The IBS Clinic has been developed in response to increased community demand for an informative, practical and clinical approach to treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Coeliac's Disease.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is not a disease; it represents a failure by your Doctor or Healthcare Practitioner to diagnose your problem. The term syndrome is used to identify a cluster of symptoms common to most people with a functional digestive disorder.
If your GP or specialist has told you that you may have IBS he or she has in fact put you in the "too hard basket".
There is no single cause for IBS there are however many contributing factors that are completely individual to every sufferer. At the IBS Clinic we can identify the cause of your symptoms and restore normal function to your digestive system within a few short weeks. While most sources will tell you that food allergy/intolerance play a very small role in this condition our clinical experience shows food reactivity is implicated in 100% of cases. The first step in treating IBS is to identify food sensitivities; these are best detected using bio-compatibility testing.
Food Sensitivities are reactions that are not consistent and do not necessarily result in definite specific antibody responses in the blood. They are difficult to pinpoint by traditional blood tests and scratch tests. Reactivity is however mediated by the immune system and results in the release of inflammatory mediators like histamine. Most medical practitioners do not understand that histamine and other inflammatory mediators can migrate to any area of the body causing inflammation in glands, joints, muscles, tendons, mucous membranes and skin and are the direct cause of many health problems.
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are diverse because the inflammation can be anywhere along the length of the digestive tract. IBS is known as a functional disorder. If the inflammation is in the stomach, stomach function will be disturbed so expect more symptoms like reflux, bloating, indigestion and gastritis. Improper digestion at the stomach and small intestine can result in constipation and flatulence. Inflammation in the large bowel can result in diarrhoea with mucous and perhaps blood in the stool.
While some foods will initiate this immune response others will aggravate the inflammation. The reaction and pain can be immediate and quite severe. The person often recognises this and may eliminate the offending food from their diet, bringing a measure of relief; however the underlying cause remains leaving them susceptible to the next aggravation. Trying to identify foods that are actually causing the inflammation is much more difficult as the reaction is mediated by the immune system and may take up to 3 or 4 days.
The first step in treating IBS is to identify these food sensitivities this is made easy using bio-compatibility testing. A small hair sample is taken and tested against over 400 common foods and household products.
If you have tried elimination diets in the past you will know how hard it is to pinpoint the reactive foods. One of our patients (on the advice of a dietician) ate only chicken, rice, rice cakes, pears, rice milk and about 6 other foods for 10 weeks without any improvement to chronic diarrhoea and debilitating pain. Our test revealed she was in fact sensitive to chicken, rice cakes and rice milk. So while we advised her to avoid about 30 food items she was able to choose from over 300 fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, herbs and spices to build a satisfying and healthy diet. By comparison she found our diet very easy to follow and was symptom free within 2 weeks.
If you are looking for answers to your condition no matter how serious call today to book your appointment. One hour of your time will start you on your journey to recovery. Test results are available for you within 5 working days. Call Linda Lowen on (08) 8395 2836 or 0415 630 844.
Supportive Therapies
Good digestion is essential to the healing process; this includes chewing your food well, good quality stomach acid & digestive enzymes, optimal intestinal & liver function, healthy bacterial growth, motility and tone of the muscular wall of the intestinal tract.
To speed healing we can supplement to improve these factors with:
The Myth We have been taught that successful weight loss is all about counting kilojoules and increasing exercise. Sounds simple doesn’t it? But if it was really that easy we would not have a billion dollar weight loss industry with diet gurus, personal trainers, fad diets and late night info-mercials.
The Truth Your body will choose to gain weight for 2 reasons; if it perceives it is cold or there is an impending famine. When you cut kilojoules your body thinks food is in short supply so it will slow down your metabolism so that you can survive with less food. If you increase your exercise at the same time the message is “food is in short supply and I have to work really hard to find it”. Your body will respond by slowing your metabolism further. You may lose weight but quite a lot of it will be lean muscle mass; the body will preserve fat at any cost.
When you are happy with your weight loss and start to increase your kilojoule intake, the first thing your body will do is replace lost muscle mass. Now remember that your metabolism has slowed down considerably so that with more food coming in your body will store away more fat ready for the next perceived famine. This is why you can lose 10 kilos and put back on 15! Most popular weight loss programs fully understand this but because they depend on repeat business they are not inclined to tell you.
If you have been on the weight loss merry-go-round a few times then you may find it more and difficult to lose weight with every new attempt.
The Answer I find the most successful approach to encourage weight loss is to treat the underlying health conditions. Many people believe that if they lose weight they will improve their health; while this is true some people actually need to improve their health before they can lose weight.
Hormonal imbalances of insulin, oestrogen, cortisol and thyroid hormones are the most common cause of weight gain and can also hinder weight loss efforts. These imbalances can present as sugar cravings, PMS, menstrual irregularities, insomnia, constipation, tiredness, hypoglycaemia or anxiety.
Next common is digestive dysfunction and sluggish liver function. The liver is the organ that regulates weight gain and weight loss. Dysfunction can present as bloating, indigestion, reflux, constipation or diarrhoea, headaches, dark circles under the eyes or gallstones.
These symptoms are very common; so common that many people become accustomed to them or accept them as normal and therefore don’t connect them with their weight problem.
Bio-Compatibility Testing will identify foods that are contributing to the above imbalances and dysfunction. Eliminating these foods will help restore the body to health and therefore assist with weight loss. Combining your Bio-Compatibility test results with a sensible and healthy eating plan gives you the diet that is right for your body.
Herbal medicines and nutritional supplements can be prescribed when needed to assist weight loss by correcting the above imbalances.