IBS SOLUTIONS – GO VITA TANUNDA

If you have tummy troubles you may be among the 20% of Australians suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. Naturopath, Peter Balogh, outlines a six step process to help your stomach smile.

Stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, diarrhoea and constipation are common IBS symptoms. It’s best to visit your healthcare professional for a diagnosis as IBS can continue indefinitely if mismanaged.

Six steps to IBS relief

The key to overcoming IBS is the discipline to avoid allergens, eat mindfully, relax and take appropriate complementary medicines consistently.

1. Exterminate aliens
Remove parasites contributing to gut inflammation with wormwood, black walnut hulls, or oregano. Ask a Go Vita health specialist for the best product for you.

2. Cleanse the colon
Flush out toxins with magnesium oxide for two consecutive nights. Then take aloe vera juice for a week. This mild laxative softens stools, heals gut lining and reduces gut sensitivities seen in IBS.

3. Eliminate allergens
Every IBS sufferer has food foes. Along with food allergy testing, which can be done at Go Vita Tanunda, by Naturopath, Peter Balogh, an accurate way to identify allergens is to remove them from your diet and reintroduce them with awareness.

Common irritants include lactose, gluten, legumes and yeast.
Stimulants should be reduced including cigarettes, caffeine, and alcohol.
Sugars tend to feed IBS.

4. Focus on what you eat and how you eat

The following foods minimise post meal moans.

• Peppermint tea has been shown to reduce all symptoms associated with IBS.
• Fibre intake builds beneficial bacteria but too much can trigger diarrhoea and too little bogs up bowels. Try soluble fibre sources such as dates, prunes, figs, carrots and sweet potato. Eat flax seed oil for softer stools. If you get constipated, try psyllium as a bulking laxative.
• Probiotic foods like yoghurt and sauerkraut banish bad bacteria and heal the gut.
• Prebiotic rich foods such as bananas, garlic, and honey fertilise probiotic flora.
• Fruits are less likely to ferment when eaten alone and before 6pm. Papaya is rich in enzymes and pineapple contains anti-inflammatory bromelains.
• Add anti-gas herbs like cumin, dill, mint and ginger to dishes.

How you eat is as important as what you eat. Try these tips:

• Don’t eat three hours before bed
• Sit in an upright posture, breathing deeply
• Take digestive enzymes with each meal
• Chew each mouthful 20 times
• Sip warm water
• Take a stroll after dinner

5. Heal your gut
There are many complementary medicines important for gut health:

• Turmeric: Anti-inflammatory turmeric provides improvement to IBS symptoms.
• Slippery elm: Heals gut inflammation and softens stools.
• Probiotics: Improve abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.

6. Dissolve stress
IBS sufferers often hold tummy tension. Therapies like meditation and yoga are recommended. Regular exercise is also important.