Bowel Problem

You can use clay powder internally to remove toxins by simply mixing it with juice or water. Make sure the water is either spring water or distilled if possible. Some people like to mix the powder with water, roll it into small balls, and let them dry in the sunlight. These “pills” can be flavored or left natural, and then sucked on throughout the day, like candy. This technique works particularly well for treating problems like inflammation of the gum tissue.

Either way provides the same body detoxifying benefits. In situations where I’ve been uncertain of water quality, I’ve mixed clay with the water and then waited until the clay settled to the bottom of the glass before consuming the water. Clay is very effective at removing a long list of contaminants—along with destroying most pathogens.

When you mix clay for either oral or topical use, never let it come into contact with metal. To avoid any possible reaction with metal, always use wood utensils and glass, clay, or ceramic containers.

One of the benefits of consuming clay orally, in addition to its detoxifying effects, is the wide range of trace minerals you receive. If you look at an analysis of many “consumable” clays, the number of trace minerals present is astounding. Practically every mineral you can imagine will be there—including micro-trace amounts of some known to be toxic, such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium. This has led many people to condemn the consumption of clay.

What is often overlooked, however, is the fact that various other competing minerals in these clays are present in much larger quantities. For example, zinc and copper compete with cadmium, and when present in sufficient amounts, block its absorption. This is true of other toxins as well. Clays with the right mineral content have been consumed safely for thousands of years. The key is to limit any clay consumption to ones that are known to be safe. I don’t recommend digging up your own clay for consumption unless you have it tested.

Since clay has such strong absorptive and adsorptive properties, it is best not to take it with your vitamins or at the same time you take prescription medications. Although I haven’t seen any research specifically in this area, I imagine clay has a tendency to bind to and prevent the action of most synthetic chemicals—including drugs. As such, if you’re ingesting clay I would suggest taking it on an empty stomach and then waiting at least four hours before taking any necessary medication.

Without supervision, ingesting clay isn’t recommended for someone with an intolerance for iron or for someone with high blood pressure.

There are a few things you might experience after taking clay orally. It’s not uncommon to experience easier, more frequent bowel movements. In the beginning, stools may have a stronger odor depending on the amount of contaminants. Just remember to drink plenty of water because clay has a tendency to absorb water.

Clay also has a tendency to “scrub” and cleanse the bowel walls. This results in improved digestion and absorption, which in turn translates into increased energy. Some people even report experiencing fewer overall aches and pains, improved skin conditions, and many other benefits associated with detoxification.

For more information on how to detoxify the body and remove toxins, visit www.drdavidwilliams.com.

Clay has a long history of being used internally. Since most people still equate clay with dirt and mud, the thought of ingesting clay internally may seem a little unsettling. It shouldn’t be.

For centuries, various clays have proven very effective at safely stopping diarrhea symptoms and even many types of food poisoning. Research has documented its use in China, Germany, France, and elsewhere to effectively treat cholera and to combat dysentery and other forms of diarrhea. One study from the 1960s involved 35 different individuals whose diarrhea symptoms were being caused by food poisoning, food allergy, viral infection, spastic colitis, or mucous colitis.

Two tablespoons of smectite clay (montmorillonite) were given with distilled water three times a day. (In the food allergy cases, six tablespoons of clay per day were used.) In 34 of the 35 individuals, the diarrhea was stopped in an average of 3.8 days, and bowel movements reduced to an average of 1.8 per day. Food allergy–induced diarrhea proved to be the most difficult cases, whereas those from viral infections resolved the quickest. (Med Ann Dist Columbia 61;30:326-328)

Until the late 1990s, the once very popular anti-diarrheal medicine Kaopectate contained the mineral clay kaolin, primarily found in Georgia and Alabama. It worked great, but there was some concern that the clay was mildly radioactive. The formula later was changed to include attapulgite clay, but around 2003, the formula was changed again and all clay was eliminated, due to possible lead contamination. It was replaced with pink bismuth subsalicylate (the same as Pepto Bismol). (If you’re wondering why it doesn’t work as well as it used to, this is probably the reason.)

For more information on diarrhea treatments, constipation and diarrhea, or other bowel problems, visit www.drdavidwilliams.com.

Most people with a constipation problem either don’t recognize they have it, or they don’t want to admit it. Rarely have I ever received a “yes” answer to the question, “Are you constipated?” I’ve always received a more accurate assessment by asking the person how often they have bowel movements.

The simple truth is, you eat two or three meals a day, so you should be having two or three bowel movements a day. Anything less than that falls under the category of constipation and needs to be corrected. Don’t kid yourself with the delusion that “everyone is different” or “this is normal for me.” It could end up killing you.

For more information on common digestive problems, constipation and diarrhea, or other bowel problems, visit Dr. Williams’ Web site.

While much well-deserved attention is paid to soluble fiber foods, it is insoluble fiber that provides roughage and improves bowel regularity. This natural bulk also gives feelings of fullness and satisfaction, resulting in less food intake.

In the 1980s, there was a huge push promoting the benefits of fiber in the diet, particularly its ability to prevent colon cancer. Since that time, there have been conflicting studies, and, for some reason, fiber has fallen out of favor. I predict (something I do very rarely) that you will soon begin to see a dramatic increase in the ill effects of decreasing the amount of fiber in our diets. We’re already seeing an increase in many of these problems, such as widespread obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and numerous bowel problems.

Fiber has decreased dramatically as our food supply has become more and more processed. To make matters worse, low-carb diets like Atkins and South Beach often shun the complex carbohydrates that contain insoluble fiber or roughage. The most commonly consumed “vegetable” in this country is now French fries. Food manufacturers have increasingly removed insoluble fiber from processed foods, to both lessen the gritty texture and make ingredients easier to combine.

Insoluble fiber, the portion of the plant that can’t be broken down by your digestive system, provides a valuable service. The fiber absorbs water and swells, making the stool bulky, soft, and easy to pass. (This is why you always need to increase your water intake when you increase the fiber in your diet.) Without adequate fiber, bowel movements slow and toxic material remains in contact with the intestinal walls longer. The foreign material causes inflammation, and additional toxins are reabsorbed into your bloodstream. These additional toxins increase the workload of both your liver and kidneys. The slow-moving stools also lead to a condition called diverticulitis.

Diverticulum: Latin for “You Don’t Want to Know”

In the early stages of the disease, as your intestines struggle to remove toxins and waste material, small, pea-sized, irreversible pockets called diverticula develop. Waste material becomes trapped in these pockets, which often expand and become inflamed, resulting in diverticulitis. If the pockets rupture, the resulting infection and inflammation in the abdominal cavity can prove fatal.

Not surprisingly, the treatment for diverticulosis (the condition before inflammation sets in) is to increase fiber and promote bowel regularity. At the same time, I would also highly recommend the use of probiotics and fermented foods like sauerkraut and others to help re-establish good bacterial flora in the lower bowel at the same time. I don’t recommend the long-term use of over-the-counter fiber products like those mentioned earlier. It is my experience that long-term use of these products seems to deplete various minerals, which can lead to all kinds of seemingly unrelated problems. This just doesn’t happen when the fiber comes from a wide variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, dried beans, popcorn, brown rice, and bran.

For more information on common digestive problems, bowel irregularity, or a list of the highest fiber foods, visit Dr. Williams’ Web site.

While everyone sings the praises of the low-carb diet, there’s one offshoot of this trend that rarely gets mentioned, however, and that’s constipation. While the more common low-carbs diets such as Atkins or the South Beach diet both advocate salads and various vegetables, in practice they are often low-fiber diets, and that can quickly lead to bowel regularity problems. Reports are that about half the individuals who go on these diets, or variations of them, experience constipation problems.

The fact hasn’t gone unnoticed by the pharmaceutical companies. GlaxoSmithKline has experienced a jump in sales of its fiber laxative, Citrucel. Procter and Gamble has also started promoting its Metamucil product as a “zero net carb” product to help with the bowel regularity problem. Both of these companies see this as a huge opportunity to begin marketing their regularity products to younger consumers instead of just the geriatric crowd.

And, thanks to this diet fad, their target audience is changing to a younger age group. These two products are just part of the $350-million laxative market, and companies know that the sooner you get a customer hooked on one of these products, the greater the chance the customer will end up staying with them for life.

I have a better suggestion for you, if you have bowel regularity problems from a low-carb diet or other cause. Rather than opting for one of these fiber products, start including oats and oatmeal in your diet. Oats are not carb-free, but their benefits far outweigh their carb content. Oats are one of the simple solutions that inexpensively eliminate and prevent dozens of bowel problems.

For more information on bowel changes or other common digestive problems, visit Dr. Williams’ Web site.

With all the attention that H1N1 influenza was getting this winter, it’s no surprise that a powerful probiotics study was completely ignored in the mainstream media.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, an international team of researchers evaluated the effects of using a daily probiotic supplement, added to milk, on cold and flu symptoms in 326 children. The children were 3 to 5 years of age and the study lasted 6 months.

One group of children received a placebo. Another group received Lactobacillus acidophilus, and a third group received a combination of L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis.

Relative to the placebo group, the single and combination probiotics reduced fever incidence by 53 and 72.7 percent, coughing by 41.4 and 62.1 percent, and runny nose by 28.2 and 58.8 percent, respectively. Antibiotic use was reduced by 68.4 and 84.2 percent, relative to the placebo. And compared to those getting the placebo, the single and combination probiotics users had reductions in days missed from school by 31.8 and 27.7 percent. (Pediatrics 09;124:e172–e179)

I would love to see a longer term follow-up study with these children to see what effect using the probiotics could have on preventing the development of food allergies—which now affect 4 percent of children 17 years old and younger in this country. The number of children diagnosed with food allergies has increased by 18 percent between 1997 and 2007. The true number is probably higher, since this figure is based only on visits that were actually reported to emergency and outpatient departments and physician offices. (Pediatrics 09;124:1549-1555)

At this rate, we’re looking at a huge problem in the making—or, from the pharmaceutical industry’s point of view, a huge marketing opportunity. Get your kids (and family) reaping probiotics’ benefits now to avoid trouble.

For more information on probiotics benefits, body digestion, or bowel regularity in general, visit Dr. Williams’ Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Williams’ FREE eLetter or subscribe to his monthly newsletter.

As I was sitting eating my crunchy, delicious 15 day–fermented sauerkraut recently, I ran across a study showing that infectious digestive disorders are among the biggest risks to our military troops who are deployed overseas. Every month, about 30 percent get infectious diarrhea. Those who had experienced even just one incident had six times the risk for subsequent functional diarrhea and four times the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome.

The medical records of personnel deployed in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom indicate the fourth leading cause of their visits to Veterans Affairs medical centers was chronic gastrointestinal disorders. As many as 20 percent of these patients have conditions that have persisted for five years or longer after returning home.

It’s not hard to understand the high incidence of this problem, considering the stress these soldiers are under and the less-than-sanitary conditions they’re exposed to. What is hard to understand is the way these men and women are being treated.

Typical treatment focuses on the use of antibiotics to wipe out the offending bacteria. Patients are then switched to over-the-counter diarrhea treatments and bulking agents when the problem persists. Knowing what we know today, I’m amazed that probiotics aren’t being used to correct and ultimately prevent diarrhea symptoms.

I don’t have cost figures, but I’m certain that adding a daily probiotic supplement to their regimen would be an extremely cost-effective method to prevent many of these problems. And the fact that probiotics aren’t used following every round of antibiotics is absurd.

For more information on diarrhea treatments, body digestion, or bowel regularity in general, visit Dr. Williams’ Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Williams’ FREE eLetter or subscribe to his monthly newsletter.

When it comes to skin problems, most people don’t think of detoxification, but they should. In fact, one of the best ways to clear up a variety of skin conditions involves easing the load on your liver in every way possible.

To help you do a liver cleanse naturally, follow these three easy steps.

Liver Detoxification: Step 1
You must make sure your bowels are moving regularly, at least once daily. Food wastes that remain in the body over 24 hours become toxic. Your intestines continue to absorb this waste and it places an enormous burden on the liver to detoxify it.

Liver Detoxification: Step 2
You must drink at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day. This helps both the bowels and the kidneys and lightens the load on the liver. If you drink other liquids, make sure they are sugar-free, but don’t count them as part of the eight glasses of water.

Liver Detoxification: Step 3
Foods high in sugar (natural or otherwise) and high starch foods must be eliminated initially. Some products where sugar has been added are obvious, like soft drinks, candy, ice cream, cakes, pies, etc. The list below contains foods which have a high natural sugar content or an abundance of starch that can be quickly converted to sugars by the body. Eliminate or at least reduce these foods until the psoriasis patches have disappeared.

• Potatoes
• Rice
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Plums
• Figs
• Dates
• Bananas
• Spaghetti
• Macaroni
• Noodles
• Pizza
• Jams
• Jellies
• Corn
• Beans
• Rice
• Peas
• Artichokes
• Breakfast cereal

After reading this list, you may be wondering just what you can eat. Remember, the foods may later be reintroduced into the diet, but in the beginning you will get faster and better results if you stick rigidly to the program. You can eat any vegetable not listed above. You can have any meat except pork. Eggs and dairy products are allowed. But only a few kinds of fruit are allowed such as: strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew melon, peaches and all citrus fruit, which may be eaten if fresh or packed in water. Coffee and tea should be limited to a couple of times a day.

For more information on how to detoxify the body, eliminating body toxins, or liver detoxification, visit Dr. Williams’ Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Williams’ FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Practically all grains contain gluten, but wheat is one of the most commonly consumed grains found in our food supply—primarily in the form of flour and bread. Cut out the bread and white flour from your diet. (It’s not that easy at first.) Depending on your degree of dependency on gluten, you may experience “withdrawal” symptoms for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Most people (doctors included) don’t understand that there is a proven additive element to gluten consumption. Gluten is a protein, and when your body isn’t able to completely digest and break down the protein, you end up with forms of biologically active peptides that interact with opiate receptors in the brain. These are the same receptors associated with extremely addictive opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. Studies have found that there are as many as 15 opioid sequences in a single molecule of gluten, and the peptides in gluten can be as much as 30 times more addictive than morphine. (FEBS Lett 92;296:107–111) (FEBS Lett 93;316:17–19)

Considering its potential addictive properties, it’s understandable that gluten withdrawal may be associated with symptoms such as:

• intense food cravings,
• irritability,
• depression,
• mood swings,
• fatigue,
• disorientation,
• insomnia, and
• brain “fogginess.”

From my personal experience in utilizing gluten-free diets, the withdrawal symptoms are not that intense in most people. However, keep in mind that a more serious withdrawal is indicative of a stronger addiction to wheat, and all the more reason to stick with a gluten-free diet.

Following this initial period, if you’re like the majority of individuals (75–80 percent), you can expect to experience a long list of benefits. Just a few commonly reported improvements include:

• fasting blood sugar levels improve,
• LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels drop,
• HDL cholesterol increases,
• bowel problems disappear,
• joint pains subside,
• excess weight begins to fall off,
• energy levels improve, and
• headaches subside.

It’s no secret that gluten intolerance and allergic reactions to gluten can be directly linked to problems like osteoporosis, bowel problems, anemia, and psoriasis. But what is lesser known is that eliminating wheat (the primary source of gluten) from the diet is probably one of the most powerful techniques you can use to lower harmful forms of cholesterol.

There’s no downside to eliminating wheat from your diet, with the possible exception of the withdrawal symptoms. Stick with the program and I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised in the long run. Let me know how it works. If you don’t see a very significant improvement in your cholesterol levels and overall health in a month or sooner, I’ll be shocked.

Gluten intolerance is a tricky condition. Not only is it often misdiagnosed, it is also associated with a myriad of other conditions, including:

• thyroid disease,
• type 1 diabetes,
• lactose intolerance,
• arthritis,
• bowel and stomach cancer,
• eczema, and
• allergies.

Though no two people seem to have the exact same symptom profile, you can expect to see one or more of the more common symptoms:

• abdominal pain,
• diarrhea symptoms,
• no appetite,
• skin rashes (often itchy and blistery),
• anemia, and/or
• stunted growth.

If the condition isn’t addressed, eventually the classic signs of malnutrition will appear, including the large tummy, thin thigh muscles, and flat buttocks.

There are a couple of reasons the symptoms and other diseases caused by celiac disease are so varied; one is the body’s severe allergic reaction to the glutens. Second, the damage to the small intestine impedes the absorption of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients:

• Deficiencies in the B vitamins can lead to depression, mental problems, and the expression of neurological diseases, such as the Alzheimer’s.
• Deficiencies of essential fatty acids lead to skin disorders, cancer, etc.
• Inadequate calcium absorption results in osteoporosis, joint deterioration, muscle weakness and wasting, heart disease, etc.

The list related to various deficiencies goes on and on. In addition to deficiency problems, the damaged intestinal wall allows undigested proteins to enter the bloodstream, triggering additional allergic reactions throughout the body.

Based on the variety of related, complex symptoms, it’s easy to see why the diagnosis of celiac disease and gluten intolerance is often overlooked. That’s why a family health tree can be of such great help. Once it is determined that celiac disease could be a factor, there are very specific antibody blood tests your doctor can order. The presence of certain antibodies provides a definitive diagnosis, and the antibodies will rapidly decline once the problem is treated.

For some reason, there’s a misconception in this country that celiac disease is a rare condition. Nothing could be further from the truth. Numerous studies have shown it to be a very common yet under-diagnosed problem. In the general population, celiac disease affects one in every 130 to 300 individuals, and is associated with a 95 percent genetic predisposition.

Celiac disease is actually an allergy to certain storage proteins found in grains, called glutens. If you have celiac disease, the allergies to the glutens in wheat, rye, and barley are so severe that many tissues throughout the body can be destroyed. In addition to celiac, many people cannot properly digest gluten, leading to gluten intolerance.

Although celiac disease and gluten intolerance can result in the destruction of the mucosa of the small intestine, you may not experience outright bowel problems or intestional issues. Instead, you may exhibit symptoms such as:

• general poor health,
• fatigue,
• depression,
• weakness,
• joint pain,
• osteoporosis, and
• nighttime bone pain associated with the loss of calcium.

Since these symptoms can result from other problems, the diagnosis of celiac disease might not be made for years, if ever. And during that time you could needlessly suffer from skin problems, cancer, or dozens of other serious diseases.

There’s a critical connection between bowel problems and the nervous system that doesn’t receive much attention in most medical circles. In fact, in testimonials concerning the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, you’ll find that many individuals have seen a dramatic improvement or even complete reversal in such problems as schizophrenia. The same is true when bowel problems are corrected with probiotics or many of the other digestive cleansing methods I’ve discussed in this blog.

Generally, those in conventional medical circles haven’t been able to grasp the connection between toxins in the bowels and neurological disease. (Most still believe the cause of IBS, ulcerative colitis, and similar bowel problems is totally unknown.)

Between 60 and 70 percent of our immune system is located in the digestive tract, which makes sense when you realize it’s one of only three direct connections our body has to the outside world (our skin and respiratory tract are the others)—making it one of the places we are most exposed and vulnerable.

A breach in the gut wall—common in individuals with IBS, Crohn’s disease, and chronic constipation and diarrhea—is commonly referred to as “leaky gut” syndrome. This state allows toxins, bacteria, yeast, fungi, viruses, and incompletely digested foods to enter the bloodstream. An excess of these pathogens creates additional acids, fermentation byproducts, waste, and toxins that eventually overcomes our gut’s defenses.  

That’s why it is vital to maintain bowel health. It’s one of the most effective methods of improving your overall immune function. It can help prevent or reverse many of the neurological diseases on the rise in both children and adults.

Once these toxins and other particles breach our body’s protective barriers, they cause inflammation throughout the body and can often cross the blood/brain barrier, where they then interfere with the circulation and flow of nutrients to the brain—which in turn impairs consciousness, speech, cognition, and behavior. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that digestive and bowel problems are one of the principal complaints of people of all ages with depression, “brain fog,” irritability, schizophrenia, and seizures—even children with autism. It also should be no surprise to see these problems resolved when the bowel problems are corrected.

If you or your loved ones suffer from one of these neurological problems, getting rid of body toxins and restoring the bowels to normal is one thing you don’t want to overlook.

The use of probiotics is preventive medicine at its best. For this very reason it’s important to constantly replenish your body’s supply of these important life-sustaining organisms, which you can do easily with a daily probiotic supplement. And to that you can add my favorite—a nice daily helping of homemade sauerkraut to reap full probiotic benefits.

If you are looking to detoxify the body naturally (especially if you are doing a colon cleanse), you’ll want to include items that will help heal any damage to the mucosal lining of the bowels. One of the most time-tested products is slippery elm powder—a favorite topical remedy of Native Americans for wounds, burns, and boils. It was also used internally for ulcers and to soothe an irritated intestinal system.

Slippery elm is very safe, and can be purchased in bulk or in capsules (I prefer the bulk product). A slippery elm drink can be made by adding a heaping teaspoon of the powder to a little cold water to make a paste, and then pouring on a cup of boiling water while constantly stirring the mixture. Let it cool and then drink it, three times a day. For a slight variation you can use boiling milk instead of water and flavor the mixture with cinnamon or nutmeg. If you take slippery elm capsules, I suggest 800–1,000 mg three or four times daily.

An alternative to slippery elm is a product called Sialex from Ecological Formulas. It contains an extract of mucin (the main component of mucus) that re-establishes the protective mucus layer in the bowel and provides a lubricating action. You shouldn’t need Sialex if you use slippery elm, but I wanted you to know about it because it is helpful in healing the most stubborn cases, particularly ulcerations in the stomach and small intestine. The recommended dosage is 1 to 3 capsules with meals.

In addition to the slippery elm, now would be a good time to begin drinking green tea. I’ve expounded on the many benefits of green tea for years. However, most people still don’t realize that green tea can have a very positive effect on bowel regularity and bowel flora. Not only does it have antimicrobial properties and inhibit the growth of many pathogenic bacteria, it encourages growth of the beneficial lactobacilli bacteria at the same time.

When you are looking to detoxify the body, you must start with the basics—your diet. To kick off a truly effective cleansing detoxification program, you should try what I call the “weed and feed” program.

The idea is to first cleanse the bowels of any harmful or large numbers of undesirable bacteria, fungi, yeast, and parasites; heal any damage that has taken place; and then re-establish a healthy population of beneficial bacteria.

Overall it’s roughly a two-week program that begins with a 24-hour fast, where ideally nothing would be consumed except purified water. (Chlorinated water is not recommended, because it is not particular about which bacteria it kills—even the beneficial types in the bowel.) If one can’t fast on water alone for 24 hours, a homemade vegetable broth or the low-sodium version of V8 juice can be included, but under no circumstances should you add any fruit, juices, or other foods or drinks.

After the first 24 hours, steamed vegetables and light salads can be gradually added to the diet. (Yeast products, sugar, and starchy foods such as potatoes and rice are not allowed.)

Days 2 and 3 begin the “weeding” of your colon as “broad spectrum” natural antimicrobials are added to the regimen. The standard antimicrobial is garlic, preferably fresh—which has been proven effective against eliminating an extremely wide variety of harmful bacteria, fungi, yeast, and viruses while at the same time sparing the beneficial forms of bacteria. You can achieve these effects by simply consuming two crushed garlic cloves twice daily with your meals.

Beginning on Day 4, and through the remaining two weeks, you need to heal any damage to the bowel and re-establish the growth and dominance of the beneficial bacteria. In addition to adding specific supplements (such as a good probiotic), you can now gradually begin to introduce more and more fresh foods into your diet.

During this period it is important not to consume sugar, alcohol, caffeine, wheat products, or high starch foods such as bread, potatoes, and rice. Steamed or stir-fried vegetables are highly recommended—particularly high-sulfur foods such as cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cress, kale, mustard, radish, and turnip. Cabbage is one of the most researched (and also one of my favorites)—steamed, stir-fried, or fermented as sauerkraut. Onions, asparagus, and artichokes are also good choices.

Legumes (beans and peas) may also be introduced. Keep in mind, too, that these last few items are higher in fiber—which will be  a great help for IBS and other bowel problems, but may need to be introduced later if diarrhea is an issue. The timing of when and how much can be eaten will vary from individual to individual.

Meat can also be gradually added (begin with chicken, fish, or lamb), and it is generally easier and best to do so in the form of broths, stews, or soups. Slow-cooked (not instant) oatmeal is a good addition at this point. Dairy products may also be included. Start with the fermented ones first (such as yogurt).

As you begin to re-introduce different foods, be alert to any changes in bowel changes or symptoms. You may have to discontinue certain foods and add them back later when you see improved bowel regularity.

Simply adding fermented foods and/or probiotics to your diet provides incredible IBS support and can eliminate 75 to 80 percent of all cases of IBS.

The first step for dealing with IBS and other bowel problems is to add fermented food and/or a probiotic supplement to your daily regimen. Research and clinical work has shown that anywhere from 50 to 75 percent of those who make this change will notice a significant difference in their health.

Probiotics are live micro-organisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, provide a health benefit to the host by engaging and neutralizing toxic compounds. It’s a constant battle for control, and beneficial bacteria are often sacrificed in the process.

While commercial supplements are the first thought that comes to mind when you mention probiotics, naturally fermented, “live” foods have been around since the beginning of mankind. The most common include:

• fermented vegetables,
• fermented milk products (clabber, yogurt, cheese, buttermilk),
• kefir, and
• fermented soy products (natto, miso, tempeh, soy sauce, fermented tofu.

I highly recommend you include foods like these regularly in your diet.

My favorite fermented food is homemade sauerkraut. I keep a fresh batch going almost constantly, and some already made in the fridge at all times. It provides one of the widest varieties of beneficial bacteria that are known to protect against everything from bowel troubles to cancer. It’s inexpensive and easy to make and keep. A little salt, cabbage, and a crock are all that’s needed.

During those times when you’re not home or don’t have access to homemade sauerkraut or other fermented foods, I recommend the use of a commercial probiotic product. Look for one that can maintain viability without refrigeration, available in health food stores and over the Internet.

I would venture to say that adding probiotics to the diet (and eliminating products that contain HFCS) would provide tremendous IBS help and could eliminate 75 to 80 percent of all cases of IBS, maybe even more.

IBS has many triggers, including antibiotics, certain foods, and poor digestive capability, just to name a few.

IBS is a complicated condition with several factors that can trigger or contribute to its development. Top among these are antibiotic use, certain IBS trigger foods, or poor digestive capability.

Antibiotic Use

For many people, IBS first shows up after an infection (often one in the gastrointestinal tract), particularly when a long course of treatment or potent antibiotics have been used to address the infection. Antibiotics disrupt the normal bacterial flora in the gut, and this imbalance can lead to IBS.

Food Intolerance

Intolerance to certain foods is one of the primary triggers of IBS. Many people incorrectly refer to food intolerances as food “allergies,” but ingesting the offending foods doesn’t trigger a reaction from the immune system the way a true allergy does. Studies have shown that patients with IBS can usually correct their problem by following a diet that eliminates offending foods.

Some of the most common IBS trigger foods include:

• wheat,
• corn,
• dairy products,
• coffee,
• tea, and
• citrus fruits.

In fact, one study suggests that fructose (fruit sugar) alone may be responsible for 30 to 60 percent of all cases of IBS. The most common source of fructose in the American diet nowadays is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). And while it’s a given that you need to avoid HFCS, fruit can also trigger IBS.

Poor Digestive Capability

A decrease in digestive juices and/or enzymes results in the incomplete breakdown of various foods. Undigested proteins, fats, and carbohydrates can all create havoc in the intestinal tract. Protein fractions can be absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine and cause reactions that mimic allergies, locally as well as throughout the body.

Undigested fats can ferment in warm cavities of the lower bowel and create gas or flatulence, resulting in bloating, distension, and pain. And, undigested carbohydrates can pass to the lower bowel and provide the ideal food for the growth and replication of pathogenic and disease-causing bacteria, fungi, and yeast.

As we age, our ability to produce hydrochloric acid in the stomach is reduced—which reduces our ability to break down proteins. Sluggish bile and gallbladder problems prevent many people from properly breaking down fats in the diet. Surgical removal of the gallbladder without supplementing the diet with bile salts probably increases the difficulty a hundredfold or more.

Additional IBS Triggers

In addition to antibiotics, food intolerance, and poor digestion, there are a myriod of other factors that can trigger IBS. These include:

• genetics,
• drugs,
• radiation therapy,
• smoking,
• alcohol use or abuse,
• carbonated beverages,
• lack of sleep and exercise,
• surgical trauma or injury to the bowel,
• eating disorders, and
• use of hormones (particularly oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy).

IBS is a digestive disorder marked by cramping, constipation and diarrhea.

It’s estimated that condition called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Unfortunately, an estimated 70 percent of the people with IBS don’t seek any medical attention.

On top of that, being able to diagnose IBS still seems to be a problem for most doctors. The medical profession is more comfortable with diseases that present a consistent set of symptoms. However, roughly a third of those who suffer from IBS experience diarrhea, another third have constipation problems, and the remaining third alternate between the two.

If you have the problem, you likely experience abdominal pain or discomfort that is:

• relieved with defecation,
• associated with a change in frequency of stool, or
• associated with a change in the form or appearance of the stool.

Other symptoms also support a diagnosis of IBS:

• abnormal stool formation—either hard and lumpy or loose and watery,
• abnormal stool frequency—either more than three bowel movements a day or fewer than three a week,
• abnormal stool passage—straining, extreme urgency (in the case of diarrhea), or the feeling of not being able to completely evacuate,
• passage of mucus in the stool, or
• bloating or the feeling of bloating.

Common digestive problems are the second most common cause of hospitalizations. (Pregnancy is #1 with women and coronary problems are #1 with men.) Thousands of diseases can be linked directly to a poor digestive system.

In the case of diarrhea, one of the best diarrhea treatments is to increase your intake of cultured foods, specifically, those made milk products, such as yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, etc.

Yogurt has been used for centuries to cure bowel problems and diarrhea. The oldest people in the world, in the mountains of Russia, reportedly use plenty of yogurt and clabbered milk as their protein source. Similarly, a study at a New York hospital confirmed that between a third and a half cup of ordinary yogurt stopped severe infant diarrhea twice as fast as the standard anti-diarrhea drug Neomycin Kaopectate (Clin. Ped.63;1(7):407-411). In fact, yogurt works so effectively at preventing diarrhea in the first place, it is routinely used for that purpose in hospitals throughout Russia, Japan, and Italy.

Yogurt can do so much more than just correct bowel problems. At least seven natural antibiotics have been isolated from yogurt and fermented milk products. One called acidolin has been shown to be as effective, if not more so, as many prescription antibiotics (J. of Antibiotics 74;27(8):631-636). Eating yogurt may also decrease the risk of cancer. One French study discovered that among women who ate dairy products, those who ate the greatest amounts of yogurt had the lowest rate of breast cancer (J.Nat.Cancer Inst. 86;77(3):633-636).
Yogurt can also drop LDL cholesterol levels as much as 10 percent in one week, while raising HDL cholesterol levels (the good kind) (Ather.77;26[3]:335-340). And regular yogurt (not the low-fat kind) contains the hormone-like substance prostaglandin E2, which, among other things, can prevent ulcers. It can even boost the immune system.

Like just about everything else these days, the type of yogurt you eat makes a difference. The label of any yogurt you buy should say it has "active cultures." Some companies pasteurize the product after it’s been made, and this kills off the remaining beneficial bacteria making it useless. If you can find products made from L. acidophilus bacteria cultures, they will have the greatest benefits. If the yogurts made in your area don’t list the type of cultures used, you may have to call or write the manufacturer.

Also, avoid the yogurts containing sugar. Usually the yogurts with fruit are loaded with sugar. Add your own fruit. Bananas give it a sweet taste and counteract the sourness. For a more consistent sweetness, try blending the banana into the yogurt in the blender.

Just as there are many common digestive problems, there are many common causes. When it comes to disrupting the bacterial balance in your digestive system, there are a wide variety of dietary and lifestyle factors, including:

• A diet high in sugar;
• Low consumption of soured milk products;
• Antibiotic use;
• Excessive alcohol intake;
• Fluoridated and/or chlorinated water supplies;
• Radiation therapy;
• Exposure to toxic metals, pollutants, and/or radiation; or
• Use of non-steriod anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDS (like Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, Rufin, Medipren, Midol, etc..).

Besides symptoms, another good indicator of bowel problems is the pH of your stool. Remember the pH scale measures how acidic or how alkaline something is. It runs from 0 (the most acidic reading) to 14 (the most alkaline reading). The midpoint 7 is neutral.

The pH of your stool should be slightly acidic, about 6.7 to 6.9. Generally, an alkaline pH (about 7) indicates poor bacteria flora, whereas a very acid stool pH can occur with excessive amounts of sucrose (table sugar) or lactose (milk sugar) in the diet.

This can be checked by using pH paper or with a liquid test agent called Bromthymol. The easiest to obtain is the pH paper, which is sold in many aquarium shops, pharmacies, medical supply houses, or by chemical supply companies. To determine the pH, simply touch the paper to a moist stool sample (before it hits the water in the toilet) and compare the color change to the chart that comes with the paper.