IBS: Can attacks lessen with the right lifestyle changes ?

donyellemoniquex3
donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
my mother has IBS so I was just wondering...

Replies

  • JenniferNoll
    JenniferNoll Posts: 367 Member
    I have crohn's disease, and I know if I avoid very high fiber foods and fatty, greasy foods, my flare-ups lesson in severity. Alcohol also causes symptoms, so I also avoid that. I don't know if your mom has IBS with diarrhea or constipation. Which symptom she has will determine what she needs to change. Also IBS is very much exacerbated by stress. Minimizing stress will help her, too.
  • laurenw1992
    laurenw1992 Posts: 62
    It all depends on the type of IBS you have, and what triggers it. Some people have theirs triggered by certain dietary choices while for others it may be stress related.

    I suggest getting your hands on a copy of "Irritable Bowel Solutions: The Essential Guide to IBS, Its Causes and Treatments" By DR John Hunter.

    It really is excellent! Hope this helps :smile:
  • smilesalot1969
    smilesalot1969 Posts: 392
    YES!!! i had awful IBS for years and ive drastically changed my diet. I only get attacks now if i slip and eat something i shouldn't. The trick is to find out what triggers it and cut it out. For me it was anything 'white' like bread, rice, pasta, cake etc and also red meat
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    IBS is triggered by certain foods for certain people. It's also triggered by stress. Addressing both issues will "cure" the individual. Since it isn't a disease but a syndrome or disorder if you no longer have symptoms for an extended period of time you are functionally cured. I've heard of IBS being functionally cured with hypnotherapy...

    As far as a lifestyle change goes, I'm sure for most people with more exercise and a less sedentary lifestyle they find that their levels of stress are greatly reduced. Exercise creates a serotonin response in the brain that elevates the mood and relieves stress. This would address one factor contributing to IBS. The other trigger (food) seems closely related to certain unhealthy foods. This is taken from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ibs/#5
    Many people with IBS report that certain foods and beverages can cause symptoms, such as foods rich in carbohydrates, spicy or fatty foods, coffee, and alcohol. However, people with food sensitivity typically do not have clinical signs of food allergy. Researchers have proposed that symptoms may result from poor absorption of sugars or bile acids, which help break down fats and get rid of wastes in the body.

    So, in conclusion it would be safe to say, yes. Your mother would almost certainly be impacted positively by changing her lifestyle.
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
    I have crohn's disease, and I know if I avoid very high fiber foods and fatty, greasy foods, my flare-ups lesson in severity. Alcohol also causes symptoms, so I also avoid that. I don't know if your mom has IBS with diarrhea or constipation. Which symptom she has will determine what she needs to change. Also IBS is very much exacerbated by stress. Minimizing stress will help her, too.

    diarrhea... This morning I woke up to a trail of crap -_-
  • Tashymash
    Tashymash Posts: 41 Member
    I have IBS and, although mine is predominately stress related, i have found that my diet the way it is now has signifincantly helped my symptoms. Although it seems counter productive, making sure you switch from "white" foods to wholegain can make a difference, and, personally, less/no greasy food has helped me significantly. Other things that people have said, such as dairy and alcohol, can help but it depends on the individual. Quite often IBS can be basically a ymptom of an intolerance to something, like i said, depends on the person :)

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