Photo Shandi-lee
“Most of my problems lie within this, my tummy. Lived with these mystery problems for a long time, but I won’t let them manifest and make me give any less than I can give anymore” – Shandi-lee
Here’s the primary mechanism through which you get the classic IBS symptoms of frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, blood in stools, abdominal cramps and pain etc.
The increase in bad bacteria, leads to reduction in digestion, leading to more fermentation, the food rot creating gases, causing ulceration, inflammation, inability of colon to absorb water (leading to frequent diarrhea).
Now if just eating the wrong food was causing all the problems, then how come all high carb eaters don’t get IBS? Why only some of us.
I can only make educated guesses from mine and others’ experiences.
Some of us clearly are more susceptible and vulnerable to the onslaught caused by high carb diets. The reasons could be:
- Natural causes: There are people with “iron stomachs” who can eat anything and there are people who have fragile stomachs. This could be run in families or not. So any of these diseases can manifest themselves at any point in your life, from childhood to late 60s or beyond, depending on accumulative effects on your stomach.
- External causes: The gut becomes more fragile and susceptible, because something changes in the gut ecosystem:
- E.g. Over use of antibiotics over long periods, can destroy ALL bacteria in the intestines, leading to disruptions in digestion and
- Overuse of certain medicines, both OTC (over the counter) and prescription, such as Aleve, and other NSAIDs, anti-inflammation meds etc. can weaken stomach lining, and cause ulcerations plus bleeding.
So no matter what the cause, whether it was
- We were unlucky, and were just born with a gut system more vulnerable than those “lucky” ones who have no problem eating anything including hi carb diets
- Whether it was our doctor who in his zeal over-prescribed us antibiotics or other stomach bleeding causing meds without fully explaining to us the risks or
- Whether we ourselves who over-used OTC drugs like Aleve and other NSAIDS, and brought it on to ourselves…
The issue is not what caused our problems, but what can we do to understand it, and then take the right action.
Hopefully I haven’t left you even more confused with my explanations of the possible cause of your IBS problems.
Now on to, what can we practically do about it.
1) First of all if you got this disease from an external factor, you have got to stop it, or find ways to minimize its side effects. E.g. find alternative to that migraine busting Aleve etc. Ask you doctor if they can prescribe less potent antibiotics or reduce the frequency, dosage, duration etc.
2) Modify your diet so it cuts down on carbs, and leans more towards fat and proteins
3) Start using probiotics
4) Occasionally use natural anti-bacterials to control flare-ups as needed
5) When you have these digestive disorders, your ability to absorb nutrients from food is dramatically decreased. E.g. most of us will at least be partially iron deficient. Use the right supplements to make up for these essential micronutrients.
Over the next few posts, I will touch upon each of the above 5 points in more detail so you can apply them to your own situation.
Don’t forget to sound off below. Did you find this post useful? Can you identify a specific cause for your own digestive disorder, or was it due to natural causes? Have you tried other non-drugs based strategies that have worked for you?
