IBS-Irritable Bowel Syndrome a personal view of Natural help

After having your Doctor rule out other conditions you may like to consider natural self help for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) by:

1. Diet
Increase dietary fibre with a water soluble fibre, such as that I found in a product called Maxicol capsules . Maxicol capsules is a special combination of natural soluble dietary fibre and friendly probiotic cultures which can help promote healthy intestinal activity, digestion and colon regularity as part of a healthy diet (available in freeze dried or capsule form).

Fructo-Oligosaccharides in Maxicol capsules is a soluble fibre, found in vegetables and fuit, can help to support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Fructo-Oligosaccharides cannot be absorbed or digested by the body they act only as a food for the friendly bacteria, and are ideal for maintaining the health of the intestines.

A further ingredient in Maxicol capsules Psyllium Husk A natural mucilage derived from the seeds and husks of the Plantago plant, Psyllium is a mixed polysaccharide soluble fibre which has the capacity to absorb water and swell in the colon to help facilitate the passage of intestinal contents. Psyllium is not absorbed by the body, it acts only as a gentle bulking agent which unlike wheat fibre does not affect the absorption of nutrients.

Maxicol also contains Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidum Probiotic Complex. The balance of the intestinal flora is essential to good health and in the maintenance of a healthy colon. Friendly bacteria in the intestines can easily become compromised due to illness, certain medications or poor dietary habits, which can lead to bowel disorders. Maxicol provides two important bacteria strains to help maintain the balance of bacteria within the colon.



For those customers looking for an Advanced formula of probiotic bacteria and fructo-Oligosaccharides without Psyllium we stock Kordels Intesto Active.






Use Aloe Vera Colon Cleanser & Detox (Juice or tablets) containing the herbs Milk Thistle, Dandelion root extract and Liquorice - herbs used widely for their cleansing properties

Take Aloe Vera Digestive Aid (juice or tablets with fennel and digestive enzymes) with soothing Peppermint oil, Papaya, Chamomile and Slippery elm - herbs used for their soothing digestive properties.




Replace ordinary tea and coffee with Peppermint and Chamomile teas

Suggested homeopathic remedies
Nitricum acidum - 6C
Carbo vegetabilis - 200C
Nux vomica - 200C



2. Eliminating certain foods (especially for food allergy or food intolerance)
Take Lactase prior to consumption of milk for those who are Lactose intolerant or replace Dairy with Soya milk

The elimination diet is the least expensive method for detecting food sensitivity, yet appears to yield the best results in patients with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

In the elimination diet the individual is placed on a limited diet. Common foods are eliminated and replaced with either hypoallergenic foods, foods rarely eaten or special hypoallergenic formulas. Typically, the elimination diet consists of lamb, chicken, potatoes, rice, bannana, apple and a vegetable from the brassica family. The individual stays on this limited diet for at least one week and up to one month.

A large number of individuals will feel a marked improvement while on the elimination diet. If the symptoms are related to food sensitivity, they typically disappear by the fifth or sixth day of the diet. If the symptoms do not disappear by then, it is possible a reaction is to a food remaining in the elimination diet and an even more restricted diet must be followed.

After one week, individual foods are reintroduced according to a plan where a particular food is reintroduced every two days. Usually after the one week cleansing period, the patient will develop an increasing sensitivity to offending foods. Reintroduction of the offending foods will typically produce a more severe or recognizable symptom than before. The food should be reintroduced alone as the entire meal.

A careful, detailed record must be maintained, describing when foods were reintroduced and any accompanying symptoms. The wrist pulse should be monitored during reintroduction, as pulse changes may occur when an offending food is consumed.

The presence of Candida Albicans in the intestinal tract favours the development of allergic and pseudo allergic reaction, it is often a complicating factor.

If you have a food intolerance test carried out it must be from a reputable source who will guarantee it shows correct results relating to IBS, it's best to get a recommendation from your Doctor for allergy testing.

4. Controlling psychological factors
Some researchers believe that IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) sufferers have difficulty adapting to life events, although this has not been fully demonstrated in clinical studies. Consider yoga, meditation, hypnotherapy and psychotherapy to help address stress, anxiety and depression. Gentle exercise can also have a beneficial impact producing feelings of well being.