IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and is really a diagnosis for “we don’t know what’s wrong with your gut”. And sadly 15% (or more) of the worldwide population suffer with IBS (more common in women). Approximately 20-40% of all visits to the gastroenterologist are due to IBS symptoms which include: abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. That’s a LOT of people suffering with digestive issues!
New research is just starting to scratch the surface of the gut/brain/body connection such that more traditional doctors are starting to slowly take a more holistic approach, but it can take 20-30 years for allopathic medicine treatments to catch up with current research. And even those doctors who have ‘seen the light’ and want to do more can’t because of a broken medical model that prevents them from spending enough time with patients. This is where Nutritional Therapy Practitioners and Functional Practitioners/ Doctors come into play.
The functional approach takes the time to look at the WHOLE picture of the body and systems at play. Everything is connected in the body! One example of this is how 90% of our serotonin (feel good hormone) is produced in the gut – this means that even hormone production and our neurotransmitters are impacted by gut imbalances!
Can IBS be Healed?
“Did you know that up to 84% of IBS may be caused by an overgrowth bacteria in the intestines?”1 The good news is that bacterial imbalances can usually be resolved. This is where working with a holistic practitioner is key. Those trained in gut health (like myself) know how to create protocols using herbs and antimicrobials to support your gut synergistically and rebalance your microbiome. Antibiotics can be harsh on the gut as they kill not just the ‘bad guys’ (dysbiotic bacteria) but also the ‘good guys’ (beneficial gut bacteria) as well. We would also recommend removing any foods that trigger your symptoms to allow the gut to reset while you work to rebalance the bacterial load. You can think of this as weeding the garden. You picking out / clearing and rebalancing bacteria (it could also be a parasite or yeast imbalance) that are creating the stress on the gut. Most people will begin to feel symptom relief during this phase of the protocol.
Once the the weeding is complete, then we want to plow and re-seed the gut with more of the good guys. We need a healthy amount of beneficial bacteria to keep the system in check. You can think of these beneficial bacteria as your ‘soldiers’ who ramp up and ‘fight’ any pathogens that come into the body. There is a big connection with the number of beneficial bacteria and your immune function! In this step we support healing of the gut lining with various foods and supplements and incorporate more probiotics and probiotic-rich foods back into the diet. We also focus on getting more prebiotic-rich foods. Pre-biotics are the foods that our ‘good guys’ like to ‘eat’ in order to proliferate and thrive.
The unpopular truth is that stress also impacts our gut health and must be part of the holistic equation. Stress impacts our bodies in more ways then we even realize and comes in the form of food sensitivities, environmental stress, and also emotional stress. Emotional stress can stem from past unresolved traumas and/or family dynamics (loss of a loved one, divorce, children with behavioral struggles, etc.). A holistic practitioner will discuss with you ways you can support your nervous system and stress balance.
Other Supports for IBS
As mentioned, even traditional medicine is starting to see that other more holistic therapies can improve IBS symptoms. Two sites, WebMD 2and Harvard Medical3 both site the following alternative therapies as helpful in managing IBS:
- Acupuncture
- Changes in diet
- Stress reduction
- Supplements – fish oil and probiotics were noted as well as some herbs
- Psychotherapy (talk therapy)
- Yoga
- Hypnosis
Many of these modalities calm the nervous system and assist with stress management. This just shows how powerful our minds are over the health of our body!
“I learned a long time ago the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side, be an advocate for myself and others like me.”
Dr. Maya Angelou
Diets That Support IBS
A low-FODMAP diet is cited as the most common recommendation for IBS. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. To simplify, this category of foods includes wheat and beans, lactose (dairy), some high fructose fruits and high fructose corn syrup, and a number of non-caloric sweeteners (sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol). Many internet sites do not accurately list all FODMAP foods, but the Monash University FODMAP Diet App could be beneficial if you are trying out this way of eating.
A low-FODMAP diet is very restrictive and unless clients are very symptomatic, this is not necessarily where I would start with recommendations. And if you do go this route, I do not recommend it for longer than 2-6 weeks. Be sure to use a slow reintroduction of foods to find ones that trigger symptoms, but bring back as many foods as possible. This article is a great reference for trying out this diet on your own. Food diversity is key to a healthy gut so long-term restriction of certain food groups can work against you!
For severe symptoms sometimes an Elemental Diet or modified fast can be beneficial to allow the intestines to heal from severe inflammation. I highly recommend working with a practitioner if you go one of these routes.
Life After an IBS Diagnosis
I hope you have gathered that an IBS diagnosis is not a reason to give up! There IS something you can do…many things in fact! While this doesn’t mean you will never have a flare again, you can add holistic tools to your tool box and pull them out when needed to get back to living your best life as quickly as possible. Don’t struggle in silence. Reach out and get support. You might be surprised how quickly you can feel good again after suffering with these symptoms for so long!
If you still don’t know where to begin, reach out! We can figure this out together!
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