IBS: post modern medical nemesis.
The history of medicine over the last 100 years has been nothing short of miraculous. The diseases that used to kill millions: smallpox, tuberculosis, typhoid, typhus, cholera, pneumonia have all … Continue reading
When it all becomes too much.
Jenny was waiting outside in the street when I arrived, enjoying one last cigarette. Even though we had only communicated by email, I recognised the tragedy etched on her face. … Continue reading
It’s that time of the month again. So why do I feel so bad?
There can be few women who do not experience some variations the way they feel during their menstrual cycle, but in those of you who have IBS, those feelings … Continue reading
Probiotics and Brain Fog
A few weeks ago, on a warm midsummer evening, Dr Derek Holdsworth and I listened with a mixture of awe and interest as our one time research fellow, Professor Satish … Continue reading
Mint antagonises chilli and soothes your sensitive gut
After reading last night’s post on spices and IBS, Joan Ransley sent me the following, published in Cooking for The Sensitive Gut . ‘Have you ever eaten fresh mint after … Continue reading
Do spices make IBS worse?
It all depends. Most spices, such as turmeric, ginger, peppermint, cumin, coriander are soothing to the sensitive gut, so there is no need to avoid spicy food if you have … Continue reading
The ‘ravelled sleeve of care; how sleep affects IBS
Sleep disturbance affects about a third of the American population, but is particularly common in patients diagnosed with IBS. As many as 74% of people with IBS characterise themselves as … Continue reading
Can similar changes in the microbiome lead to both IBS and colon cancer?
I subscribe to ‘The Conversation’ and usually scan through its contents every morning. This post by Bradley Meehan, PhD researcher in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, University … Continue reading
Drugs for IBS: are they any good?
The mass production of penicillin in the nineteen forties heralded a revolution in medicine. Not only could infections be cured but protection from the risks of infection allowed permitted critical … Continue reading
The Low FODMAP diet. Ten years on.
In medicine, every new treatment tends to go through a cycle. First there is the breakthrough, the honeymoon phase, where it is miraculous, the answer to everything. Then comes the … Continue reading
The Sensitive Gut 