The IBS Healing Plan: Natural Ways to Beat Your Symptoms

By Theresa Cheung

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by bloating, abdominal pain, and altered bowel habits. This hard-to-handle problem affects nearly all facets of an individual’s life, but because many patients find it difficult to discuss their bowel problems with their doctors, they often suffer in silence. Although there is no cure for the disorder, there are ways to significantly ease and even prevent its symptoms. This book’s effective self-help solutions let patients take control of IBS. First, an introduction to the condition spells out its causes and symptoms and helps readers determine if they actually have IBS. The book then focuses on five key strategies: maintaining proper eating habits, stress management, dietary supplements, alternative therapies such as yoga and acupuncture, and the use of appropriate prescription medications. Accessible and clearly written, the book is punctuated with case histories, up-to-the-minute research, and advice on working with a physician.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
• Release date: Apr 28, 2008
• ISBN: 9780897935425

Theresa Cheung

Theresa Cheung is a Sunday Times bestselling author and dream decoder. She has a degree from Kings College, Cambridge and is the author of numerous titles including The Dream Dictionary from A to Z. Theresa has appeared on ITV This Morning and Capital FM and has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Red, Grazia, Heat, Glamour, Vice and Bustle, as well as many more.

Book preview

Introduction: Problems Down There

As far as discussions of health problems go, talking about irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is toward the bottom of the pile (pardon the pun). People don’t seem to mind openly talking about diabetes, hypertension, even PMS, but mention bowel movements and folks get uneasy.

It’s easy to understand why. How are you supposed to slip anecdotes like the following into normal conversation: Sorry I didn’t make it to the party yesterday, but I had the runs. I actually pooped myself in the car because I couldn’t get to a restroom in time. What on earth would you expect someone to say in response? Or try telling your colleagues why it would not be a good idea for you to make a presentation to important clients: I’d like to—really, I would—but chances are I’d be constipated for days beforehand, and then about half an hour before the meeting my colon would spasm and I’d have to cancel the meeting or excuse myself every few minutes for urgent trips to the restroom. It’s also easy to understand why IBS gets so little media coverage. What journalist wants to get the latest scoop on bowel movements or discuss them on air? How would you persuade a celebrity to help raise public awareness, or attract sponsors to fund research?

Despite this reluctance to talk about it openly, irritable bowel syndrome affects as many as one in five people. That’s a pretty serious statistic for an ailment described merely as irritable. Yet in a society where bowel dysfunction is not considered a topic of polite conversation, it can be difficult to find help for IBS. In fact, according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, most people with IBS do not get the medical attention they need. If you think you may be one of these people, it’s time to trust your gut, read this book, and come to grips with your discomfort about the topic.

The symptoms of IBS differ from person to person and can involve any of the following: intestinal spasm, constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, and anal fissures (small tears in the anus caused by recurrent straining). Depending on how severe and frequent your symptoms are, IBS can either be a minor irritation or something that really interferes with your quality of life. Sadly, medical treatments for IBS don’t always help, and some have side effects that are worse than the symptoms themselves. Some antidiarrheal medications can make people with IBS bloat like a beach ball and noisily expel gas all day, to the extent that even the diarrhea is easier to live with. The good news is that there are many effective natural treatments for IBS, and you’ll find them clearly explained in this book.

Many people who have IBS try to overlook it, but IBS can’t and shouldn’t be ignored for long. The IBS Healing Plan confirms that IBS is real, and it shows you the many ways you can successfully deal with your symptoms, working with or without the help of your doctor. Because there is no wonder drug for IBS, people who have the condition often try all sorts of therapies for relief. This book sorts through the available remedies and outlines only the best and most effective ones. It presents a practical, holistic approach to IBS that will help you—or a loved one, if you are reading this book for someone else—leave the gas, pain, strain, and other problems down there behind for good.

Chapter 1

What Is IBS?

Jack, age 47

I was diagnosed with IBS about two years ago. Like most people with IBS, I have good days, bad days, and truly foul days.

About three months ago, I had a lunch meeting with a client from out of town. Things felt good, both business-wise and IBS-wise, and after lunch I headed back to my car to drive to my office. I began to feel the familiar IBS discomfort, but it was mild, and knowing that my office was only a ten-minute drive away, I thought it would be fine. It wasn’t.

After five minutes in the car, the traffic came to an unexpected halt. I was at a standstill for about ten minutes, and I started to wish I had used the bathroom at the restaurant. I turned on the radio and heard that there had been an accident close by and there would be delays of up to thirty minutes. I knew I didn’t have thirty minutes.

I decided to drive up the wrong side of the road so I could take a right turn that would take me to another street that led to my office. What I didn’t know was that three cars behind me there was a police motorbike. The next thing I knew, there were red flashing lights in my rear view mirror. I pulled over and, squirming with embarrassment, told the policewoman I wouldn’t normally break the law, but I have IBS and I had to find a bathroom. Sadly, she was not sympathetic and wrote out a ticket for an illegal turn. By the time she had handed it to me, it was too late. My pants were full and I had stained the car seat. I had no choice but to call the office and say I needed the rest of the day off.

Tracey, age 29

I became nervous about my bowel symptoms when a friend of mine was diagnosed with colon cancer. I don’t know what symptoms she was having, but it got me very concerned. I went to my doctor and he did a thorough examination and asked me a lot of questions. He said that my symptoms were very similar to those of people who have irritable bowel syndrome. I asked him how he could be sure without doing any tests. He said that he couldn’t be absolutely sure, but he was confident that I didn’t have anything more serious. I told him I was really concerned, and that I would feel better if we did some tests. So now I am doing some home treatment and going in next week for some tests. Even if they don’t show anything, I know that I will rest easier.

Linda, age 33

My daughter and I were renting a holiday cottage by the beach that had only one bathroom. She was in the bathroom when I had to go, so I had to use the cats’ litter tray because I had forgotten to bring along my Porta Potty.

While on vacation I made so many trips to the bathroom that my daughter thought I had taken up residence there. At one point, while in the bathroom, I started to think about potty as an Olympic event, with ways of rolling the toilet paper and ways of wiping and toilet dismounting. Seriously, though, IBS has ruined my holiday, as it ruins most of my outings when I have to tear through places to get to the toilet.

Mark, age 18

I’ll be eighteen years old in a few months, and since I began to suffer from IBS I’ve deteriorated very fast. The first time I got constipated it was so bad I had to go to the hospital to have suppositories administered. It was so embarrassing and really painful. It felt like I had years of waste inside of me that needed to come out but wouldn’t. I was given strong painkillers and antisickness tablets to help prevent me from becoming sick every time I strained on the toilet.

When I went home, I did manage to go to the toilet, but I wasn’t going much and it was painful. I always left the toilet weaker and more fragile than when I went in. Then the second attack came, which was worse than the first. I hadn’t been able to go for a week and the cramping was excruciating. I had no energy to go back to the hospital again. I had no choice either. Off I went and had the same treatment as before. I had an interview scheduled in a few weeks for a job I really wanted, but how can I work when I get sudden attacks of IBS?

I’m scared of taking drugs. In fact, I’m scared of everything, even going out of the house. I don’t know how to deal with it anymore; it’s so embarrassing. And I have no idea why this has happened to me—why don’t any of my friends who eat junk all day long have this problem?

If these IBS stories strike a chord with you, the chances are you have IBS or know someone who does. But what exactly is IBS?

One of the most important weapons in your battle against IBS—also called spastic colon or mucous colitis—is information. You need to know the enemy. Fortunately, over the past few years a great deal of new information regarding the brain–gut interaction that results in IBS has surfaced, and new discoveries concerning its nature and treatment are being made all the time.

If you’re suffering from IBS, you’re certainly not alone. IBS is estimated to affect 15–20 percent of people, and half of them have never consulted a doctor concerning their symptoms. Despite this, IBS is still the condition most frequently seen by gastroenterologists, and it’s one of the top ten diagnoses in the United States. It is also, incredibly, the second leading cause of worker absenteeism (behind only the common cold). These are pretty amazing statistics for a condition that some people have never even heard of or regard as a very minor ailment.

Interestingly, because IBS is a functional condition, you can’t actually be tested for it. Rather, it is determined by a diagnosis of exclusion. This is because there are no structural, inflammatory, biochemical, or infectious abnormalities present in IBS. In other words, when people with IBS are examined by doctors, no physical problem can be found. So, are you just imagining your symptoms? No—you absolutely are not! A functional disorder simply means that the problem is an altered physiological function (that is, the way your body works), rather than something that has an identifiable origin. In other words, although an IBS attack and its resulting symptoms are clearly visible as physical manifestations, the underlying cause behind these symptoms is not. Put another way, the root cause of the problem cannot yet be identified by yielding a positive result from any existing medical tests. So what then, precisely, is wrong with the way your body works if you have IBS?

IBS is indisputably a physical problem. Simply put, the brain–digestive system interaction of people with IBS influences their bowel pain perception and motility. The processing of pain information within the central nervous system varies between people who have IBS, and those who do not have the condition, with the result that the former group can experience even normal gastrointestinal (GI) contractions as painful. The interactions between the brain, central nervous system, and GI system in people with IBS do not function properly. People with IBS have colons that react to stimuli that do not affect normal colons, and their reactions are much more severe. The end result is heightened pain sensitivity and abnormal gut motility in the form of irregular or increased GI muscle contractions. This gut overreaction and altered pain perception cause the symptoms that characterize IBS.

To fully understand IBS, it’s also important to recognize what it is not. IBS is not a form of bowel cancer or an inflammatory disease, such as Crohn’s or celiac disease (although it can be secondary to these), nor is it a condition that leads to other life-threatening illnesses. Although IBS is still a complex functional disorder, it merely relates to a set of symptoms that fail to indicate disease in diagnostic tests, including lower abdominal cramping, pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation, vomiting, mucus in the stools, and a full bowel sensation after even a small meal.

In conclusion, although medical researchers aren’t exactly sure what IBS is, they know it equates to bowel discomfort and irritation that can either send you running to the bathroom faster than the speed of light or desperately reaching for a laxative. Like an unannounced visitor who drops in when you’re just about to go out, or the annoying caller who won’t let you off the phone, IBS comes calling whenever and wherever it likes.

Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome

According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), clinical IBS is characterized by at least twelve weeks during a twelve-month period during which a person experiences abdominal pain or discomfort and recurrent diarrhea and/or constipation—conditions that should always prompt a visit to the doctor to rule out other causes.

As we have seen, IBS is diagnosed by its symptoms, not by a particular medical test. This is because, as mentioned above, an irritable bowel is a normal, healthy bowel that for some reason does not function properly. Distressing as a diagnosis of IBS is, never forget that it does not lead to bowel cancer or other serious bowel disorders, such as colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Symptoms of IBS

The symptoms of IBS depend on which parts of the gut are involved. Some people experience problems in only one part of the gut, others in several. Symptoms are unpredictable and can also vary over time. For example, for several months, weeks, or days you might suffer from bouts of diarrhea, and then for several months, weeks, or days

Reviews for The IBS Healing Plan

[Sharon Downie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Helpful book. You definitely learn some holistic treatments. Good luck.

[lindaml_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

According to Cheung IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) affects as many as one in five people, yet no one wants to talk about it.This book is nicely organized; starting with what IBS is, what might cause IBS, how to determine if you have IBS and several chapters with suggestions on healing. Included is a useful A-Z chapter of specific symptoms. The book ends with a chapter on how to cope with IBS. Also a chapter-by-chapter reference list is included, and a resource list with associations, websites and e-mail lists. One of the most useful ideas is to keep a food journal; a simple example of how best to do so is given. A list of problematic foods to watch for is provided. The book provides useful info for those afflicted with IBS.

[picklechic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The IBS Healing Plan: Natural Ways to Beat Your Symptoms by Theresa Cheung is a fully comprehensive guide for people dealing with IBS and it includes very many ways to treat IBS. The book explains exactly what IBS is and how it is diagnosed. The most interesting sections include how diet affects IBS, stress and IBS and ways to manage stress, and daily living with IBS and all the embarrassing things that go with it. The book discusses traditional ways to treat IBS- from digestive aids and over the counter medicines to prescription drugs- and non traditional ways to treat IBS- including vitamins, herbs, acupuncture, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, stretching exercises and more. I found the A to Z of IBS symptoms to include many symptoms which a person would not think was related to IBS and it is very interesting all of the ways to treat each symptom. I really enjoyed the personal stories about people dealing with IBS on a daily basis. This book was very well researched and very in-depth at covering all aspects on IBS. I definitely recommend this book to anyone with IBS. 4 stars.

[bbkim · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was surprised by The IBS Healing Plan. I had expected either a too far-out eat only raw foods and seaweed prescription, or a “meditate all the time and conquer it with the power of positive thinking” approach. It is neither. It is actually a very complete and balanced approach. I was diagnosed with IBS with a colonoscopy during which I was poorly sedated. IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, which means they tell you that you have IBS after they rule out everything else. After looking around to find some other source of the pain and problem, they pump your intestines full of air, and if you yell at them for doing so, they diagnose IBS. Afterwards when the doctor told me I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I told him that he would be pretty darn irritable if I stuffed a tube up his derriere and pumped him full of air, too! He replied, "Oh, so you remember that?" My reply is, of course, unprintable, but if it were, it would look something like this, “!@%$^&*($%#$@#!At any rate, after my diagnosis of IBS I was simply handed pills and that was it. No education, no special diet, no information. Just, "take these pills and maybe it will get better." I took them, it didn't help much, and the side effects were very annoying. Also, I retained a lingering animosity towards the doctor for the undignified and extremely uncomfortable procedure. (Note: to all of you who are putting off getting a colonoscopy - don't use my experience as an excuse - my experience is extremely rare -I am just one of those unusual people who don't anesthetize well - not at the dentist either. So, don't put it off!)Anyhow, I liked this book. A lot. It gave me a lot of information I had never heard before, but not only that; it is actually well-researched and reasonable information. In the past I have heard things like, "eat only raw foods" or "fast with nothing but wheat grass juice for 2 weeks and that will cure it". None of these extreme things work. In fact, raw broccoli and cauliflower are a particularly bad choice for anyone with gas, IMHO. I liked the alternative strategies in this book, and I really liked that I could pick and choose which ones were most likely to suit me and my lifestyle instead of having to make radical life changes all at one. I started out gradually eliminating a few things and adding a few things and observing the results. I appreciated how this book treats of the whole stress issue. Instead of saying "it's all in your head, just don't be so stressed and it will all get better", they talk about techniques to help relax you and your colon. Aha - so it is in my colon, and not my head! Yes, that was what I had always thought! I also appreciated the book’s personal stories - it was nice to know that the author really "gets" this problem and has compassion for IBS sufferers. I wish my doctor had. Altogether, this is a very well rounded book - it covers natural and prescription treatments, alternative treatments and gives you a lot of choices. I am all about empowering people to take care of their own bodies. For me, it seems dietary control and a few supplements are the key factors in reducing my IBS to a minimum and I am doing much, much better now as long as I am careful about what I eat. If I choose to eat outside the guidelines I know work for me, I will suffer for it, but at least I now know where the limits are.And, in case you are wondering, no, I haven't been back to that doctor, and yes, my IBS is much better.

[leesylou · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I cannot recommend this book, much as I would love to find a title offering comfort to anyone suffering from otherwise untreated digestive discomfort. Not only does it diagnose without proper medical differentiation (ovarian cancer among other serious conditions can mimic many of the symptoms described, but is not mentioned anywhere within the book), but it offers no research to back up any of the recommended treatments, and suggests various treatment modalities including homeopathy and TCM which have never been shown to work in any capacity.

[manadabomb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I scored this ARC from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer group. And I'm very pleased that I did.IBS is just one of the many digestive problems I have and, while I've been fairly successful in keeping the symptoms under control, I haven't seen a book that was dedicated to natural ways of subduing IBS. This book covers a lot of ground including what foods to eat, supplements to take (vitamins/minerals/herbs), alternative therapies (massage, acupuncture, etc) and stress management.Although this book goes the natural route, the author repeatedly asks the patient to work with their doctor and not to go off trying herbs and such willy nilly.I especially liked the A-Z symptom guide with hints on how to help your specific IBS symptoms...because there are quite a few of them.All in all, this was an informative book and, as a 12 year veteran of IBS, I even learned a few things.

[binniebee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I got this as an early reviewer's free book. It offers many, many alternative treatments for managing IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). This is a good reference book to have around if you suffer from IBS. There is no way anyone can read the book and retain all the various ways to manage IBS, so if you want alternative treatments then you should own this book.

[silentq_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book is well organised, with important information repeated in the chapters that call for warnings or caveats, so you can dip into and out of it. There's lots of information about herbs and spices and what they can be used for, as well as tips on foods that trigger or ease symptoms for people. Popular drugs as well as stress reduction techniques and tips on how to live with IBS are included. Some things are repeated multiple times, it would be useful to have a section in the back where you can look up all the qualities of a certain food or supplement; granted the index is TBD, so it will probably cover this request handily.I appreciate that the author provided an extensive reference section at the end, citing the studies and papers that are mentioned in the text (hopefully they'll be explicitly linked to the mentions in the final copy). The parts concerning exercise are shorted in some sections, but there is elaboration later on.All the advice is tempered by "it works for some people, you have to find what works for you", but there are so many tips that you'll be sure to find something. I requested this book to review due to being diagnosed with IBS while working at a very very stressful job. Just by reading the introduction I realised how lucky I was: mine's triggered by stress and I "only" get intense pain in my abdomen. I've developed coping strategies and rarely have a flare up, and it was reassuring to see everything I've done listed in the text. I wish I'd had this book years ago! Even though I'm generally fine now, there are some things that I'll be trying out the next time my gut decides to rebel.The ARC is rife with copy editor level mistakes, which made it hard for me to get into the flow of reading it. There are also a couple of outright errors (6 feet instead of inches in one place).