irritable bowel syndrome and ibs symtoms

IBS Article Snippet

IBS Table of Contents

 

Your Journey into Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a disorder characterized most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.

As its name indicates, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a syndrome. That is, IBS is a combination of signs and symptoms, but not a disease. IBS is classified as a functional disorder. A functional disorder refers to a condition where the primary abnormality is an altered physiological function (the way the body works), rather than an identifiable inflammatory, infectious, structural, or biochemical cause.

Research also indicates that IBS is a multi-faceted disorder. For example, the symptoms of IBS result from what seems to be a disturbance or imbalance in the interaction between the intestines, the brain, sensory function, and the autonomic nervous system that alters regulation of bowel motility (motor function).

The articles on this site are provided to help you to better understand Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and your options for relief of these symptoms.

Click Here right arrow For a Special Report on the causes and treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Sensitive Foods in IBS


Sensitive Foods in IBS

There are several foods that are related to triggering IBS and the different symptoms that are related to it. Depending on how your body reacts, you may want to consider avoiding certain foods until you can find why your IBS is being caused. Following are some foods that you should avoid if your IBS is causing your colon and intestine to react.

The first types of foods to avoid in relation to IBS are those that may cause gas when you eat them. These will then irritate your intestine and colon and cause the syndrome to flare. One type of food that should be eliminated from this is different types of vegetables. Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, onions and cauliflower all have certain substances in them that cause your stomach to react.

There are also a variety of other foods that you can try to avoid if your body is reacting with gas. Bananas have certain substances in them that will cause this reaction. If you are munching on nuts or raisins, it also

may cause your body to not sit right while digesting. Another type of food that you should avoid is certain types of beans as most of these will trigger your intestinal tract. Garlic and leeks should also be avoided if you are fighting the symptoms of IBS and don’t know why your body is reacting.

Trigger foods are also known to cause IBS. Unlike the other food sensitivities, these are more popular in providing problems with your digestive tract. Things like fats and alcohol will cause your body to not react properly. For some, meats are also harder for the body to digest, causing a larger problem. If any of these seem to irritate you, then they should be avoided and substituted with another type of meal.

Beyond this, are foods that some are considered sensitive to. Depending on your body, these will cause you to react with your IBS being more active. Lactose intolerance is one of the more popular problems with foods that cause your body to be more sensitive. Milk and dairy products are part of this and should be avoided until you target which trigger foods are causing problems. If you have to avoid dairy products, make sure that you supplement the calcium nutrients with other types of supplements. Some find that certain sugars will also cause reactions with IBS. Sugar substitutes are one of the more common problems that cause IBS to flare up. This is especially known with artificial sugars or with sorbitol, which is often used as a sugar substitute. Fructose, the sugars that are found in several fruit juices is another type of sugar that can cause your symptoms to be present. By avoiding these food sensitivities, you will be able to find whether this is where the problem is with causing the reactions in your body.

By knowing what possible food sensitivities you have, as well as knowing what to avoid, you will be able to minimize the pain and irritation that is being caused. Finding substitutes for certain foods through vitamins and supplements may help in eliminating IBS. By knowing what the foods are, as well as the types of reactions that they are known to cause, you will be able to find which foods you should avoid and which ones you can still enjoy. This is an easy way to begin to eliminate IBS.


For information on a number of other common health problems, be sure to check out our home page at Common Health Problems.

Health problems are becoming more common as the "baby boom" generation gets older and will continue to do so for the next 20 years or so. Bowel problems are no exception.

 

Risk Factors for IBS

The main risk factors for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) include:

  • Sex
  • Family History

For example, you are far more likely to have IBS if you're young and female. In fact, two to three times as many women as men have the condition.

In addition, IBS does seem to run in families, possibly suggesting a genetic cause for the condition.

However, at the current time, the precise cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is not known.

New Irritable Bowel Information

  • A Free and Simple Test for pH, a Potential Health Tester

    It is estimated that 80% of all deaths in the United States can be delayed and you have the power to

    DO IT! The leading killers to the American population are heart disease, diabetes, and obesity is all avoidable. These health problems and other serious health conditions including; allergies, depression, poor digestion, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, anxiety and many more have a direct link to our diets and nutritional intake. By measuring your saliva pH at home you can ...
    Author: Dr. Steven Zodkoy
    CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE

  • A nutritional approach to treating irritable bowel syndrome

    Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) refers to a chronic intestinal disorder marked by recurring symptoms of abdominal pain and alteration of bowel habit. Nutritional influences on this syndrome are due primarily to the effects of macronutrients as well as to idiosyncratic reactions to specific foods.

    [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

    Dietary Fat

    Fat is the major dietary stimulant of the gastrocolonic response. (1) Patients have an exaggerated and prolonged release of cholecystokinin followi ...
    Author: Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
    CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE

    IBS in the News


    12/22/2011
    $6.75M Awarded To Case Western Reserve To Study IBD
    Investigators at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine received a $6.75 million Program Project Grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to study the role of innate immunity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)...

    more IBS info


    12/01/2011
    Risk Factors For Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency Are Similar To Risk Factors For Developing Multiple Sclerosis: UB Study
    Summary: A vascular condition called chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), which has attracted global attention as possibly being correlated with MS has, for the first time, been studied for the presence of risk factors in subjects who do not have a neurological disease...

    more IBS info


    11/22/2011
    Probiotics For Gut Health: VSL#3 Has Designations For Specific GI Issues
    As clinical studies continue to validate the use of probiotics to help promote general gastrointestinal health, a growing U.S. market1 for probiotics indicates that the U.S. healthcare community and consumers alike are recognizing the value of these beneficial microorganisms...

    more IBS info


    11/02/2011
    Targeted Antibiotic Drug Safest Among Recommended Treatments For Irritable Bowel Disease
    Among the most commonly used treatments for irritable bowel syndrome which affects as many as 20 percent of the United States population a targeted antibiotic was shown to be the safest in a new study by Cedars-Sinai researchers, based on an analysis of 26 large-scale clinical trials. The study, for presentation at the American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting in Washington, D.C...

    more IBS info


    11/01/2011
    Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea Responds To Probiotics
    'Good bugs' look promising as anti-inflammatory agent for patients with ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, chronic fatigue syndrome In four different studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC, researchers explored the effectiveness of probiotics for antibiotic-associated diarrhea; as an anti-inflammat...

    more IBS info

  • 10 Step Detox Program By Dr. Janet Hull
    Detoxification program for Radiation, Heavy Metals, Mercury, and Food Chemicals such as Aspartame!

    Copyright All Rights Reserved
    Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    Graphics by: www.spGraphic.com