Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms and the Different Types of IBS

00:00:00 Hi, and welcome to the fourth video in this series on gut health and fertility. My name is Catherine and I'm an expert in gut and digestive disorders. In this video, we will be focusing on irritable bowel syndrome, commonly known as IBS. It is a very common syndrome that affects around 10 to 15% of the population. The diagnosis of IBS is primarily a diagnosis of exclusion. And what does that mean? So it means that it is typically

00:00:40 given after other potential causes of your symptoms have been ruled out. It is also a condition that you cannot get any help with in the public health care system, because you need to work on diet and lifestyle. IBS is a functional disorder and lifestyle. IBS is a functional disorder that primarily affects the large intestine and can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. It can significantly impact your

00:01:16 quality of life, and for some, it may also affect fertility. There are three main types of IBS. The first one is IBS, C, where C stands for constipation. This type is characterized by hard, where C stands for constipation. This type is characterized by hard, difficult to pass stools and infrequent bowel movements. The next one is ibs-d D for diarrhea and this type involves frequent loose or watery stools. And finally there is IBS m m for mixed. So this type features

00:01:58 Alternating symptoms of both constipation and diarrhea. Alternating symptoms of both constipation and diarrhea. Understanding which type of IBS you have is crucial for trying to understand the underlying cause and for managing your symptoms effectively. If you want to know more about how to manage symptoms of constipation, bloating, and diarrhea, then go back and watch video three where I go through this. So IBS symptoms can vary from person to person, but some common symptoms

00:02:27 So IBS symptoms can vary from person to person, but some common symptoms include abdominal pain or cramping, bloating and gas, diarrhea, constipation, or alternating between these two changes in stool consistency and frequency. Not feeling empty after going to the toilet. Mucus in the stool. Fatigue. Headache and joint pain. the toilet. Mucus in the stool. Fatigue. Headache and joint pain. Living with IBS can be challenging and it can affect various aspects of your daily life. Like chronic pain, bloating,

00:03:12 and irregular bowel movements can lead to physical discomfort and fatigue. Dietary restrictions. Managing IBS often involves avoiding certain foods, which can be restrictive and impact. Social activities, emotional stress, and the unpredictable nature of Social activities, emotional stress, and the unpredictable nature of IBS symptoms can cause anxiety and stress, which can make the condition even worse. Work and social life so frequent bathroom visits and discomfort can interfere with work productivity and

00:03:56 also a social engagement and then also mental and physical health. also a social engagement and then also mental and physical health. So IBS can also affect your overall health by disrupting, for instance, nutrient absorption, leading to deficiencies and impacting mental health due to the chronic stress and discomfort. Research suggests that IBS can impact fertility in several ways, although the exact relationship is not fully understood. although the exact relationship is not fully understood.

00:04:30 But here are some possible connections. First of all, chronic inflammation associated with IBS can affect hormone balance and reproductive health. Then, IBS can interfere with absorption of essential nutrients, which are crucial for the reproductive health. Dysbiosis, which is an imbalance of the gut microbiota. Dysbiosis, which is an imbalance of the gut microbiota. And this is quite common in IBS. It can affect egg and sperm quality,

00:05:07 oxidative stress, which is when you have too many toxic free radicals in your body and not enough oxygen capacity to protect against it and oxidative stress. It can influence both fertility in men and in women. Then the stress and discomfort of IBS and dysbiosis can disrupt hormonal balance, which can affect of IBS and dysbiosis can disrupt hormonal balance, which can affect the menstrual cycle and ovulation in women and sperm quality in men. And finally, there is a psychological impact.

00:05:46 So the anxiety and stress that can often be related to IBS can also play a role in fertility issues. So managing IBS effectively can help reduce these impacts and improve your chances of conceiving. help reduce these impacts and improve your chances of conceiving. Managing IBS involves a combination of dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments. And here are some strategies that can help. First of all, identify and avoid trigger foods and drinks. To do this, try to keep a food diary

00:06:27 where you write down what you eat and then how you feel and your energy where you write down what you eat and then how you feel and your energy levels, your mood, your sleep, and so on, and also your symptoms. Of course, and this is to try to find patterns and identifying foods and drinks that triggers your symptoms so you can avoid them. Some of the most common drinks that that can trigger are alcohol caffeine, carbonated drinks, artificial sweeteners and sugar. So instead, drink water and tea made of herbs.

00:06:59 So instead, drink water and tea made of herbs. Some herbs that are good for the digestion include peppermint, fennel, chamomile, licorice, licorice, root, cumin, anise, marigold, dandelion, and ginger. Don't eat too heavy meals and do not eat all the time. So don't eat until you are completely full, but eat until you are approximately 80% full. completely full, but eat until you are approximately 80% full. And also, don't eat all the time. But try with some regular meals

00:07:36 and some hours between your meals as well. Stay hydrated. So drinking enough water helps with stool consistency and also promotes regular bowel movements. And then try eating easy to digest foods when needed. So in periods where you feel worse and you have more symptoms from your digestive tract, worse and you have more symptoms from your digestive tract, you can try more easy to digest food. So try limiting raw food, but cook it instead. So with your vegetables you can boil,

00:08:13 steam, bake, and fry them. When it comes to fruit, you can try to go after more soft fruits like bananas, avocados, papaya, kiwi and mango. You can also try with nourishing soups or blended foods such as mass soups and smoothies and soups or blended foods such as mass soups and smoothies and porridge like oatmeal. When it comes to meat, go after chicken, fish and eggs instead of heavy red meat. Then there are some lifestyle adjustments, so you should be

00:08:52 aware to manage stress. Try to practice stress reducing techniques like meditation, yin yoga, qigong, uh, or some techniques like meditation, yin yoga, qigong, uh, or some different breathing exercises. Exercise regularly because regular physical activity can help improve digestion and reduce stress. When it comes to how to eat, there are also some things to be aware of. First of all, eat slowly. So take your time to chew your food well. To an applesauce consistency

00:09:29 because this will help your digestive process. because this will help your digestive process. Also, try not to skip meals and it can also be a good idea to eat at the regular same times every day because your digestion actually likes routines, and this will help to strengthen your digestive fire. And then you could try deep breathing before eating. So try to sit down before you're going to eat and breathe deeply for two minutes before you start eating. So implementing these strategies

00:09:59 two minutes before you start eating. So implementing these strategies can help you manage IBS symptoms effectively, and it can improve your quality of life and also your fertility. Then here in the end, I just want to say thank you very much for joining me in this video. I hope you found the information helpful and that you are motivated to try some of the new things. If you have any questions or if you need any further help, If you have any questions or if you need any further help,

00:10:32 please feel free to reach out to me. You can find my contact details here. And if you would like to know more, you can also follow me on social media like Instagram where I share knowledge, advices, and so on. So take care and bye.