The IBS Answer. 6 Natural Ways To Deal With IBS, Stop Your Gut Pain, Break Free from the Bathroom, And Get Back To Your Life

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1 The IBS Answer 6 Natural Ways To Deal With IBS, Stop Your Gut Pain, Break Free from the Bathroom, And Get Back To Your Life

2 Are you? Dealing with stomach aches and pain in your guts? Trapped in the bathroom? Or planning your days around restrooms and having to search out toilets wherever you go? Concerned about having to be on drugs for the rest of your life? Dealing with meals that have become a source of anxiety, because you don't know how your body is going to react, instead of a source of pleasure and enjoyment? In this booklet we re going to talk about a natural approach to treating IBS, and I'll share with you 6 powerful, natural strategies that I've used with people just like you, that you can use to take control of your IBS without having to take drugs My team and I have helped many people live without the pain and inconvenience of IBS, break free of the bathroom, get back to their lives, and at same time most are able to stop or reduce their dependence on drugs. About the Author Dr. Tim Gerstmar Dr. Gerstmar (everyone calls him DrG) has spent the past 10 years specializing in helping people with digestive and autoimmune issues. After his father suffered a severe stroke and DrG became one of his main caretakers, he began voraciously studying medicine, learning about the best of both conventional and natural treatments. He went on to graduate from the most prestigious naturopathic medical school in the world, Bastyr University. DrG has spoken for audiences both nationally and internationally, and is a member of the Affiliate Clinical Faculty of The School of Naturopathic Medicine of Bastyr University where he helps to train and mentor senior medical students to practice as doctors. Each week people consult with him for help on their digestive and autoimmune issues.

3 What Is IBS? IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is a condition where the bowels don't work properly, but they are not damaged by autoimmunity, cancer, or other diseases. People who suffer with IBS have pain in their guts, urgency to have bowel movements, bloating, and messed up bathroom patterns - for some people it's diarrhea, for others constipation, and some people go back and forth between the two. Other conditions that commonly occur with IBS are anxiety, depression, headaches, heartburn (GERD), chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia. Conventional Treatment of IBS The conventional ( regular ) treatment of IBS is usually focused on the management of the symptoms of IBS. The typical treatments include laxatives and fiber if you're suffering from constipation, and anti-diarrheal and anti-cramping drugs if you're suffering from diarrhea. Antidepressant medication is also commonly prescribed to deal with the anxiety and depression that often go along with IBS. The issue is that none of these treatments deal with why you have IBS. We need to ask... Why do we get IBS? There are three underlying issues at the heart of IBS: 1. Your immune system in particular food sensitivities 2. Your gut microbiome the collection of bacteria, fungus, and parasites that live inside our guts 3. Your nervous system Some people have one of these issues as the cause of their IBS, while others have two or all three issues. But my gastroenterologist says that diet doesn t have any effect on IBS and I can eat whatever I want

4 Many gastroenterologists are stuck in the dark ages and still (wrongly) tell their patients that diet has little to no effect on their IBS (aside from eating enough fiber). The truth is that for most people with IBS, diet is going to be the single biggest factor in treating their IBS and getting better. A real patient story Ellen (name changed to protect privacy) had been dealing with IBS for over 10 years. It was disruptive to her life, but she had learned to live with it and scaled back on some hobbies, activities, and fun events with friends. When work or life got too stressful, her IBS would flare sending her into the bathroom for long stretches. She found it embarrassing at work or events. She had seen her regular doctor and a gastroenterologist who had checked her out and told her it was IBS. They had recommended fiber which made things worse for Ellen, and an anti-depressant which she had been on for 8 years. She worried about taking it for so long but was told by her doctors that it was just fine. One day, in pain after a meal, she decided enough was enough, and she came to she us. By using the 6 steps outlined here, plus smart testing and some other techniques and tools, Ellen began to feel better within a month. By three months her IBS was 90% gone. She wanted to stop her anti-depressant, so we began a process to safely wean her off of it. By 6 end of months, Ellen's 10 year battle with IBS was over. By taking control of her diet and lifestyle, and the use of a few smart supplements, Ellen was IBS free and back in control of her life.

5 6 Natural Steps You Can Take Right Away to Help Your IBS 1. Change your diet An elimination & challenge diet Our immune system is our own personal army designed to protect us from bacteria, viruses, fungus, parasites, and any other bad stuff out there that could hurt or kill us. But in many conditions, including many cases of IBS, our immune system begins reacting against one or more foods as if they are an enemy. These reactions can cause some or all of the symptoms of IBS. While there are tests (that sadly many gastroenterologists still don't do) that can help you determine if you have these food sensitivities, a simple elimination & challenge diet can help you determine for yourself if food is causing your IBS. 1. Remove at least some (if not all) of the following foods completely for at least 30 days: Gluten (wheat, rye, and barley), dairy, eggs, soy, corn, peanuts, sugar and citrus fruits. These are the most common problematic foods for many people. After 30 days, begin slowly introducing, one at a time, these foods back into your diet to see if you notice any change in your overall health and/or your symptoms. You may find one or more of them is an issue for you and should be avoided. 2. Change your diet a low FODMAP diet Besides providing nourishment for us, what we eat also feeds the host of bacteria, fungus, and other critters that live in our guts, collectively called our gut microbiome. We've already discussed how food can trigger our immune system to cause IBS. Another way food can affect us is to mess up our gut bacteria or fungus, which can also cause IBS. FODMAPs are the parts of foods that feed our gut microbiome. What is SIBO? SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or too many bacteria in our small intestine. Our small intestine is in the middle of our stomach around our belly button and is where we digest and absorb our food. Normally the small intestine has only a small

6 amount of bacteria inside it. If those bacteria overgrow (SIBO) they can cause a whole host of issues, including IBS. It's been estimated that between 60-80% of people with IBS have SIBO A simple home test to suggest you may have SIBO While it's important to have the proper testing done by your doctor to diagnosis whether you truly have SIBO, you can do a simple at home test to help you figure out if SIBO and a low FODMAP diet are worth exploring. 1. Eat an onion. Onions are available everywhere, cheap, and a rich source of FODMAPs. You can eat the onion cooked or raw, and in one meal or over the course of a day. If you experience significant gas and bloating, and worse IBS symptoms after eating the onion, it suggests SIBO might be an issue for you, and it's worth considering the low FODMAP diet. A low FODMAP diet Since FODMAPs are the parts of food that feed our gut bacteria, limiting or avoiding those foods can starve the overgrowths and decrease them, and improve your IBS 1. For many people it makes sense to try a 7 day low FODMAP diet 2. Here are some of this foods highest in FODMAPs 1. The big three - Wheat, garlic & onions 2. Other grains that are problematic are amaranth, barley and rye 3. Dairy such as milk, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and yogurt. 4. Fruits such as apples, apricots, cherries, figs, mangoes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums and watermelon 5. Vegetables such as asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, artichokes, leeks, mushrooms and snow peas 6. Beans such as baked beans, black-eyed peas, broad beans, butter beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, soybeans and split peas 3. You can do an Internet search for 'low FODMAP food list' or 'low FODMAP recipes' many are available and while there are differences and disputes between them, it's a good enough starting place to try a low FODMAP diet 4. If you see a significant benefit in your IBS, you'll want to talk to your doctor about treating SIBO and the use of a low FODMAP diet

7 3. Manage your stress Stress flares IBS. A very common story we hear is that a person's IBS began during a particularly stressful time and their symptoms are always worse when they are stressed out. So you must get your stress under control. This is easier said then done, so you need to make sure you have good stress management tools in place. Consider: 1. Reducing your obligations where possible. Drop out. Say no. Pass. Consider downsizing or changing jobs if you and your life isn t where you want it to be. 2. Purging toxic people from your life wherever you can. 3. Light to moderate exercise (see below) is a stress reducer. Heavy, intense exercise is a stress and should be balanced with enough rest and recovery 4. Creating a meditation habit (10 minutes a day). 5. Surrounding yourself with supportive people, family and friends. 6. Asking for help when and where you need it 7. Taking stress supporting herbs & nutrients (see #5 below) 4. Get moving Unless you have other issues that leave you crippled by pain or completely weak and exhausted, you need to make an effort to move your body every day. Moving your body reduces stress, lowers inflammation has been shown in studies to help with IBS. This does not mean you have to exercise every day, but you need to move more. 1. If you re not exercising at all, consider walking every day, at least 15 minutes and preferably up to 60 mins. 2. Do some strength training at least 1 2 times weekly. If you don t know how, consider hiring a trainer for a couple of sessions to help you get the hang of things 5. Two supplements that can help 1. Probiotics - a concentrated dose of beneficial bacteria. Probiotics have been proven to be helpful in IBS. While there are many different products and kinds, many people see their IBS improve by taking a dose of billion bacteria 1-2x per day

8 2. Siberian Ginseng an herb with a long-history of use. Siberian Ginseng (sometimes known as Eleutherococcus it's scientific name) helps to normalize the body's stress response, and we've seen it be quite helpful for people suffering from IBS. The dose will depend on the specific product, but is often 1-2 pills 2x a day. 6. Find a good practitioner to work with If you're ready to say goodbye to your troublesome IBS symptoms, and want to avoid potentially dangerous drugs, the fastest and most effective way is to contact us at or info@aspirenaturalhealth.com. Doing the correct smart testing (that sadly most gastroenterologists have no clue about) and having a good practitioner and expert team who will help you work comprehensively on your IBS is critical to getting the best, fastest, most complete relief from the suffering of IBS. We are experts at treating IBS and have worked with people all over the world, and we would be happy to see if we re a good fit for you. Contact us for a no obligation chat about your situation to see if we can help you. Another real patient story Roger (name changed to protect privacy) had been dealing with IBS for 5 years. Over the past year he'd suffered a tremendous amount of stress in his life, going through a painful and ugly divorce and a big shake up at work. His IBS flared severely, and he was in so much pain and discomfort that he more or less just stopped eating. He lost an alarming amount of weight, and in a recent family photo at an event he thought he looked like a skeleton. When Roger came to see us, he was willing to do anything. By using the 6 steps outlined here, plus smart testing and some other techniques and tools, within 2 weeks we had been able to reduce Roger's pain and suffering by 50%, and while it took another 12 months to fully help him recover and retrain his diet & lifestyle habits, he quickly regained his weight and his health.

9 Roger is now back to his life, and now that IBS isn't holding him back, a new and better relationship and work success. Conclusion So there you have it, 6 steps you can begin right away to deal with your IBS, stop your gut pain, break free from the bathroom, and get back to your life. There are many more things that you can do too, and that we use with people who work with us, but these are some of the fundamentals, and if you apply them rigorously you will make a huge difference in your health and how you feel. In the weeks ahead I'll be sending you more information and advice so you can stay active and healthy, and I'll share with you how a comprehensive natural approach can make a huge difference to your life. I hope this is the beginning of a great, long-term relationship between you and the team at Aspire Natural Health, where we can advise and make a real difference in your life. Dedicated to Restoring Your Health, Dr. Tim Gerstmar Specialist in treating digestive and autoimmune issues

What Is the Low-FODMAP Diet?

LOW-FODMAP DIET What Is the Low-FODMAP Diet? FODMAP refers to a group of five sugars found in certain foods. These sugars are lactose, fructose (in excess), fructans, galactans and polyols. Specifically,