It’s Only Natural: Jessica Kiddles Alternative Remedies

By Jessica Kiddle

WHAT is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? The exact causes of the condition – which occurs when the muscle contractions in your intestines that help you get rid of waste become irregular – are unclear. However, alongside migraines and stress-induced insomnia, it is a very modern malaise. So, while this digestive disorder may not be the most glamorous of topics, as it’s currently National Gut Week (www.gutweek.org.uk), it’s a good time to look at what natural remedies are out there.

According to the Digestive Disorders Foundation, one-third of the population regularly suffers from digestive illnesses such as IBS, which can leave people dealing with a whole host of complaints including stomach cramps, heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea and bloating.

While your GP can prescribe medication to offset any pain or spasms, they often will ask you to try taking PEPPERMINT OIL before they write you a prescription. Something of a digestive cure-all, it seems to work by relaxing the muscles in your bowels. It can easily be bought over the counter. COLPERMIN CAPSULES (GBP 4.85 for 20, www.pharmacy2u.co.uk) claim to be particularly effective because they have a coating which enables them to pass through the stomach intact and work directly in the large intestine.

According to new research from South Manchester University Hospital, hypnotherapy, in which IBS sufferers learn how to influence and gain control of their gut function, is also effective. In a study, 250 patients who had had the condition for more than two years were given 12 one-hour sessions. After the hypnotherapy treatment, 70 per cent of patients reported a relief from their symptoms.

A change in diet might also help. There is little hard scientific evidence to prove that what you eat causes IBS. However, dairy products, bread, high-fat and rich or spicy foods are suspected of triggering symptoms. Chocoholics should be particularly wary, because it is thought that excess sugar can lead to a build up of a yeast-like fungus called candida, in the gut, which may upset your tummy and stop bowels functioning efficiently.

Finally, PASSIONFLOWER OIL could be worth trying. Billed as a panacea for stress, it is believed to help ease irritability and muscle convulsion, meaning that in theory it can calm the mind as well as the gut. Try 20 drops of PASSIFLORA COMPLEX twice daily (GBP 8.50 for 50ml, www.bioforceshop.co.uk).

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