Introducing

IBS-Health.com is very proud to present two new websites to further assist your battle with IBS.  we have created IBS Curo and IBS Sano to tackle specific areas of IBS.  We have a very clear goal, to create the largest free website to help the sufferers of IBS.

We are well on the way to achieving that, however the site is growing so large that we became concerned that it will be harder to find specific material for some.  In particular we have isolated the basic information for those who may be new to IBS and simply wish to find out the key guidelines.  That information is on IBS Curo.

Curo - care, take care, tend, look after, pay attention, pay heed

IBS Sano is totally dedicated to the low FODMAP diet.  The site contains basic information about the low FODMAP diet, along with FODMAP food lists and a vast selection of low FODMAP recipes.  We aim to add to the recipes every day, so there should be something there for you.

From vegan, through to gluten and dairy free, the list of recipes aims to cover every possible dietary requirement and we take a great deal of pride in ensuring that we have a well balanced variety of dishes.

For those who have yet to try the low FODMAP diet, we do recommend that you give it a try.  It does not work for everyone, however it has worked for many IBS sufferers and relieves some of the troubling symptoms of IBS.

Sano - heal, remedy, cure, make healthy, make sound, repair

We will continue to build our epic IBS resource at IBS-Health.com, however we hope that you find these sites of use to you.

Kind Regards

The IBS-Health.com Team

The Worst Restrooms in the World

The Worst Restrooms in The World

Sadly one thing that can never be questioned is an IBS sufferers knowledge of restrooms around the world.  We spend far too much time in these places, which makes us true experts of the restroom.

A conversation in the office became quite competitive when we described the worst restrooms we have ever visited, with each of us 'lowering the bar'.  This was not a pleasant conversation however we think we came up with a pretty good list of the very worst (click on the link to see our list).  We have also included some nice restrooms to balance things up a touch!

IBS, So what ?

IBS, So what ?

IBS can bring anything from mild stomach discomfort, through to debilitating pain, and crippling anxiety. Very few, outside IBS sufferers really understand the nature of the condition.  We have made it our mission to provide a free website, which offers IBS sufferers the chance to learn more about their condition, and to hopefully find a way forward.

IBS has huge variations in terms of symptoms, therefore aim of the website is to give sufferers the chance the find the right path for them as an individual.  We look at all factors that relate to IBS and endeavour to make sure sufferers know that there are others out there who have been through this.

We have no agenda, we are entirely independent and the site is written by IBS sufferers.  Our long term aim is to create the largest IBS information website, and to always keep it free.  We hope that if you have IBS, or know someone with IBS that you send them our website link www.ibs-health.com

We would also just like to thank those who have already been using the site.  We are absolutely thrilled with the response and are deeply grateful for the kind messages.

Just how much can diet effect the way we are ?

t

The following charts how I went from being the most spectacularly average student to a first class student through simple  diet changes.  I begin this tale with a sample report remark from my French teacher:

‘Philip generally sets himself very low targets, which he often fails to achieve’.

Kudos for that comment sir, I did not know you had it in you. I have no issue with that report, it was one of many similar comments from the time.  I was regarded as a typical lazy teenage boy, clever but lazy.  I had plenty of friends and by and large this contributed to the idea that I was just lazy.

I grew up with quite severe IBS, at a time when nothing was really known about IBS and nothing could be done.  Diet was also a subject in its infancy so it was no surprise that when I reported that I had digestive problems to my Doctor that nothing ever really happened.

College

School came and went, and I left with grades befitting a lazy teenage boy.  I’d been to an excellent school and failed to advantage.  Next came real life, I worked in hotels for a few years before deciding to go back into education.  I went to college and returned to my comfort zone, of average grades.

IBS was still a huge problem and my diet was pretty terrible when I look back, halfway through a course I decided I didn’t want to go on and as this fulfilled my ‘waster’ profile no one batted an eye.  So having completed one average year, so that if I ever wanted to go back I could, life carried on.  The IBS was still awful so I went to see the Doctor again and whilst waiting for a blood test got talking to a nurse.  It is no exaggeration to say the conversation with that nurse changed my life.

Wonderful Nurse

Unlike the Doctor she had time to listen to me, and quickly realised there was a problem with my diet, I was in my early twenties by this point.  The suggestions she made (cutting out wheat and dairy to start) had such a profound effect so quickly that from that point on things changed.

I went back to college, and got top grades across the board, then off to University.  At uni I gained a First Class Honours Degree and did so with straight firsts in my finals.  All of this happened because of a simple change of diet.  My moods went, my energy arose and I started to finally live up to my potential.

Freedom

This lead to some of the greatest times of my life, it was like a butterfly leaving its cocoon, I get a big grin on my face just thinking about it.  Since that time I have crammed in so much that I now feel like a very lucky guy indeed, but the crazy thing is I could have missed out on all that if it wasn’t for that nurse ‘Mrs Driver’.

I dread to think about all the stuff I’d of missed if I hadn’t made those changes.  My life continues to not disappoint.   Diet can be spectacularly powerful, my academic record is there as a statement of fact, without knowing about the dietary changes you would find the difference in my results as inexplicable.  How does an average Mr Lazy turn into a straight A student ?

Changing diet will not have such a profound effect on everyone, I write this blog to make that point that you must not diminish it’s importance, for some a simple look at what you consume could change your life.

Share this:

The Five Most Infuriating Things About IBS

The Five Most Infuriating Things About IBS

This is by no means a definitive list. This is a list which we at IBS-Health agreed on after some healthy/heated debate.

1. Dominates decisions, most decisions will be based around IBS
2. Painful, for many sufferers IBS is very painful.
3. People don't realise that IBS can be painful.  Is associated with the milder symptoms and many people simply do not understand the condition.
4. Hard to talk about.  IBS is not great dinner/romantic/ideal conversation.
5. Some (not all) Doctors are not good with IBS, not good at all.

We are sure that many other sufferers can come up with a far more exhaustive list, however we made ourselves keep it to five.  The initial list went into the hundreds.

IBS in Children

IBS in Children

IBS is a very difficult condition to diagnose in children.  It is a condition that can exist for some time before it is recognised and parents through no fault of their own will fail to see the signs.  IBS is often associated as an adult condition, and is rarely the 'go to' answer for many issues in youngsters.

A Warning

I am lucky to have kind and caring parents, who have supported me throughout my life.  IBS was the one thing they got horribly wrong and it is for this reason I urge caution to other parents.  Whilst I may have had IBS already, it was not helped by my diet or by their misunderstanding of the situation.  

What to look for:

• Obviously frequent bathroom trips.
• Frequent stomach ache.
• Regularly bloated stomach.
• Signs of anxiety.
• Sometimes fatigue will play a role if they are having digestive problems.

This link will take you to a definition of IBS on our website.  If these symptoms look familiar, do seek medical assistance.  As a youth the symptoms are not particularly harmful, however if untreated they will leave a nasty psychological scar.

What to do:

• Seek medical assistance.
• Look at a low FODMAP diet 
• Listen and be patient – is very hard for the young to understand what is happening.
• Talk with your child and help them understand the condition.
• Emphasise the importance of diet to them, it is not nice to not be ale to eat the good stuff.
• Visit our website for more free hints and tips www.IBS-Health.com 

IBS Diet for children.

There is clearly a far greater focus on diet now anyway, but do not loose sight of a child's ability to procure  nasty food.  All the things children love are profoundly wrong for IBS, refined sugary sweets, fizzy caffeinated drinks, take away food....  If your child is showing signs of IBS it will help them if you can connect the problems they are having with those foods.

If you follow this link you will go to a list of foods which are grouped by their FODMAP rating.  This appears to be the best way of tackling IBS, and will alleviate many of the symptoms.  This is not any easy change, but it is a necessary change to make.

IBS Support for Children

If it looks like your child has IBS or even if they frequently go to the bathroom, this will test your parental patience to the limit.  Modern lifestyles leave little time for time, patience and understanding.  The patience of a saint will be tested by a child who can not go anywhere without multiple bathroom trips.

For the sake of their long term mental health and happiness, it is pivotal that you are able to deal with this calmly until you are able to treat the condition.  My father would get very annoyed and tell me to 'control myself'.  I can tell you that I would have loved to 'control myself' however it was a physical condition.

I say to any parent with a child of IBS, please be patient, it is a physical condition and failure to keep control of you irritation will ensure that your child will become increasingly anxious about his/her condition and it will make the condition a psychological and physical issue.

IBS in Children Summary

This is a very difficult condition to treat at the best of times, however it is far more difficult with the young.  We get to know and understand our bodies as we grow older, for them it is all new and without help they may not be able to make the link between their condition and their diet.

We can not emphasise enough the importance of patience.  This is not an issue of bad or good parenting,  everyone has a patience threshold.  If even the most basic of tasks is held up by a child that will not stop going to then bathroom, it is hard but vital to remain calm and patience.

Next to a healthy diet, a sense of calm and patience is the best gift you can give to a child with IBS. Do not allow their need for the bathroom to become equated with stress and panic.  If things go wrong then again, no big deal, teach them to dust themselves off and move on.  Try and get them to associate their need for the bathroom with calm, if you think of the Pavlovian experiment, you are conditioning them for later in life.

One final point.  Having been kind, patient and caring, having done all you can for their futures, don't expect any thanks, most kids don't roll that way.

Visit – www.IBS-Health.com for free help and support for IBS / Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Top Ten best bits of advice for IBS

Top Ten best bits of advice for IBS

Wading through the great swathes of information available for IBS takes time, hence we have formulated a list of the top ten bits of advice for IBS sufferers.

1. Cut out harmful elements of your diet where possible. Coffee, alcohol (all the good stuff) fatty foods, and some medication (aspirin, ibruprofen, antibiotics) can have severe impacts on your digestive system. Where possible remove them from your diet.
2. Make notes of the foods that effect you personally. We are all unique and react differently to certain foods. Make sure you know how your body deals with possible trigger foods (fresh fruit is one such example).
3. Be as open and honest as you can with those around you. Help them to understand your situation, you do not have to be graphic, but a touch of empathy goes a long way.
4. A high quality source of friendly bacteria, is almost always beneficial. Seeking out a superior source of friendly bacteria is much easier now with forums and honest reviews on Amazon, however try a few to find the right one for you.
5. Be patient when trying the many IBS supplements available. Some work, some do not, many take time before you know whether they have been beneficial. Most natural products do not work overnight.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Be disciplined. Sadly if you have severe or long term IBS you will have to make sacrifices in terms of what you an and can not eat. Whilst it is down to you remember that you are choosing between food and quality of life.
7. Learn how to deal with stress. This is not meant to trivialise a very serious issue in modern society, however stress and IBS are often bedfellows, thus it is incumbent upon you to try and find a way to cope with stress.
8. A healthy diet and lifestyle is a pre requisite. We like to specialise in honesty on our site and in doing so must state that IBS like most conditions is easier to treat when the sufferer is in a good state of general health. This includes both diet and exercise.
9. For long term sufferers IBS can be as much psychological as physical. Over the years sufferers can be conditioned into a state of anxiety, it is imperative to be able to think rationally and to distinguish between a physical bout of IBS and psychological one.
10. Don't expect a quick fix or magic pill. Whilst sufferers who develop IBS as a result of medication for example, may find their symptoms simply die off, long term sufferers at present have no know cure. At present it is down to your own will and determination.
    
    

Long term there is a great deal of hope that significant advances will be made. FODMAP and gut microbiome research looks as though it is providing a way forward that has previously been lacking. It finally appears that the condition is being taken seriously.

www.IBS-Health.com