Alcohol and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

January 13, 2010 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Is irritable bowel syndrome the scourge of modern society? It is most definitely one of the most often diagnosed digestive disorder and it is actually the most common condition of all seen by gastroenterologists worldwide. Modern medicine has not yet discovered the cause of irritable bowel syndrome but it is recognized that there are certain triggers and factors that are considered as being associated with the condition

These main factors are as follows:

1. Approximately half of all cases seem to occur after a major life changing event in the sufferer for example moving houses, changing jobs etc. when nervous tension seems to be at its highest.

2. Approximately 10-20 percent of sufferers report the occurrence of irritable bowel syndrome after contacting a severe bout of gastroenteritis where an infection in the stomach causes vomiting and diarrhea which seem to be the trigger for the disorder to flare up.

Alcohol and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

It cannot be said definitively that alcohol causes irritable bowel syndrome however it can quite easily contribute to it’s continuance. This is because alcohol is a very strong gastrointestinal irritant, and therefore will only result in making your symptoms even more heightened and increased.

Once you have contacted irritable bowel syndrome even a single alcoholic drink can bring on an attack. If you are a sufferer the best way to see if alcohol does aggravate your system is to stay off it for a while taking note of how your body reacts. IYou will probably note some improvement, should you wish to continue drinking, start off slowly don’t mix your drinks as you wont know what dring is causing the problem, whilst keeping a close watch on your bodies reaction. If the problem persists, then oyu have just got to stop all alcohol for as long as it takes to rid yourself of the irritable bowel syndrome.

Another area to watch is how you drink and what you drink. For example a glass of wine with your meal is not likely to agrivate your condition but consuming a few beers tends to bring on an attack. As consuming alcohol basically dehydrates your system it is a good idea to have a glass of water between drinks. For optimum hydration we should consume 8 pints of water per day . The dehydration caused by consuming alcohol has a definite affect on constipation and bloating suffered with irritable bowel syndrome.

As you can see alcohol and irritable bowel syndrome don’t go together well, this is only one step you should take to correct your condition. We are a product of what we eat and what we do, therefore it should be part of your treatment to correct your lifestyle. Firstly by cutting out all those fatty, sweet processed foods and go back to eating much more fresh fruit and vegetables and start a regular exercise regime, even if it is only walking for 30-60 minutes everyday. This combined with cutting back on your consumption of alcohol will definitely improve your overall health and your irritable bowel syndrome will subside and even disappear altogether.



By: Paul Courtney

About the Author:

Authors Biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to Alternative Medicine, Herbal Medicine and is the main contributor to http://www.ibsadvisory.com



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Food Allergy Versus Food Intolerance

November 22, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Among the allergies rampant in American lives today, food allergy is one of the top three. However, some people misdiagnose food allergy as food intolerance. There are certain similarities but one must be careful in administering medicines to a person with an allergy.

The wrong medicine for the wrong condition can increase the allergic symptom resulting in anaphylaxis and even death. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction where all the symptoms swiftly attack the entire body all at the same time.

Symptoms Of Food Allergy

Food allergy is an allergic reaction to certain types of food. The most common food allergens are: cow’s milk, wheat, peanuts and other tree nuts, eggs, fish, soybeans, shellfish, meat and certain types of drugs. The allergic reaction can vary depending on the type of allergen but they have the same number of symptoms:

- Rashes or hives begins to appear on the skin. In extreme cases, the swelling and hives can spread to the entire body.

- Swelling of the certain areas near the mouth.

- Swelling of the ear

- Redness and itchiness of the eyes.

- Runny nose

- Vomiting and diarrhea

- Difficulty in breathing and wheezing, sometime signs of asthma

Food intolerance has much of the same symptoms except the runny nose and watery eyes. Most often, food intolerance results in diarrhea and swelling of certain areas of the body.

Aside for the similarities in symptoms, a food allergy is more severe than food intolerance. Someone with food intolerance can eat small portions of the food he is allergic to. They can still enjoy the food, though in small quantities. But to a person with food allergy, that small portion can immediately trigger an allergic reaction. And if not treated at once, the patients can go into anaphylaxis.

What makes a food allergy more life threatening is because of the immediate threat to the person. Someone with food allergy can have an anaphylactic shock and start to experience the swelling of the throat muscles. This can block the air passage of the person and could result to death.

Another real danger is the sharp drop in the blood pressure of the patient. In this case, the person with food allergy may experience mental confusion and dizziness.

Food Allergy Treatment

A food allergy can be treated as soon as the symptom occurs. For rashes, there are skin creams available to ease the swelling and itchiness. The antihistamines will give relief to symptoms of runny nose, watery eyes and swelling. These medicines can be bought right in the local drugstores and does not require a prescription.

For those who experience the severe food allergy reactions, a dose of epinephrine (adrenaline), either self- injected or given by the doctor can immediately reverse the symptoms. As of now, a shot of epinephrine is the most effective treatment for food allergy and other types of allergies.

Preventing Food Allergy

Although food allergies cannot be prevented, the best way to defeat it is by staying away from the food a person is allergic to. Taking a risk will only cost you more pain in the future. So it is best to see the doctor to get a proper diagnosis and guidelines on what to eat and what not to eat.

Making the right diagnosis on food allergy versus food intolerance can be tricky. It all depends on how severe the allergic reactions are and the number of symptoms that show up on the person when exposed to the food allergen.



By: Charlene J. Nuble

About the Author:

Charlene J. Nuble 2006. For answers to All your frequently asked questions about food allergy, please go to: food-allergy.allergyanswers.net or go to: allergyanswers.net blog.



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Food Intolerance

November 20, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Food intolerance is the body’s altered or abnormal reaction to certain kinds of foods. It can be defined as a condition when a particular immune reaction occurs in the body in response to consuming a particular food or food ingredient. However, the symptoms of food intolerance are very similar to any sensitivity including headache, swelling, urticaria, vomiting and diarrhea, etc. As such it becomes very difficult to determine what kinds of food or food products are responsible for causing such food intolerances. Due to this limited information, we often land up consuming the wrong medicines or go in for the wrong treatments, which only leads to making the situation worse. This problem can be solved through a number websites available today, with all the information on Food Intolerance.

These websites offer all the information and insight on the various kinds of food intolerances that take place due to certain kinds of food products. They carry reliable and practical advice on healthy eating, understanding food labels and kinds of foods that can have an adverse affect our health. They offer expert advice on dietary issues and provide free information to individuals, companies and organizations. They also provide you with all the information on the various symptoms and the likely treatments for your food intolerance problem. You can also take certain tests offered by these websites which can help in accurately and safely determine the cause of your food intolerance problem. Most of these tests are completely safe procedure and totally painless and can be used to test anyone from babies to the elderly. These tests are carried out by certified professionals in this field and through well equipped laboratories that are specialized in conducting these tests. Most of these websites have affiliations with such laboratories. These sites seek to help you make healthier choices, whether you are choosing what to eat or shopping for food.

Many of these websites also offer many therapies including yoga, vibrational medicine, herbs and natural nutrition. They help in inspiring, empowering and encouraging growth and health. They also contain all the latest news and in-depth information from government agencies providing information on food standards, including agency policy and research. It also has detailed information and guidance for people of different ages affected by food intolerance problems. They also provide you with certain diets in order to help you to lessen or completely overcome your sensitivity to certain food types. They also carry a number of recipes particularly focusing on food intolerance problems.

Many of the websites have Online Symptom Assessment for determining if certain food categories are contributing to the way you feel and the various types of symptoms that you are experiencing, thus giving an accurate record of what you eat and how you feel. This way you can evaluate and eliminate foods that do not suite your body’s immune and further identify food habits that can be eliminated to limit or regularly turn any problem food.

You can even join forums or blogs on these sites and connect to people with similar kinds of problems. This way you can exchange information on the different treatments for food intolerance and even get advices on the same.



By: natisha

About the Author:

For over 20 years, the ALCAT Test has provided both patients as well as healthcare professionals with a tool to successfully overcome a wide variety of conditions which result from food intolerance and chemical sensitivity.



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