How to OUTSMART IBS

Cramping, bloating, wind, diarrhoea – if you’re one of the estimated 13 million Brits who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) you’ll know the misery it can cause from day to day.

And while there is no cure, there are ways of improving symptoms and making life more bearable if IBS blights your life. Here’s how.

IBS 101

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a gastrointestinal condition that affects the bowel, and results in constipation, diarrhoea or a mix of both, as well as abdominal pain, bloating and fatigue. Incredibly, it affects around 15 in every 100 of us.

‘Every case is different, and people present with different issues, which is why it’s called a syndrome,’ explains Yvonne Mckenzie, clinical dietitian and specialist in gastrointestinal nutrition and IBS. ‘Getting personal lifestyle and dietary advice is the best way of dealing with it, as there’s no blanket treatment for all.’