"Irritable Bowel Syndrome"

Okay . . . so today . . . I'd first like to make a comment about yesterday Health tip on "Bitter Melon" . . .

I would hope that we all know . . . that with any of the supplements I give you information about, no matter what the topic . . . you should always check with your own healthcare provide before starting any new regimen. I just want to thank Melinda for bringing it to my attention that I forgot to enclose a NOTE about this at the end of that Health tip as I normally do. So thank you Melinda for being on top of things and caring about us all.

Okay . . . so today we're talking about "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" . . .

So what exactly is "Irritable Bowel Syndrome"???

Well . . . better known as IBS . . . it's a common disorder that affects the large intestine, with signs and symptoms being . . . cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation or even both.

Now . . . there are 3 types . . . IBS-D (diarrhea), IBS-C (constipation), or IBS-M (mixed type)

And many times people mistake . . . "Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) . . . with "IBS"

So let's better understand . . . IBD is a group of conditions that cause "swelling" and "irritation" in the digestive tract, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Whereas . . . IBS is a term for symptoms that happen when the contents of the large intestine move too quickly or too slowly.

Now . . . people with IBS frequently suffer from "anxiety" and "depression" . . . which can worsen symptoms.

Why you ask???

Well . . . the colon is in part controlled by the "nervous system", which as we know responds to stress.