Health Topics

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
also called: Colitis, and Spastic Colon

| About IBS | Recommended Supplements | Finding Professional Help | Digestive Wellness |

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About IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also known as Colits and spastic colon, affects 10 to 20 percent of all American adults and is the most common gastrointestinal complaint. Most often people with IBS experience abdominal pain and spasms, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and/or alternating diarrhea and constipation. Diarrhea alternating with constipation is the most common pattern. Sometimes people have unrelenting constipation, and that’s also called IBS. Bowel movements usually relieve the discomfort. Over the years, IBS has had a variety of names: spastic colon, spastic bowel, mucous colitis, colitis, and functional bowel disease. It accounts for 10% of all doctor’s visits and 50% of referrals to gastroenterologists. Although 75% of people who have it never seek a physician's help—they just learn to live with it. Twice as many women as men seek medical help for IBS, and it often appears in the teen years or early adulthood.

Basically your doctor will diagnose you with irritable bowel syndrome if you have intestinal issues but don’t have ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s. It’s called “functional bowel disease” because people who have irritable bowel syndrome do not have any obvious changes in bowel structure or other serious complications and rarely require hospitalization. Nonetheless, IBS can significantly restrict one's lifestyle. Most of my IBS clients know where every public restroom is in town. They can’t make morning appointments due to the unpredictability of the bowels and eating away from home can be tricky.

Anemia, weight loss, rectal bleeding, and fever are not symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Bowel changes accompanied by these symptoms need to be checked out by a physician to discover the cause.

Rather than just accepting a diagnosis, it’s in your best interest to try to figure out the underlying cause or causes of your IBS. IBS can be caused by food sensitivities, lactose intolerance, lack of beneficial probiotic bacteria, stress, infection, mind-body interaction, malabsorption of nutrients, hormonal imbalances, endometriosis, AIDs, environmental sensitivity, antibiotics, over-use of magnesium supplements and more. There is no single cause for IBS, but hopefully you can find the underlying causes for your IBS and work with them to eliminate or alleviate your IBS. Here are some suggestions to help. You’ll find many more in my book, Digestive Wellness.

by Liz Lipski, Ph.D., C.C.N.

Healing Options:

Add More Fiber:

Fiber and high-fiber diets are recommended for people with IBS. Focus on eating a minimum of five daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, plus whole grains, beans, and peas.

Check for Lactose Intolerance:

Eliminate all dairy products and products containing dairy from your diet for at least two weeks to help you determine whether lactose intolerance is contributing to your problem.

Check for Grain Intolerance or Other Food Allergies:

While you are eliminating dairy, also eliminate wheat, rye, barley, and oats.You may find that your IBS a miraculous improvement.

Nutritional Supplements For Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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Recommended Supplements

Individual Supplements

Probiotics:

In numerous studies, probiotic supplements have been shown to help regulate IBS and. Products with multiple strains of microbes would be best. Make sure they at least include: Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Dosage: 2-6 capsules daily. I suggest these products: The Digestaguard and TPP Probiotics are comparable and can be used by most people. If you are someone who is in need of soothing, or very sensitive to foods, chemicals and your environment, try the Plantadophilus.

Digestive Enzymes:

These can significantly help reduce gas and bloating. Take 1 with each meal. I suggest TPP Digest and Digestzyme. If you are someone who is in need of soothing or very sensitive to foods, chemicals and your environment, try the DigestZyme. Otherwise, try the TPP Digest.

Soothing Herbs:

There are many herbs that help soothe the gastrointestinal tract. They can relieve discomfort, improve digestive function, and strengthens the tissues. Some of the herbs commonly used include: Marshmallow root, papaya leaf, prickly ash bark, slippery elm, DGL licorice, ginger, fennel, globe artichoke extract, aloe vera, and many more. I recommend Gastrozyme for people who are very sensitive to foods, chemicals and their environment. Otherwise, choose the TPP Gastro.

Glutamine:

Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body, is used by the digestive tract as a fuel source and for healing IBS. Dosage: 8 grams daily.

Peppermint Oil:

Peppermint oil is a muscle relaxant that is widely used in England for IBS. To get the oil into the intestines intact, use enteric coated peppermint oil. (The coating prevents it from dissolving in the stomach.). Dosage: one to two capsules daily between meals.

Calcium/Magnesium Citrate:

Anecdotally, many people have found that calcium/magnesium supplements prevent or alleviate the muscle spasms associated with IBS, as these minerals have powerful antispasmodic effects. Dosage: 500-1,000 milligrams calcium, 300-750 milligrams magnesium. Magnesium is also great for relieving digestive. Caution: too much magnesium will cause diarrhea.

To order and to have your questions answered, visit our Supplement Shop.
We will help you select the best supplements for you.

Find out more about the quality of our supplements.

Finding Professional Help

Because IBS can have many interacting causes we recommend finding a health care professional that takes a holistic or integrative approach. You can start your search by consulting our list of Professional Organizations in the Free Library section of this web site.

Dr. Lipski also consults by phone with clients throughout the world. For more information on her services see the Personal Consultations section in the Professional Services section of this web site.

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Table of Contents

Special Offer: Purchase Digestive Wellness and receive the audio and written teleseminar transcripts entitled, How to be Healthier with Enzymes (a $20.00 value!)

Digestive Wellness

A must-own book for people with IBS

A message from Liz Lipski about Digestive Wellness! 1 min 40 sec

Between 60 and 70 million people suffer from digestive problems according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Don’t be one of them! Besides the common cold, digestive problems are the most common reason people seek medical advice.

You may be surprised at how many health problems are connected with digestion. Here are a few of the many covered in Digestive Wellness:

Arthritis Asthma Attention deficit disorder (ADD) Autism Auto-immune diseases Barrett's esophagus Behcet's disease Celiac disease Cirrhosis Constipation Chronic fatigue syndrome Dysbiosis Eczema Fibromyalgia	Food allergies Gas bloating GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) Hepatitis IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) Indigestion Inflammatory bowel diseases Lactose intolerance Leaky Gut Syndrome Migraine headaches Parasites Psoriasis Schizophrenia Scleroderma
And more. . .

This comprehensive work offers hundreds of practical ideas for digestive problems. Lipski brings together all the latest clinical studies on digestion in this groundbreaking book. By throwing the spotlight on this critical function, she shows how far-reaching and essential healthy digestion is to everyone's wellbeing.

We are so confident that you will find this book worth the purchase price that we are offering a 365-day money back guarantee!

"'Digestive Wellness' is a “must-read” for those interested in good health. Ms. Lipski’s premise is that any substance we ingest, whether it be food, alcohol, medications or microorganisms, will have a profound effect on our digestive system and other important organs in the body. She substantiates this information with well referenced material which emphasizes a functional approach to diagnosis and treatment and a natural approach to wellness. Many individuals neglect their personal wellness, and rely on medication, procedures or operations to “fix” their symptoms when disease occurs. If you seek to be more proactive and involved in your health care decisions, this well-written, understandable book is an important place to begin the process. Digestive Wellness through good nutrition may well be the road to optimal health."

Doug Wilmore, M.D. Frank Sawyer Professor of Surgery Brigham & Women’s Hospital Harvard Medical School

Judy Shabert, MD, RD, MPh Author of 'The Ultimate Nutrient, Glutamine' Associate Instructor Harvard Medical School

You will learn how the digestive system works and what can happen when complications occur. Digestive Wellness covers the most common gastrointestinal disorders in depth and offers expert advice on the newest advances in testing, diagnosis, nutrition, and natural therapies. You’ll find information about detoxification, self-care options and a comprehensive resource list.

1 min 07 sec

Hear what Jonathan Evans, WMAS radio host of Herbarium, has to say.

Start living a healthier (and hopefully happier) life. Buy Digestive Wellness now at no risk. If you don’t think it is worth the purchase price of $18.95, we will refund your money.

Yes, I want a healthier life

Liz’s Personal Guarantee

I don’t know of any book that comes with a one-year, money back guarantee, but this one does.

I’m so confident that you’ll find my book a useful and valuable part of your library that I’m offering something that no bookstore, not even the publisher is will to do. If you buy Digestive Wellness - Third Edition through my web site, and you are not satisfied with the book, return the book to me and I’ll refund your purchase price!

Why would I make such an offer? Because over the last eight years, tens of thousands of people have purchased Digestive Wellness and found it well worth the purchase price. I’m confident you will too.

Remember, this very special offer is only available for those who purchase Digestive Wellness Third Edition through this web site.

This Unconditional, Money-Back Guarantee is valid for 365 days after your purchase. Now what could be fairer than that?

- Liz Lipski Ph.D. CCN, Author of 'Digestive Wellness'

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