1. Take probiotics
Probiotics help to balance out stomach bacteria by boosting the levels of beneficial gut flora that play a crucial part in keeping your body healthy. When the bacteria in your gut is out of balance it can cause harmful flora to multiply, which leads to health problems, including IBS.
Though antibiotics are prescribed as a treatment for IBS, they can often worsen the problem, causing an imbalance in beneficial bacteria. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine involving over 600 people, IBS was more often than not due to this imbalance of bacteria in the gut.
Taking a probiotic supplement designed to boost good gut flora can help to redress the balance, but there are fermented foods rich in beneficial bacteria that you can eat too, including yoghurt, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kimchi. Research has shown that IBS sufferers typically have lower amounts of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains in their guts and more of the harmful Streptococcus, E. coli and Clostridium strains – so upping your intake of beneficial gut bacteria could be one very effective way to reduce your symptoms.
