Are you looking for some ways to ease the pain and pressure of IBS from home? I can help!
As we’ve addressed before, stress plays a major role in most women’s IBS diagnosis, and the most powerful thing you can do for your health – gut and otherwise – is to lower your stress and find more balance in your life.
While you’re in process, try a few of the ideas below for some symptom relief – directly from your pantry!
Add These In To Ease IBS
Home Remedies From the Cupboard
Oat bran. Increasing fiber is a cure for almost every intestinal ill, and oat bran is especially good for IBS because it’s mild and usually colon-friendly. So use some every day: a bowl of oatmeal, oat bran bread, oatmeal cookies. But don’t expect immediate results. It may take up to a month to get any IBS relief.
Home Remedies from the Sink
Water. Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day is important, especially if you have diarrhea or are increasing your fiber intake.
Home Remedies From the Fridge
Carrots. These little gems help prevent the symptoms of IBS as well as regulate diarrhea and constipation. Eat them raw, by themselves or in salads, or eat them cooked — steamed and tossed with a little melted butter and brown sugar for a sweet treat. You can put raw carrots through the juicer, too. Since they’re not a juicy veggie to begin with, add a little pure apricot nectar when you make carrot juice. Any way you eat a carrot is fine, just don’t overcook them so much that you boil out all the goodness.
Pears. Fresh, ripe, sweet pears are a nutritious fruit that also helps relieve the symptoms of IBS. Buy them when they’re still hard and let them ripen at room temperature for a few days. Pure pear juice and dried pears are also helpful in treating this intestinal woe.
Home Remedies From the Spice Rack
Fennel seeds. These can relieve the intestinal spasms associated with IBS. They may also aid in the elimination of fats from the digestive system, inhibiting the over-production of mucus in the intestine, which is a symptom of the ailment. Steep the seeds into a tea by adding 1/2 teaspoon fennel to 1 cup boiling water. Or add them to veggies such as carrots or cabbage, both of which soothe IBS symptoms. You can also sprinkle the seeds on salads or roast them and snack on them after a meal to reduce the symptoms of IBS and freshen your breath. To roast, spritz a baking sheet with olive oil, then cover with fennel seeds. Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Peppermint. Several studies have shown that peppermint can reduce IBS symptoms, particularly when cramping and diarrhea are major problems. These studies have primarily involved capsules of peppermint essential oil (0.2 mL menthol) and have found that 1 capsule taken with each meal offers the best results. Steeped into a nice, relaxing tea, dried peppermint can relieve intestinal spasms. Use 1 heaping teaspoon dried peppermint, and steep in 1 cup boiling water for ten minutes. Peppermint can exacerbate heartburn, but there are no other side effects.
– via HowStuffWorks
If we’re approaching health from a holistic standpoint, that means recognizing that your digestive system and its health isn’tjust based on what you eat. The health of each system, and how well they work together to make you feel your best, is based on your lifestyle as a whole.
These are a few ideas to try if you want to find more balance both in your life, and digestive system. Each one means a small change, but finding the right thing for you could make a huge difference in the long run!
Lifestyle Changes To Help IBS
Manage your stress
• Since stress is one of the factors known to trigger an IBS flare-up, learn to short-circuit it with meditation, yoga, or a simple breathing exercise like this one. Sit comfortably, or lie down. Turn your attention to the air going in and out of your body. When upsetting or anxiety-producing thoughts intrude, focus completely on your breathing. Practice this daily. Then, whenever you feel yourself becoming tense and anxious, use it to calm yourself.
Go easy on your intestines
• Minimize fried foods, meats, oils, margarine, dairy foods, and other fatty foods. They cause your colon to contract violently, which can lead to diarrhea and abdominal pain.
• Stay away from spicy foods. The capsaicin in hot peppers, for example, makes your large intestine go into spasms, which can cause diarrhea.
• Cut down on caffeine. It can worsen IBS by irritating your intestines.
• Don’t chew gum or candy that contains artificial sweeteners. Among the common sweeteners in these products are sorbitol and mannitol, which can have a laxative effect. They’re very difficult to digest. When bacteria in your colon eventually break down these “nonabsorbed sugars,” you get gas and diarrhea.
Graze, don’t gorge
• Eat smaller meals more frequently rather than a couple of large meals each day. Taking in too much food at once can overstimulate your digestive system.
• If you usually bolt down your meals, go more slowly and pay more attention to chewing your food. Fast eaters often swallow too much air, which turns into bothersome intestinal gas.
– via www.besthealthmag.ca
Do you struggle with ISB symptoms regularly? Have you found any natural, at home remedies that have helped you?