Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): How to Diagnose and Naturally Treat It

If you are suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), you might be frustrated by how much it limits your life and by how little your doctors have been able to help you. IBS is the most common digestive diagnosis in the US, and yet so few effective treatments are offered. It is estimated that 20% of the population is affected by IBS, and 70% of those are women.

As naturopathic doctors, we often encounter patients who are living with daily symptoms such as pain, bloating, gas, cramping, loose stools or constipation. Some find that their lives are severely impacted by their symptoms, a restrictive diet, discomfort, or the need to be near a bathroom at all times. For many, even conventional testing and a thorough workup by a gastroenterologist have left them with no real answers. They are left with a diagnosis of “It’s just IBS” and told to try some fiber or take an antidepressant.

There Is Hope

How We Look For Causes of IBS

As part of a thorough analysis of your digestive function, we may recommend one of the following tests that analyze various aspects of your stomach, intestinal or endocrine health.

Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) This test is hugely useful in IBS and gives information about the health and function of the digestive tract. It tests for markers of proper digestion and absorption, presence or absence of healthy flora, bad bacteria, yeast and inflammation.

Comprehensive Parasitology This test can tell us if parasitic infections, intestinal worms, or other organisms play a role in someone’s IBS symptoms. Can be combined with the CDSA.

Food Antibody Testing Helps us to determine whether your current diet plays a role in causing your IBS symptoms. This can help us identify food allergies as well as food sensitivities.

Intestinal Permeability Gives information about whether the lining of the intestinal tract is healthy and whether "Leaky Gut Syndrome" is present. This syndrome can play a role in a variety of chronic health problems including IBS.

Microbiology Analysis This test assesses the presence of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, certain pathogens, and overgrowth of yeast and non-pathogenic bacteria.

Bacterial Overgrowth of the Small Intestine The small intestine should contain very little bacterial growth. This test indicates ifexcessive bacteria in the small intestine are present and possibly play a role in causing IBS.

At San Francisco Natural Medicine, we see the diagnosis of IBS as just the beginning, because we know how to help your body to start healing. As naturopathic doctors, we are trained to understand not just the diseases of the digestive system, but how each part of it functions. By taking the time to evaluate all aspects of gut health, we can identify the root causes of your symptoms and then guide you through a treatment plan to restore proper digestion and help you get your life back.

Step 1 — Food Matters

Diet is a major contributing factor for most people with IBS. Your choices about what you put in your mouth will affect your symptoms all the way down your GI tract. Food sensitivities are common, especially to gluten and dairy, but also to other foods and food additives. A trial elimination diet can help you identify sensitivities and often provides relief from symptoms.

Eating good amounts of fiber and water is important for healthy stool formation. Eat your veggies and include whole grains. Some people do better with softer fibers like squash and carrots. Others really need roughage, like dark leafy greens, so experiment to see what works best for your body. Be especially mindful of gas-producing foods such as beans, onions, garlic, broccoli and cauliflower.

Start your day with a large of glass of water, perhaps with a squeeze of lemon. Then sip water through the day, avoiding large quantities at mealtime because that can dilute your digestive juices.

Step 2 — Save Yourself From Stress

Because of its localized nervous system, the gut is often called the second brain. The mind-body connection, and the way it is impacted by stress, is especially obvious to people with IBS. Managing your stress is a top priority. In fact, 95% of our serotonin, which is well known for the role it plays in mood and brain function, is produced in our gut. There are many, many ways to incorporate stress management into your life. At mealtimes, slow down. Chew thoroughly, and be present and grateful for your food. Focus only on eating as you eat your meals, nourish your body and give it the energy and nutrients it needs to keep you healthy. Give yourself time in the morning for a relaxed bowel movement.

Step 3 — Harness the Healing Power of Nature

A specific individualized treatment plan of supplements and herbal medicines should be based on a thorough evaluation of symptoms, history and a comprehensive stool analysis, a test of digestive function. However, the following are a few of the top supplements that provide benefit to many of our patients with IBS. A high quality probiotic will restore normal bowel flora to aid in digestion, detoxification and immune function. A broad-spectrum digestive enzyme will support the stomach and digestive secretions to prevent undigested foods from making their way through your system. A chewable form of licorice called DGL helps to coat, soothe and heal the gut lining from any irritations, such as acid reflux. Apple cider vinegar, or an herbal blend of bitter herbs, can be taken before meals to stimulate digestive secretions.

While the above three steps can help you get started, your most important next step is to call for a free 15-minute phone consultation with one of our doctors. IBS is complicated, and the underlying imbalances need to be assessed carefully. Once we figure out what is really going on, we can use natural remedies to ease your symptoms and help your gut be happy and healthy again.

JAMA Study Shows Chinese Herbal Medicine
Effective in Treating IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic bowel disorder affecting 10-20% of the population. Symptoms include abdominal pain and distention, pain relief with bowel action, a feeling of incomplete evacuation, and frequent, loose stools with mucous.

No standardized treatment exists, and the medical approach has been to manage symptoms with drugs, dietary modification, and counseling. A clinical trial of traditional Chinese treatments of IBS reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association provides an excellent example of the use of a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of IBS.

Study participants were randomized into three groups: one receiving individualized herbal formulations, another a standard Chinese IBS formulation, and the third a placebo. Both Chinese herbal medicine groups responded significantly better than the placebo group. Initially the standardized formula was slightly more effective than the individualized formula, but 14 weeks after completion of treatment it was found that subjects receiving the individualized treatment maintained improvement, while the treatment effect appeared to weaken somewhat in the standard formula group.

This well-controlled study successfully demonstrated that Chinese herbal medicine is indeed effective in the management of symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome, and showed that best results were obtained in the long term by individualizing the treatment to the patient and correcting the underlying imbalance.

Natural Relief for IBS:Three Steps to a Happy and Healthy Gut