Second only to colds, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the primary reasons people go to the doctor and a common reason that they miss work.
But what is IBS? It is not a disease but a group of symptoms that can include constipation, diarrhoea, severe bloating, wind, abdominal pain, lack of appetite and nausea. It can even be linked with severe headaches and vomiting.
It is estimated that up to two-thirds of people with IBS have one or more food allergies. Determining which foods cause allergies can be difficult; the most likely culprits are dairy products and gluten rich grains such as wheat. One of the easiest ways to help pinpoint an offender is to write a food diary, recording foods eaten and symptoms. If you notice that certain foods make you feel bad, try eliminating them from your diet- one at a time- and see if your symptoms improve. Start reading the labels on food products and look for any common links.
Conventional treatments for IBS include laxatives, antispasmodics and tranquillisers. When these don’t work doctors often put the patients’ symptoms down to psychological factors. Although stress undoubtedly plays a part in most digestive disorders it is unlikely to be the sole cause of the problem.
Common abnormalities of your digestive system leading to IBS include lack of digestive enzymes and acid production (heartburn and indigestion are not always due to excess acid).
A major problem in gut disorders is your digestive systems ecology. Our gut flora (microbiota) contains tens of trillions of microorganisms, including at least 1000 different species of known bacteria and can, in total, weigh up to 2 kg! One third of our gut microbiota is common to most people, while two thirds are specific to each one of us. In other words, the gut flora in your intestine is like an individual identity card.
While each of us has a unique microbiota, it always fulfills the same physiological functions, with direct impact on our health.
Some of the functions are:
• It helps the body to digest certain foods that the stomach and small intestine have not been able to digest.
• It helps with the production of some vitamins (B and K).
• It helps us combat attacks from other microorganisms, maintaining the wholeness of the intestinal mucosa.
• It plays an important role in the immune system, having a barrier effect.
• A healthy and balanced gut flora is key to ensuring proper digestive functioning.
Dysbiosis is the name for microbial imbalance in the digestive tract when potential pathogens (normal in small numbers) start to predominate. Common symptoms are not only those of IBS but also inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, some forms of arthritis and autoimmune diseases.
If you think you may have dysbiosis or IBS for a tailored programme to suit your problem it is always best to consult an experienced practitioner working in this field, but here are some tips for attaining a healthy bowel and encouraging normal gut flora.
If you do think you may have dysbiosis or IBS for a tailored programme to suit your problem it is always best to consult an experienced practictioner working in this field.
If you have any questions then don’t hesitate to contact Melanie at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.