HEALTH

What is the irritable bowel syndrome: symptoms, causes, prevention, how to treat it

The irritable bowel is a set of symptoms due to altered visceral motility and/or sensitivity. If the disorder is recurrent, it is called a syndrome. Although the symptoms are recurrent, they vary from person to person, and it is still unclear what causes this syndrome, although stress has been mentioned as one of the most probable reasons.

There is no real one-size-fits-all diet, but it is a problem that should always be solved by consulting your doctor or a nutritionist, even before taking simple supplements. 

Prevention plays a fundamental role, and even with a few simple tricks one can improve one's condition with this syndrome that, in Italy, affects one in five people, mainly women.

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What is the irritable bowel syndrome: symptoms, causes, prevention, how to treat
The irritable bowel is a set of symptoms due to altered visceral motility and/or sensitivity. If the disorder is recurrent, it is called a syndrome. Although the symptoms are recurrent, they vary from person to person, and it is still unclear what causes this syndrome, although stress has been mentioned as one of the most probable reasons. There is no real one-size-fits-all diet, but it is a problem that should always be solved by consulting your doctor or a nutritionist, even before taking simple supplements.  Prevention plays a fundamental role, and even with a few simple tricks one can improve one's condition with this syndrome that, in Italy, affects one in five people, mainly women.
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The symptoms of the irritable bowel syndrome
Although physical symptoms have been shown to vary from person to person, there are some similarities and recurring symptoms. These include bloating, meteorism, abdominal pain, cramps, constipation or diarrhoea (or alternating between both). Furthermore, for one to be able to speak of irritable bowel syndrome, the symptoms must occur for at least three days a month for about six months.
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Causes and diagnosis
At the moment, we do not know the direct causes that lead people to suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (in Italy, one in five people, mainly women, suffer from it). However, it is believed that daily stress and a poor diet may contribute to the onset of this syndrome. In the presence of symptoms, the only thing to do at the moment is to consult your doctor or a nutritionist. If you are over 50 years old, you should also undergo a colonoscopy.
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Cause and effect
Since the primary causes of this syndrome are not yet known to the scientific community, it goes without saying that there is no definitive cure to get rid of this disorder once and for all. The only thing possible, then, is to intervene on the direct symptoms, through eating habits and lifestyles. In some cases, and always on the recommendation of the specialist, drug therapies can also be used
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Four tricks for living with the irritable bowel syndrome
Walking at least half an hour a day at a brisk pace is often sufficient to experience relief from intestinal pain. In addition, it is necessary to dress appropriately, as IBS sufferers are very exposed to temperature changes, especially in the cold. Before taking supplements or probiotics, then, one should always consult a doctor, as, although they may be of help, it has not yet been proven which ones act specifically on the irritable colon, and may vary from patient to patient. The same applies to diet: there is no one-size-fits-all advice, but the diet should be adjusted according to the specific symptoms of each patient. Therefore, as always, consulting a doctor or nutritionist is a must.
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Are there any foods to avoid if you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome?
It is difficult to say for sure: although most patients recognise the specific role of certain foods in triggering symptoms, the role of diet in IBS is not yet well defined. Often, in the same patient, intestinal discomfort manifests itself with different clinical aspects that change over time. Although it is undeniable that diet has a major influence on clinical manifestations, the foods that can exacerbate symptoms vary from patient to patient.
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Food: some useful tips
Certain tricks can however help to improve the quality of life of those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, such as keeping a food diary, but also eating slowly and eating light and frequent meals. Other useful tips, in general, can be to increase/reduce fibre intake according to the symptom profile, reduce the intake of lactose and fermentable polysaccharides and polyols, reduce the intake of fatty foods, and reduce the intake of foods that increase intestinal gas production.
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The medical nutritionist
There are three ways in which the nutritionist can help with irritable bowel symptoms. First of all, based on the intestinal symptoms, the doctor will be able to tell which foods need to be avoided and set up a controlled diet. In addition, he or she may recommend the intake of certain supplements, also based on natural extracts, that may be helpful in controlling the symptoms. Finally, he or she assists the patient by monitoring the nutritional status, the intake of macro- and micronutrients and the energy level, in order to maintain proper nutrition. This is necessary because, it happens that there is an exaggeratedly restrictive reaction to food in the patient suffering from this disorder.
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