Homeopathy & Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a diagnosis for unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms which reduce quality of life in 4% of the worlds’ population.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a diagnosis for unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms which reduce quality of life in 4% of the worlds’ population!(1)
There are four categories of IBS:(2)
IBS-C (constipation)
IBS-D (diarrhoea)
IBS-M (diarrhoea and constipation)
IBS-U (unspecified).
IBS is a disturbance in the brain-gut-microbiome chain.(3) Unbalanced gut bacteria link to IBS, for example small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is an issue for 80% of sufferers,(4) and gut infection is a cause of IBS in up to one third of all cases.(5)
Changes in the gut microbiome can affect the mind(6) with anxiety, depression, and insomnia experienced by up to eight out of ten IBS sufferers.(7) Therefore, addressing psychological wellbeing may improve global IBS symptoms(8) and is routinely recommended alongside a low FODMAP diet(9). Evidence for the use of probiotics in IBS treatment is mounting.(3)
Testing for gut bacteria is essential to understanding a person’s individual IBS symptoms(10) because our microbiome is unique(11) just like a fingerprint.
Personalized treatments are recommended for IBS(12) however sufferers have high rates of treatment dissatisfaction.(13)
Complementary Medicine may be beneficial for IBS symptoms.(14)
Homeopathy, with its potential to address mental, emotional and physical symptoms in a person at the same time, is an increasingly popular treatment option for people suffering IBS.
A Randomized Controlled Trial showed changes in IBS symptom severity in 60% of homeopathy users.(15)
A 2021 study showed a significant decrease in severity of symptoms and pain after homeopathy treatment.(16)
The use of homeopathy for the mind is widespread(17) with clinical findings showing its possible benefit as an add on psychological treatment.(18)
Homeopathy has been shown to improve quality of life and decrease the severity of chronic disease(19-21).
Kitchen Tips
In a flare up, or for sensitive stomachs, consume cooked foods only. Why? In general, cooked food is so much easier to digest. Also cooking, roasting and grilling increases the abundance of beneficial bacteria.(22)
Eat organic food. Why? Glyphosate is known to disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, it damages DNA and is a driver of mutations that lead to cancer.(23)
Sarah Penrose BSc(hons)Hom can be contacted at goodhealthforgreatlife.com
References
1 Sperber et al., 2021. Worldwide Prevalence and Burden of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Results of Rome Foundation Global Study. Gastroenterology [online]. Jan;160(1):99-114.e3. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32294476/
2 Rijnaarts et al., 2021. Subtypes and Severity of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Are Not Related to Patients' Self-Reported Dietary Triggers: Results from an Online Survey in Dutch Adults. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics [online]. Mar 2:S2212-2672(21)00028-9. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33674208/
3 Mukhtar et al., 2019. Functional gastrointestinal disorders and gut-brain axis: What does the future hold? World Journal of Gastroenterology [online]. Feb 7;25(5):552-566. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30774271/
4 Ghoshal & Ghoshal. 2017. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Other Intestinal Disorders. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America [online]. Mar;46(1):103-120. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28164845/
5 Thabane & Marshall. 2009. Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome. World Journal of Gastroenterology [online]. Aug 7;15(29):3591-6. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19653335/
6 Hollister et al., 2020. Relationships of Microbiome Markers with Extraintestinal, Psychological Distress and Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and QOL in Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology [online]. 54(2):175-183. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6387862/
7 Simpson CA, Mu A, Haslam N, Schwartz OS, Simmons JG. 2020. Feeling down? A systematic review of the gut microbiota in anxiety/depression and irritable bowel syndrome. Journal of Affective Disorders [online]. Apr 1;266:429-446. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32056910/
8 Scaciota et al., 2021. Interventions for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A review of Cochrane systematic reviews. Arquivos de Gastroenteroliga [online]. Jan-Mar;58(1):120-126. Available from https://www.scielo.br/j/ag/a/Ky4jb7vB5ntYRfZYZgJxX5d/?lang=en
9 Lacy et al., 2021. ACG Clinical Guideline: Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. American Journal of Gastroenterology [online]. Jan 1;116(1):17-44. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33315591/
10 Matsumoto et al., 2021. Mucosa-Associated Microbiota in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Comparison of Subtypes. Digestion [online]. 102(1):49-56. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33271532/
11 Arumugam et al., 2011. Enterotypes of the human gut microbiome. Nature [online]. May 12;473(7346):174-80. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21508958/
12 Manning et al., 2020. Therapy of IBS: Is a Low FODMAP Diet the Answer? Frontiers in Psychiatry [online]. Aug 31;11:865. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33110411/
13 Sabaté et al., 2020. Expectations of IBS patients concerning disease and healthcare providers: Results of a prospective survey among members of a French patients' association. Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology [online]. Nov;44(6):961-967. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32205115/
14 Billings et al., 2020. Potential Benefit With Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology: the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association [online]. Sep 19:S1542-3565(20)31296-9. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32961342/
15 Peckham et al., 2014. Interim results of a randomised controlled trial of homeopathic treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. Homeopathy [online]. Jul;103(3):172-7. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24931748/
16. Martínez-Islas et al., 2021. Evaluation of Individualized Homeopathic Treatment in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Pilot Study. Altern Ther Health Med. Jun;27(S1):158-161. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33711816/
17 Rotella et al., 2020. Homeopathic Remedies in Psychiatric Disorders: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology [online]. May/Jun;40(3):269-275. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32332462/
18 Hock & Juckel. 2018. Homöopathie bei psychiatrischen Patienten – Für und Wider [Homeopathy for psychiatric patients-for and against]. Der Nervenarzt [online]. Sep;89(9):1014-1019. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29858643/
19 Frass et al., 2020. Homeopathic Treatment as an Add-On Therapy May Improve QOL and Prolong Survival in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Three-Arm, Multicenter Study. Oncologist [online]. Dec;25(12):e1930-e1955. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33010094/
20 Witt et al., 2008. How healthy are chronically ill patients after eight years of homeopathic treatment?--Results from a long term observational study. BMC Public Health [online]. Dec 17;8:413. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2630323/
21 Bell et al., 2004. Improved clinical status in fibromyalgia patients treated with individualized homeopathic remedies versus placebo. Rheumatology (Oxford) [online]. May;43(5):577-82. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14734789/
22 Pérez-Burillo et al., 2018. Effect of Food Thermal Processing on the Composition of the Gut Microbiota. J Agric Food Chem [online]. Oct 31;66(43):11500-11509. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30346155/
23 Swanson et al., 2014. Genetically engineered crops, glyphosate & the deterioration of health in the United States of America. Journal of organic systems [online]. Vol. 9. No. 2. Available from http://www.organic systems.org/journal/92/abstracts/Swanson-et-al.html