An Ultimate Guide to Better Gut Health for People Suffering from IBS and IBD

It is crucial to have a healthy diet as “Health is wealth” to maintain our health. This article explores IBD and IBS, along with healthy measures to achieve a healthy gut for those struggling with these conditions. Before jumping into the solution, let’s explore what IBD and IBS are and how they can be treated.

How to Maintain a Healthy Gut

Intake of healthy foods is the key to improving your gut health. To elaborate, include a higher quantity of fiber-rich foods instead of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Fiber is one of the rich components of food that you need to consume in order for you to be at your healthiest. The gut microbiota, unique to each individual, consists of tens of trillions of microorganisms and can weigh up to six pounds. We acquire much of this bacteria as infants when we pass through the birth canal during delivery, but other factors, such as antibiotic use or birth by Cesarean section, can influence bacterial levels.

9 Easiest Ways to Improve Your Gut Health

• Take probiotics
• Reduce stress
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid smoking
• No caffeine consumption
• Eat a high-fiber diet
• Get enough sleep
• Stay hydrated
• Avoid excessive sugar

3 Key Points to Achieve Great Gut Health

• Include rainbow color foods and other healthy nuts in your diet.
• Learn to keep proper intervals between your meals.
• 12 hours of the gap between meals (always try to finish your dinner an hour before sunset)

IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), in simple terms this syndrome irritates your stomach. To elaborate, it is a disorder that occurs in the lower GI tract. The GI tract is below the stomach, small bowel, or colon. These are the 2 areas primarily affected. Most probably this results in constipation or diarrhea, or sometimes both associated with crampy abdominal pain. With that, the pain is relieved by defecation or by having a bowel movement. When it comes to managing IBS symptoms, one approach that has gained recognition is the low FODMAP diet. Low FODMAP food delivery services can be a convenient and helpful resource for those with IBS who are looking to optimize their dietary choices while managing their symptoms effectively.

IBS Symptoms

• Abdominal pain
• Irregular bowel movements
• Bloating and swelling
• Flatulence

How Is IBS Treated?

Basically, the intake of fiber-rich foods clears this issue. In some cases, healthcare advisors may prescribe drugs that are specially developed for this process. These drugs are used to treat chronic, functional constipation. Indeed IBS can be managed with good food habits and maintaining great gut health. The probiotic bacteria, called Lactobacillus rhamnosus, contain a neurotransmitter called GABA that helps regulate brain activity and can calm anxiety. Based on the reactions of the mice that consumed L. rhamnosus, researchers concluded the bacteria were affecting their brain chemistry.

2 Major Types of IBS:

• IBS – C, leads to constipation
• IBS – D, leads to diarrhea

IBD

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) commonly consists of two different conditions. They are Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), which are inflammatory conditions that affect the intestine and that over time can progress and cause irreversible bowel damage. This condition is different from other gastrointestinal problems.

IBD symptoms

• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Rectal bleeding
• Urgency in going to the bathroom
• Fatigue
• Pain and swelling in the joints.

In children,

• Low blood count
• Fatigue to grow

How Is IBD Treated?

For patients with mild inflammation, healthcare advisors prescribe medication that resolves inflammation in just the colon and small intestine. For patients with moderate to severe inflammation, doctors provide medication that targets the immune system. All these treatments are effective as long as patients are on treatment.

Difference Between IBS and IBD

3 Key Aspects to Improve Gut Health for People Suffering from IBS and IBD

Diet and Nutrition:

A healthy gut completely relies on a balanced diet. It is an important factor to maintain your gut free from mucin-eating bad bacteria. People suffering from IBS and IBD are not supposed to take foods that are hard to digest and mixed with flavors. If taken, it may worsen the condition. In this case, it is crucial to get advice from a healthcare professional. The diet will be personalized according to the individual’s health condition. The diet will vary from person to person.

For people who have mild symptoms of IBS or IBD, you can follow the below-listed diet:

• Avoid too much intake of proteins and carbs
• Incorporate high-fiber-rich foods
• Include colorful fruits and veggies
• Whole grain
• Legumes

Intake of the above-listed foods will make your bowel movements regular and clear the issue without any medications.

Foods that should be avoided:

• Spicy foods
• Fatty foods
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners

Stress Management:

Stress management is something that has to be taken into consideration as a crucial factor. In this era, technology is evolving a lot, likewise stress and tension for living beings. So to manage this stress, we have to follow a proper lifestyle that includes regular exercise, deep breathing exercises, and meditation and make ourselves get involved in activities that help to improve relaxation and self-love. In that list of proper lifestyles, 8 hours of beauty sleep is also an important aspect to be followed. Involving in things that make you happy will help a lot to deal with stress.

Medication and Treatment:

Medication and treatment have become essential factors for the upcoming generation. Food was medicine during our ancestral time, but now we are adapting to the latest era and don’t have ample time to eat healthy foods and stay hydrated. In such cases, medications that include anti-inflammatories, immunosuppressants, and symptom-specific drugs can help you to manage the symptoms of IBS and IBD, which results in the reduction of inflammation and improves gut health.

Wrapping Up

As said before, it is hard to improve gut health for IBS and IBD disorders. Doctors will use multifaceted approaches to treat the individual. To achieve better gut health it is important to follow the diet provided by your health care advisor or nutritionist. As a first step stay hydrated, avoid the consumption of protein, and have fiber-rich foods. Visit the doctor if the pain persists. However, it’s important to understand that a treatment that works for some individuals may not work for others. IBS and IBD patients need personalized care and specialists who follow up throughout the journey.