"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.

Okay . . . so what foods can trigger an attack???

Well . . . that would be . . . fiber-filled foods, food and drinks that contain chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, fructose or sorbitol, carbonated drinks, large meals and fried or fatty foods.

And the most common thoughts for relief are . . . heat on the stomach, sipping a soothing tea, taking probiotics, keeping a food diary to see what your triggers are, relaxation exercises and learning how to eat right.

But . . . there's more than just that . . .

IBS can develop after a severe bout of diarrhea (gastroenteritis) which is caused by "bacteria" or a virus. Meaning a foreign invader entering the intestines . . .

But the main reason is . . . DEPLETED "good" bacteria . . . allowing an OVERGROWTH of our "bad" bacteria to take control and cause inflammation and IBS.

So the way to control and rid the body of IBS or any intestinal illness . . .

Would be to . . . replenish the body's "good" bacteria.

Studies have shown that people with IBS have a lower than average amount of "good" bacteria in the large intestine and by replenishing these "good" bacteria with specific probiotics, this can help IBS symptoms such as irregular bowel movements, abdominal pain and bloating.

So if you have any abdominal discomfort like IBS . . . up your "pre" and "pro"biotics.

Okay . . . so what's the connection with weight???

Well . . . IBS can result in weight "loss" or weight "gain". Some people may experience significant abdominal cramping and pain that may cause them to eat fewer calories than they normally would. Therefore, they may lose weight. While others may stick to certain foods that are high in calories so they don't have this pain and discomfort. But now they may gain too much weight.

Now . . . losing weight with IBS isn't impossible, but it can be more difficult due to how you react to "healthy food".

So first and foremost . . . start your healing with increasing the "good" bacteria in the body to reduce IBS . . .

Another element is the hormone "cortisol" also known as the "stress" hormone and "belly fat producer".

Now . . . during times of heightened anxiety, hormone levels such as with "cortisol" increase, which stimulates the release of adrenaline and serotonin in the brain. And when the amount of serotonin increases in the gut . . . it can cause stomach and colon spasms to occur which can cause diarrhea.

You see . . . cortisol triggers the release of histamine, which promotes an inflammatory response and can worsen the abdominal pain of IBS

So how do we control the hormone "cortisol"??? And what does this hormone do to our weight loss efforts???

We'll find out tomorrow.

As always, feel free to contact met here