Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Alternative Medicine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Question:
Can any one please suggest possible homeopathic remedies for Irritable bowel syndrome. The person who suffers from this is around 43 years old male and he is suffering from this for the last 20 years.

Answer:
I suffered from IBS for a number of years. Doctors had me taking an Imodium product (Loperimide) that put me into a tailspin of alternating constipation and loose bowels. I then went to a Herbalogist and she helped me find the cure that has been working for me for two+ yrs...... Slippery Elm! This is the bark of the slippery elm tree, dried, powdered, and put into capsules. Available at most health food stores. I take one capsule in the AM and one before bed. I am no longer a prisoner to IBS and as a result am less stressed from not having to worry about availability of restroom facilities where ever I happen to be in the course of a day. You need to find a certified health practitioner who is knowledgeable about homeopathy and other alternative medicine if you want the right treatment. There are many books and resources on homeopathy that will give you some idea of what to expect and look for, but you might try Dr. Andrew Weil's web site: www.drweil.com to find a practitioner in your area. IBS affects people in so many different ways, the individual sufferer has to find what works for him/her. My spouse is greatly helped by keeping to an ayurvedic diet (you can find books on this by Dr. V. Lad and Deepak Chopra at the bookstore or library) and taking herbal prescriptions from a certified Chinese medicine practitioner. Diet changes are the key. Healing herbs will not work without diet changes. During the acute stage--go on a mono diet for 2 days with apples and apple juice. Then, eat a low fat, mild diet with plenty of soluble fiber, but low roughage. Foods should be mildly cooked, never fried, with few spices or salts. Include fresh fruits, fruit fiber from prunes, apples and raisins, green salads with olive oil and lemon dressing, whole grain cereals--oatmeal and brown rice-- and steamed vegetables. Drink a glass of mixed vegetable juice once a day for the first 2 weeks. Eat cultured foods--yogurt and kefir--for friendly intestinal flora. Drink fresh carrot juice 3 times a week. Keep your body well hydrated. Drink distilled water. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Avoid coffee and all caffeine containing foods: nuts, seeds, dairy foods and citrus fruits while healing. Spicy food is also an irritant. Drink aloe Vera juice.