Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solutions

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Herbal Teas For IBS

Relieving your IBS symptoms can be done with many different treatments. One great option that you may want to consider to alleviate your IBS symptoms is consuming a herbal tea. There are several different teas that you can drink that will help control your IBS symptoms and help to relax you.

Peppermint tea is one type of tea that can be used to help decrease IBS symptoms. This tea is widely available at grocery stores and it can help calm the digestive muscles. Peppermint tea can help relieve muscle spasms that occur in the stomach and colon or any other part of the body. Peppermint is also used to help kill pain so it will help with any stomach pain that you are suffering from.

Fennel tea is another helpful tea for IBS. Fennel is an herbal treatment that is used for digestive problems. This licorice-flavored tea is a favorite of many people as an alternative IBS treatment. The herb has anti-spasmodic properties and it helps to relax the lower digestive tract. Fennel tea does not have caffeine either, which keeps it from being a trigger for IBS symptoms for people who are sensitive to caffeine.

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Preventing Diarrhea

Preventing diarrhea is largely a matter of luck and common sense. If certain foods give your intestinal tract a hard time, stay away from them. Many cases of diarrhea are caused by intestinal bugs but if yours seems to be functional and not connected with bacterial infection, try to assess what conditions seem to trigger it and, in particular, whether stressful situations seem connected. Take steps to reduce stressful situations and ask your doctor about medications that might treat functional diarrhea.

General rules for avoiding diarrhea caused by bacterial infections include washing all fruits and vegetables well and making sure they’re ripe when you eat them. Rinse chicken before you cook it, and cook chicken and other meats thoroughly. Clean all food preparation areas such as countertops and cutting boards with soap and warm water. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling food.

Be careful about eating foods left outside for long periods of time — at barbecues or picnics, for example. Bacteria can grow easily in the warm air. And don’t take leftovers home from these events. Even inside, leftovers should be refrigerated quickly after the meal has been served.

From the Harvard Health Publications Special Health Report, The Sensitive Gut. Copyright 2005 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Illustrations by Michael Linkinhoker and Harriet Greenfield, M.A. All rights reserved. Written permission is required to reproduce, in any manner, in whole or in part, the material contained herein. To make a reprint request, contact Harvard Health Publications. Used with permission of StayWell.

What Is a Peptic Ulcer?

A peptic ulcer is a type of sore or hole that forms in the lining of the stomach or intestine. The word "peptic" refers to the digestive process. An ulcer in the lining of the stomach is called a gastric ulcer. An ulcer in the upper part of the small intestine, or duodenum, is called a duodenal ulcer.

The lining of the stomach is a layer of special cells, chemicals and mucous that prevent the stomach from being damaged by its own acids and digestive enzymes. If there is a break or ulcer in the lining, the tissue under the lining can be damaged by the enzymes and corrosive acid. If the ulcer is small, there may be few symptoms, and the wound can heal on its own. If the ulcer is deep, it can cause serious pain or bleeding, and may eat completely through the stomach or duodenum wall.

Peptic ulcers are relatively common, affecting approximately 500,000 people in the United States each year. It has been estimated that about 10% of Americans will develop an ulcer at some time in their lives. Ulcers can develop in anyone at any age, but they become more common as people age. Duodenal ulcers tend to occur at an earlier age than gastric ulcers. While ulcers used to be more common in men, recent studies show that ulcers now occur at the same rate in men and women.

It's still unclear what causes ulcers, current research suggests that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori plays a major role. In fact, this bacterium is believed to cause between 70% and 90% of all peptic ulcers. But infection is not the whole story, because only about 20% of people infected with H. pylori develop ulcers. In some people, H. pylori infection somehow upsets the delicate balance between the damaging effects of gastric acids and the body's natural protection. When the lining is no longer able to protect the stomach or intestine, an ulcer develops (see How an Ulcer Starts ).

The second most common cause of ulcers is the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and others) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). These drugs interfere with the body's methods of protecting the stomach lining from the harmful effects of acid. Ulcers caused by NSAIDs are particularly common in the elderly. Ulcers also can be caused by other drugs, such as those used to treat osteoporosis.

Several other factors can increase your risk of developing a peptic ulcer. Both gastric and duodenal ulcers seem to run in families. Cigarettes appear to interfere with the body's natural protection against ulcers, particularly in people who are infected with H. pylori. Alcohol may increase the production of acid and damage the lining of the stomach. However, contrary to popular belief, stress and spicy foods do not seem to increase the risk of ulcers.

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