The Best Treatments for IBS: What Do You Need to Know?

02 July 2024

The Best Treatments for IBS: What Do You Need to Know?

How to Cure IBS - A Complete Approach

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) requires a complex approach to treatment. Often, comorbidities such as other gastrointestinal inflammations, food intolerances or thyroid problems can lead to or exacerbate similar symptoms. In addition, changes in the intestinal microbiome can cause difficulty in the bacteria digesting certain foods.

Therefore, a key component of effective IBS management is a proper diet that not only relieves symptoms, but also supports the rebalancing of hormones and bacteria in the gut. A well-balanced diet can help reduce inflammation, improve intestinal function and reduce the severity of symptoms

This will help you recover:

Low FODMAP diet
Intestinal cleansing - temporary fasting and fasting
Elimination - trans fats, wheat, lactose, casein, sugar
Adequate hydration
A diet rich in fiber
Omega-3 fatty acids
Supplementation and Probiotic Therapy - excluding SIBO/IMO

Low-FODMAP diet

The Low FODMAP diet involves limiting fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols that can cause IBS symptoms.

Diet stages:

Elimination: Avoiding all high FODMAPs for 4-6 weeks.
Reintroduction: Gradually reintroduce specific groups of FODMAPs to determine which ones are causing symptoms.
Personalization: Adapting the diet to your individual tolerance to various FODMAPs.

That is why it is so important to keep a diary for better diagnosis and adjustment of appropriate therapy. More about FODMAPs in this article

Cleansing and regeneration, i.e. temporary fasting

Reducing inflammation: Periodically limiting your food intake can reduce inflammation in the gut, which often accompanies IBS.
Intestinal regeneration: Temporary fasting can support the regeneration of the intestinal mucosa, which can improve its digestive and absorption functions.
Better well-being: For some people, the practice of fasting leads to a reduction in abdominal pain, bloating and other unpleasant symptoms associated with IBS.
Regulation of the gut microbiome: Intermittent fasting can help balance the gut microbiota, which is important for gut health and digestive system function

Elimination - trans fats, wheat, lactose, casein, sugar

Trans fats: Eliminating trans fats reduces the risk of inflammation in the gut, which may alleviate abdominal pain and other inflammatory symptoms associated with IBS.
Wheat: Although not all IBS patients have gluten intolerance (celiac disease), wheat can cause intestinal irritation in some people. Eliminating wheat can provide relief from abdominal pain, bloating and digestive problems.
Lactose: Lactose intolerance is a common problem in people with IBS. Eliminating lactose can reduce flatulence, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Casein: Like lactose, casein (milk protein) can lead to unpleasant symptoms in people with IBS. Eliminating casein may help reduce abdominal pain and digestive problems.
Sugar: Limiting your intake of sugar, especially simple and refined sugar, can reduce fermentation in the intestines and thus reduce bloating and other symptoms of IBS.

Irrigation

Regulation of intestinal peristalsis: An adequate amount of water in the body supports proper intestinal peristalsis, which can help regulate intestinal movements and relieve both constipation and diarrhea.
Preventing bloating: A well-hydrated gut is less susceptible to bloating, which is a common symptom of IBS.
Digestive aid: Water helps dissolve and transport nutrients through the intestines, which can support healthy digestion and absorption of food.
Better symptom control: Staying hydrated can help reduce the severity of abdominal pain and discomfort that are often associated with IBS.
Hydration for diarrhea and vomiting: If you experience frequent diarrhea or vomiting, adequate hydration is crucial to prevent dehydration and maintain electrolyte balance.
Overall gut health: Water helps maintain a healthy intestinal lining, which is important for protecting the intestines from irritation and inflammation.

A diet rich in fiber

For people with diarrhea, soluble fiber is recommended, as it can help stop excessive bowel movements.
For people with constipation, a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber can help regulate bowel movements and improve bowel regularity.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids may have a beneficial effect on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), mainly through their anti-inflammatory and regulatory properties in the digestive system. Here's what they can do:

Reduce inflammation: Omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) have the ability to reduce inflammation in the body, including the gut. IBS is often associated with a low degree of gut inflammation, which can be alleviated by regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids.
Improved intestinal mucosa health: EPA and DHA may support healthy intestinal mucosa, which is important for protecting and improving intestinal barrier function.
Regulation of bowel movements: Omega-3 fatty acids may support the regularity of bowel movements by influencing the function of intestinal smooth muscles.
Better symptom management: People with IBS often suffer from stomach pain, bloating, and irregular bowel movements. Regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids may help alleviate these symptoms.
Supplementation and probiotic therapy when SIBO/IMO is excluded

Fiber:

Psyllium, linseed, papaya: These sources of fiber may help regulate bowel movements. The soluble fiber in psyllium and linseed can absorb water and facilitate stool formation, which is beneficial for diarrhea.

Proteolytic enzymes:

Papaya: Contains proteolytic enzymes such as papain, which may support protein digestion and reduce inflammation in the gut.

Pepper mint:

Mildly Sedative: Peppermint may have properties that soothe stomach aches and help reduce flatulence.

Probiotics:

The right probiotic: Probiotics can help rebuild and maintain healthy intestinal microflora, which may aid in the treatment of diarrhea. You can find more about probiotic therapy for IBS here

Diarrhea:

Aloe (seal): Aloe may help reduce inflammation and seal the intestinal lining.
L-glutamine (an amino acid that rebuilds the intestines): L-glutamine is an amino acid that helps rebuild the intestinal mucosa and may be beneficial in the treatment of diarrhea.

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Discover the Low FODMAP Diet: The Key to Relieving IBS Symptoms

03 July 2024

What is the Low FODMAP diet and why is it effective for people with IBS? The Low FODMAP diet is an eating plan designed to reduce the symptoms of irritable