April is IBS awareness month 2016 in the USA, but as a worldwide problem there’s a good reason to promote it in the UK as well.
For many people having to go to the bathroom before going on a journey or just before a presentation is perfectly normal. However if having that upset stomach on a constant basis leaves you feeling drained, confused and depressed then it may have developed into Irritable Bowel Syndrome. So here are some facts about IBS.
- 1) Worldwide, it’s estimated that between 9% to 23% of people suffer with this condition(1).
- 2) In Canada in 2000, an outbreak of gastroenteritis, lead many sufferers to display symptoms of anxiety and depression. They found that the infection increased the bouts of Diarrhoea, which increased anxiety, which in turn increased the bouts of IBS.
- 3) It was UK Doctor Peter Whorwell who took an interest in IBS about 20 years ago and found that hypnotherapy was an excellent way to treat it. NICE took his findings on board and it became one of the recommended therapies to deal with the problem.(2)
Cramping your style
- 4) IBS can cause bouts of stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation.(3)
- 5) There are many things that can cause IBS, so it is best if you go to your GP and ask him for you to see a specialist. It is no accident that April is Bowel Cancer awareness month as well.
More women than men
- 6) IBS usually first develops when a person is between 20 and 30 years of age and around twice as many women are affected as men.
- 7) Certain foods may trigger the symptoms or make them worse. Notorious culprits are chili, pulses, caffeine and white bread. Some people react badly to onions, garlic and shallots; so before going to a doctor try the “elimination diet” first. This consists of fasting for a day, then introducing one food at a time to see how your gut responds. It is best to introduce fruit first, especially fruit you don’t eat in quantities, i.e. if you don’t usually eat pears, try them first, this allows the body to rest before you try the most obvious trigger foods like chili and caffeine.
See references about IBS awareness 2016:
- (1) http://www.aboutibs.org/site/living-with-ibs/ibs-awareness-month/
- (2) http://www.inflammation-repair.manchester.ac.uk/staff/PeterWhorwell/
- (3) http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx