How to treat IBS naturally

A fifth of Americans Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a painful disorder of the gut. This condition has a range of embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms which include: excessive gas, nausea, bloating, abdominal cramping and irregular bowels.

Things You'll Need

• Patience
• Diet journal
• IBS-friendly foods
• Herbal supplements
• Relaxation techniques

Instructions

1. Analyze your eating habits to find the cause of your pain. While IBS is not caused by the foods you eat, they can increase or trigger attacks of pain. Keep a diet journal that records the food you eat as well as how those foods make you feel afterwards.

   Many IBS-sufferers have wheat and dairy intolerances, so you might consider eliminating them from your diet to guage the impact. Ensure you do not lose out on nutrients by taking vitamin supplements.

2. If diarrhea is a problem, remove foods and drinks containing caffeine, high fat levels and sweeteners from your diet. These are all known laxatives that, to be honest, your body can do without. Instead of a cup of coffee, have the recommended eight glasses of water a day to ensure you don't suffer dehydration.

3. Constipation can be alleviated by introducing soluble fibres into your diet. Foods such as whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables are rich sources of fibre and vitamins.

4. IBS can often be worsened by high stress levels. Combat stress by learning relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation. Some sufferers find that hypnotherapy offers relaxation and helps them deal with stress more efficiently. Shiatsu massage or an abdominal massage will relax both mind and body.

5. Consider introducing dietary supplements. While offering full benefits, these natural remedies avoid traditional medicine's side effects.
   Aloe vera juice, sourced from the aloe plant's inner-leaf gel, can help relieve discomfort by reducing intestinal spasms, abdominal pain and bloating.
   Probiotics, the 'friendly bacteria', flourish naturally within the gut. Over 300 varieties inhabit the intestines: some good and some bad. Illness, antibiotics and stress can shift the balance between good and bad which is believed to lead to bowel trouble. Live bacteria yoghurts as well as probiotic drinks and yoghurts can help your body redress the balance.

6. Herbal remedies, given by natural health practitioners, can help relieve symptoms. Many use peppermint, an ingredient long known for its digestive healing properties. Its properties as a carminative herb mean that it can eliminate excessive, painful and embarrassing gas. It reduces abdominal pain and bloating of the gut by easing intestinal muscle contractions. Peppermint can be taken in many forms: tea, oil, inhalant or capsules. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota advises IBS sufferers to only take enteric-coated peppermint capsules to reduce the risk of heartburn. Trained herbal practitioners do not make a practice of prescribing peppermint on its one as a cure for IBS, so it is worth visiting a clinic for further advice.

7. The Orient's healing traditions offer cures for IBS through therapies such as acupuncture. The World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health Consensus Panel both consider acupuncture an appropriate treatment for IBS-related conditions including: cramps, constipation, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Within just four weeks of treatment, many trained practitioners see their clients reducing their pain and symptoms significantly.

8. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis are often successful with IBS sufferers for several reasons. It is a stress-related disorder, in that stress can trigger painful spasms in the bowel, so a session with a therapist can help to encourage relaxation from day-to-day tensions. It also teaches the sufferer ways of reducing and dealing with IBS-related pains of virtually any intensity. A long-term benefit of this treatment is that it encourages new ways to reduce daily stress by programming the subconscious with positive responses to stress triggers.

Tips & Warnings

• If you suspect you have IBS, always see your doctor for a diagnosis and medical advice before undertaking any alternative therapy.