Saturday, 12 April 2008

IBS Symptoms - Diarrhoea Part 1

One symptom of bowel dysfunction is diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is when food passes through and out of the bowel very quickly.


When does diarrhoea occur? Diarrhoea is usually a reaction to food poisoning. You have eaten food which is full of bugs; the body's defence mechanism is engaged and the food is expelled from the body as fast as possible.


Diarrhoea may also occur when you are tense or scared. Ancient man was born with a flight or fight response. What this means is that when ancient man faced dangers that could kill him, the body produced adrenaline which either helped man run away or have the courage to face the danger. Humans today still have this defence response. These days it is stress, pace of life and the like that causes us to produce adrenaline rather than facing Woolly Mammoths. The effect of adrenaline on the body is to speed up bodily functions including the gut; remember exam time or your driving test? You may also notice that your breathing is quicker, that you can't relax as easily as you used to or that you're more rushed to fit everything in. If your bowel is reacting to stress then you need more than a change in diet. You would need to relax more. This could mean taking up yoga, meditation, hypnosis or a more physical activity such as running.


If your stool is frequent and loose then it might be an idea to take a break from food and just drink fluids [not tea or coffee] for a day. It is thought that over cooking white or brown rice until it is a pulp is also easy on the digestion. Rice is a very mild food on the bowel, which is why you will find that on any exclusion diet, rice is still allowed. Linseed is also useful in reducing diarrhoea as it acts as sponge by absorbing excess fluid in the bowel.

All the best,



Alex



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