In my clinics i have to say this is probably the most popular reason why people come to see me. IBS can be the bain of someones life, but to be honest its not too difficult to treat as long as you are doing the right things. Your gut works beautifully most of the time, and is designed to deal with a lot. But from my knowledge, if there is continuous stress, or continuous bad eating habits, skipping meals, a stomach infection etc it can trigger irregular bowls. Some people get it mildly, others severe, where they literally do not want to leave the house for fear of not being able to find a loo nearby.
The first thing you need to do is rebalance the gut flora. Here is my top list of things to do when you are suffering. The majority of time there is no need for medication, most of the time it is resolvable with everything we have in nature.
- Clean up your diet - get rid of processed salts and sugar. Your liver won’t like these foods and all you are doing is challenging the body more by eating things that are not going to serve your health.
Take half a teaspoon of chlorella daily - yes this might taste a little like pond water, but just find a way to take it as best you can. I recommend adding some to coconut water, or to a fresh juice. Chlorella works amazingly well at removing toxins from the gut, liver and blood. But it also adds good bacteria, minerals and helps to purify the blood. Its one of my favourite go-to's if someone comes to me with gut issues because after 6-8 days of taking it you really do start to feel the difference.
Sauerkraut - just 2 teaspoons with your food daily will make so much difference to your gut. It helps to balance gut bacteria and gives you a truck load of nutrients at the same time. The problem is when someone has suffered from gut issues for a while, they often start to feel depleted because they have been cutting so much substance out of their diet to try and help, but actually they forgot to add in the really good stuff in the process.
Chia seeds - not only do they help to balance blood sugar levels, and give you a boost of omega oils, they help to smooth the way for your poo. Yes I know its a subject that we don’t like to talk about, but we all do it, so lets make sure you are going for a poo every day and clearing those bowels out. Having regular bowel habits is key to a healthy gut. And if you gut is healthy, then chances are, you will be too.- Drink water - add lemons, limes, ginger, mint and even some berries to a large jug of water and make sure you drink it daily. Its refreshing and delicious. If you want to be super good about your health filtered water is best. Do NOT drink from a plastic bottle because it leaches chemicals that are potentially harmful for you. Try and have a glass bottle if possible. Also if you have digestive issues ice water is not good either! It puts out your digestive fire which stops your stomach from being able to digest things probably causing pain, gas or discomfort. Try room temperature or warm water to sooth all the way from top to bottom! Literally!! Also think about the planet when you have a hundreds of plastic water bottles every week.
- Cut out fizzy/carbonated drinks - they play havoc with your digestion and are simply a 'no no' if you want to feel better.
- Go Plant based - focusing on more fruit and veg is essential for your digestion. Add mango or water melon to your green salads, grate carrot and beetroot, add hydrating cucumber and iron rich radishes. Then add lashings of fresh lime, olive oil and garlic as a dressing and boom - you have a tasty zingly salad ready to go.
If you need help or want to discuss any health concerns drop me an e-mail - info@denisekelly.co.uk