top of page

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Specialist Shares Her Technique

As an IBS specialist, I have successfully treated many IBS patients. Over the course of my practitioner journey, I have realised that many common solutions do not actually work. Treating the gut, for example, is often not enough to manage IBS longterm.

IBS specialist Brisbane

What is IBS, On a Deeper Level?

​Firstly, we must rule out other conditions and gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease before treating IBS. Once you have done the appropriate testing with your practitioner, you can dive headfirst into your protocol.

​

While most people think IBS is simply about the foods we eat, IBS is actually a nervous system condition. IBS occurs when the nerves of the stomach become ultra sensitive. To add to this, IBS usually has an element of imbalanced gut bugs. These bugs leads to excess gas, and the gas pushes against the ultra-sensitive walls of your gut.

​

Put these two factors together, and you will get extremely painful bloating after eating anything that produces gas.

​

Now, what about the bowel symptoms such as constipation and/or diarrhea you experience with IBS?

​

As mentioned above, your nervous system drives IBS. Let us explore the nervous system and then find the links between it, your bowel movement and IBS. But first, let's dive into some common symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Symptoms and Defining Characteristics of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

The main symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating and dysfunctional bowel motions.

Common Symptoms:
 

Abdominal Pain and Cramping:

  • Typically relieved by bowel movements.

  • Can vary in intensity and location.

 

Bloating and Gas:

  • Feeling of fullness or swelling in the abdomen.

  • Excessive gas production in the gut.

 

Diarrhea:

  • Frequent loose or watery stools.

  • Urgency to have a bowel movement.

 

Constipation:

  • Infrequent bowel movements (less than three times a week).

  • Straining or difficulty passing stools.

 

Alternating Diarrhea and Constipation:

  • Some individuals experience both diarrhea and constipation alternately.

 

Mucus in Stools:

  • Presence of white or clear mucus in the stool.

 

Changes in Bowel Habits:

  • Random bowel movement patterns.

  • Variation in stool consistency and frequency.

​​

What is Your Nervous System?

Firstly, your nervous system consists of two main branches.

 

Central Nervous System (CNS):

 

This includes the brain and spinal cord. Think of the CNS as the control centre. It processes information and makes decisions.


Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):

 

This includes all the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. The PNS acts like messengers, carrying information to and from the control centre (CNS).


2. How It Works:

​

Receiving Information:

 

Your body collects information through your senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell). For example, if you touch something hot, sensory nerves send a message to your brain saying, "This is hot!"


Processing Information:

 

The brain processes this information and decides what to do. In the example of touching the hot object, your brain quickly decides: "Move your hand away!"


Sending Instructions:

 

Once the brain makes a decision, it sends instructions back through motor nerves to the relevant body parts. Your muscles then react, like pulling your hand away from the hot object.
So, how does your nervous system work in relation to your gut? 

The Nervous System and Your Gut: Understanding the Connection to IBS

1. The Gut-Brain Connection:
 

What It Is: Your gut and brain are closely connected through a network of nerves called the gut-brain axis. This communication system allows your brain and gut to send messages back and forth.

The Vagus Nerve: One of the main pathways in this system is the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain to the gut. It helps control digestion and the movement of food through your intestines.

2. How It Works:
 

Digestive Process: When you eat, your brain sends signals to your gut to start the digestive process. Your gut, in turn, sends feedback to the brain about how digestion is going.This helps regulate things like stomach acid production, enzyme release, and the movement of food.

Emotional Influence: Your emotions can also affect your gut. Stress and anxiety can trigger gut symptoms because the brain sends stress signals to the gut, disrupting normal function.

3. Dysfunctional Nervous System and IBS:
 

Stress Response: Chronic stress or anxiety can cause the nervous system to be in a constant state of high alert. This can lead to the gut receiving too many stress signals. Which, in turn, can disrupt digestion and lead to symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Nerve Sensitivity: In people with IBS, the nerves in the gut can become overly sensitive.

This means that normal digestive processes, which shouldn't cause pain, can become painful. This is because of the link between this heightened sensitivity and a dysfunctional nervous system.

Impaired Gut Motility:

A dysfunctional nervous system can affect the muscles in your gut. It might cause the muscles to contract too much or not enough. This leads to issues like constipation, diarrhea, or the feeling of urgency, common in IBS.

Imbalance in Gut Bacteria: The nervous system also influences the balance of bacteria in your gut. Stress and other factors can disrupt this balance, contributing to IBS symptoms.

Is a low FODMAP diet the answer to stopping IBS?

If you have IBS, you have likely come across the low FODMAP diet.
 

What is the Low FODMAP Diet in relation to IBS?
 

The low FODMAP diet is a special eating plan designed to help people with IBS manage their symptoms. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are types of carbohydrates that can be hard for some people to digest.
 

How Does It Work?
 

  • FODMAPs and IBS: FODMAPs are found in many common foods. When people with IBS eat these foods, the FODMAPs can ferment in their gut, causing symptoms like bloating, gas, and stomach pain.
     

  • The Diet Plan: The low FODMAP diet involves reducing the intake of high FODMAP foods to help prevent these symptoms. Here are the general 3 phases used:
     

  • Elimination Phase: For 4-6 weeks, you avoid high FODMAP foods to see if your symptoms improve.
     

  1. Reintroduction Phase: Gradually reintroduce high FODMAP foods one at a time to identify which ones trigger your symptoms.
     

  2. Personalisation Phase: Develop a long-term eating plan based on what you learned about your FODMAP tolerance.

High FODMAP Foods to Avoid:
 

  • Oligosaccharides: Found in wheat, onions, garlic, and legumes.

  • Disaccharides: Found in dairy products like milk, yogurt, and soft cheese.

  • Monosaccharides: Found in certain fruits like apples, pears, and high-fructose corn syrup.

  • Polyols: Found in certain fruits and vegetables, as well as artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and xylitol.
     

Low FODMAP Foods to Eat:
 

  • Proteins: Meat, fish, and eggs.

  • Vegetables: Carrots, cucumbers, and spinach.

  • Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, and oranges.

  • Grains: Rice and quinoa.

  • Dairy Alternatives: Lactose-free milk and yogurt, coconut milk.
     

Benefits of the Low FODMAP Diet:
 

  • Symptom Relief: Many people with IBS find that following a low FODMAP diet helps reduce their symptoms significantly.
     

  • Better Understanding: It helps individuals understand which foods trigger their IBS, allowing them to make better food choices.

Why the Low FODMAP Diet is Not a Long-Term Solution for IBS

Short-Term Relief: The low FODMAP diet is effective in the short term for managing IBS symptoms. Here's how it helps:
 

  • Reduces Symptoms: By avoiding high FODMAP foods, you reduce the fermentation process in your gut. This can lead to a reduction in gas, bloating, and pain.
     

  • Decreases Inflammation: Removing these foods can also decrease inflammation in the gut, providing temporary relief from IBS symptoms.

 

Understanding the Limitations: The low FODMAP diet can provide significant short-term relief but it is not a cure. Here’s why it isn’t a long-term solution:
 

  • IBS and the Nervous System: IBS is a condition that affects the nervous system, specifically the gut-brain axis. The root cause of IBS relates to how your brain and gut communicate, not just what you eat.
     

  • Temporary Solution: When you reintroduce FODMAP foods after the elimination phase, your symptoms might return. This indicates that we cannot fix the underlying problem using diet alone.
     

The Role of FODMAP Foods: FODMAP foods play an important role in our diet and overall gut health:
 

  • Supporting the Microbiome: High FODMAP foods are often rich in prebiotics. These are essential for feeding the good bacteria in your gut. A healthy microbiome is crucial for overall digestive health and immune function. Longterm removal of FODMAP's can have some undesired side effects.
     

  • Nutritional Benefits: Many high FODMAP foods are nutritious, providing important vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Most will agree that these are necessary for a balanced diet. Long-term restriction of whole foods is also not something I practice.

What Are Some Longterm Strategies For Managing IBS

For long-term management of IBS, it's important to look beyond the low FODMAP diet. We must address the nervous system foremost. To achieve regular, pain-free bowel habits and digestion, we need to treat IBS, rather than masking the symptoms.
 

  • Stress Management: IBS has a deep connection to the nervous system. Hence, managing stress through techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and exercise can help reduce symptoms longterm. Research shows that a simple meditation practice alone can make a difference.
     

  • Vagus Nerve Treatment & Potentially TA-VNS: Your vagus nerve is the main IBS driver of your nervous system. If you can directly support it, you can achieve fantastic results. Using TA-VNS (Trans Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation) can be a super-charged way to heal your vagus nerve. Book an appointment with myself to explore this ground-breaking therapy.
     

  • Regular Physical Activity: Exercise can improve gut motility and reduce stress, helping manage IBS in the long run. This can help to reduce abdominal pain or discomfort.
     

  • Gut Health: Probiotics and other gut health supplements can support a healthy microbiome, which may help manage IBS symptoms. However, the best probiotics and gut healing factors come from our diet. While food doesn't generally cause IBS, it is crucial in the healing and management of it.
     

  • Balanced Diet: Reintroduce FODMAP foods gradually to maintain a balanced diet. You diet should support gut health while monitoring and managing symptoms.
     

While the low FODMAP diet can provide short-term relief from IBS symptoms it is not a long-term solution. The short term reduction in symptoms and inflammation is important, but it is not the whole picture.
 

IBS is a condition of the nervous system, and symptoms may return when you reintroduce FODMAP foods. Additionally, high FODMAP foods are important for gut health and overall nutrition.

Long-term management of IBS involves a holistic approach, including stress management, psychological therapy, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.

Should You See An IBS Specialist?

If you are wondering whether it is work seeing 'IBS specialist near me' or someone online, you should.
 

Managing or even curing IBS is a massive task as there are distinct phases. These phases need to recognised and actioned at the correct time to solve IBS.
 

For example, many people do not know whether to do a low PODMAP diet, or for how long. Others struggle to understand the reintroduction phase.

Working with an IBS Specialist such as myself keeps it clean and allows for a faster recovery. If you're looking for a better quality of life, get in touch.

bottom of page