Best Natural Home Remedies to Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disease characterized by repeated abdominal pain. People are increasingly searching for natural home remedies to treat irritable bowel syndrome

The other name for IBS is spastic colon which seriously affects the quality of life. IBS causes cramping and disturbed bowel movement.

About one among six U.S. people suffer from IBS symptoms like diarrhoea, abdominal cramp, gas trouble, bloating and constipation. Therefore, natural home remedies to treat irritable bowel syndrome is a good approach to explore.

IBS Symptoms

Symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain or discomfort caused by changes in bowel frequency and stool characteristics. Abdominal pain or discomfort eases after bowel movements.

It is very important to judge whether the above symptoms are related to the food intake like patient eats foods rich in lactose or fructose or not.

Abdominal examination is usually not obvious. There may be mild and unclear tenderness in the right lower abdomen and/or left lower abdomen.

Usually, the IBS diagnosis is based on patient’s medical history and lacks specific diagnostic tests. 

If the patient has obvious anxiety symptoms or finds symptoms such as anaemia, weight loss, and fever, a further comprehensive examination is required.

Natural home remedies to treat irritable bowel syndrome are also advantageous to relieve IBS symptoms.

Food Sensitivity and IBS

The results of multiple scientific experiments suggest that food sensitivity is an important factor in IBS development.

Patients dietary intake significantly influences IBS progression.

The essence of food-induced or aggravated symptoms in IBS patients is categorized as:

• Food Allergy (related to activation to our immune system)
• Food Intolerance (non-immune mediated activation caused by non-protein food components)

Difference between these two lies in our immune system basis.

Food Intolerance and IBS

Few people with IBS suffer from food allergy. While the majority of people with IBS exhibit food intolerance.

Food intolerance can not only induce IBS symptoms, such as diarrhoea or constipation but also causes tissue inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

The important points to pay attention to are:

1. How to assess your food intolerance?

2. What are the common food items for which people show food intolerances?

3. How to formulate a rejection/replacement plan for food intolerance

4. What are the details that need to be focused during the rotation diet plan implementation?

Food Allergy/ Food Hypersensitivity

Food allergy is an immediate allergic reaction mediated by food-specific immunoglobulin (IgE). The clinical symptoms are obvious. The main symptoms are numbness of the mouth and itching of the throat after eating allergenic food.

VeryWellHealth blog reports that the regulation of gastrointestinal sensitivity by neurotransmitters, such as serotonin in case of food allergy-related IBS.

Treatment should be individualized and depend on the patient’s most prominent symptoms. Diet is one of the possible ways to manage IBS.

Natural foods are also important to include in our diet plan as a natural remedy.

Read about foods as dietary treatments to relieve common IBS symptoms.

Natural Foods Good for IBS

FODMAP full form is “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols.

“FODMAP is a group of short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed by the body.”

First developed by the researchers of Monash University in Australia, the FODMAP diet is rich in following food nutrients:

• Oligosaccharides (Fructo-oligosaccharides)
• Lactose
• Fructose
• Polyols like Mannitol and Sorbitol

It was evident from published research that small intestine is a poor absorber of FODMAPs. As a result, FODMAPs lead to a fluid increase in the bowel and increased gas production in the gut. We experience bloating as a result of the release of gas in the bowel and develop IBS symptoms inkling diarrhoea.

Eating less FODMAPs is key to the relief of IBS symptoms. According to Harvard Medical School, a low FODMAP diet can better improve the symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating in IBS patients, and improve patients’ satisfaction with bowel movements.

So, various aspects of FODMAP must be considered:

• What foods are rich in FODMAP?
• What foods are used to replace foods with high FODMAP?
• Steps to implement a low FODMAP diet.
• Should I pay attention to when implementing the FODMAP diet?

High-Fibre Diets

Meta-analysis confirms that vegetarian foods rich in dietary fibre can address the constipation issue in IBS patients.

Moreover, fibre improves stool and decrease abdominal pain. Take the recommended daily fibre intake of 25-30 grams.

• Choose the type of dietary fibre
• Reasonable dietary fibre intake
• Focus on soluble dietary fibre intake from leafy green vegetables

Cabbage

Consume cabbage to relieve IBS symptoms. Phytochemicals in cabbage cleanse our digestive tract by providing high fibre.

It also strengthens our immune system, improves digestion and removes waste products from the body.

Moreover, cabbage has high chorine and sulphur contents which help to detox mucus membranes in the stomach.

Carrots

Raw carrot also provides health benefits to relieve IBS symptoms. Eat salad containing raw carrots to increase fibre in your body.

It also regulates blood circulation in the body and detox it. Beta-carotene in carrots has anti-aging properties and reduced free radicals.

Peppermint

It provides relief for IBS symptoms. Peppermint tea is the most effective dietary approach to alleviate IBS complications.

Use peppermint leaves and steep in hot water to prepare peppermint tea. Take this tea 2-3 times in a day to soothe your intestines and decrease IBS symptoms.

Ginger Tea

Ginger has great antioxidant potential and is helpful to treat various health problems including IBS, hormonal balance and skin cleansing.

Its anti-spasmodic properties help to increase blood flow and regulate bowel movement. Use ginger tea on a daily basis to lessen IBS symptoms.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds also have antispasmodic properties and are very good to treat IBS symptoms.

Its helps to treat several health problems like an irregular bowel movement, gastrointestinal cramps, indigestion and stomachache.

Use fennel tea to prevent gas trouble and boating-related to IBS.

Essential Dietary Habits for a Healthy Intestine

• Eat regularly
• Keep mind calm and do not get a victim of brain overdrive
• Full chewing
• Do not stand and eat
• Take a deep breath before eating
• Do not eat 3 hours before going to bed
• Eat fresh leafy green vegetables as high fibre foods

What to Emphasize in Diet Plan?

In addition to the above recommended dietary schemes, IBS patients need to pay attention to the relationship between cold, high-fat, alcohol, coffee, spicy foods and symptoms.

You should also consider eating habits and many other aspects like mindfulness.

At the same time, you need to reduce tobacco and alcohol intake, pay attention to rest, and get enough sleep.

Finally, it should be emphasized that there is no IBS recipe that is suitable for everyone, and everyone’s situation is different.

In order to alleviate the symptoms, we may remove foods that may be relevant, but long-term removal of multiple foods may cause an imbalanced diet structure and even sub-clinical malnutrition.

Therefore, reasonable dietary treatment is necessary.

Sports Advice

Physical exercise and physical activity can help regularize gastrointestinal peristalsis, reduce stress and abdominal pain symptoms.

Hence, increase in self-confidence through sports help to cope with stress stimuli in IBS patients.

Conclusion

People suffer from IBS globally. Many people practice extreme dietary approaches or learn to live up with IBS symptoms and discomfort.

However, using common superfoods may help to reduce IBS symptoms drastically. Therefore, add these foods to your diet plan.

In conclusion, The low FODMAP diet and high-fibre intake have shown promising results in people with IBS to relieve symptoms.