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The curse of the irritable bowel
29 July 2005
A quick warning...
If you're offended by matters relating to the human digestive system, then please read no further.
Because in today's letter I will delve into the murky and painful world of irritable bowel syndrome... pick out the truths from the myths... and the good remedies from the bad.
It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.
You see, an estimated 20% to 30% of people in the world have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). And of those who visit a stomach specialist, a massive 40% suffer from this health problem.
It comes in the form of cramps, diarrhoea or constipation...painful bouts that can last from a few minutes to a few hours.
And yet you still hear comments like this:
'Irritable bowel syndrome is just a diagnosis doctors give you when they don't know what's wrong with you.'
These sceptics are rather like one of my old friends who I worked with back in Hong Kong.
I hope you don't mind if I tell you the story...
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Why was Dave REALLY late for my presentation?
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Alistair, Dave and I had been working late, preparing a very important architectural presentation.
The next afternoon, Alistair and I arrived at the office in plenty of time... but there was no sign of Dave.
Soon the conference room was filled with potential clients, all looking at their watches, waiting for our presentation to begin...
But still no sign of Dave.
It was then that the secretary stepped into the room. She approached Alistair and I, panicking in the corner, and quietly explained what was wrong,
'He says he's sorry. His irritable bowel syndrome has been playing up. He'll be here in half an hour.'
'What did she say?' gasped Alistair.
'It's his IBS,' I explained.
Alistair clouded over in fury.
'IBS?' he said, 'As far as I am concerned. All that stands for is Irritable Bull Sh--'
'Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh' I hissed.
Everyone in the room went silent. And so the presentation had to begin...
...without Dave.
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An unspoken national health problem
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To this day, I don't know if Dave was making excuses or not, but I do know that irritable bowel syndrome is a very real problem, and NOT a myth,
The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in the United States defines it as:
'A common disorder of the intestines that leads to crampy pain, gassiness, bloating and changes in bowel habits.'
The problem is that most people don't like to discuss 'bowel habits'.
Sure, here in the UK, we love toilet humour. But unless you're like Dave, it's very hard to admit that you're late for work because you've had the runs again.
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So you become one of the 30% who suffer in silence.
Even worse, some doctors simply resort to prescribing 'antispasmodic' drugs, designed to calm the colon.
These aren't dangerous, but they only help a handful of people, and their effects are unpredictable.
So what to do?
Well, a far better approach is to find the root cause of the problem, and then use some easy-to-find natural remedies to deal with IBS.
So let's start with a common culprit. Food allergies...
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How your beef sandwich could be the problem
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I recently read about a report in the 'American Journal of
Gastroenterology'.
Scientific research revealed that, compared to non-sufferers, IBS patients had a higher level of an antibody called 'IgG4' when they ate wheat, lamb, beef, pork and soybeans.
This is not to say that these foods directly cause IBS, but that food hypersensitivities play a role in this problem.
In fact, 65% of IBS patients claim their symptoms are down to food allergies.
So we could be onto something here...
'For many people, careful eating reduces IBS symptoms,'
says the National Institutes of Health in the United States.
So how do you know what's irritating YOUR bowel?
One way to work out if your IBS is down to food intolerance is to cut out wheat, dairy, citrus, gluten, corn and soy products for about two or three weeks.
You then re-introduce them, one by one, and record what happens in a diary.
Make sure you also avoid other triggers like coffee, tea and cigarettes at the same time. Also cut down on your carbohydrate intake, especially white flour, rice and potatoes.
Finally, see what happens when you cut out spices like cayenne, black pepper, chillies, mustard seed and curry.
But don't starve yourself. Until you work out what's causing your IBS, you can replace the suspect foods with some alternatives...
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Foods that can ease IBS
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- Brown rice, barley and oats are a good staple for IBS sufferers. Also cooked greens, mushrooms, lentils, chickpeas and other beans.
- One of the best herbs for irritable bowel syndrome is Mentha
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Piperita, (or peppermint to you and me). Drink plenty of peppermint tea
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaf per 8 ounces of water.
- If you have constipation, eat fibre and drink plenty of hot water.
- Get hold of some 'gentian root'. This is a bitter herb that grows wild in Europe and Asia. It's believed that when bitters activate sensors on your tongue, they stimulate your digestive organs into digesting properly. But you can also just swallow it in a capsule - or
take 10 to 20 drops in a small amount of water. (Don't use this if you have an ulcer)
You should also get some acidophilus into your system.
Yes, it sounds grim, but your digestive tract is host to about 400 different kinds of bacteria and yeasts. Among these, Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of the most important.
It's a 'probiotic' bacteria that helps to keep your intestines healthy.
What's more a recent study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that acidophilus helped 50% of patients with the symptoms of IBS.
So it's worth a shot.
Natural yoghurt is an excellent source of acidophilus, although acidophilus supplements are also effective and sold in most health-food stores.
But - hold there a second - IBS not just about food...
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The problem could be your 'second brain'
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I often like to startle you with strange facts in The Good Life Letter.
And today's no exception.
Did you know that there's a kind of 'second brain' that runs your stomach?
It's true! Your intestines are actually controlled by the 'Automatic Nervous System', which is linked to the subconscious part of the brain.
When you get stressed, this 'automatic system' becomes upset, leading to many symptoms including irritable bowel syndrome.
On the other hand, when you are relaxed, your subconscious brain runs your digestive organs more efficiently. This can calm the symptoms dramatically.
Chamomile tea is proven to help relax the nervous system and also acts as an 'antispasmodic' - just like the expensive drugs they prescribe.
So if you suffer from IBS, try drinking a cup with each meal.
As for stress and how to deal with it, I'll save that for another letter. And no more stories about Dave's stomach - I promise!
Yours, as ever,
Ray Collins
The Good Life Letter
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