The Effects Of Alcohol On Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Did you know that irritable bowel syndrome is the most commonly diagnosed
digestive condition seen by gastroenterologists worldwide? Has irritable bowel
syndrome become the scourge of modern society? Modern medicine has not yet
discovered the cause of irritable bowel syndrome but it is recognized that there
are certain triggers and factors that are associated with the condition

Here are thee main factors:

1. Approximately 50% of all cases seem to occur after stressful major life
changing event for example moving houses, changing jobs etc. when nervous tension
seems to be at its highest. 2. It has been noted that 10-20 percent of sufferers
report the occurrence of irritable bowel syndrome after experiencing a severe bout
of gastroenteritis where vomiting and diarrhea seem to be the trigger for the
disorder to flare up.

Alcohol and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

There is no definitive proof that alcohol causes irritable bowel syndrome,

however, it is known to easily contribute to it�s continuance. The main reason for
this is because alcohol is a very strong gastrointestinal irritant, and therefore
contributes to making your symptoms even more pronounced ..

If irritable bowel syndrome already exists then even a single alcoholic drink can
bring on a flare up. If you are a sufferer the best way to check wether alcohol
does aggravate your system is to stop drinking for a while taking note of how your
body reacts. You are likely to note some improvement, If this is to much, start
drinking more slowly, stop mixing your drinks as you wont know what drink is
causing the problem, keep a close watch on your bodies reaction. If the irritable
bowel syndrome persists then you are left with only one choice and that is to stop
drinking alcohol until the problem is no more.

Of course yiu should also take note on how you are drinking, for example a glass
of wine with dinner is not likely to disturb your system whereas having a few
beers is likely to cause further problems. Another good idea is to drink a glass
of water after each alcoholic beverage. Alcohol tend to dehydrate the body so any
rehydration will help in keeping your irritable bowel syndrome under control. The
dehydration caused by consuming alcohol has a definite affect on constipation and
bloating suffered with irritable bowel syndrome.

It should now be obvious that alcohol and irritable bowel syndrome do not work
together. However, there is more you can do to help your condition. You should
consider changing your diet to include more fresh fruit and vegetables getting
away from those sweet, fatty processed foods. This combined with regular exercise
will ensure that your digestive system gets back to normal. When combined with
cutting back on your consumption of alcohol you will definitely improve your
overall health and your irritable bowel syndrome will subside and even disappear
altogether.

Authors Biography: The Alternate Medic contributes articles on alternative and

Herbal Medicine to various publications and is the main contributor to
http://www.ibsadvisory.com