Irritable Bowel - A Functional Bowel Syndrome!

By Author: Vijay Koragappa Shetty
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IBS or irritable bowel syndrome is nothing but a functional bowel syndrome wherein you experience spastic bowel, irritable colon and spastic colon. When your bowels do not function properly such a condition is known as irritable bowel. However, it is not the same as inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis. Bowel problems may aggravate with medications, stress, treatments and other types of food. What is meant by the term, functional, is that either the muscles of the organs or the nerves that control the organs are not working normally. As a result, the organs do not function normally.

Women who have IBS will experience more frequent IBS symptoms if they are in their menstrual period cycle. It is suggested that small frequent meals are better than three big meals. Avoid highly acidic food, fatty food products, mayonnaise and cheese, chocolates, red meat etc. You can fall prey to IBS if you avoid eating healthy foods such as green leafy vegetables, fruits, grains and cereals.

Fibre rich food products can also help treat IBS. Soluble fibre treats both constipation and diarrhea. Apple, citrus fruit, beans, ...
... green leaf fibre, psyllium have soluble fibre in them. This gets dissolved in water and forms a gel like material. Psyllium supplements are available in the stores. On the other hand insoluble fibre treats constipation. It adds bulk to your stool by moving material through your digestive system. Wheat bran, vegetables and whole grain breads are useful insoluble fibre that helps treat IBS.

How to prevent such irritable condition?

Consume a varied healthy diet
Drink plenty of water.
Add soluble and insoluble fibre in your diet.
Avoid foods high in fat.
Try eating small meals a day rather than 3 big meals.
Combat your stress
Do not use laxatives often. They may weaken your intestines and make you get addicted to them. You may never have a normal bowel movement if you get addicted to laxatives.

Avoid Fat and caffeine food products. Alcoholic drinks and chocolates can also worsen the IBS condition and cause cramping in the abdomen. If you are suffering from irritable bowel, try and avoid these fatty products and eat healthy food consisting of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Research into functional disorders affecting the small intestine and colon (for example, IBS) is more difficult to conduct and there is less agreement among the research studies. Therefore the cause for IBS is still not clear.

Vijay Koragappa Shetty, Expert author, platinum status. Find more information on: Probiotic Foods

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