Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Can Lower the Risk of IBS
Some healthy lifestyle habits may significantly reduce a person’s likelihood of developing IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
”In previous studies, some lifestyle factors, including smoking, sleeping, physical activity, diet, and alcohol consumption were found to be independently associated with IBS,” says a coauthor of the research, Irene XY Wu, PhD, a professor at Xiangya School of Public Health at Central South University in China. “To our knowledge, this is one of the first prospective cohort studies to confirm the association of combinations of healthy lifestyle behaviors with lower incidence of IBS.”
Commonsense Health Practices Keep IBS at Bay
This large latest study tracked outcomes in 64,268 adults in the United Kingdom, ranging in age from 37 to 73 — 55 percent of whom were female. Participants had no IBS diagnosis at baseline. They were enrolled between 2006 and 2010 and followed up until 2022.
Patients self-reported information on healthy habits, including whether they smoked, slept at least seven hours a night, drank a moderate amount of alcohol, pursued a high level of vigorous physical activity every week, and maintained a high-quality balanced diet every day.
Vigorous activity was defined as at least 75 minutes of exercise per week, during which the heart rate increased and breathing was hard enough to make conversation difficult. Sports that provide such a vigorous workout include running and swimming.
A healthy diet meant following a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains serve as the basis of a DASH diet, which emphasizes food sources rich in calcium, protein, and other nutrients, but low in salt, sugar, and saturated fat.
During a period of just over 12.5 years, 961 (1.5 percent) cases of IBS were recorded.
Of the total sample, 7,604 (12 percent) said they didn’t follow any of the five healthy lifestyle behaviors, while 20,662 (32 percent) reported one; 21,901 (34 percent) reported two; and 14,101 (22 percent) reported three to five behaviors at the start of the monitoring period.
From the data, scientists determined that one behavior was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of developing IBS, while two were associated with a 36 percent lower risk; and three to five were linked with a 42 percent lower risk.
Although smaller than risk-reduction from combined habits, three healthy practices in particular were independently associated with a lower risk of IBS — never smoking (14 percent lower), high level of physical activity (17 percent lower), and a good night’s sleep (27 percent lower).
One surprising finding noted by the authors: Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol combined with the other four healthy lifestyle behaviors led to a more significant drop in risk for developing IBS when compared with abstaining from alcohol altogether. As to why this is the case, scientists say further investigation is needed, but it could be due to the value of social interactions. Some people with IBS, however, find that alcohol is too disruptive for their digestion and they need to abstain entirely.
The study authors emphasized that the analysis was observational — it showed an association but did not establish that these healthy practices prevented IBS.
Understanding IBS Triggers
Janna Assar, MD, a family medicine specialist with Banner Health in Phoenix, Arizona, and an IBS patient herself, knows how these healthy habits may help alleviate symptoms, and how negative behaviors seem to make the condition worse.
She stresses that certain foods can trigger IBS symptoms, such as spicy dishes, dairy products, caffeine, gluten, and alcohol. High fat foods and carbonated beverages may also contribute to IBS symptoms.
“Poor sleep leads to the body not being able to rest and repair, thus causing more stress to the body,” says Dr. Assar, who calls this study one of the largest to examine how lifestyle factors correlate to IBS. “When the body is stressed, the gut sends nerve signals to the brain, which can cause the gut to contract, causing IBS symptoms.
Certain Treatments Can Help IBS
Although no cure exists for this chronic condition, people have found therapies that control symptoms, including medications and lifestyle changes.
Tips to Stay on a Healthy Track
Here are a few suggestions that may help IBS patients incorporate a few healthy behaviors into their daily lives.
- Try yoga to improve digestion and mood. Yoga may not only enhance physical well-being but mental and gut health as well with its focus on the mind-body connection. Diaphragmatic breathing techniques can also help stimulate the vagus nerve and help to improve GI distress associated with IBS.
- Walk to ease symptoms. The old advice of taking a walk after dinner can have a benefit for IBS as a stroll can help with digestion, gas, and constipation.
- Avoid processed foods, and foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. Consider elimination diets which take out potential triggers such as dairy, gluten, and other FODMAPS (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) to identify triggers. If you’re not accustomed to dietary fiber, it may take a slow ramping up over time. It’s important to note that a low-FODMAP diet is meant to identify triggers and isn’t meant to be a long-term solution as it is restrictive and can lead to deficiencies.
- Alcohol could disrupt the gut microbiome. When alcohol is consumed in the form of wine, mead, or mixed drinks, that excess sugar can have a compounded effect on the gut, too.
- Limit naps and avoid stimulants near bedtime. The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders offers a number of tips designed to help IBS patients get better rest, including keeping daytime naps to no longer than 30 minutes and steering clear of any caffeine or nicotine near bedtime to prevent wakefulness at night.
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