Natural Remedies for IBS

If you are suffering from frequent stomach pain, cramping, bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea (or a combination of all of these symptoms), you may be dealing with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders that can be difficult to manage on a long-term basis. However, there are some things you can do to help ease your symptoms and make your day-to-day life more manageable.

You must talk to your doctor about the best course of treatment for you and consider making some lifestyle changes, such as following a special diet or taking probiotics, to help ease your symptoms. Apart from that, there are a number of natural home remedies for IBS that can be just as effective as prescription medications, without any risks or side effects.

Certain natural substances and herbs have been used by humans for ages to promote gut health and ease symptoms related to issues such as IBS. So if you are looking for a more natural approach to managing your IBS, consider trying some of the following home remedies:

Yoga

Yoga has been shown to be an effective method for relieving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by helping you become more 'in touch' with your senses and surrounding environment. Studies suggest that yoga helps restore normal signals in the nervous system. These signals may be malfunctioning in people who have IBS.

Pranayama yoga, which focuses on controlled breathing, can help people who mostly experience diarrhea as a symptom of IBS by increasing levels of sympathetic tone. Savasana, the final resting pose at the end of most yoga sessions, can help de-stress your body and provide a temporary escape from all your anxiety and stress, reducing IBS symptoms. Yoga can be practiced conveniently in the privacy and comfort of your home with the help of online instructional videos.

Exercise

Exercise has long been proven to be an effective method of reducing stress, depression, and anxiety for many people, especially when done on a regular basis. Anything that can help reduce stress levels can also lend a hand in relieving bowel discomfort by stimulating more regular intestinal contractions.

If you are not accustomed to exercising, it is important for you to start slowly and then increase the frequency and intensity of your workout sessions gradually. It must be noted that the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that a healthy individual get at least 30 minutes of exercise on a daily basis, at least five days a week.

Fiber-Rich Foods

Fiber can be a tricky topic for people who are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. It can help ease some IBS symptoms, such as constipation. However, it can, in some cases, worsen certain other symptoms linked to IBS, such as cramping and gas.

That said, gradually increasing your intake of high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and beans over the course of several weeks is generally recommended as part of a treatment plan for IBS. In some cases, your doctor may instead recommend that you take a fiber supplement rather than getting dietary fiber from food sources.

According to the recommendations from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), foods that contain psyllium, which is a kind of fiber, may be more helpful in relieving symptoms of IBS than foods that contain bran.

Smart and Careful Food Choices

There are certain foods that can make gastrointestinal (GI) pain worse. To avoid exacerbating your symptoms, be on the lookout for which foods trigger them. Some common problematic foods and drinks for IBS patients include:

• Alcohol
• Soda
• Coffee
• Dairy products
• Beans
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Chocolate

While there are some foods that trigger symptoms of IBS, there are also foods you can eat to help soothe certain symptoms linked to IBS. According to the ACG (American College of Gastroenterology), foods containing probiotics have helped relieve symptoms of IBS for some people, including bloating and gas.

Probiotics are live bacteria that help and support your digestive system in the process of maintaining gut health. You can find probiotics mainly in some foods, such as pickles, yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, as well as in supplements.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil has an extensive history of being used as a natural remedy to treat a variety of different ailments. The ACG (American College of Gastroenterology) now recognizes that peppermint oil can help soothe the gut and relieve all symptoms of IBS.

A study published not too long ago in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies examined as many as 12 trials from three different regions or continents. It was this study that found that regular use or consumption of a peppermint oil capsule with meals helped assuage a number of IBS symptoms. These symptoms included diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, and bloating, among others.

When using peppermint oil as a remedy for heartburn, be cautious of how much you take at one time, as it could actually make heartburn worse. Furthermore, if you are planning to try peppermint oil as a natural remedy for IBS, be sure to speak with your doctor first, as it is deemed a complicated health condition. Your doctor will need to know all of the remedies you are using in order to determine the best overall treatment plan for you.

Conclusion

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, such as diarrhea or constipation. IBS is a serious medical condition that affects millions of people around the world. This condition can be quite painful and irksome, especially for those individuals who are unable to manage its symptoms at home.

While there is no cure for IBS, it has been found that certain medications, stress management, and dietary modifications may help reduce symptoms. However, it is also important to explore non-pharmaceutical methods to help treat IBS.

Furthermore, we hope that this article has helped you find some excellent natural remedies for irritable bowel syndrome. These remedies can help you relieve your IBS symptoms in the comfort of your home. So, you must give them a try at least once!