Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• 1 in 6 people have IBS symptoms that can develop at any age
• IBS is unpredicatable and can affect the sufferer in a number of ways
• Many IBS sufferers with severe symptoms find thier quality of life is greatly affected

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IBS is a gut disorder often involving abdominal pain, stomach distension and bowel dysfunction; loose bowels, constipation or a fluctuation between the two. 1 in 6 people have IBS symptoms that can develop at any age, usually 15 to 40. Quality of life for people with really troublesome symptoms, especially abdominal cramps, bloating, and urgent diarrhoea can be severely affected.

Treatment for IBS symptoms usually focuses on changes in diet and lifestyle, avoiding foods that trigger symptoms, and managing stress. It’s an unpredictable condition – some foods will nearly always cause symptoms while others don’t. Trying to pin down what you can and can’t eat without suffering an attack can be frustrating.

Eating a restricted elimination diet for several weeks can confirm food sensitivities. No improvement means the food eliminated isn’t causing the problem – you then try another food type. It’s time consuming and also impossible to test all the different combinations of food types.

For further information about foods to avoid with IBS, read our blog.

N.B. Information about the potential symptoms of food intolerance is provided here to inform those seeking advice from Nutritional Therapists, Health Practitioners or Medical Professionals. The presence of this information should not in any way be misconstrued to imply that YorkTest Programmes have been proven to be efficacious in treating these symptoms.