Tame Your Tummy

DO you ever feel your stomach can8217;t make up its mind? Either it forces you to sit in the loo all day, or it8217;s tightly tied up in k...

DO you ever feel your stomach can8217;t make up its mind? Either it forces you to sit in the loo all day, or it8217;s tightly tied up in knots. The most innocuous food could trigger a bout of the runs8212;or constipation. Other days, your stomach aches so badly you need to take the day off from work.

Chances are you grit your teeth and learn to live with the jokes about your sieve-as-a-stomach. Chances are, though, that you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome IBS, aka spastic colitis. It8217;s the commonest of all digestive disorders8212;IBS is estimated to affect 10-15 per cent of adults at some stage of their lives8212;yet it largely goes undiagnosed, and so, untreated.

What is the Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
IBS is a syndrome, not a disease, since it is multi-factoral and involves multiple organs. It8217;s more common in women than in men, and usually apparent in early adulthood, though it can affect children as well.

IBS usually implies a normal digestive system but abnormal bowel movements, which can last for weeks together. 8216;8216;IBS can be either diarrhoea-predominant, constipation-predominant or pain-predominant. There is no known cause; many experts consider it a stress-induced illness, while others lean on food sensitivities, especially with advancing age,8217;8217; explains Dr Anupam Sibal, senior consultant, gastroenterology, at Indraprastha Apollo, New Delhi.

To check for food sensitivities, eliminate a suspect food for 10-30 days, and then resume it. If the symptoms return, abandon the food for the rest of your life.

Why does IBS occur?
IBS can be both inherited, or triggered by food incompatibility and stress. Either way, it involves malfunctioning of the enteric nervous system, which is pivotal for the smooth functioning of the intestines. So, on some days, there is increased muscular contraction, and on others, very little.

As part of the digestive process, says Dr Sibal, food passes through the intestines in synchronised wave-like contractions called peristalsis. IBS occurs when the peristalsis becomes irregular and uncoordinated.

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How do I know if I have IBS?
The commonest symptom is abdominal pain with diarrhoea or a runny stomach, alternating with cramps and constipation, usually after meals. If you suffer frequently from upset stomachs, maintain a tummy diary over several months, noting food intake, cramps, bloating, gas, irregular bowel movements and even stress factors, and see if you can spot a pattern emerging.

How do I treat IBS?
According to doctors, IBS is a condition better treated by the patient than the GP. Once you8217;re reasonably sure you fit the IBS bill, the most important thing to do is take stock of your diet, especially your fat and fibre intake. Also on the to-do list: medicine to quieten the stomach and some de-stressing techniques.

DIET DIY
Since IBS is best treated by controlling your diet, Delhi-based nutritionist Dr Shikha Sharma has her pointers:

Try and avoid stress
Get some exercise. Either a brisk 20-minute walk or a round of golf or a few laps around the pool

Go for small, regular meals, chew the food well

Drink a lot of water, but not on an empty stomach except first thing in the morning

Check if you8217;re intolerant to dairy products including that traditional tummy-pacifier dahi

Eat moderate amounts of unpeeled fruits; some people can8217;t take too much fibre

Have wholegrain products which are universally good

DON8217;T

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Ever let your stomach go empty Overeating or binging is also taboo

Too much fat is bad. As are large non-veg meals

Smoking and alcohol should be avoided. Ditto for caffeine and aerated drinks