Irritable bowel syndrome -

Irritable bowel syndrome is a long-term disorder of the gastrointestinal tract in which the large intestine or the colon as well as the small intestines are involved. This disturbance can lead to cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, sensation of gas and changes in the bowel habits such as diarrhea and constipation.

Symptoms

A bloating feeling
Abdominal cramping or pain
Gas
Presence of mucus in the stool
Diarrhea or constipation, sometimes alternating attacks of diarrhea and constipation
In some people, the symptoms become worse and heal completely.

Symptoms such as abdominal pain that becomes severe and happen at night, rectal bleeding and losing weight require immediate medical care.

Causes

Eating chocolates, fats, spices, fruits, cabbage, broccoli, milk, carbonated drinks and alcohol can cause irritable bowel syndrome.
Irritable bowel syndrome becomes worse during periods of stress such as first time on a job.
Hormonal changes in women during their menstrual periods
Illnesses such as infectious diarrhea or gastroenteritis

Treatment

The individual should perform meditation, yoga or a simple breathing exercise by sitting or lying, and then focus attention to the air going in and out of the body. Once anxiety-producing thoughts interrupts, just focus completely on the breathing. Perform these exercises every day.
Minimize eating of fried foods, margarine, dairy food, meats and other fatty foods to prevent the colon from contracting violently which can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Avoid chewing gum or candies that contain artificial sweeteners.
Stop smoking since nicotine will only make the condition worse.
Drink at least six to eight glasses of water every day in order to help the fibers move in a smooth manner through the system.
Eat smaller meals frequently rather than a couple of large meals every day, eating large amounts of food at once can cause over stimulating the digestive system. Avoid eating too fast in order to avoid swallowing too much air which results to intestinal gas.
Eat plenty of yogurts that contain active bacteria such as acidophilus or take supplements of acidophilus to be used on an empty stomach.
Encourage the individual to drink ginger tea. All you have to do is grate ½ teaspoon of ginger into a cup, pour in hot water and let it steep for at least 10 minutes, strain the tea and drink it. Drink at least 4- 6 cups of ginger tea every day to help relaxing all digestive problems including irritable bowel syndrome.
Perform non-competitive exercises like walking for at least 30 minutes, in order to help relieve stress and help release natural painkilling endorphins and makes the body and the digestive system work smoothly. Endorphins are released as reactions to certain stimuli especially fear, stress and pain.