Wave: Dear Jacquie

Your queries about natural health answered by Jacquie Lane for the College of Naturopathic Medicine

My GP says that my bloating, wind and bowel difficulties are down to IBS, for which he has given me drugs to supress spasms. I read there could be a link between IBS and Candida. Could diet help?

IBS is a term frequently applied to ‘unexplained digestive conditions’. One in five people in the UK are reported as suffering from IBS, but the causes are many and varied. IBS might be caused or aggravated by some foods. Stress can also be a major factor.

To help identify any repeated triggers, keep a food diary for two weeks, recording everything you eat and drink, and at what times. Also, record activities that day, including any exercise or stressful events, and your symptoms. Having a test for food intolerances could help, as could analysing the stools for Candida and good and bad bacteria. These tests can be organised through a nutritional therapist.

Frequently, I see a lack of the good gut floras Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the tests I use for clients. An imbalanced stool acid/alkaline level can also play a role in causing symptoms similar to yours.

Taking combined supplements of these two beneficial bacteria may be useful at balancing good gut flora, which help to crowd out unwanted bacterial strains.

Keeping soluble fibre levels correct by consuming enough vegetables helps, as does drinking spasm-calming teas such as peppermint and fennel. Psyllium husk can be good for bulking out the stool and helping balance out both diarrhoea and constipation, but be sure to take it with enough fluid to enable its action.

It’s best not to guess the course of therapy and as you say in your letter that your GP has ruled out any other condition, such as Crohn’s or colitis, I would recommend getting expert advice from a nutritionist who can help you target your therapy specifically to your individual condition. A nutritionist can help you find a lasting solution by identifying and addressing the root cause of the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms.

See your health professional for personal advice.

Jacquie Lane is both a lecturer and the Director of Studies at CNM, (College of Naturopathic Medicine) in Brighton. Jacquie also runs her own nutrition clinic and manages a biological testing lab specialising in digestive issues. Email Jacquie at: sunshinenutrition@hotmail.co.uk