At least 1 Italian out of 5 suffers from it, mostly women, and in the most serious cases it can deeply affect daily life: it is irritable colon (also improperly called colitis ).
It is a condition characterized by a hypersensitivity of the intestinal wall , which reacts with various phenomena such as:
- spasms and pain in the abdomen
- meteorism
- feeling of swelling and heaviness
- constipation or diarrhea (or alternation of both)
These generally tend to occur following the ingestion of normally consumed foods or particular emotional situations. In addition to abdominal symptoms, there may also be extra-intestinal symptoms such as migraines , irritability and difficulty concentrating .
Symptoms usually recur and improve after a bowel movement ; in order to be able to speak of irritable colon these must occur with a certain frequency (days / month) for about six months.
When we talk about irritable bowel we refer to a functional pathology, because the organ remains perfectly normal and, when we undergo tests such as blood tests or those for intestinal infections, these are negative.
What are the causes?
In many cases it is often anxiety and stress that cause or flare up these symptoms. But there are also other causes, such as alterations in the mobility of the digestive tract, or an alteration of the intestinal flora ( dysbiosis ). In some people, even gastroenteritis can be a wake-up call for irritable bowel, because the intestine struggles to return to its typical regularity.
Other causes of irritable bowel can be food intolerances or allergies , mild or moderate inflammation and / or the use of certain drugs that can cause a slowing or alteration of intestinal motility.
A few tricks to (with) live better
Since the causes of irritable bowel are not well defined, there is not even a universal cure. Rather, it is necessary to intervene on the symptoms, through eating habits and lifestyles , as recommended by various specialists.
- The power supply
A light diet, low in refined carbohydrates, sweets and animal proteins is useful for alleviating certain manifestations.
In this case, the Fodmap diet (conceived and studied at Monash University in Australia) is often recommended, which relieves ailments in 75% of cases .
It provides precisely the elimination or reduction of all those sugars that are poorly digestible (such as fructose, lactose and oligosaccharides), and of all those substances that can increase the recall of water in the lumen of the intestine . These substances are in fact fermented by the bacteria in the colon causing bloating , gas, pain and abdominal tension. In practice, it is an elimination diet, which must be followed by a gradual and progressive reintroduction of all foods.
In general, the foods not recommended are those that increase fermentation , such as milk, legumes, artichokes, apples, peaches, apricots, asparagus, chives and onions, garlic, cabbage, chicory and legumes with skin, especially beans, chickpeas, lentils and broad beans.
On the other hand, fish, white meat, bananas, strawberries, and aged cheeses (which have therefore lost most of the lactose) are recommended foods .
Fruit can be eaten fresh; It is important to be careful, for certain fruits rich in fructose such as apples and pears, to consume them after cooking .
However, in this case it is good to rely on a specialist and avoid doing it yourself: in fact, various factors must be considered, including individual tolerance to certain foods, the maintenance of an adequate energy and nutritional intake, the varied and balanced association between different "allowed" foods, and avoiding long-term food exclusions.
- Walk
Physical activity, even moderate, is essential for good bowel health: a half-hour walk every day or every other day is often enough to feel relief .
- Pay attention to sudden changes in temperature
Those suffering from colitis are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature and especially to the cold. Also for this reason, the manifestations of irritable colon tend to flare up in autumn and winter. It is therefore important to cover yourself well .
In addition to maintaining a correct lifestyle, which represents the foundation for being able to counteract, up to almost completely reduce, the annoying manifestations of this disorder, it is possible to take natural products that favor intestinal well -being and balance and without irritating the mucous membrane. of the colon, such as Intestinal Wellbeing .
Do not miss intestinal wellbeing .
If, on the other hand, a nervous or emotional source is recognized as the cause of your discomfort (these can sometimes somatize and result in gastro-enteric disorders), then the lime bud extract can be useful: thanks to its anxiolytic and antispasmodic properties it counteracts pain and intestinal swelling while calming the anxiety or stress behind the problem.
Take advantage of the bud extracted lime .