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What Happens When You Suffer from IBS and Go Through the Menopause?

Apr 01, 2017

Today, 1st April, kicks off International IBS Awareness Month. If you’re one of the unlucky 10-20% in the UK who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you’ll be all too aware of just how much this uncomfortable condition can affect your life.

Those horrible symptoms such as stomach cramps, gassiness, pain, bloating, constipation and burping often prevent you from going out and enjoying your life in the way you deserve to. You can never truly relax when you know your tummy can start playing you up at any moment .

Not only does it hurt, it’s also very frustrating too. IBS is the mysterious ‘no idea’ syndrome- the one that’s diagnosed when your doctor has run out of ideas and has little suggestion as to what you’re supposed to do to feel better.

And then when the menopause comes knocking on your door, your problems can get even worse still. Still, your doctor has no helpful suggestions.

That’s why I’ve decided to come to your rescue by helping you make sense of your IBS, explain what is likely to happen during the peri-menopause and menopause and finally give you a holistic action plan that will help heal your gut, rebalance your hormones and feel great!

Here’s what happens when you suffer with IBS and go through the menopause.

What causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Let’s start at the top by taking a look at what could be causing your IBS symptoms in the first place.

Most likely, your doctor has told you that it’s probably ‘just something that you ate’, that your gut is just ‘overly sensitive’ or worst of all, that it’s ‘just in your mind’. None of these answers is good enough, in my opinion. Here’s what the real causes of IBS usually are.

#1: Low stomach acid

You might remember that I’ve been fighting my own personal battle with low stomach acid recently, so I can understand first-hand the effect that low stomach acid can have on the way you’re feeling.

Your stomach acid is an essential part of the digestion process, and when it’s not working as it should, the rest of your digestive system has to work a lot harder. This is what can cause a lot of your IBS symptoms.

In fact, most people over 40 will have low levels of stomach acid and this will only get worse with age.

 

#2: Chronic stress

Numerous studies have found that women with IBS also have raised cortisol levels, indicating higher levels of stress.

You know yourself that when you’re feeling stressed, your gut can often play up and your symptoms get worse, so this is certainly true. It doesn’t matter whether the stress comes from- it will affect you the same.

Are you feeling stressed about your life, your finances, your relationships, your IBS or the approach of the menopause?

 

#3: Intestinal imbalance

You’re probably quite familiar with the fact that we all have healthy bacteria in our guts that help us to stay healthy. These bacteria need to be in perfect balance with the ‘bad’ bacteria, and limited to the large intestine only or else health problems can arise.

If the bacteria grow in the small intestines or the bad bacteria take over, it will start fermenting the food you eat, instead of digesting it. This, of course, will trigger inflammation and those uncomfortable symptoms. (Not to mention the fact that it sounds pretty horrible!)  


#4: Chronic inflammation

Did you read last week’s article on the dangers of inflammation for the menopausal woman? If so, you’ll understand just how terrible inflammation can be for your overall health and your IBS symptoms. Click the link and read the article now for more info, I’ll wait!

Chronic inflammation can be triggered by the food we eat, hormonal imbalances, whether you get enough exercise, stress, the toxins you are exposed to and many more factors.

 

#5: Medication

I was reading a fascinating book called Drug Muggers last week about the effects that prescription meditation can have on your body.

Irritable bowel syndrome certainly isn’t an exception- the contraceptive pill, HRT, antibiotics, antacids and many other medicines can affect the healthy bacteria in your gut, irritate your gut itself and trigger yet more symptoms.  

 

IBS and your hormones

You might have noticed that your symptoms of IBS are highly influenced by where exactly you are in your menstrual cycle. This is because your gut contains receptors for sex hormones, especially oestrogen and progesterone. The fluctuation of these hormones, whether normal monthly fluctuations or menopausal changes can further impact upon your gut health and how much your IBS symptoms flare up.

The days when you’re menstruating can often can be the worse time of all. Additionally, women with IBS are more likely to suffer from hormonal problems too such as water retention, brain fog, PMS and more. You certainly don’t have it easy, do you?

The good news is that many of these symptoms can often decrease after the menopause, so there could really be light at the end of the tunnel for you.

In the meantime, to give your gut a helping hand and to improve your chances of getting that IBS under control, there are a handful of things you can do to feel better and beat your IBS. Here they are:

 

How to calm your IBS

There isn’t one miracle way that you can stop your IBS in its tracks and transform your gut health. But it is possible to attack the problem in a truly holistic way, using the power of diet, optimal nutrition, stress-relief techniques and other lifestyle factors to tune up your health and help your gut feel calmer and symptom-free.

 

#1: Low FODMAP diet

First and foremost, I’d recommend that you follow the Low FODMAP diet for a period of 21 days. FODMAPS are a group of foods that can cause digestive issues for many people and have been directly linked with symptoms of IBS. This includes certain sugars and foods that are easily fermentable.

The low FODMAP diet aims to avoid these foods to eliminate symptoms to help you feel better. This will involve avoiding fructose, lactose, fructans, fructans and polyols.

You should be aware than this diet is very restrictive and should never be followed for a long period of time. Please contact me for more information.

 

#2: Fill in those nutritional gaps

Whilst it’s almost always better to get your nutrients directly from your food, taking a high-quality nutritional supplement can give your gut the head-start it needs to heal from within. I’d recommend the following:

Zinc- This will help feed your digestive enzymes and protect against zinc deficiency (common with IBS)

Probiotics- These will help feed the healthy bacteria in your gut and help it to rebalance. However, avoid ones with galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and fructo-oligosaccharides as these will increase your symptoms.

Digestive enzymes- L-glutamine and Betaine HCL will help your stomach break down your food, but do not to take them without support from a nutritionist. Contact me if you’d like to know more.

 

#3: Eat more probiotic foods

You can also get natural probiotics from the food you eat. Great sources include Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Miso soup, Tempeh and Kefir.

 

#4: Increase your water intake

Keep your bowels moving, your faeces soft and help everything transition through your digestive system by drinking at least 2 litres of water per day.

 

#5: Get moving!

Exercise doesn’t just help boost your overall health, improve your bone density, keep certain cancers at bay and keep that belly fat at bay, it also helps to keep your digestive system moving. Aim for 3 x 20 minute sessions of HIIT per week, supplemented by weights and other exercise.

 

#6: Eat more calories!

Yes, really! If you’re not eating enough, you’ll struggle to get everything moving through your digestive system as it should.

 

#7: Drink bone broth

Bone broth is a wonderful source of nutrition that will help heal your gut and reduce bloating, as well as boosting your immune system, giving you strong and healthy skin and nails and improving bone density.

 

#8: Stress

Stress is one of the leading causes of IBS, so it’s important that you take steps to minimise or manage the stress in your life. This might mean practicing yoga or meditation, enjoying guided visualisations, self-hypnosis, doing more of the things you love and saying ‘No’ more often. Your gut will thank you for it.

 

Although it might feel like it at times, IBS needn’t be a life sentence. Whilst a hormonal imbalance is bound to worsen your symptoms, there is a lot you can do to help heal your gut.

Follow the tips in this article, and of course, contact me if you’d like personalised help and support with any of the issues here.

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