Digestive Health

If you have been told you have IBS, you may now be looking for some help and direction in managing and understanding the underlying causes of your symptoms. Our nutritional therapist Beverley Richardson may be able to help.

IBS really is a list of symptoms and is not considered a disease, Beverley will work with you to help understand the underlying causes.

The exact cause of IBS is unknown, experts agree that it is caused by increased sensitivity in the gut. This sensitivity can cause stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.

These symptoms usually begin to appear when you are between 20 – 30 years old and tend to come and go in bouts. Often the symptoms are brought on by stress and certain foods.

We know that medication doesn’t help long term, but by understanding the causes and providing your body with more appropriate foods along with lifestyle modifications, our clients often see a real difference. We have seen many clients who have digestive problems ranging from constipation, wind, lower abdominal pain and diarrhoea to more serious conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Ruling out food intolerance or allergy, infection, poor gallbladder function, low pancreatic enzymes and stomach acid are all part of the investigative process.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is now so common that it affects up to one-third of the UK population and the number of people with IBS is still on the increase.

There are a wide variety of symptoms associated with the condition; some people suffer only mild symptoms such as bloating or gas, while others are crippled with pain that affects their everyday life.

Other symptoms can include:

• Intermittent Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Spasms
• Nausea
• Headache
• Burping
• Poor appetite
• Heartburn
• Acidity

We look at the underlying causes of your IBS symptoms, address any imbalances and heal your digestive system, with a natural approach to Irritable Bowel Syndrome treatment.

Usually, we find that the root of the problem is multifaceted and can include some or all of the following:

• Dysbiosis – an imbalance in your good and bad bacteria
• Candida – an overgrowth of yeast
• Stress – often part of the picture
• Bacterial infection
• Parasites

When living with IBS, a single meal choice can completely ruin your day, with uncomfortable abdominal pain, or inconvenient bowel problems. As a  nutrition professional, I know how important the relationship between diet and health is. By applying my expert knowledge and assessing your dietary habits and symptoms, I can help you manage the condition safely.

I can carry out a full nutrition assessment to establish any potential diet or lifestyle triggers. This can then be used to devise an appropriate plan, tailored to you and your symptoms. Remember, it’s important you visit your GP before making any dietary changes to rule out any other conditions.