How to Find the Best Treatment for IBS

Fifteen years' research by doctors has shown that hypnosis is an effective treatment for people with IBS that has not responded to other therapies.

One great benefit of hypnotherapy for IBS is that it stops almost all types and degrees of pain associated with the condition.

If you'd like to try hypnotherapy as a treatment for IBS then you can either seek out a specialist in gut-directed hypnotherapy or use one of the excellent self- hypnosis audio programs available.

These are very effective. One of the best on offer is the one from Healthy Audio.

Healthy Audio Ltd: Clinical hypnotherapy programmes as audio CD or mp3 download

No one is completely sure how hypnotherapy works but it's likely that it has more than one benefit for IBS sufferers.

Firstly, any sort of stress makes IBS symptoms worse. Hypnosis puts patients in a state of deep relaxation, which relieves stress and tension.

Secondly, scientists believe that one cause of IBS is a fault in communication between brain and gut. And it seems hypnotherapy, which acts on the subconscious brain, may help repair that link.

Getting your diet right is key to a more comfortable life. An excellent book is Eating for IBS by Heather Van Vorous. This has helped many people.

Find out which foods cause you problems. Keep a simple diary, noting what you eat and recording your symptoms, to help pinpoint foods that cause trouble.

You can then take this further by cutting out certain items. Start with the 'usual suspects' known to upset people with IBS. These include foods with gluten (bread, pasta, cakes), citrus fruits, meat, sugary foods and dairy products.

Some people find a food separation diet helpful as part of their treatment for IBS. The idea is to avoid eating proteins and carbohydrates together as it makes them more difficult to digest. So tuna steak and salad is fine for lunch but not tuna and pasta.

Dr Gillian McKeith is an expert on food separation and has written an excellent cook book You are What You Eat based on this approach.

You Are What You Eat Cookbook

There are two kinds of fibre - soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre is the best for IBS because it is gentle on the gut and can ease both diarrhoea and constipation. You can find it in foods such as oats and bananas and you could also try a soluble fibre supplement as a treatment for IBS .

Acacia Tummy Fiber, an organic source of pure soluble fibre

Heather's Tummy Fiber CAN ~ Organic Acacia 16 oz. CANISTER

from Heather Van Vorous, is a supplement that is popular with many people.

Others prefer alternative fibres such as methylcellulose, available as Citrucel (US) or Celevac (UK). Best to avoid supplements with psyllium. They are good for people with constipation who don't have IBS but may be too harsh for the sensitive gut of an IBS sufferer. And whatever you choose, do make sure it contains no sorbitol (an artificial sweetener), which can irritate the intestine.

Citrucel Fiber Therapy For Regularity, Methylcellulose, Fiber Smoothie, 19-Ounce Bottles
(Pack of 2)

Drinking lots of water is essential especially if you are taking fibre supplements. I know this is really boring but it will help - truly it will! And the fibre supplements won't work if they are not taken with plenty of water. Try to drink more than a litre a day if you can.

Peppermint oil is a natural anti-spasmodic and many people with IBS take peppermint oil capsules to calm the gut-wrenching symptoms.

The ones produced by Heather van Vorous especially for IBS sufferers are particularly recommended.

Heather's Tummy Tamers ~ Peppermint Oil Capsules
(2 bottles)

They are a blend of peppermint, fennel, and ginger oils that work together to calm and relax the digestive tract. People who use them say they are useful in curbing abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and gas. urgency, and gas.