IBS is a condition that manifests itself in abdominal cramps, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, without finding the underlying cause. In case the intestinal complaints last longer than three months and no underlying cause is found, they speak of IBS. This does not mean that no abnormalities can be found in the gut. Research as shown that people with an IBS diagnosis have a different intestinal flora (microbiome) or are having lowgrade inflammation of the intestinal wall.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to the emergence of IBS:
* Lack of fiber or fluids
* Lack of movement
* Excess of soluble fiber, such as onions and cabbage
* Psychosocial factors, such as stress and having an irregular lifestyle.
* Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a substance that is responsable for transferring signals to the cells that contribute to intestinal mobility. Serotonin also plays an important role in mood and anxiety disorders. IBS patients seem to suffer more and more often from depression and excessive anxiety.
* Stomach/bowel infection. IBS complaints can arise after a gastrointestinal infection. With a gastrointestinal infection, most people get antibiotics. The intestinal flora or microbiome can get out of balance, due to the antibiotics. Therefore it is good to start with probiotics soon after the antibiotics to restore the intestinal microbiome.
* Food allergies and intolerances. Some people assume, that food intolerances plays an important role in IBS. Think of gluten or lactose intolerance.
Unfortunately, in Western medicine there is no definitive treatment for IBS yet. There are however things you can do to relieve the complaints. In the field of dietary supplements, starflower oil in combination with vitamin E or green clay and a good probiotic, will restore the mucus layer in the intestines. When the mucosal layer in the intestines recovers, no more substances will pass through that do not belong outside the gut. A good turmeric in combination with vitamin D will keep lowgrade inflammations under control. By following the Fodmap diet, you can find out which foods you are allergic to or intolerant of. More about the Fodmap diet, you will find under the header ‘food & drinks’.
Chinese medicine agrees with Western medicine about the emergence of IBS. IBS gets worse with stress and worrying, with an excess of sugars and sweet foods, with fatigue and not enough movement.
According to Chinese medicine, the following organsystems are involved with IBS:
* Spleen and stomach
* Liver and gall bladder
* Kidneys
* Small and large instestine.
This might come as a surprise to you, but Chines medicine looks holistic and energetic and has a total different language.
Having said that, back to the spleen and the stomach. You can imagine the stomach to be your eating jar. Everything you eat and drink, gets into this jar. The spleen is your digestive fire under your eating jar. Together they stand for digestion and the transport of food and liquids. Together they ensure the production of blood and qi. Qi is the total amount of your life-energy. Qi can also be the indication for the energy of an organ. Blood and qi are the two substances that feed the body. When the spleen energy is weak, then there is not enough digestive fire, then there is not enough qi and illnesses might occur. When the liquids are insufficiently transformed, a by-product is created. We call this by-product dampness. You can recognise dampness in the body in cases of loss of appetite, tired limbs, cold hand and feet, greasy skin, sticky stool and/or nausea, growing of fungi, the inability to concentrate, a heavy head, gaining weight. Also gastroenteritis can be caused by dampness. Dampness is comparable to foods and liquids that remain in the intestine for too long and stagnate there.
In Chinese medicine, the liver enery or liver qi, stands for emotional balance. It is the first organ that gets affected by stress, irritation and anger. Also alcohol, drugs and medicines, will influence the liver qi in a negative way. The most important role of the liver energy, is to keep a free flow of qi in the whole body. When this function gets disrupted, then the liver qi stagnates. This is called a ‘liver qi stagnation’. This can cause headache, alterning constipation/diarrhea, bloating and flatulence.
One of the tasks of the kidney energy, is to control the water. It controls the transport and transformation of organic fluids in various ways:
* the kidney is like a gate that opens and closes to control the fluid regulation of the bladder and the kidney. In normal circumstances, there is a proper opening and closing of the gate and the micture will be normal in quantity and colour.
* In case of imbalance, it will be either be too open and the urine will be abundant and pale, or too closed and the urine will not be abundant and dark of colour.
The small intestines digests the food. The main function of the large intestine, is to receive food and drinks’ from the small intestine. After the large intestine/colon absorbed the liquids, it eliminates the waste. Chinese medicine is very short about the colon. This is because most of the bowel functions are contributed to the liver and the spleen. Symptoms as loose stool, blood or mucus in stool are because of an imbalance of the spleen energy. Symptoms as abdominal distension or pain and obstipation are because of an imbalanced liver energy.
So yes, Chines medicine has a different outlook on IBS. Maybe it will be worth your while to visit a Chinese medicine practitioner should you suffer from IBS.
Please let us know if this blog was helpful for you. If you are interested in reading more on this subject, please let us know under the header ‘çontact’ and we will make a new, more indepth blog.
February 2019
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