AT Home with Dr Chris Steele - September 2011 - (Page 79)

| DIGESTIVE DISORDER| IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME IBS AFFECTS AROUND ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE, YET REMAINS A CONDITION THAT IS MISUNDERSTOOD AND, ALL TOO OFTEN, STIGMATISED Gut reaction This combination of propulsion and segmentation is called peristalsis. The best way to understand IBS is as a loss of coordination of these important muscular contractions. In addition, there is evidence to show that people with IBS have increased sensitivity within the gut to external stimuli such as stress. This means IBS is often a combination of psychological and physical factors. L iving with the symptoms of IBS can be distressing. They include abdominal pain and spasms, chronic diarrhoea and/or constipation, bloating, excessive wind, an urgent need to go to the toilet, a feeling that you’ve had an incomplete bowel movement – and sometimes even incontinence. And the hardest part can be the fact that it is so hard to talk about. ‘The bowel and its functions are the last taboo – especially when it does not work properly,’ says a spokesperson for The Gut Trust (www.theguttrust.org). ‘This leads to an unwillingness in people to talk clearly about their illness, which means they do not get proper care, nor the support of their family and friends.’ What a relief The science bit WORDS: Georgina Maric | PHOTOGRAPH: Shutterstock Your bowel, or gut, extends from the stomach to your anus and it is made up of the small intestine and the large intestine. Their job is to process food from the stomach. The small intestine absorbs nutrients and passes undigested food into the large intestine. In the large intestine, or colon, this waste product is processed into faeces. When the bowel is functioning normally, food moves easily along the intestines and through a series of muscular contractions, known as propulsion. There are also areas of hold-up, known as segmentation. While there is no actual cure for IBS, there are things you can do to keep symptoms at bay. For sufferers who believe their condition is exacerbated by stress, relaxation techniques can help and these include hypnotherapy, massage and meditation. Following a high-ﬁbre diet that includes fruit, vegetables and wholegrain cereal is usually good, although this can make symptoms worse if you are prone to diarrhoea. Many people with IBS ﬁnd eating little and often works for them, with no longer than ﬁve hours between meals. Tolerance to different foods varies from person to person, but spices, wheat milk and foods with irritating skins and seeds – sweetcorn, tomatoes and kidney beans, for instance – do seem to cause intestinal discomfort. You could also reduce your intake of caffeine and fat – both of which are thought to cause ﬂare-ups. IS IT IBS? Symptoms can vary with some mimicking other stomach disorders, but the following are indicators that it could be IBS culty in swallowing when food gets stuck ● Indigestion pain that wakes you at night ● Bloating and swelling of the abdominal area ● Weight loss ● Chronic diarrhoea. Your GP will probably carry out a blood test and possibly a gastroscopy, during which a camera on a long tube (an endoscope) is inserted into your stomach to check the stomach itself, oesophagus, and small intestine; a colonoscopy to examine the large intestine; or an ultrasound. ■ ● Di Dr Chris says... ‘Herbal remedies, probiotic yogurts and peppermint oil products have all been shown to help calm IBS. Hypnosis is another option but, if you go down that route, make sure you see an experienced therapist.’ www.athomemagazine.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2012 | 079 http://www.theguttrust.org http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AT Home with Dr Chris Steele - September 2011

EDITOR’S LETTER
A DOCTOR’S WELCOME
NEWS UPFRONT
SAVE THE DATE
A SENSITIVE TOUCH
UNDER THE HOOD
CELEBRITY HEALTH SECRETS
THE BIG INTERVIEW
TV HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT A MARVEL
OUCH, THAT HURTS
A HAPPY HEART
WAVE GOODBYE TO SMOKING
EYE SEE!
AN EARFUL
THE LOWDOWN ON DIABETES
HARD TO STOMACH?
GUT REACTION
ARTHRITIC AND UNDER 30?
SHRINK ME
FIGHTING FIT
BREAST CANCER
BOOST YOUR BONE DENSITY
TRYING TO CONCEIVE?
VEIN HOPE
ON THE BALL
CAN HE BREAK HIS PENIS?
TIME FOR A TOP UP
ULTRA SWIFT SUPPERS
SO, YOU THINK YOU’RE EATING RIGHT?
GLUTEN-FREE FOODS ON TEST
AGE-PROOF YOUR FACE
PEARLY WHITES
COSMETIC SURGERY
COMING SOON
TOP HEALTH TIPS
WORK WELLNESS
DON’T SWEAT IT
PLANNING AHEAD
STAYING MOBILE
LAST WORD

AT Home with Dr Chris Steele - September 2011