Friday, January 10, 2014

Five Important Facts You Need To Know About Herbal Medicine For Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

By Kim Moser


The incidence of IBS is found to be more common among those aged under 50 and has a higher prevalence in women than in men. In western countries overall it affects around 20% of the population. Having to plan every move around bathroom availability is one of the most common complaints coming from people with IBS. Although it is a difficult condition it can be treated with herbal medicine.

IBS shows a number of symptoms including alternating constipation or diarrhoea, flatulence, abdominal pain and gut distension. Herbal medicine offers great potential for gaining excellent results for this condition using naturopathic approaches. Naturally the frequency and severity of symptoms varies a lot between individuals.

IBS pathology includes altered gut micro-flora, gut hypersensitivity to particular foods, dietary issues and also involves the nervous system. Sufferers require a full comprehensive assessment to give specific and individualised treatment due to the different layers of involvement. However, a tailored herbal medicine can do a lot towards assisting this condition.

The following information will help with your understanding of the complexity of IBS. The first layer to address is changing diet to eliminate foods that may cause sensitivities, such as gluten. Food that ferments in the lumen can cause gut distension and bring on related symptoms. Hypersensitivity in the gut lining can also result from stimulation of nerves in the gut lining. A clear indication of food intolorence or sensitivity is gut extension or bloating after eating. For some foods this is very obvious but for others it may take some time to identify.

Although enzyme dysfunction is not the only cause of IBS it is often beneficial to address this process. Enzymes, released from the pancreas to assist in the breakdown of foods may be a complicating factor in many people. Often, people report that IBS has developed after a bout of gastro-enteritis and IBS sufferers can show a reduced diversity of helpful gut bacteria. A herb called Phellodendron amurense is useful in re-establishing a healthy gut flora is and reducing of harmful bacteria.

An increase in permeability of the gut is part of IBS and treating this is essential to improvement of IBS symptoms. Slippery elm, marshmallow, olive leaf, wormword and barberry are herbal medicines that are anti-microbial and can help to heal the gut. There is constant communication between the gut lining and the nervous system and herbs such as Zizyphus, Magnolia and Passionflower can be used to support and calm the nervous system.

Stress is a major contributor to IBS symptoms so daily stress management is crucial to recovery. The mind/body approach taken in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help to moderate stress responses and lifestyle issues hat increase stress. Personality traits of low self-esteem, anxiety driven issues such as perfectionism and anger are sometimes involved in high stress responses. Nutrients such as calcium and magnesium can help to relax the nervous system and these are found in high quantities in chamomile, skullcap and valerian. As gut permeability increases it is known as leaky gut and this process leads to painful gut inflammation. This happens because the immune system is exposed to over large food molecules that are treated as toxins by the immune system eliciting an immune response. Herbal medicine can include Tumeric and Boswelia to help address this inflammation.




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