Fat and IBS

The diet for an irritable bowel syndrome involves avoiding all of the foods which irritate the colon and has the potential to cause a spastic colon. A gastro colic reflex takes place when the food goes to the stomach. Foods which help in healing and regulating the colon should be a part of your daily diet in order to prevent and avoid those foods that cause painful spasms and cramps, gas, nausea, and bloating, and assist in the healing of the colon.

The body finds it very difficult to digest fats and certain kinds of animal products. These two kinds of foods trigger IBS Colitis and are also the main causes for both constipation and diarrhea. All these foods should either be completely avoided or limited to the maximum possible extent from your diet. Your diet might need a complete overhaul in order to bring the symptoms under control but they are all positive changes for your health and well being.

Fat is a great stimulant, which is present in the digestive tract. When the food we consume reaches the stomach, a gastro colic reflex takes place, and the colon starts contracting automatically. Sometimes an attack of IBS takes place immediately after the wrong kind of food has been consumed and takes place in a more powerful manner especially when fat is consumed. Though the normal consumption of fat would only result in a bowel movement, this can cause serious problems for people that have IBS colitis or diarrhea. This is because people with IBS do not have a normal gastro colic reflex and the colon could respond in a violent manner. People who have a chronic problem of constipation will find that such spasms will make the colon react very severely, cramps from the colon can cause some sever pain and this will also aggravate the constipation since motility has closed and the feces is not able to move. The muscles should relax in order to provide relief but with IBS it takes some time for normal motility to be restored after such a reaction.

Foods which contain a lot of fat can only aggravate the condition of IBS diarrhea since the muscle spasms which take place as a result of fat digestion will result in such quick gut contractions that there will not be enough time to absorb water. The spasms and diarrhea will also cause a lot of pain. High fat foods can result in both diarrhea as well as constipation for people who have IBS colitis and this is due to the delay in the gastro colic reflex. You can imagine what your body would go thru if the whole meal consisted of fatty fast foods.

It is very difficult to completely avoid high fat foods and people with IBS colitis should try to limit and/or avoid these in their diet pattern. In understanding that your body will have a reaction you can consume a little portion and help yourself by drinking lots of water to keep the system moving. These dietary changes will help you in living a healthier life and pain free life.

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Common Symptoms In Diagnosing IBS

IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a gastrointestinal affliction. It affects about 15 to 25 percent of people. It is a chronic condition affecting the small or the large bowels. IBS can cause different degrees of discomfort and distorted bowel habits. A large amount of patients visit their doctor for gastrointestinal and related complaints, some patients have enormous anxiety regarding factors that cause IBS. Physicians use a confidential diagnosis as an initial and crucial step to provide patients a clear explanation, an effective treatment and therefore reducing the patients’ anxiety. IBS symptoms may be attributed to other factors and conditions in your health and must always be diagnosed by a physician. Patients are usually diagnosed with IBS after exhibiting structural or biochemical abnormalities. Considerations of differential possibilities from the signs and symptoms are observed and given by the patient in order to obtain a positive or negative diagnosis for IBS.

Your doctor will investigate and detail your symptoms and take your health history into consideration and perform a complete physical examination to accurately diagnose the issue. Lab work for blood and stools and endoscopic procedures are also performed to either confirm that it is IBS and to rule out other possible conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer.

Adrian Manning and his colleagues developed the symptom criteria that was used in the diagnosis of IBS in 1978 where the key factor is having the patient describe the symptoms they are experiencing. The criteria is composed of 6 symptoms; first is visible abdominal distension; second is relief of pain with or after bowel movement, third is more frequent bowel movement with the onset of pain, fourth is loose stools at onset of pain, fifth is passage of mucus via the rectum, and the sixth is feeling of incomplete evacuation. Patients that experience the first four symptoms are likely to suffer from IBS. The last two symptoms are not typical for IBS as are the first four although the symptoms are present for IBS sufferers. This was known as the Manning Criteria.

Gastroenterologists in Rome held an international consensus meeting in 1988 where they further specified the criteria for IBS and these criteria were revised in 1999 are now called Rome II criteria. The symptoms that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS are as follows in the Rome II criteria; first is abnormal stool frequency. Second is abnormal stool form, wherein stool may be lumpy or watery, and a diagnostic aid called Bristol stool form scale or the BSF-Scale is used to classify the stool form into seven groups because the stool’s form depends on the time it spent in the colon and a parallel between the colonic transit time and the BSF type is obtained. Abnormal stool passage is the third criteria, possible straining and urgency and sometimes a feeling of incomplete evacuation. The passage of mucus is the fourth criteria, and bloating or feeling of abdominal distension is the 5th criteria. IBS needs to be correctly diagnosed and confirmed by a doctor.

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Coping with IBS Constipation

Constipation is a common occurrence with many people and for IBS sufferers getting accurate information on their symptoms is a step towards obtaining help in improving the condition. Although it is not known why some develop IBS with constipation and other do not, the constipation can be caused by a sensitive, slow working gastro-intestinal tract, which causes recurring abdominal pain, bloating and constipation. IBS with constipation is a treatable medical condition and you should first consult your primary care physician before taking other steps.

The gastrointestinal tract reacts to the changes in serotonin, which is a natural occurring chemical in the body that plays an important role in making the gastrointestinal tract function normally and while it is not clear why some people develop IBS with constipation while others do not, it is a known fact that it is affected by diet and disease.

Most constipation occurrences are due to insufficient fibre in the diet as well as inadequate consumption of fluids. Fluids and fibre both play an important role in our body functions. Fibre is important as they help to soften the stool, and fluids help to flush stools through the body.

People that are in the 65 and over age range have a tendency to experience more bouts of constipation due to medications, poor diet, and lack of water intake, as well as poor muscle tone. Younger people also suffer from irregular bowel movement, also experience bloating and abdominal pains. People that travel also experience bouts of IBS/constipation as they tend to suppress the urge to go to the bathroom.

For IBS there is no specific cure for the constipation; however there are treatments to assist bowel functions to help them stabilize which helps diminish the cramping which then also lessen the pain. For some the symptoms are temporary and happen occasionally and no treatment may be required. For others who have persistent and chronic symptoms a special course of treatment may be required. Since there is no specific therapy that will resolve all symptoms, a doctor’s visit is necessary to determine the severity and changes that are required to live pain free.

The first step that you can take control of are a few lifestyle changes that will help in the health of the intestinal tract. Eating smaller amounts of food more frequently will help in the digestive process not getting overwhelmed, taking some time to relax, sleep, and exercise and all these changes will enable you to deal with stress a lot better and in turn will help in eliminating the stress to the body.

Fibre in ones diet is also tremendous in helping control IBS with constipation. Dietary fibres add bulk to the stool creating ones that are much larger and softer making bowel movements easier and less painful. Psychotherapy is another tool that can assist as in some IBS cases stress sometimes affects bowel movement and psychotherapy can assist in coping with chronic illness and uncovering emotional triggers that may be present.

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What is Spastic Colon (IBS)

Spastic Colon or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal tract disorder that is recurrent in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, which includes altered bowel movement such as constipation and/or diarrhea and includes abdominal pain.

IBS can occur during any period of one’s life and cause a great deal of distress and discomfort but the good news with IBS is that it can be cured with medication and diet. The exact cause is not yet fully known and used be attributed to some factors such as stress which tend to aggravate IBS symptoms but in recent findings research findings have shown contrasting results and emotional conflicts are no longer accepted as factors that cause IBS but rather an aggravator that can make the existing condition worse.

Studies show that patients with IBS even with minimal stimulation may easily distress their intestinal muscles and also tend to develop overly sensitive bowels compared to those without IBS. Therefore patients with Spastic colons have a greater chance at reacting to a stimulus that does not normally aggravate the bowels of a normal healthy individual.

Eating or gas production which are ordinary occurrence in the large intestine may have adverse effects on the colon of an IBS patient and certain foods and medications may also trigger IBS symptoms. Foods such as fatty foods, chocolates, alcohol, dairy products, caffeine as well as grain containing products may aggravate and then trigger IBS symptoms. Hormones are believed to influence IBS as well so women with menstrual periods (reproductive hormones) are believed to influence the course of IBS.

IBS sufferers will experience two types of symptoms, diarrhea-predominant IBS and constipation-predominant IBS and can be examined through the bacteria derived from bowel samples where the overgrowth of bacteria in the bowel flora can be observed. You should first consult your primary care physician before taking other steps, if you suspect you are suffering with IBS. Progressive nerve damage can develop in some patients that exhibit chronic constipation and for those with diarrhea, the body can be depleted of electrolytes.

Since people have their own normal frequency, it becomes really hard to pinpoint normal a bowel movement. A healthy bowel movement is one that is not hard, contains no blood and flushes out of the colon without unnecessary cramps or pain. For some people a normal bowel movement involves three stools a day while others may move their bowels everyday upon waking up.

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Foods to Avoid for IBS

Below is a list of foods that haven been identified as being the foods that cause the most common symptoms to IBS sufferers such as abdominal pain and discomfort, diarrhea or constipation, gas and bloating and are on the to avoid list.

Common Foods (to avoid)

• Dairy products (ex. milk and cheese)
• Alcohol
• Beans
• Trans Fats or fried foods
• Caffeinated beverages
• Bagels
• Onions

Keep a journal of the foods you eat and any symptoms that occur that aggravate your system and you will start to notice certain types of foods that either agree or disagree with your system, you can then adjust your diet accordingly. Some foods may have a light symptom and some may present a heavy symptom and can be the difference between an IBS attack or having a slight intolerance to that particular food.

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Definition of Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is the swelling or the inflammation of the large intestine or the colon. There are many different reasons for the occurrence of ulcerative colitis. This could be due to certain acute and chronic infections, some inflammatory problems like Crohns colitis, lymphocytic and collagenous colitis, lack of proper blood circulation or ischemic colitis and past radiation of the large bowel. Some of the symptoms of colitis are bloating and pain in the abdomen, diarrhea and stools containing blood, dehydration and an increase in gas from the intestine. The symptoms are very similar to that of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and therefore very important that you consult your doctor to have it properly diagnosed.

The doctor or the health care provider can help in diagnosing colitis by putting a long flexible tube inside the rectal region. This procedure is known as a flexible sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy and helps in diagnosing the actual condition of certain portions of the colon. Biopises, which are taken at the time of these tests, will also show any changes, which have taken place due to the inflammation. An MRI scan or a CT scan of the abdomen, an X-ray of the abdomen and Barium enemas are some of the other tests which will help in identifying the symptoms of colitis.

The treatment for colitis involves treating the main cause of the medical condition. The particular infection or inflammation will have to be treated properly. The prognosis will be different according to the disease. Excessive bleeding might take place and the patient could develop sores or ulcers. Sometimes there could a hole in the colon or the colon might significantly increase, this is known as a toxic mega colon. A doctor needs to be contacted immediately if symptoms like pain the abdomen, blood in the stools and an expanded or a distended abdomen are present.

There are many different types of colitis. CMV colitis is a viral infection of the colon,  Crohns disease is otherwise known as regional enteritis,  Cryptosporidium enter colitis, ischemic colitis or the lack of proper blood circulation, necrotizing enter colitis, pseudo membranous colitis and ulcerative colitis are just some of the various types of colitis. The symptoms of the specific condition need to be taken into account in order to determine the causes and also for the doctor to recommend the course of treatment in order to cure and heal the state of health.

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