Problems with diet and emotional stress can trigger some very unpleasant digestive issues. Can we think of anything more undesirable than diarrhea, constipation, cramping, bloating and tiredness? Yuck. These are symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and IBS could be a sign of underlying serious medical conditions. If these symptoms persist, see a doctor. You’ll want to rule out thyroid problems, serious inflammatory bowel disease and even cancer. Your doctor will be able to suggest quick fixes for fast temporary relief. Once you’ve taken the very basic step of seeking medical advice, you may want to try proven natural remedies that can provide longer-term relief. Nutritional therapists who specialize in natural support for IBS recommend these:
Stomach Pain and Cramping
Probiotic supplements ease IBS by helping recolonize many different strains of good bacteria in your gut. Adding to your diet a variety of fermented foods rich in healthy bacteria could over time help ease IBS symptoms including pain and cramping.
Look for the live variety of sauerkraut kept in the fridge in health food stores. Other great sources of probiotics are refit, a fermented milk drink; Kombucha, a fermented tea; and kimchi, a fermented Korean pickle dish.
Constipation
Even simple exercise such as brisk walking or jogging for half an hour daily will help move food and waste through the bowel faster.
A study of 43 middle aged patients asked some to walk briskly for 30 minutes daily and others to make no changes in their exercise. The more active group found they went to the toilet more often and strained less.
Diarrhea
Take Saccharomyces boulardi. This specific strain of probiotic has been shown to help diarrhea by attracting pathogens and escorting them out of the digestive system.
You may want to keep a food diary or experiment with cutting out specific foods, but many people find it’s difficult to pinpoint the cause of their diarrhea. You may want to try a food intolerance test that could show IgG antibodies in the blood. Your body produces the IgG antibody as a defense against certain foods that may not agree with you.
Bloating and Gas
The best treatment for bloating often will be treatment for other IBS symptoms and the underlying causes. Drink two liters water daily, especially the filtered variety if you can, to help food flow through the intestine. Find ways to ease emotional stress. Bloating can often be caused by stress because stress can affect the way you digest your food.
Tiredness
Exercise, deal with stress, figure out any food intolerance. All of these may help overcome tiredness related to IBS.
Read More: 5 symptoms of IBS and the natural fixes that help
