Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Symptoms, Treatment & Tips
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a rapidly spreading condition, with millions of people struggling with it or even unaware they have it. Its name might suggest that irritable bowel syndrome (or leaky gut syndrome) only affects the digestive system, but in fact it can cause many other health problems.
According to scientific research, food allergies, lack of energy, joint pain, thyroid disease, autoimmune diseases and slow metabolism can all be caused by the progression of the symptoms of damaged bowel.
In this article, I will specifically describe how you can cure irritable bowel syndrome and solve the health problems you are experiencing.
How to Find Out Whether You Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
One of the biggest signs of warning you may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome is sensitivity to most food products. We recommend that you do a test for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Partially digested proteins and fats may pass through the intestinal mucosa, enter the bloodstream and cause an allergic response.
This allergic response does not mean that you will have rash over your entire body, but it can cause a variety of symptoms:
- Abdominal bloating
- Sensitivity to food products
- Thyroid diseases
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Headache
- Skin problems like facial flushing and acne
- Digestive problems
- Weight gain
Leaving it all together can lead to more serious health problems such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, depression, anxiety, migraine headaches, muscle aches and chronic fatigue.
According to the Journal of Diabetes, there is ample evidence pointing to irritable bowel syndrome as the leading cause of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes [1].
Another problem with irritable (permeable) intestine is that it can cause malabsorption of vital minerals and nutrients, including zinc, iron and vitamin B12.
Lectins and Foods that Cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lectins (Author's note: proteins of any kind, usually of vegetable origin, which specifically bind to certain sugars and thus cause the agglutination of certain cells) are found in many foods, not just cereals, and when used in smaller amounts are not a problem for the body. However, foods high in lectins are a cause for concern. Some lectins and foods that cause irritable bowel syndrome include wheat, rice, spelt and soy.
Germinated and fermented grains reduce phytates and lectins, making these foods easier to digest. GMOs and hybrid foods tend to have the highest levels of lectins because they have been modified to combat defects. In addition, gluten-containing grains can damage the intestinal mucosa and possibly lead to irritable bowel syndrome. When the gut is healthy, you can occasionally consume grains that have been fermented and sprouted.
Traditional (pasteurized) cow's milk is another food that can cause irritable bowel syndrome. The milk component that will harm your gut is the protein A1 casein (Author's note: a compound milk protein isolated from milk by the action of acids). In addition, the pasteurisation process will destroy vital enzymes and probiotics, making it very difficult to digest the sugar as well as the lactose in milk. For this reason, I recommend buying only natural (unpasteurized) milk or milk from A2 (Author's note: cows that have A2 beta casein) cows. Milk from goats and sheep is also suitable and useful (if unpasteurised). It is often better digested and tolerated than cow's milk.
Sugar is another substance that will harm your digestive system. Sugar will nourish the growth of yeast, Candida albicans and bad bacteria, which will further damage the intestine. Bad bacteria actually produce toxins called exotoxins, which damage healthy cells and can damage the intestinal wall.
Nutrition With a Diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Four Steps to the Plan to Cure It
The good news is that there is a way to successfully heal your gut. There is a four-step process that includes:
- TO ELIMINATE the food and factors that damage the intestine
- TO CHANGE them with healing foods
- TO RESTORE the state of the intestine by taking certain supplements
- TO BALANCE by using probiotics (natural)
I follow these rules when working with my patients while applying the functional treatment that has helped them achieve incredible results.
1. Eliminate the foods and factors that damage the intestine
It is very important to remove any allergens and inflammatory foods such as whole grains, added sugars, GMOs, refined oils, synthetic food additives and traditional dairy products. The biggest toxic effects that can be eliminated are tap water, pesticides, NSAIDs and antibiotics, but remember to always consult your doctor if he or she has prescribed them for you.
2. Replace the damaging intestinal products with healing intestinal products
If you have a bowel syndrome, you should consider choosing the leaky gut diet. Such a diet contains foods that support healing as they are easy to digest and can help heal the bowels.
Here is a list of permeable / irritable bowel foods:
- Bone broth contains collagen and the amino acids proline and glycine that can help heal damaged cell walls. I have had many patients who consumed bone broth for three days to help cure irritable bowel syndrome and autoimmune disease. The full recipe is coming soon and we will share it with you and tach you how to make it!
- Natural fermented dairy products include both probiotics and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that can help heal the intestine. Pasteurized kefir, yogurt, achams (Author's note: the umbrella term for fermented probiotic foods and beverages used in South Africa), butter and cottage cheese are the best probiotic foods.
- Fermented vegetables contain organic acids that balance the gut pH and probiotics to strengthen the gut. Marinated cabbage, kimchi and kvass are excellent sources.
- Coconut products. All coconut products are especially good for the gut. Medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in coconut are easier to digest than other fats and therefore work well in permeable intestine. In addition, coconut kefir contains probiotics that support your digestive system.
- Sprouted seeds: chia seeds, linseed and hemp seeds are a great source of fibre that can help support the growth of beneficial bacteria. But if you have a severe irritable bowel syndrome, you are better off getting fibre from steamed vegetables and fruits.
- Healthy Fats, such as egg yolks, avocados, ghee and coconut oil are good for the gut and promotes its healing, and should be consumed in moderate amounts.
- Omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory foods, such as grass-fed beef, lamb and free-range fish such as salmon, and are good for the intestinal tract.
- Fruits are good for the leaky gut when 1-2 servings of fruit are consumed daily. You can steam apples and pears to make a homemade apple or fruit sauce. It is best to consume fruits in the morning and or during the day.
3. Heal your bowels by taking special supplements
The treatment plan of irritable bowel syndrome includes many supplements that support the health of your digestive tract and protect the inside of the intestinal wall from further damage. I think the six most useful supplements for the leaky intestine are probiotics, digestive enzymes, l-glutamine, liquorice root, black mummy (shilajit), and marshmallow root.
Digestive Enzymes, (1-3 capsules taken with food), ensure that foods are fully digested, reducing the likelihood that particles and proteins of the partially digested foods will damage the intestinal wall. Therefore, it is a great preventive measure and a remedy for maximum digestion of food before it enters the intestine. We recommend that you try BIYOMA Digestive Complex.
Other recommended products:
- Probiotics (50-100 billion units a day) are the most important supplement because they provide the gut with good bacteria and help eliminate bad bacteria. I recommend getting probiotics both in your diet and in the form of supplements. If you only remove harmful stimuli by treating irritable bowel syndrome, you may not be able to provide it with beneficial bacteria that kill the bad bacteria. Look for species such as Bacillus clausii, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces boulardii, and Bacillus coagulans [2, 3, 4, 5].
- L-glutamine is important for any plan to heal the intestine. Glutamine powder is an essential amino acid supplement that is anti-inflammatory and essential for growth and regeneration of the intestinal mucosa. The function of L-glutamine is protective: it covers the cell walls and protects against stimuli [6].
- Liquorice root is an adaptogenic plant that helps to balance cortisol and improves acid production in the stomach. Liquorice root supports the body's natural processes by strengthening the gastric and duodenal mucosa [7]. This herb is particularly useful for those with irritable bowel syndrome that has developed as a consequence of emotional stress because it regulates cortisol production and metabolism [8].
- Shilajit is a resin-like medicinal herb commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine that can protect against stomach ulcers as well as reduce inflammation caused or exacerbated by irritable bowels [9, 10].
- Marshmallow root. The marshmallow root with its antioxidant properties and inhibition of histamine release is an excellent choice for any clinic of natural medicine, especially for those that specialise in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome [11].
Sources and references:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2551660/
2. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e066/52ba139eae0a56a010bc6ba1bfce5468c5ec.pdf
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3100070
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12840682/%20
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2826289/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25972430
7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/037851739400377H
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21896619
9. http://www.jpbsonline.org/article.asp?issn=0975-7406;year=2015;volume=7;issue=1;spage=56;epage=59;aulast=Shahrokhi
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2345464
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4518423/