5 Natural Remedies for IBS

Five Natural Remedies for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome encompasses many symptoms associated with the gastrointestinal tract and which cause pain and discomfort when attempting bowel movement. Moreover, abdominal pain, or alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea may accompany this syndrome. Here are 5 natural remedies for IBS.

1. Avoid emotional stress and pressures.
2. A high-fiber diet can alleviate the symptoms.
3. Keep a diary of what you eat and drink to determine the cause.
4. Peppermint capsules can reduce the pain and bloating.
5. Probiotics have been shown to reduce not only abdominal pain and bloating, but allow for easy bowel movement as well.

Because the symptoms of IBS are often brought on by tension and strain in your lifestyle as well as a poor diet, it is recommended that your diet consist of low-fat, high-fiber meals. Adding plenty of greens and fruits, including spinach, whole-grain products, and drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day can also alleviate the problem. Also, prune juice may be recommended as a stimulant to improve bowel movement. Smoking should be avoided as it often intensifies the symptoms.

A daily diary noting the foods you eat may reveal the source of the problem. Perhaps fried foods are the cause, or you are not consuming enough vegetables or fruits. A diary can be quite helpful in ascertaining why your bowel movements are not only irregular, but painful as well.

Peppermint is known to reduce the abdominal pain and bloating of irritable bowel syndrome due to the fact that it blocks the movement of calcium into muscle cells in the intestines, and eases muscle contractions. It is also helpful in eliminating excess gas in the intestines.

Probiotics, which are primarily found in dairy products such as yogurt and fermented foods, offer a natural remedy for IBS. In a recent study of women with IBS, probiotics were found to be more effective in reducing abdominal pain, bloating, bowel dysfunction, incomplete evacuation, straining, and gas. Probiotics are probably the best known microorganisms one can utilize to effectively act as one of the natural remedies for IBS.