Another Holiday Visit to the Bathroom

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If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) you may have experienced impacts to your lifestyle because of the condition. Many IBS patients are reluctant to venture into unknown situations for fear that they will be unable to find a bathroom in time. In addition, it is estimated that people with IBS miss an average of 22 days of work per year due to their IBS.

Well those issues appear to be heightened during the holidays as a result of the added stress and social pressure. According to a recent survey IBS affects people in many ways:

Over 30% avoid shopping, entertaining, holiday parties and travel
More than 60% feel added stress during the holidays.
Many people avoid their favorite foods during the holiday:
- 46% avoid eggnog
- 22% avoid gravy
- 12% avoid stuffing
- 10% avoid apple pie
A whopping 81% said they would enjoy the holidays more if the had better control of their IBS symptoms

According to Dr. Steven G. Pratt, author of SuperFoods Rx, “The holidays are a stressful time, often made more stressful for the millions of people with IBS due to uncomfortable, and many times debilitating, digestive symptoms that can lead to not attending holiday parties or skipping family visits.”

Dr. Pratt makes the following suggestions for IBS sufferers to improve their holiday experience:

Avoid foods that are known to trigger IBS symptoms

Alcohol
Red Meat
Dairy foods
Artificial sweeteners
High fat foods

Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Keep a journal of foods you eat to identify you personal trigger foods
Take a good probiotic supplement

There is no cure for IBS, but there may be steps that can lead to significant improvement in irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, recommend Digestive Advantage for IBS and Sustenex products for those suffering from IBS in their recently released book, YOU: Being Beautiful: The Owner’s Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty.