Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects nearly 20% of the population. But it’s not so much a disease as it is a label, for those experiencing any form of unexplainable gut discomfort – bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, etc.
Basically, once doctors rule out any gastrointestinal problems they can diagnose – like acid reflux, IBD or diverticulitis – they settle on IBS and write you a prescription to alleviate the symptoms. Making you poop more, poop less, or helping reduce your stomach pain.
For the sake of my sanity and your attention span, we’ll avoid getting into the side-effects and potential problems with all these drugs and stick to the main message – They Don’t FIX Anything!
IBS sufferers should be asking “why?” they’re experiencing gut discomfort, and the follow-up questions should gravitate towards what food, supplements, and medication they’re putting in their stomach – as realistically, these symptoms should serve as a warning that something isn’t right. And the last thing we should be trying to do is mask them, so we can continue ignoring the underlying issue.
Chances are, your IBS is the result of inflammatory foods, bacterial overgrowth, gut damage, or poor digestion. And in all 4 cases, the answer is NOT speeding up or slowing down motility with medication (or fiber!). It’s:
- Fixing the diet
- Repairing the gut
- Improving digestion
Note: In some cases (approx 10%) IBS has been linked to a gut infection (like past food poisoning) but that’s a diagnosis better pursued AFTER the common causes have been eliminated.
If you’re already following Live It NOT Diet!, read about testing your digestion, and consider these other tips for repairing you gut in addition to taking a probiotic supplement. For those new to the program, eliminating the damaging agents comes first – which means getting on a proper nutrition plan, and kicking your Antacids, NSAIDs and ANTIbiotics to the curb.
Stay Lean!
Coach Mike
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