Common IBS Symptoms and the Best Natural Remedies

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also known as mucous colitis or spastic colon, is a chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. Put simply, that means that your bowels behave abnormally without evidence of damage from the disease. IBS affects 10 to 15 percent of adults in the U.S. and can significantly compromise their quality of life.^[1]

What Causes IBS?

Many health experts are still puzzled by IBS and what causes the disorder. When examined, the bowels of those with IBS don’t display any noticeable irregularities. There is evidence that stress, anxiety, a poor diet, and carbohydrate malabsorption can all contribute to the disorder.^[2]

For some people, IBS begins with an infection. Bacterial gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the GI tract that occurs when bacteria cause an infection in your gut. Research has found that somewhere between 3 and 36 percent of these infections lead to long-term IBS symptoms. However, there are many people with IBS who have never had bacterial gastroenteritis, so there must be other causes.^[2]

Another theory is that IBS may be caused by an imbalance in the brain-gut axis. The brain-gut axis is the biochemical communication system between the GI tract and the central nervous system. What this means is that if there is a disturbance in the gut, the issue may not be in the gut itself. Your gut could be receiving disrupted signals from the brain.^[2]

Think of it like a malfunctioning GPS system that tells you to take a left into a lake. The car drives exactly as it should, but the information you get is bad, leading to a soggy mess.

Symptoms of IBS

The classic symptoms of IBS differ from person to person. Even the same individual can experience wildly differing symptoms from one week to the next. Some people experience constipation, others diarrhea. There are roughly three types of IBS, which are designated by the predominant symptom: constipation (IBS-C), diarrhea (IBS-D), or some combination of the two (IBS-M). For a clinical diagnosis, the symptoms of IBS must last for at least three days a month for three months.^[2]

Those afflicted with IBS can experience a number of secondary symptoms. Other IBS symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain


• Stomach ache


• Cramping


• Bloating


• Gas


• Unsatisfying bowel movements


• Mucus in stool


• Urgent need to poop when you wake up or after meals

Psychological effects, including anxiety and depression, often accompany IBS as well. People with this disorder often have low serotonin levels, although it’s yet unclear whether low serotonin causes IBS or if IBS causes serotonin levels to drop.

Because food is moving irregularly through your digestive system, nutrient absorption can be affected. If you have IBS, you may not absorb the full nutritional value of the food you eat.^[3]

Who Is at Risk

While the condition can afflict anyone, certain groups face a higher risk. IBS affects about twice as many women as men. Young women are most likely to develop the condition, and symptoms usually appear before the age of 45. Other risk factors include a family history of IBS, food sensitivities, and certain medications. Stress also plays a factor, although we do not yet know if stress causes IBS or if it’s the other way around.^[1]

Similar Conditions

Further complicating an IBS diagnosis is the fact that many conditions produce similar symptoms. These conditions could include:^[4]

• Diverticulosis


• Colorectal cancer


• Bacterial infections


• Intestinal parasites


• Food poisoning


• Food allergies


• Menstrual pain


• Hypothyroidism


• Crohn’s disease


• Influenza


• Bowel blockages


• Small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)


• Yeast overgrowth


• Anemia


• Leaky gut

This is only a partial list; there are many more potential causes of IBS symptoms. You’ll notice that some of these conditions are quite serious. Don’t self-diagnose—consult a professional. Your health care provider can perform tests to determine the root cause of the issue.

The Difference Between IBS & IBD

IBS is often mistaken for another condition, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). IBS is far from pleasant, but IBD is more serious. IBD is actually an umbrella term that refers to a group of chronic inflammatory disorders of the bowel, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Unlike IBS, IBD can cause inflammation, ulcers, or other visible damage to the bowel and is thus more easily diagnosed.

Triggers of IBS Symptoms

IBS is a little different for everyone, but some things are common triggers for many people. Eating certain foods can cause IBS symptoms to flare up. Avoid dairy products, caffeine, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, fried food, and alcohol. Heavily processed foods like chips and microwave meals can also cause difficulties.

Other triggers of IBS include:

• Too little exercise


• Stress and anxiety


• Menstrual cycles


• Chewing gum


• Certain medications including antibiotics and antidepressants

Natural IBS Remedies

Conventional medicine tends to focus on treating the symptoms of IBS, rather than addressing the root cause of the condition. They have an array of medications, but the efficacy of pharmaceuticals at treating IBS is inconsistent at best. Some doctors even recommend antidepressants despite the fact that antidepressants are completely ineffective at treating GI symptoms.^[5] Considering the known detrimental side effects of these drugs, this is hardly an ideal solution. Fortunately, there are some simple, natural lifestyle changes you can adopt to reduce IBS occurrences.

Change Your Diet

Because certain foods trigger IBS symptoms, a simple change in dietary habits may help. Don’t eat large meals as they can cause cramping and diarrhea. Instead of three large meals each day, try eating 4-5 smaller meals.^[6]

Feed your body healthy food. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and other high-fiber foods can help promote gut health. There are two types of dietary fiber, soluble and insoluble. Both can help ease the symptoms of IBS. Try to eat about 20 grams of dietary fiber every day.^[6]

Multiple studies have found that a gluten-free diet can help improve bowel function in people with certain types of IBS.^[7, 8] If you think you have a sensitivity, try cutting gluten out of your diet.

Keep a Food Journal

As the symptoms of IBS are so indistinct, different people can have wildly different food triggers. Your triggers could vary from one month to the next. It’s complicated, but one way to simplify things is to keep a food journal.

Get a small notebook and keep it on you at all times. A notepad app on your phone works just as well. Write down everything you eat and drink, noting the date and time of day. Be thorough; even condiments could be an IBS trigger, so don’t leave anything out. Record IBS symptoms and how you feel every day, both mentally and physically. It could even be a specific ingredient that triggers IBS, so look for patterns. For example, pasta, crackers, and soy sauce may seem unrelated, but they all usually contain wheat, so a reaction to all three could mean gluten is the culprit.

Improve Hydration

Your bowel will have a difficult time if your waste is a hard, dry lump, so be sure to stay properly hydrated. Are you drinking enough water? If you’re like most people, you’re probably at least a little dehydrated. Remember how your mom told you to drink eight glasses of water a day? She was pretty close to right. Eight glasses is a good start, but a slightly better estimate is to drink half your weight in ounces every day. In other words, if you weigh 200 lbs, drink at least 100 oz of water. Healthy fluids like coconut water and detox water count toward this goal, but dehydrating liquids, like coffee, soft drinks, and alcohol do not.^[9]

Drinking plenty of water isn’t only necessary to prevent constipation. Hydration is just as important for those with diarrhea—even more so, in fact. Because you’re losing a lot more water with every bowel movement, your risk of dehydration is much higher.

Get More Exercise

Physical activity doesn’t just build muscle and burn fat; it’s one of the best things you can do for gut health as well. Exercise reduces stress and helps maintain GI function. Sign up for a yoga class. Studies have found that twice daily yoga sessions are as effective at improving IBS symptoms as conventional treatments.^[2]

Manage Stress Effectively

It’s clear that there is a psychological component to IBS. While stress likely doesn’t cause the condition, excessive stress can impair GI function and make the symptoms worse. Everyone experiences some form of stress, but the trick is to learn effective stress management techniques. Find a method that works for you. I recommend meditation to relax both body and mind.

Try Probiotics

Your gut is home to beneficial microorganisms which make up your microbiota. A healthy microbiota has a profound positive effect on your gut health. Consume probiotic foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha or take a probiotic supplement to maintain healthy gut flora. Researchers have discovered that a bacterial species called Bifidobacterium infantis is especially effective at improving the symptoms of IBS.^[10]

Cleanse Your Colon

After you’ve altered your diet and lifestyle, try performing a full colon cleanse. Your colon is your main route of elimination, and a blockage can cause waste products to accumulate in your gut, compromising your health. When combined with diet, hydration, and exercise, regular colon cleanses can gently detoxify your bowels and normalize bowel function.

Have you had an experience with IBS? What worked? What didn’t? Tell us about it in the comments.

References (10)

1. “Definition & Facts for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 2015. Web. 14 July 2017.


2. Saha, Lekha. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Evidence-Based Medicine.” World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG20.22 (2014): 6759–6773. PMC. Web. 14 July 2017.


3. Ehrich, Steven D. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland, 2 Feb. 2016. Web. 14 July 2017.


4. “Conditions with Similar Symptoms As Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland, 8 Nov. 2005. Web. 17 July 2017.


5. Talley, Nicholas J. “Antidepressants in IBS: Are We Deluding Ourselves?” The American Journal of Gastroenterology 99.5 (2004): 921-23. Web. 17 July 2017.


6. “Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” Womenshealth.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 28 Apr. 2017. Web. 17 July 2017.


7. Vazquez-Roque, Maria I., et al. “A Controlled Trial of Gluten-Free Diet in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Diarrhea: Effects on Bowel Frequency and Intestinal Function.” Gastroenterology 144.5 (2013): 903–911.e3. PMC. Web. 17 July 2017.


8. Aziz, Imran, Nick Trott, Rebecca Briggs, John R. North, Marios Hadjivassiliou, and David S. Sanders. “Efficacy of a Gluten-Free Diet in Subjects With Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Diarrhea Unaware of Their HLA-DQ2/8 Genotype.” Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 14.5 (2016): n. pag. Web.


9. “Constipation.” University Health Services. University of California, Berkeley, Feb. 2009. Web. 26 June 2017.


10. Brenner, Darren M., Matthew J. Moeller, William D. Chey, and Philip S. Schoenfeld. “The Utility of Probiotics in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review.” The American Journal of Gastroenterology 104.4 (2009): 1033-049. Web. 17 July 2017.

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Shocking Information About Acid Reflux

You probably hear a lot about acid reflux, or perhaps you suffer from it yourself. But what exactly is acid reflux? Well, right at your stomach opening is a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Normally, the LES opens and closes as it’s supposed to, but sometimes it messes up. When that happens, your stomach acid can occasionally escape and flow backwards—that is, up into your esophagus—and if you’ve ever experienced reflux, you know you’re left with some pretty uncomfortable feelings. Not only is it acutely painful, but it can lead to serious health consequences.

Facts about Acid Reflux

Many over-the-counter medications on the market work to fight acid reflux after it starts, and it usually works. The issue with these drugs, however, is that they’re only treating symptoms of the disorder. Regardless of how much you use, symptoms usually flare back up, leading to an endless cycle of drug dependency. Even the commercials for these medications make it look like you can eat whatever you want as long as you have drugs in-hand.

Let’s look at the 4 most shocking facts about acid reflux:

1. Spicy Food Doesn’t Trigger Acid Reflux

All that spicy food you thought led to acid reflux? Well it turns out that might not be the trigger at all. A recent study from the director of Stanford’s Esophageal and Small Bowel Disorder Center suggests that only an unlucky few will actually have reflux triggered by certain foods. ^[1]

2. Acid Reflux Ruins Sleep and Causes Sleep Apnea

If you’ve ever tried to sleep with reflux symptoms, this might seem like a no-brainer, but there’s recent evidence suggesting acid reflux can significantly affect quality of sleep. The same research also suggests it could cause an even serious disorder like sleep apnea. ^[2][3] Not only that, but the widespread effects can take their toll on overall quality of life—leading to loss of work productivity and increased economic burdens. ^[4]

3. Acid Reflux Often Coexists with IBS

Recent research suggests those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are also very likely to have acid reflux. ^[5] While both are fairly common gastrointestinal issues, the main view in clinical practice was that these two issues had no link. A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, however, suggests that the two are “actually parts of the same spectrum of diseases.”

4. Acid Reflux May Lead to Cancer

Some studies suggest acid reflux is connected to a higher chance of developing esophageal cancer. ^[6] While the exact link is still unknown, any increased risk for cancer is bad news. Another study suggests, though, that the risk could come from the reflux of stomach acid itself, and that the more reflux you experience and the longer you have it, the higher your risk for certain conditions. ^[7]

Something to Think About

But before you reach for your old standby remedy, all those conventional treatments can have some pretty serious side effects, including bacterial infections, fractures in postmenopausal women, and heart disease. ^[8][9][10] There’s an easy natural remedy though. Taking probiotics, to start, is always a smart option for all ages; it’s thought to be particularly effective in newborns to help reduce gastrointestinal symptoms. ^[11]

How do you deal with acid reflux? Tell us in the comments.

References:

1. Kaltenbach, T. et al. Are lifestyle measures effective in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease? An evidence-based approach. Archives of Internal Medicine. 166 (9).

2. Lacy, B. et al. Functional Dyspepsia Is Associated With Sleep Disorders. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 9 (5).

3. American College of Gastroenterology. ‘Silent’ Nighttime Acid Reflux Symptoms Can Cause Poor Sleep And Sleep Apnea. ScienceDaily.

4. Mody, R. et al. Effects of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease on Sleep and Outcomes. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 7 (9).

5. Yarandi, S. S. et al. Overlapping gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome: Increased dysfunctional symptoms. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 16 (10).

6. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Studies Find Association Between Acid Reflux And Esophageal Cancer. ScienceDaily.

7. Souza, R. Acid, Bile, and CDX: the ABCs of making Barrett’s metaplasia. American Journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. 295 (2).

8. Gray, S. L. et al. Proton Pump Inhibitor Use, Hip Fracture, and Change in Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women: Results From the Women’s Health Initiative. JAMA Internal Medicine. 170 (9).

9. Linsky, A. et al. Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection. JAMA Internal Medicine. 170 (9).

10. Ghebremariam, Y. T. et al. An Unexpected Effect of Proton Pump Inhibitors: Elevation of the Cardiovascular Risk Factor ADMA. Circulation. 128.

11. Indrio, F. et al. Prophylactic Use of a Probiotic in the Prevention of Colic, Regurgitation, and Functional Constipation. JAMA Pediatrics. 168 (3).

Can Wheat Drive More Than Your Digestive System Crazy?

Wheat could be driving more than your digestive system crazy.

While wheat is well known to wreak havoc on the gastrointestinal health of genetically susceptible folks, such as those with celiac disease, and more recently, irritable bowel syndrome, new research published in the journal Psychiatry Research indicates that sensitivity to one of the components in wheat known as gliadin could be driving some into states of acute mania:

“The relationship of the antibodies to the clinical course of mania was analyzed by the use of regression models. Individuals with mania had significantly increased levels of IgG antibodies to gliadin, but not other markers of celiac disease, at baseline compared with controls in multivariate analyses.”

“Among the individuals with mania, elevated levels at follow-up were significantly associated with re-hospitalization in the six month follow-up period.”¹

While correlation does not equal causation, it is interesting to note that there is already robust supportive research on the link between wheat consumption and schizophrenia. Seven such studies can be viewed on our open source wheat database, for those inclined to explore this connection further. You will also find listed there over a dozen neurological conditions linked to wheat consumption.

For an additional explanation for why wheat may exhibit neurotoxic, if not also psychotropic properties, the excerpts from our essay series The Dark Side of Wheat are provided to shed light on the topic:

Gliadin can be broken down into various amino acid lengths or peptides. Gliadorphin is a 7 amino acid long peptide: Tyr-Pro-Gln-Pro-Gln-Pro-Phe which forms when the gastrointestinal system is compromised. When digestive enzymes are insufficient to break gliadorphin down into 2-3 amino acid lengths and a compromised intestinal wall allows for the leakage of the entire 7 amino acid long fragment into the blood, glaidorphin can pass through to the brain through circumventricular organs and activate opioid receptors resulting in disrupted brain function.

There have been a number of gluten exorphins identified: gluten exorphin A4, A5, B4, B5 and C, and many of them have been hypothesized to play a role in autism, schizophrenia, ADHD and related neurological conditions.   In the same way that the celiac iceberg illustrated the illusion that intolerance to wheat is rare, it is possible, even probable, that wheat exerts pharmacological influences on everyone. What distinguishes the schizophrenic or autistic individual from the functional wheat consumer is the degree to which they are affected.

Below the tip of the “Gluten Iceberg,” we might find these opiate-like peptides to be responsible for bread’s general popularity as a “comfort food”, and our use of phrases like “I love bread,” or “this bread is to die for” to be indicative of wheat’s narcotic properties. I believe a strong argument can be made that the agricultural revolution that occurred approximately 10-12,000 years ago as we shifted from the Paleolithic into the Neolithic era was precipitated as much by environmental necessities and human ingenuity, as it was by the addictive qualities of psychoactive peptides in the grains themselves.

The world-historical reorganization of society, culture and consciousness accomplished through the symbiotic relationship with cereal grasses, may have had as much to do with our ability to master agriculture, as to be mastered by it.   The presence of pharmacologically active peptides would have further sweetened the deal, making it hard to distance ourselves from what became a global fascination with wheat.

An interesting example of wheat’s addictive potential pertains to the Roman army. The Roman Empire was once known as the “Wheat Empire,” with soldiers being paid in wheat rations. Rome’s entire war machine, and its vast expansion, was predicated on the availability of wheat. Forts were actually granaries, holding up to a year’s worth of grain in order to endure sieges from their enemies. Historians describe soldiers’ punishment included being deprived of wheat rations and being given barley instead.   The Roman Empire went on to facilitate the global dissemination of wheat cultivation which fostered a form of imperialism with biological as well as cultural roots.

The Roman appreciation for wheat, like our own, may have had less to do with its nutritional value as “health food” than its ability to generate a unique narcotic reaction. It may fulfill our hunger while generating a repetitive, ceaseless cycle of craving more of the same, and by doing so, enabling the surreptitious control of human behavior. Other researchers have come to similar conclusions. According to the biologists Greg Wadley & Angus Martin:

“Cereals have important qualities that differentiate them from most other drugs. They are a food source as well as a drug, and can be stored and transported easily. They are ingested in frequent small doses (not occasional large ones), and do not impede work performance in most people. A desire for the drug, even cravings or withdrawal, can be confused with hunger. These features make cereals the ideal facilitator of civilization (and may also have contributed to the long delay in recognizing their pharmacological properties).”

WHEAT PEPTIDES EXHIBIT MOLECULAR MIMICRY

Gliadorphin and gluten exporphins exhibit a form of molecular mimicry that affects the nervous system, but other wheat proteins effect different organ systems. The digestion of gliadin produces a peptide that is 33 amino acids long and is known as 33-mer which has a remarkable homology to the internal sequence of pertactin, the immunodominant sequence in the Bordetella pertussis bacteria (whooping cough). Pertactin is considered a highly immunogenic virulence factor, and is used in vaccines to amplify the adaptive immune response. It is possible the immune system may confuse this 33-mer with a pathogen resulting in either or both a cell-mediated and adaptive immune response against Self.

WHEAT CONTAINS HIGH LEVELS OF EXCITO-TOXINS

John B. Symes, D.V.M. is responsible for drawing attention to the potential excitotoxicity of wheat, dairy, and soy, due to their exceptionally high levels of the non-essential amino acids glutamic and aspartic acid. Excitotoxicity is a pathological process where glutamic and aspartic acid cause an over-activation of the nerve cell receptors (e.g. NMDA and AMPA receptor) leading to calcium induced nerve and brain injury.   Of all cereal grasses commonly consumed wheat contains the highest levels of glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Glutamic acid is largely responsible for wheat’s exceptional taste. The Japanese coined the word umami to describe the extraordinary “yummy” effect that glutamic acid exerts on the tongue and palate, and invented monosodium glutamate (MSG) to amplify this sensation. Though the Japanese first synthesized MSG from kelp, wheat can also be used due to its high glutamic acid content.   It is likely that wheat’s popularity, alongside its opiate-like activity, has everything to do with the natural flavor-enhancers already contained within it. These amino acids may contribute to neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzhemier disease, Huntington’s disease, and other nervous disorders such as epilepsy, attention deficit disorder and migraines.

¹ Markers of gluten sensitivity in acute mania: A longitudinal study.  Psychiatry Res. 2012 Mar 2. Epub 2012 Mar 2. PMID: 22386570

For Additional Research Visit Our Wheat & Gluten Education Center

A critically acclaimed internet classic, The Dark Side of Wheat is now available to own as a downloadable document exclusively from GreenMedInfo.com. It includes two hard-hitting essays that represent a change in the way wheat intolerance is comprehended; no longer a rare, strictly genetically-based disease, wheat is revealed to be a species-specific intolerance, whose role in health and disease has been greatly misunderstood since ancient times. The downloadable document also includes a 90-page quick reference guide containing hyperlinks to research on the National Library of Medicine on over 120 diseases that have been linked to wheat consumption.

The Dark Side of Wheat has changed many minds about the exalted status of wheat among secular and sacred institutions alike.

As Dr. Ron Hoggan, co-author of “Dangerous Grains” puts it in the foreword: “Sir Isaac Newton’s famous metaphor (perhaps quoting others) said something to the effect that we see further, not because of any special endowment of our own, but because we are standing on the shoulders of giants. After reading Sayer’s work on wheat, I felt as if I had just been boosted to a higher plane from which I could see and understand much, much more. Sayer’s insights continue to shape and inform much of my effort to understand the various impacts of grains on human health.”

© June 26, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.