The first part of the article deals with the symptoms and general treatment of IBS, i.e. through dietary changes.
The second part introduces a less well known cause and possible treatment of IBS, the adjustment of the ileocecal valve.

Disclaimer: This article is not designed to provide medical advice or professional services. It is intended to be for educational use only. The information provided in this article is not a substitute for professional care and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem you should consult your doctor.

Part one

Quite a few people suffer from IBS – irritable bowel syndrome – and if you are one of them you will know that the symptoms can be very incapacitating.

These symptoms can include

• abdominal pain, which may be relieved by passing wind
• discomfort, bloating, gas
• constipation, with cramping and difficulties to eliminate stools
• diarrhoea, often with an urgent drive to use the toilet
• or both of them alternating
• mucus present in the stools
• nausea, but without vomiting.

The symptoms can vary between patients, and also over time.

IBS gets triggered through a variety of stimuli, and IBS symptoms may get made worse by:

• large meals;
• fatty, fried foods
• beans and cabbage, that cause gas in the colon
• bran, wheat, rye, barley;
• dairy products, large amounts of fruit;
• coffee, tea, or drinks with caffeine;
• alcohol;
• stress, conflict, or emotional upsets.

There is no cure for IBS and the conventional treatment usually aims at controlling the symptoms and at lessening the frequency of the occurrence.

IBS generally reacts very positive to changes in the diet. The main treatment is to eliminate the foods that trigger the symptoms. It is helpful to write a ‘food diary’ to learn from experience what helps and what doesn’t. Regular eating habits, eating small portions more often, chewing well, stress management, and exercise are other central parts of the IBS treatment.

The following list of foods is a general advice – individual persons can react different to some of the included foods.

FOOD to PREFER and EAT MORE:

• foods with high contents of soluble fibre, as basis of every meal;
• white poultry meat; seafood;
• for example:
  rice, brown rice, pasta, oatmeal, barley, fresh white bread, rice cereals, corn meal, corn flour, soy, quinoa, carrots, yams, potatoes, sweet potatoes; parsnip, beet, squash, pumpkin, mushroom, chestnut; avocado, banana, mango; small portions of cooked fruit;
• small amounts of essential, unsaturated oils.
• Drinks: herbal teas: fennel, chamomile, peppermint; warm water.

The preferred cooking method should be: steamed, boiled, baked, grilled.

NEUTRAL FOOD:

• foods rich in insoluble fibre, to be eaten after and together with food from the first column, and in small portions;
• raw foods at the end of the meal;
• for example:
  whole wheat, brown bread, whole grain cereals, muesli, popcorn; beans, lentils;
• berries, pineapple, melon, most fruits in general, oranges, lemons, dates, prunes;
• lettuce, peas, green beans, peppers, corn, cucumber, tomatoes;
• seeds, herbs;
• Careful with: garlic, onions, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus, Brussels sprouts;
• Drinks: try controlled amounts of fruit juice.

The preferred cooking method should be: boiled, mashed, raw.

FOOD to AVOID and EAT LESS:

• Avoid known trigger foods:
  red meat; dairy; fatty foods;
• rough fibre;
• caffeine; alcohol;
• for example:
  red meat, hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, beef, salami, pork, ham, bacon, sausages, and meat from sheep, goats, deer;
• dark meat and skin from chicken, turkey, ducks, goose;
• dairy products, cheese, butter, cream cheese, milk;
• fats, oils, shortening, ghee, mayonnaise, salad dressing;
• deep fried food, chips, fish finger, chicken chips;
• nuts and nut butters;
• croissants, doughnuts;
• Avoid drinking: coffee, caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages.

Avoid the cooking methods of deep frying and microwave.

Helpful supplements may be soluble fibre in powder or tablet form; minerals calcium and/or magnesium; and omega-3 and omega-6 oils.

Remember: Nutrients from supplements are general less effective than those from fresh foods.

Supplements cannot replace a balanced intake of healthy foods.

Check the following list:

• flu like symptoms
• headaches, migraines
• tinnitus
• diarrhea, constipation
• bladder infection
• lower back pain
• right shoulder pain
• unexplained thirst
• nausea
• excessive gas
• dark rings under the eyes
• depression, low energy

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms for any period of time, there is a chance that you are suffering from a dysfunction of your ileocecal valve, the intestinal valve that separates the small intestines from the colon.
This dysfunction is quite common, and is also dealt with under the name Ileocecal Valve Syndrome.
The ileocecal valve is a sphincter muscle in the lower right abdomen very close to the spot usually associated with the appendix. It separates the end of the small intestines – the ileum- from the first part of the large intestines – the cecum.
Acute painful stress of the ileocecal valve can sometimes be confused with an inflamed appendix.

The valve is controlled by three sources: the digestion process, the nervous system, and the hormone system.

Let’s look how the ileocecal valve works during digestion.

A healthy valve would stay closed to hold the food in the small intestines until the digestion and absorption of nutrients is completed. It will then open up and let the digested food remains enter into the large intestines, the colon. Afterwards, it will close again and prevent the stuff from the colon to reenter the small intestines. In its proper function, it is designed as a one-way valve.

The working of the ileocecal valve can be disrupted in two ways:
- first, it could stay open most of the time. As a result, the food to be digested would pass through the small intestines too fast, too few nutrients would be absorbed, and the mostly undigested food would enter the colon, where bacterial processes could cause a lot of gas; and you might experience diarrhea.
- Second, the ileocecal valve could be shut most of the time. Food would the stay for too long in the small intestines, and could start to rot and cause gas in the small intestines; toxins from the rotting food could be absorbed into you system and force the liver to work overtime; you could feel bloated, and experience constipation.

Contrary to common belief, more roughage and fibre could do more harm than good, because the raw fibres can be very abrasive to the gut lining and the ileocecal valve, so that an already stressed valve can get even more irritated.
This does by no means imply that you should stop eating foods with fibre (see later). It may sound contaradictionary – but fibre is still very important for your digestion. The fibre you should avoid comes from raw uncooked food.

Here is a summary of all the foods that can irritate an ileocecal valve and worsen its dysfunction:

• raw fruits and vegetables
• beans, lentils
• grains, seeds, nuts
• popcorn ! – the skins act like razor blades !
• fermented foods, like vinegar, pickles, soy sauce
• acidic fruits, like lemons, oranges
• onions, garlic, leeks
• hot spices, like chili powder, curry, cayenne, ginger, pepper, cinnamon
• caffeine, chocolate, green and black tea

If you experience ileocecal valve problems, it might be the best to avoid these foods for a period of at least two weeks. This will allow your ileocecal valve to relax, and the inflammation to heal.

To get enough fibre in this time you can eat soft cooked vegetables and fruits. Dark green leafy vegetables are the best for this diet.
The diet should consist out of five parts of cooked vegetables and fruits with two parts of protein. Meat, eggs, and dairy are OK. A few table spoons full of omega-3 rich oils are recommended (walnut oil, hemp oil, flax oil).
Ideally, you should see a trained practitioner who can readjust the working of the ileocecal valve, and give you advice how to reduce any situations that could trigger any new ileocecal valve dysfunctions.

Disclaimer: This article is not designed to provide medical advice or professional services. It is intended to be for educational use only. The information provided in this article is not a substitute for professional care and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem you should consult your doctor.