The BRAT Diet

Gas, bloating and diarrhea each can be red-flags signaling early stages of IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  This Brat diet post will address some remedies suggested and discussed in my readings as of late that I believe will offer some additional insight, if you are seeking alternative solutions to rid your IBS and diarrhea, gas pressure and or bloating.

Gas reduction in your intestines can sometimes be found, through the use of peppermint oil in capsule form. In addition, this can help to reduce pains and bloating.

Acupuncture: this has been shown to have conflicting results. Positive impacts such as reduced symptoms of bloating and improvement in overall well being were reported in the Hepato-Gastroenterology Journal -(think Gastro-Intestinal diseases).  But acupuncture found no significant improvement or benefit to speak of regarding digestion.

Reduce stress: stress management techniques can help reduce IBS condition. Patients are recommended to try meditation, biofeedback and yoga exercises.  *Editor’s note: from all the things I read, an individual with IBS or chronic diarrhea, very OFTEN is stressed to the max, has lousy lifestyle habits and sorely poor excuse for a diet.

Hypnosis:  hypnosis can help through aiding the patient to relax and relax symptoms. According to Olafur Palsson, an expert (Associate Professor of Medicine in the gastroenterology and hepotology department at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) of hepatology  (the study of the liver, gall bladder, pancreas and the biliary tract (or biliary tree also referred to as sometimes) and gastroenterology, this is supported by many studies. He has observed that such strategy has worked on 80% or more patients, in numerous published studies.

Therapy: change of self-perception and perceptions about the world can help solve IBS. This is called Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).  This was supported by a study involving IBS patients, many (55% and 65% of patients in the individual and group category respectively) of whom resulted in having IBS symptoms reduced by a fifty percent.

These were taken through CBT sessions (Cognitive Behavior Therapy sessions) as groups or as individuals, where they were taken through various aspects of CBT, including being trained how to relax muscles, development of skills to solve IBS, and other information about IBS.

Patients undergoing Irritable Bowel Syndrome are advised to try out natural solutions instead of suffering in silence. One of the most discouraging trends is that many do not talk it out with their doctors, and few do it in America when constipation, pain and diarrhea disrupts normal working, daily life, routine, exercise or even simply going out for dinner.
Statistically, only 20% of patients seek medication or medical help for their health problem, although 20% of all Americans are suffering with IBS. Many of them are women. Many who do not seek medication because of the bowel problems are just shy to talk about it with the doctor, while the symptoms are not unusual or does not cause bother to others – - According to an expert at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

IBS is characterized by combined symptoms, including diarrhea, constipation, being uncomfortable or unable to take particular foods, stool having mucus in it, bloating and feeling pain in the abdomen. In addition, the combination includes cramps and experiencing flatulence. Diarrhea and constipation will mostly alternate.

Abdominal pains are experienced for 12 weeks in 12 months period (previous period) during treatment, but this may not be taking place consecutively.  Again, bowel movement leads to pain relieve. The movement rate changes when pain or discomfort has started.

Symptoms often repeat after a couple of days, but symptoms must be experienced for at least 25% of the time period if one has to be said to have IBS.

The common theme to fix your IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diarrhea or the conditions and symptoms that creep into your life because of one of the above (gas, bloating / water retention, constipation, etc.) follows three constantly rooted themes in almost every solution that has passed through my hands.  Rarely is any of this information earth-shattering.  But, few people bother to pay attention to the simple, easy, obvious stuff: eliminate stress from your life, focus on the cause of the real problem and examine the realities and consequences of your lifestyle and poor habits that are costing you (IBS and diarrhea may not be the worst to come!) daily, in a big way.
Sandy

I began to write (and rewrite) an up and coming post focused on the many different things I’ve been reading about IBS and diarrhea that readers have asked me some questions about and as I crafted one particular post, some of the digging-deeper investigative work to double-check reported facts in a popular magazine article, led me to go off on a tangent.  My findings are included below, standing on their own.  I opted for the sake of fluidity and staying on topic to put those findings here by themselves, rather than as an indented quote or editor side bar in the original post.

EDITORS NOTE: A WARNING: One of the articles I have recently read about alternatives for IBS and diarrhea, gas and bloating was via a normally trusted and reliable source: Natural Health Magazine.  But, I came across an herb suggested, based on a Chinese herbal formula, sold as IBS-F based on a study monitored by the “Journal of the American Medical Association”, or JAMA, a peer-reviewed general medicine journal whose stories and studies get picked up by popular, known media outlets: USA Today, major (U.S.) prime television and cable networks.

What was published about the study, in my opinion is not conclusive enough to endorse it here.  Those details include: Researchers administered IBS patients one of three formulas for their Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a 5-capsule dose per day of a Chinese herbal formula with ginger, licorice and “18 other ingredients” three times a day, OR a placebo (sugar pill) or a “similar mix” targeting specific symptoms.  According to Natural health Magazine: 64-76 percent saw their symptoms improve in four months time, versus only 33 percent of those taking just the placebo.  The Chinese formula used in the study was IBS-F, manufactured by Brion Herbs (BrionHerbs.com).

I’m including a screenshot of the only similar clinical study relating to determining the use of Chinese herbs in relation to treating IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, via the JAMA website.  It is possible, that what was reported a published in Natural Health Magazine, and what I found is not the same.  But, when I went fact checking to dig deeper before I share opinions and conclusions with my readers, some parts just didn’t add up, in my book.

Note that the study I found dated back to a trial from 1996-1997, and the Natural Health Magazine article was published in 2010.

Note that an improvement was marked by a “degree with interference of life caused by IBS symptoms”, which could also be interpreted as not actually improving IBS, in actuality.  To me, sounds like science was not the desired result here.

Note that the clinical study only had 116 people in it.  That’s very few in my opinion.

Note that their conclusion, based on the above criteria was: “Chinese herbal formulations appear to offer improvement in symptoms for some patients with IBS.“

Well, one could also conclude that if you have IBS and suffering from the conditions and symptoms which include: gas, bloating, constipation and or diarrhea that if you take five placebos (plain sugar in a capsule) three times a day over a four month stretch and have IBS, you’ll see a 33 percent improvement in your symptoms!

Mentioning such a story, in a semi-recent magazine, without digging deeper in my opinion is misleading to the general public.  There are many out there who are legitimately sick, but I really don’t believe that what needs to be fixed requires such complications – - unfortunately, the media is only fueled by what the public demands: quick, painless options that require little or no work or dietary or lifestyle change from individuals suffering from poor diet and lifestyle habits that have resulted in their current, unhealthy predicament.

I didn’t feel right implying an endorsement to that Chinese herbal formula in particular, decided to do a little more legwork, dig deeper and went to their (BrionHerbs) website, located in California, and frankly did not like what I saw.  I lot of ways to buy and formulas being sold, but little explanation, a red flag in my opinion.  Which led to further digging.  – Sandy!

P.S.  I will be posting the original, additional posts about other alternatives to fix and heal IBS and diarrhea in the next few days, so watch for those related posts.

There are several ways to combat and ultimately remedy your IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and diarrhea, I’ll be discussing IBS and diarrhea in a couple of my next up and coming posts, this is the first.

I’m constantly scouring over the latest findings about all things that relate to the brat diet and related ailments that may cause one to seek out the eating regimen for relief, thus IBS is certainly often in that conversation.  Here’s some of the latest thinking from experts and researchers in their field and an accumulation of things read or notes taken that have made it to my desk.

What To Do About Your IBS And Diarrhea

Since no specific cure exists for anyone, the best solution to problems related to IBS is lifestyle management, according to Locke. Stress management, having exercises on a regular basis, avoiding large amount of foods and choosing to eat small regular amounts instead, can help solve the difficulty. Once this is accomplished, other interventions should base on what the patient is experiencing regularly; constipation or diarrhea. If diarrhea is the main occurrence, one can take nonprescription Imodium, which is also referred to as loperamide, or take milk of magnesia where constipation is the predominant occurrence. This applies for light symptoms, and of the symptoms persist, patients can do one of the following:

Avoid foods which cause the symptoms or the triggers. The likely triggers in this case are milk, chocolate, and alcohol. Patients can also avoid taking beverages with caffeine and greased foods. This is important because many associate IBS with particular foods, according to Chang.

Both diarrhea and constipation-related cases can be settled by use of fiber foods. These foods help accumulate stools because they can hold water. They can also help patients to avoid constipation by bringing fluid in the bowels.  Supplements such as FiberCon can assist according to professor Galier. Another solution is the Detoxifiber. This is manufactured and sold by the Garden of Life and has no gluten. It comprises of fiber, both in soluble and insoluble forms in a balanced quotient. It also does not have harsh laxative or psyllium.  However, it is recommended that people should avoid taking too much fiber to avoid bloating, but establish the workable dosage as directed on the package.

Use of Probiotics: they add good bacteria in the intestines, hence improves the condition therein. A number of studies during a yearly scientific meeting argued at the America College of Gastroenterology that probiotics can return to normal the bowel conditions. This happens in 28 days of use. However, these studies do not explain whether treatment is achieved by use of combined strains or single strains of probiotics.

Use of Lactobacillus acidophilus can reduce IBS symptoms after four weeks as would use of Bifidobacterium infantis (both are influential types of bacteria). In addition to having no side effects, these types increase the patient’s quality of life. Vegetarians may use the American Health Priobiotics CD option. It has the two types of bacteria mentioned.

Consider using Ginger: it is an herb that is argued to help in digestion. It can also help reduce stomach problems, as well as a solution for diarrhea. The forms and dosage to be taken include powdered root of the herb (2-4g/day), as well as tincture (1 and half-3 mls/day) and fresh root (a quarter gram to 1 gram/day). This is just the start of some of the material I’ll be writing about related specifically to IBS and diarrhea, but don’t fret, more posts are around the corner.

Sandy

Little Known Facts About IBS Symptoms and Treatment

The symptoms and treatment for IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be quite hard to determine especially if you are not familiar with this particular illness. For starters, irritable bowel syndrome also called spastic colon and irritable colon, among others is a condition in which the muscles of the colon contracts abnormally.  This means that a person with IBS will most probably experience irritable bowel movement and bloating after eating more often than a person who doesn’t have this condition.

IBS symptoms usually includes digestive issues such as excessive gas, flatulence, abdominal pains and cramps, painful constipation, irritable bowel movement, bloating, and heartburn. Bowel infection and mucus in the stool can also be an indication of severe IBS.  The IBS syndrome will affect your life more than you can imagine. Most people who have this condition get upset easily which leads to extreme stress and nervous tension. Women can even experience more symptoms when they have their period. The only way you can get back your life again is to find IBS help.

Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome consists of a process which you need to willingly undertake. You may have to inject some changes in your life such as your diet and day to day activities, among others.  The first thing you need to do is to determine what seems to be the cause for you to find the proper remedy. If you are a chain smoker, then smoking could be the underlying cause of your IBS. The best thing to do is to stop smoking. Your choice of food can also be the source of this condition. Some foods to avoid are those which contain caffeine as well as fatty and yeast enriched foods. There are also numerous drugs available in pharmacies for instant constipation relief.

The Dr. Oz Show website has a lot of IBS info which you can read and use to determine IBS symptoms and treatment. You can also find various diets for IBS sufferers and natural treatments. Exercise and learning how to manage stress can also be great for long-term bloating remedy. When eating with IBS, you have to be choosy with the food you put into your mouth as some foods may worsen your condition.  While some foods can be bad for your health, there are also some supplements which can actually improve your stomach’s state such as those with probiotics.