A new blood test that can help diagnose irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) has been developed by Dr. Mark Pimentel, a gastroenterologist at
Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, CA.
The test is designed to identify the presence of anti-Cdtb
and anti-vinculin antibodies, which have been shown to be elevated in many
people with IBS.
While this is good news in terms of diagnosing IBS—because
it was previously a “last resort” diagnosis when everything else had been ruled
out—many people are still in the dark about what triggers IBS and how to get
relief.
IBS is commonly described as a functional disorder whose
cause is not known, but the truth is, there are three primary underlying
factors behind IBS, and once you are aware of these factors and do something
about them, you can start to feel a whole lot better—fast.
Three common IBS
triggers
Irritable bowel syndrome has 3 primary underlying factors or
triggers:
1-Poor digestion
2-Undiagnosed food allergies
3-Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO)
Poor digestion
If your digestive system cannot break down your foods like it's supposed to on a regular basis, it's just a matter of time before your body begins to give you signs that something isn't right.
If your digestive system cannot break down your foods like it's supposed to on a regular basis, it's just a matter of time before your body begins to give you signs that something isn't right.
And the most common signs of poor digestion are also the
classic IBS symptoms:
- Gas, flatulence
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
Food allergies and sensitivities
Many people have food allergies or sensitivities and don’t
even know it...all they know is that they’re suffering with very frequent pain,
gas, bloating and diarrhea—all of which are IBS symptoms.
True food allergies are easier to detect because you usually
get symptoms pretty quickly after eating the offending food.
But food sensitivities are a bit sneakier. You won’t necessary get symptoms right
away—it might take you up to 72 hours to feel the effects, and at that point, it’s
difficult to make the connection.
Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO)
The different types of bacteria that live in your large vs.
small intestines each have different functions.
One of those differences is the metabolism of carbohydrates.
Most carbs are absorbed in your small intestine, and there's typically little
or no gas produced.
The only exception is dietary fiber -- that passes on to the
large intestine.
The bacteria in your large intestine break down fiber and as
they're doing that, some gas is naturally produced. The bacteria usually absorb
most of the gas, and any excess is passed as normal (not excessive) flatulence.
However, with SIBO some of the bacteria from your large intestine
“swim upstream” into the small intestine. When this happens, fiber that you eat
begins to be broken down too soon—in the small intestine instead of the large.
Since your small intestine isn't equipped to handle this and
it doesn't have the right bacteria to absorb the resulting gas, this can cause
bloating, excessive gas and pain (classic IBS symptoms).
How to get real IBS
relief!
Now that you know the common underlying factors behind IBS,
you can do something about them and start feeling much better.
Here are four measures you can take:
If you suspect food allergies or sensitivities could be an
issue for you, it’s important to see a doctor and have testing done.
This is the most obvious one of all, since poor digestion is
the #1 most common cause of IBS (and many other digestive conditions for that
matter).
In order to help promote better digestion, it’s essential to
eat real (not processed) foods, and structure your meals so that they’re less
taxing on your system.
Both systems show you how to put together meals that your
body can more easily break down. When
you make the body’s job easier, digestion can be completed much more
efficiently.
And that can mean less gas, bloating, constipation and
diarrhea are in your future.
Probiotics have been shown to be extremely helpful in counteracting
SIBO. But the key is that it's important
to use a formula which contains both bifidobacterium
species (for the large intestine) and lactobacillus
species (which reside in the small intestine).
Super Shield can help enhance digestion and fight
SIBO-induced symptoms safely and naturally from within by helping to restore
and maintain the bacteria balance in both your small and large intestines.
Stress can definitely compromise your digestion, which can
certainly worsen IBS symptoms. Your mind
and GI tract are connected through a series of impulse pathways called the
"brain-gut axis" and what affects one affects the other.
Stress relievers include regular exercise, taking up a
hobby, adopting a pet, counseling, prayer, meditation, aromatherapy, deep
breathing, acupuncture, massage therapy and yoga. There are a lot of options to help you.
Pick whatever suggestions above are right for you, and get
going on having real relief from IBS now!
My doctor says all my stomach problems, is due to my Thyroid it's either high or low....I don't really know anymore what to eat, can't eat, fruit or vegetable anything with milk I don't it's my thyroid but even combining the food the way your book does, doesn't work for me, because as soon as I eat vegetables or anything dairy I have everything you mention, that leaves protein, but i don't eat meat...I drink almond milk, that helps....and yes if i have fruit first thing in the morning I'm ok. ....but I tried one day an all fruit diet, it helped i felt better, but the next day, it felt like \i had no muscle left, weak as a kitten....I've tried everything,now I just accept the pain until it hopefully goes away
ReplyDelete