Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder, which generally affects the colon (large intestine). It usually shows symptoms like abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, gas and constipation. IBS is a long-term condition. It can result in sudden mood swings, depression and thus holds you back from living your life to the fullest. IBS can be controlled by managing lifestyle, stress and managing your diet. Medication and counseling could also be required to manage IBS.

Symptoms of IBS:

Immense cramping and pain.
A feeling that your belly is bloated all the time
Severe gas
Alternating and sudden bouts of constipation and diarrhea.
Presence of mucus in the feces.
Whenever you experience such kind of symptoms, it is always advisable that you must consult a doctor, so that it doesn't lead to a serious condition.

When should you consult a doctor for IBS?
IBS is not a chronic disorder and can be controlled by home remedies. It may also require medical treatment if the symptoms become acute and persist for too long. If you experience certain symptoms like rectal bleeding, weight loss and heavy abdominal pain that might increase at night, you may be at a risk for colon cancer. If such symptoms persist, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible.

Causes of IBS:

Foods: Most people are susceptible to IBS if they consume foods like spices, fats, fruits, cabbage, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carbonated beverage, milk or alcohol. These foods irritate the lining of the stomach and trigger IBS. However, the trigger may vary from person to person.
Stress: Signs and symptoms of IBS can also increase if you are very stressed out. Stress makes your muscles too worked up and this may result in IBS. However, you should know that stress aggravates or triggers the symptoms but doesn t cause IBS.
Hormones: Women are more likely to develop IBS. Fluctuations in the hormonal cycle can trigger IBS. This usually occurs around or during menstruation.
Other illnesses: Sometimes illness such as gastroenteritis (infectious diarrhea) or bacterial overgrowth in the intestines can trigger symptoms of IBS.
Age: You will be more likely to develop IBS if you are 45 years of age or above.
Hereditary: People having a family history of IBS are more susceptible to develop IBS.
Mental problems: Depression, personality disorder, anxiety and a history of sexual abuse can also trigger symptoms of IBS.

Can Severe Gas be a Sign of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Curd is a staple in every household in India; whether it is served with piping hot parathas or by itself after a meal. The simple food item is packed with a number of nutrients and helps in increasing the health benefits in your body.

Here are a few reasons why you should be eating curd, almost every day:

Probiotics help in digestion: Curd, being rich in probiotics (good bacteria), improves digestion as it kills all the harmful bacteria in the digestive tract and aids the proliferation of good bacteria. Probiotics also help in the prevention of various digestive issues such as cramps, bloating and abdominal pain caused due to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Promotes weight loss around the belly: A hormone called cortisol, also called the  stress hormone  persuades the fat cells to produce more fat around your belly area. Consuming a cup of curd daily increases the amount of calcium in your body which limits the release of cortisol, thus, helping you lose weight. Curd also retains one-third of lean muscle mass which helps you maintain your physique post those dropped kilos for a longer time.
Curd strengthens your immunity system: A cup of curd is loaded with good bacteria which is essential for fighting off germs, thereby making your immune system stronger and more persistent. Making curd a part of your daily diet is a great idea as it is effective in preventing yeast infections around the vaginal area.
Toughens up your skeletal system: Like all dairy products, curd is rich in calcium which is necessary for strong bones and teeth. Apart from calcium, curd is rich in phosphorous and together, they quicken the bone growth process and helps in preventing arthritis and osteoporosis.
Helps in improving cardiovascular health: Eating curd helps in improving cardiovascular health as it discourages the spread of cholesterol around the arterial area, thus, reducing the risks of a coronary disease. Curd reduces hypertension which is a pre-cursor to most heart ailments.

5 Reasons You Should be Eating Curd Daily 

The bowel is a very important part of your body within the digestive system as it plays a vital role in the absorption of nutrients and minerals within your body as well as excreting toxic matter. The bowel contains the small bowel or small intestine as well as the large bowel or the large intestine. However, parts of the bowel may be infected or damaged in such a manner that they may need to be removed in order to save further worsening. Thus, the removal of sections of the bowels is known as bowel resection surgery.

How is bowel resection surgery performed?

In this procedure, sections of either the large intestine or the small intestine are removed which have either become diseased, infected or have malignant growths within them. The doctors and surgeons first identify the sections that need to be removed and then perform the surgery wherein a section of the tissue is excised and then two ends of the bowel are stitched together to form a new section of continuous small intestine or large intestine.

Types of bowel resection
There are two types of bowel resection, namely small bowel resection performed on the small intestine and large bowel resection performed on the large intestine. The indications for both of them are mentioned below:
Small Bowel resection: Some of the cases wherein small bowel resection may be required are as follows:

Cancerous or benign polyps or growth
Precancerous growths and polyps
Damage to the small intestine due to injuries
Congenital defects in the small intestine
Blockages in the intestine
Growth of ulcers, bleeding, and infection within the small intestine
Infections within the intestines
Other disorders of the small intestine
Large bowel resection: Large bowel resection is also carried out due to many of the same reasons as mentioned above. However, some of the specific reasons for large bowel resection are mentioned below:

Colon cancer
Diverticulitis, disorder that specifically affects the large intestine
Bowel inflammation or ulcerative colitis
Abnormal twisting of the bowel also known as volvulus
Intestines which slide into another section of the intestine; also known as intussusception
Risks of the bowel resection
Like any other surgery, bowel resection also carries its own risks just as any other form of surgery. Some of the common risks of bowel resection are  

Adverse reaction to anesthesia
Infections
Heart attacks or strokes during the operation
Infections
Excessive bleeding among others
Specific risks for large and small bowel resections are mentioned as follows:

Small bowel resection: Certain common risks include accumulation of pus in the abdomen, internal bleeding within the intestine after surgery, diarrhea, infection of the incision area and the stitched area breaking open among others
Large bowel resection: In this case, tissues protruding through the cut causing an incisional hernia is the most common element of risk. Nearby organs may be damaged as well; scar tissue, problems with the passage of material within the colon among others are some of the other complications.
However, these issues occur rarely and resections are performed very successfully and quite regularly by surgeons.

Bowel Resection Surgery - Facts You Should be Aware of 

The human body with its multiple organs is a highly complicated structure and one or more organs often malfunction for various reasons. However, for some, no reasons are identified for this problem. One such is irritable bowel syndrome or IBS as it is commonly referred to.

It is a common disorder affecting the large intestine leading to alternate bouts of diarrhea and constipation, abdominal cramps and a feeling of fullness. It is common in people younger than 45 years of age, affects women more than men, and though the exact reason is not known, the following are attributed.

Physical/Physiologic reasons:

1. Signal issues between the brain and intestines: For various or even unknown reasons, the brain may not be able to send the right signal to the stomach to process food, making the stomach to be hyperactive and have an increased sense of pain or sensitivity or discomfort. Neurotransmitters, which are chemicals responsible for sending signals to various organs also could be involved.

2. Hormonal connection: Menstrual periods tend to aggravate symptoms of IBS, while postmenopausal women are largely free of IBS symptoms.

3. Genetics: People with a family history of IBS are more likely to develop IBS too.

4. Aggravating foods: Foods rich in carbohydrates, spicy foods, fatty foods, caffeine and alcohol aggravate IBS symptoms. Ability to absorb sugar could be a cause too.

5. Infections: Some people with IBS have certain bacteria identified in their gut which produces excessive gas and this could lead to altered bowel movements.

6. GI Motility Issues: Alterations in the way the food passes through the stomach can lead to either constipation (slow movement) or diarrhea (quicker movement). There could also be spasms and contractions after eating, especially if the stress levels are high.

7. Psychological issues: Panic disorder, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder are common in IBS patients. It is possible that they are not able to express their psychological stress, it manifests as physical symptoms. Stress increases symptoms of IBS and vice versa.

Management:

1. Manage stress: Meditation, yoga, support groups, medication and even hypnosis in severely stressed people helps control stress, providing great relief in IBS symptoms.

2. Lifestyle changes: Reduce alcohol and smoking

3. Dietary changes: Avoid aggravating foods, increase the amount of fiber if you have diarrhea and space out meals to avoid intestinal overload

4. Herbal remedies: Probiotics, peppermint oil and a variety of herbal medicines are available.

5. Symptomatic medications: Based on presenting symptoms, different medications including antibiotics for infections and motility drugs can be used. Anti anxiety and antidepressants are also prescribed to manage the psychological issues.

In terms of causes, symptoms, or treatment, IBS requires a very individualized approach and your doctor is the right person to discuss this with and decide.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Symptoms and Management

IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, also called irritable bowel, is a disorder that is striking many more people today than ever. It is basically a gastrointestinal motility disorder with no known cause. Not sure, if it has struck you too? Here are the common symptoms of this scourge. You have abdominal pain followed by severe bloating with abdominal cramps after eating. You also feel that your bowels are always full and you suffer from chronic diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both.

What is the treatment for IBS? 

None or close to none, in allopathy. Doctors will give you medicines to manage symptoms and once the medicines are stopped, IBS strikes again. IBS is called  Grahani  in Ayurveda which is the name given to the small intestine because of its property to store and metabolize food. In the small intestine, which sees a lot of agni or enzymatic activity, food is held for a long time till it is digested. But when agni is weak due to malfunctioning digestive enzymes, the small intestine releases food in an undigested form.

There are 4 different types of Grahani based on the type of dosha which is disturbed.

Ayurveda uses the principle of involvement of doshas to understand symptoms in different types of IBS and also provide a system of treatment specific to that particular dosha imbalance. Ayurvedic treatments encompass herbs, food and lifestyle changes.

The concept of weak digestion or  Mand-agni  is also the key, as it leads to the accumulation of Ama , which causes IBS.
When levels of ama are high, the doctor will treat it with fasting and by giving you digestives and carminatives. He will ask you to drink warm water.
In constipation predominant IBS, the doctor will use digestives like chitrakadi vati and shankha vati to get rid of ama. He will also prescribe medicinal ghee preparations such as dashmuladi ghrita and thryushanadi ghrita.
Emesis (vamana) is used to treat diarrhea-predominant IBS.
The Ayurvedic treatment for dysentery predominant IBS is use of laxatives or virechana and use of herbs with spicy and sour tastes.
Complex IBS is treated with the panchakarma, supported by digestives.
Ayurveda relies a lot on buttermilk to treat IBS as it is digestive, astringent, and light to digest. It is usually given with herbs like asafetida, cumin, and rock-salt powder to control bowel movements. Buttermilk also contains a good amount of lactobacillus bacteria, which help to restore the normal flora of the GI tract.
Doctors will ask you to abstain from vata increasing foods like cabbage and beans, if you suffer from flatulence. Restriction of dairy and fruits like bananas may also be required. You will be asked to take a light diet and do away with cheese, non-veg and hard, cold foods. You will also be eating a lot of ginger, fennel and cumin that stimulate secretion of digestive enzymes for treating IBS.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Ways Ayurveda Can Help!

A surprising large number of people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition characterized by a combination of stomach pain, abdominal discomfort and abnormal bowel movement such as diarrhea or constipation. This condition is not life threatening, but can make you very uncomfortable and increase your risk of suffering from other colon problems. Ayurveda can be very effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome. Here are a few tips.

A healthy diet
Diet is one of the most important facets of Ayurveda. To prevent bowel difficulties eat plenty of fiber and easy to digest foods. Cumin seeds, pomegranate and buttermilk can also aid digestion and prevent this condition. Drinking warm water can also aid digestion. On the other hand, curd, junk food, acidic beverages and food that causes bloating and excessive gas production such as potatoes, cabbage and cauliflower should be reduced or removed from your daily diet.

Yoga asanas
Yoga works on the physical and psychological levels of a person. It also massages and strengthens a number of different organs. Stress is one of the biggest causes of irritable bowel syndrome. Yoga can help combat stress and alleviates anxiety and aids relaxation. A few basic yoga asanas that can help ease pain and treat this condition are:

Marjariasana
Pavanamuktasana
Downward facing dog
Ardhamatsyendrasena
Bhujangasana
Dhanurasana
Panchakarma
This is an Ayurvedic cleansing process that enhances the metabolic process and eliminates toxins from the body. Panchakarma literally means 5 techniques or forms of treatment. This includes vamana, virechana, basti, nasya and raktamokshana. These processes make the mind and body more receptive to food and medicines that treat irritable bowel syndrome.

Probiotics: Probiotics supplement your natural gut bacteria and help break down complex foods. It can also help alleviate bloating, abdominal pain and regularize bowel movements. Probiotics can be found in oatmeal, whole grains and a number of fruits and vegetables like asparagus, onions and bananas.
Herbs: Ayurveda also utilizes the properties of herbs to treat health conditions. Half a spoon of turmeric taken twice a day can help reduce intestinal inflammation and reduce bloating and abdominal pain. Drinking a concoction made by steeping spoonful of dried mint leaves or coriander seeds in hot water for ten minutes can also help deal with this condition. Equal quantities of powdered dry ginger, pepper and pippali can help regulate digestion. 

Know How To Treat IBS with Ayurveda!

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