Beat tum trouble...
PLUS: Why you should eat skin of fruit & veg
AS much as we love holiday season, embracing those sunny, carefree vibes can be tricky if you’re one of the estimated 12-16 million Brits living with irritable bowel syndrome.
The syndrome – which causes bouts of diarrhoea and/or constipation, along with symptoms like bloating, wind, painful abdominal cramps and urgency when you need the loo – can be distressing enough at the best of times, let alone when you’re off for a day of sightseeing, hitting the beach or heading to a barbecue or beer garden.
There’s a lot you can do to manage IBS though, even when summer throws your usual routine into chaos.
“Fighting IBS is a joint effort, including changing behaviours, lifestyle, diet and exercise, as well as sometimes getting medical help. Each aspect helps get your symptoms below the threshold you need in order to live your life without IBS dominating too much,” says leading digestive physiology expert Dr Anthony Hobson, clinical director at the renowned Functional Gut Clinic (thefunctionalgutclinic.com).
We can’t promise you’ll have a completely IBS-free summer, but a bit of prep and planning could certainly help ensure those “bad bowel days” are kept to a minimum so you can enjoy those chilled weekends or that well-earned beach holiday to the max…
AN ANTI-STRESS ACTION PLAN
When you’re stressed about your health, it can be so frustrating to be told: “Don’t stress, you’ll make it worse!”
But while it might seem like a cruel biological joke, stress does have a big influence on our bodies and is one of the major triggers in IBS. This is because, as scientists are increasingly discovering, there are powerful links between the chemical activity going on in our guts and brains.
“Stress acts like an amplifier in the brain to exacerbate symptom awareness, and can alter gut function in terms of increasing activity in the gut,” explains Dr Hobson. In other words, more stress means worse symptoms – plus they’ll feel doubly bad because your brain is more tuned into them.
We’re not going to tell you to just “stop being stressed”, as you can’t just switch stress off. But you can make a conscious pledge to recognise the importance of managing stress, and take actions to help achieve this.
Thankfully, summer lends itself well to a range of stress-busting strategies.
Getting outside in nature is recognised as being great for reducing stress and anxiety. Exercise can also have an instant and profound effect, thanks to the release of all those “feel-good” endorphins into your system – so how about combining the two and getting out for a hike or bike ride, or even a brisk walk in the park?
While you’re on holiday, make the most of that hotel pool with a dip outdoors and sign up to those water aerobics sessions! (Chances are you’ll have a good laugh too – another way to slash stress because laughter alters brain chemistry, triggering an instant boost in mood.)
Try to stick to your usual sleep routine as much as you can too (you might want to take your own pillow with you), and embrace the chance to relax.
If you’re the sort of person who finds it hard to “switch off” and calm your racing mind (trust us, you’re not alone!), stock up on some good books and download some interesting podcasts: distraction is a powerful tool.
Giving yourself a break from social media while you’re away could also help,
so save posting those smug status updates and poolside selfies until you’re back. If stress – or feelings of anxiety and/or depression – is a struggle, Hobson adds: “Mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy and yoga have all been proven to reduce the impact of IBS symptoms and improve quality of life. There are lots of ways you can engage in these activities, or get yourself a GP referral to see a specialist.”
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR DIET
For many people with IBS, avoiding trigger foods is key in keeping symptoms at bay. These aren’t the same for everyone – some people might have issues with dairy or gluten, for instance, while for others it might be short-chain carbohydrates known as FODMAPS, or something completely random and different, but there are some common “problem foods” with IBS too, such as onions, spicy food and certain fruit. What happens when you go on holiday, though, and are faced with foreign menus, language barriers and unfamiliar dishes? Then there’s summer events, like barbecues and weddings, where you might be worried about the food options that will be available. Being out of your usual diet comfort zone, however, doesn’t mean you’re totally powerless. “If you are worried about foods you might be exposed to at a barbecue, then take your own – most people are very understanding and this takes pressure off them as well, so everyone’s a winner,” says Dr Hobson.
Alcohol can be troublesome in IBS too. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water (lots of sugary and fruity drinks aren’t the best option for sensitive guts) to reduce your overall booze intake and help aid digestion (good hydration is important for anyone with IBS).
“If you’re worried about bloating on holiday,” says Dr Hobson, “it’s important to avoid high-trigger foods like garlic, onions, watermelon, mango etc, and eat easy-to-digest foods like potatoes without skins, white rice, chicken and fish. And if you want fruit, eat berries rather than stoned fruit, for example.”
Before going abroad, do some research about the local cuisine and what you might expect to find in nearby restaurants and supermarkets. That way, you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed and panicky once you’re there.
If you have any go-to snacks that you know agree with you – like oat or nut bars or rice cakes – take a stash with you in your suitcase.
PACK A GUT SOS PACK
How about putting together your own “gut first aid kit”? Whether you’re heading overseas, on a weekend away, or simply want to make the most of your summer at home, having some IBS SOS supplies on hand means you’ll always be prepared. Dr Hobson suggests starting to take a quality prebiotic product prior to your trip, such as Bimuno Daily (£11.99 for 30 sachets, bimuno.com), or a high-strength probiotic supplement like ProVen Probiotics Adult Acidophilus and Bifidus – 25 Billion (£13.95 for 30 capsules, Holland & Barrett), to help top up the good bacteria in your gut.
“Both prebiotic and probiotics can be useful, and taking away a little ‘digestive health kit’ which contains these things, and maybe emergency medicines like Buscopan (which relaxes bowel spasms) and Imodium (which reduces diarrhoea) may be good to have in reserve,” he adds.
HARNESS A SENSE OF CONTROL
Finally, alongside all of the above, feeling that you’re in control of your IBS – rather than your IBS controlling you – can make a huge difference to your overall wellbeing and confidence levels.
For a lot of people, this usually starts with a mind-set shift and sense of acceptance. This might sound ridiculous and unhelpful at first, but getting into this frame of mind can help in two very crucial ways.
Firstly, you’ll feel more motivated to take steps to help manage your IBS. Secondly, you’ll be better equipped to cope with the “bad days” if and when they strike.
So before jetting off on holiday or heading to a friend’s barbecue, give yourself a little positive pep talk: you’ve got this!
And don’t suffer in silence. We’re not saying you need to sit down for dinner and give your companion a detailed description of what might happen if you eat a certain dish!
But sharing your concerns, and letting people know you have IBS so might need to avoid certain things, or factoring in regular toilet stops on a day out, can be a big weight off your shoulders.
“Ultimately, people are more understanding than you think so don’t be afraid of talking about your IBS with friends, as doing so reduces the stigma and gives you more options. The IBS Network website offers some great advice on this,” says Hobson.
“Don’t hide the fact you have IBS. Remember, if you were lactose intolerant or coeliac, everyone would understand. IBS is no different so don’t be ashamed of it – education really helps awareness and acceptance. We need to de-stigmatise the problem!”