Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Many adults suffer from abdominal discomfort oftentimes accompanied by watery stools or constipation.  This condition which is also known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (or IBS) seems to affect more men and women.

Signs and symptoms
Ideally, you should be able to pass well formed stools at regular times and on a daily basis.  At other times, you may experience the following symptoms indicating that you are suffering from IBS:

1. Abdominal pain
2. Stomach bloating
3. Constipation
4. Diarrhea
5. Alternating diarrhea and constipation
6. Depression or anxiety
7. Fatigue
8. Salt and sugar cravings
9. Abdominal weight gain or weight loss
10. Bad taste in the mouth

Causes
IBS is usually caused by the following:

1. Allergic reaction to certain foods
2. Parasite infestation or bacteria infection in the bowel
3. Stress coming from life-changing events such as sexual abuse, divorce, financial problems, death, end of a relationship and overseas travel

Traditional Chinese medicine
On the other hand, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that liver qi stagnation causes gastrointestinal problems like IBS.  “Qi” literally means “energy” and refers to the life force coming from the liver that is essential to your body’s overall health and well-being.  In both TCM and Western medicine, stress is known to trigger IBS.

Treatment
Laxatives and anti-diarrhea medication that you buy over-the-counter only alleviate the symptoms but do not cure IBS completely.  The best way to get rid of IBS is to determine and treat its cause.  A natural therapist will do this by asking you to undergo a blood test that will show how your bowel is doing and if it is inflamed. If your IBS is stress-related, then your natural therapist may recommend that you take natural herbs that help calm the nerves and strengthen your nervous system, such as passiflora, skullcap, Siberian ginseng, oats, withania, ziziphus and logan.  Herbal formulas, particularly Proxan, Vata Tone, Phoserin, Neurocare, Neuropro and Adrenal Tone work fast and may reduce your symptoms almost immediately.

If bacteria or parasites are causing your IBS, you will have to cleanse your bowel thoroughly to get rid of the harmful micro-organisms that live in it.  Your natural therapist will also recommend that you take an herbal supplement that can kill the parasites in your bowel, such  turmeric, uncaria tormentosa, gentiana lutea, juglans nigra and artemesia annua.  Once you have eliminated all the parasites in your bowel, you need to restore liver qi (energy) by going through a liver detoxification program.  Herbs such as glutathione, glutamine, rosemary extract, and colostrums all help in energizing liver function.

Prevention
A continuous program for bowel health must be maintained in order to experience long lasting relief from or to prevent a recurrence of IBS.  Here’s how:

1. Avoid stress by carrying a positive outlook in life and by practicing relaxation techniques
2. Drink purified water to avoid parasitic infection that may be passed through contaminated water
3. Eat moderately and chew your food properly before swallowing
4. Stop smoking and avoid drinking alcohol
5. Instead of chemical medicines, use natural herbs and vitamin supplements to treat health problems
6. Eat live foods that contain good bacteria such as yogurt or take an acidophilus supplement everyday
7. Cleanse your bowel and detoxify your liver once a year