Friday November 11, 2011
Today in the States, we honor our veterans. As IBS sufferers, hold in your thoughts, or say a prayer for, if you are so-minded, those veterans who are dealing with IBS as an aftereffect of their service to our country. It seems so unfair to put your life on your line for your country and then to return home with chronic health problems, which for many veterans include struggles with IBS.
Those seemingly tireless folks at the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) have been advocating strongly for funding to assist these returning military personnel. Their latest effort involves recruiting veterans dealing with functional gastrointestinal disorders to participate in ongoing advocacy efforts. Learn more here:
If you are not a veteran, you can still be of help. The IFFGD will help you to contact your U.S. Senators in an effort to make sure that functional GI disorders are included in Department of Defense funding legislation. It will just take a few moments of your time to help these soldiers. Keep in mind, as well, that any money appropriated for research into functional GI disorders like IBS will ultimately be helpful to all IBS sufferers. Here is the link to start the process:
Related Reading from Dr. Bolen, your IBS Guide:
Thursday November 10, 2011
If you look quickly through my article in which you readers discuss your worst IBS Symptom ("Readers Share Worst IBS Symptoms"), one word will keep popping out at you: pain. Many of you can attest to being doubled-over or devastated by pain during an IBS attack. Doctors are often not so helpful when it comes to strategies for dealing with this pain. Therefore, the ability to do things which can self-soothe your pain becomes essential. Here are some ideas that might work for you:
You can share your own tips for dealing with IBS pain here:
Wednesday November 9, 2011
As you may know, I have been closely following the research on the low FODMAP diet for IBS. The research to date has been positive, and I love that these researchers are finally addressing what IBS sufferers have been saying all along: Specific foods can be triggers for IBS symptoms.
The caveat with the low FODMAPs diet has always been to try it only under the supervision of a qualified nutritionist due to the risk of nutritional deficiencies. I am happy to announce a new resource to help make the process of finding someone who is trained in overseeing the diet. Jeffrey Roberts has posted a page on the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Self Help and Support Group which contains a list of dieticians who can administer the diet:
The list is just in preliminary stages, but hopefully will fill up with options that are close to where you live.
Related Reading from Dr. Bolen, your IBS Guide:
Tuesday November 8, 2011
It will come as good news to know that efforts are being made to reach out to gastroenterologists to educate them about IBS. I personally am so immersed in the subject that I continue to be astonished when I hear from a patient or a reader about an ignorant physician. I was just introduced to an impressive resource that offers Continuing Medical Education for health professionals about a variety of digestive disorders, including IBS. Below you will find my profile on this resource. Check it out, tell your doctor about it, and play around with it yourself to learn more about the state of the art when it comes to IBS treatment.
