problems with dairy products. Lactobacillus acidophilus particularly good for people who cannot digest lactose in milk. It maintains a proper balance of bacteria in lower intestines, and aids in digestion. Also helpful is any source of natural fiber. Brown rice, carrots, currants, dried beans, figs, fresh peas, raisins, and whole wheat are excellent sources of fiber.

You may also be interested in:
Bran and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS and Artichoke Leaf
Bran and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Peppermint and IBS
Teas for Tummy Trouble
IBD and the Food Additive You May Need to Subtract from Your Diet
Is an All-Natural Way to Cleanse the Colon Good for Diabetics?
Botox for Anal Fissures? How About Simpler Remedies First?
Acupressure for Flatulence
The All-American Low-Gas Bean
Cheese and Indigestion
Is Beano Safe?
The Flatulence-Free Bean
Menopause and Flatulence