Ask:
Since I returned from Spain 16 months ago, I have suffered from chronic diarrhea sometimes five or six times a day, with terrible winds and bloating. My stomach feels queasy all the time. I have undergone every test imaginable, including laparoscopy, colonoscopy, barium flour, CT scan, urinalysis, stool samples, and blood tests, all of which have been negative. My specialist tells me that I have irritable bowel syndrome. He’s making my life hell. What treatment can you suggest?
Answer:
I’m sure your specialist is right. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not a disease, as the cause is unknown (although many doctors tend to view it as a psychological problem). If a specific cause were found, such as yeast infection, intestinal fermentation, giardia, parasites, diverticulitis, or Crohn’s disease, the diagnosis of IBS would not be valid.
A syndrome is a set of symptoms that may or may not be related to a particular organ or system, or to a single cause. IBS is characterized by heartburn or indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal cramps, fullness of the intestines even after evacuation, bloating of the stomach shortly after eating, and food intolerance manifesting as diarrhea shortly after ingesting certain types of food. As you can see, these are all related to the gut.
At my Medical Center, about one in five patients come to us because of this problem. Twenty years of experience has shown me that the best way is to help the digestive system heal itself by eating foods that are easy to digest and beneficial to the body.
These are the main points:
Diet
* Eat slowly and chew your food very well so that your stomach does not exhaust itself from having to stir the food, producing more acid in the process.
* Do not drink water for 45 minutes on each side of meals, so that the gastric juice is not diluted, impairing digestion; During your meal, drink a little to help you swallow.
* After lunch, rest for 15 to 20 minutes; after dinner, slowly walk a mile. This helps the digestive organs work better.
Avoid the following:
* Citrus fruits and acidic foods, which contain acid that causes indigestion by neutralizing bile, which is essential for good digestion.
* Yeast that causes intestinal fermentation, causing gas, bloating, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
* Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and cola, which make the intestinal muscles tense and cause cramps.
* Fried foods, which are difficult to digest and put pressure on the production and supply of bile.
* All alcohol, which is particularly bad for those with IBS; for example, white wine and champagne cause heartburn. and beer produces gases.
* Sugar and sugary foods, which feed yeast and candida.
* Fizzy drinks.
* Canned products, which contain lots of preservatives, which cause heartburn and bloating.
* Forage (fruits, non-root vegetables, cereals and milk) for one to two months until the diarrhea stops.
This is what I suggest you eat:
Breakfast Soft-boiled eggs or pancakes made with buckwheat flour with cottage cheese and honey, plus tea without milk to drink (ginger and mint are good). Lunch / dinner simmered minced meat, chicken or turkey with garlic, ginger and black pepper; olive oil mashed or boiled potatoes (peeled), carrots, parsnips, turnips, turnips; lentils soaked overnight and then cooked. Also boil the rind of a pomegranate in eight cups of water for 15 minutes, then cool and strain. Store in a refrigerator and, to settle the stomach, drink half a cup twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, for seven days.
Remedies:
* Take a multivitamin and a mineral every day for three months to make up for the lack of fresh fruit and salad.
* Detox tea: soak in a cup of hot water overnight, strain and drink in the morning for three months.
* Stomach Formula: Take two tablets twice a day for two months
* Diarex: take one tablet every other day for two weeks if you have diarrhea.
Exercise
Regular exercise, such as walking, swimming, or yoga, helps with digestion.
Relax
Put a relaxation / meditation tape or CD to bed at night.
Massage
Rub and stroke your abdomen in a clockwise direction with sesame oil every morning for two minutes.