While there is no cure for IBS, the most effective treatment is a combination of daily modifications that are the result of trial and error.

Although each case of IBS is unique, certain foods can aggravate the condition. If you learn what foods do not agree with your digestive system, you could reduce the risk of flare-ups by eliminating those foods from your diet. Here are some common foods that can make IBS worse, along with substitutions that may be gentler on your system.

Dairy Products

As much as you might crave a glass of cold milk or a hot fudge sundae, the lactose in milk products may not agree with your gut. Almost half of the world’s population is somewhat lactose intolerant, and IBS can make it even worse. Thankfully, there are many substitutes for dairy products. Try almond milk, soy ice cream, lactose-free yogurt and sour cream made with tofu.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower are high in sulfur and can cause bloating and gas. Try some of these vegetables to see if they are easier to digest: carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini, green beans, celery and squash.

Fructose

Fruits that are high in fructose can exacerbate IBS symptoms. You may want to substitute apples, pears, watermelon and dried fruit with fruits lower in fructose, such as bananas, grapes, kiwi, citrus, cantaloupe and berries.

Legumes

Beans contain saccharides that are not digestible, so don’t be surprised if you can’t tolerate baked beans, chick peas, lentils and soybeans. You may find that you can digest oats, rice, quinoa or millet much easier.

Sugar Substitutes

Artificial sweeteners can cause digestive problems, so avoid sweeteners that end in “ol.” These sweeteners are often used in gum and candy, so read food labels carefully and avoid products that contain sorbitol, mannitol, isomalt, maltitol and xylitol. Natural sweeteners like honey, stevia and maple syrup are best (Source: Cleveland Clinic).

The best diet to alleviate your IBS symptoms will be unique to you, so keep a daily food journal and pay attention to your body. Remember to schedule regular visits with your doctor to monitor your IBS, and share any new symptoms or concerns at each appointment.

Why now? Because there’s a good chance that it could be a low- or no-cost screening if you have traditional healthcare coverage. Since the deductible on most health insurance resets on January 1 each year, you may have a short window of opportunity in the next two months to schedule a colonoscopy with potentially limited out-of-pocket expense.

How do I find out if this applies to me?

You will need to find out what your deductible is per calendar year on your health plan and whether you have met it or are close to meeting it. If you have had medical appointments or treatments earlier in the year, chances are you have been making payments towards your deductible, you may have already met it.

What’s a deductible?

A deductible is the dollar amount that you’re required to pay out of pocket for your health care services before your health insurance or plan kicks in and starts to pay. It’s important to know that your deductible does not apply to all medical services.

Because not every service counts toward your deductible, it’s a smart practice to always contact your insurance provider before scheduling any screening or procedure to find out whether an out-of-pocket cost will be counted.

I know I’ve already met my deductible. What should I do next?

Then now may be an excellent time to schedule a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer, if you need one.

How do I know if I need a colonoscopy?

If you are 50 or older (45 or older if you are African-American) or if you have a family history of polyps or colon cancer, you should have a colonoscopy.

Are colonoscopies expensive?

Colonoscopies range in cost, depending on where you live and where you go for the procedure, but can be as high as several thousand dollars. Before you have your procedure, contact your insurance policy so you understand exactly what you may be expected to pay toward your colonoscopy. If you have been paying toward your deductible throughout 2017, the amount you owe could be very small or you might owe nothing.

Can I go to my own doctor for my colonoscopy and have it count towards my deductible?

Maybe, but you need to check with your insurance provider first. You’ll need to make sure you choose a doctor and facility that is in your provider’s network. If you don’t, you later may have the unpleasant surprise of finding out your procedure was not be covered or your out-of-pocket could be higher than you expected.

Keep in mind that even if your doctor is “in network,” he or she might work at several locations. This is important information, because your doctor must perform your colonoscopy at a facility that is in network, too.

Okay. I’ve met my deductible and I’m ready to schedule my appointment. Can you recommend a clinic near me where I can have my end-of-the-year colonoscopy?

Yes. Visit Find a Screening Center to find a center near you.

Related Articles:

Year End Colonoscopies: The Price Is Right!

Deductible Details Explained: Colonoscopies and End-of-the-Year Coverage

There are many reasons that you may be constipated, and the sooner you understand what is causing your constipation, the sooner you can get relief.

Here are some common causes of constipation:

1. Dehydration—You have probably heard that you should drink 8 glasses of water per day, but that may not be enough. According to the Institute of Medicine, men should drink at least 104 ounces of water per day (13 cups) and women should drink at least 72 ounces (9 cups).
2. Poor diet—In our fast-paced society, we gravitate toward pre-packaged, preserved or fast foods that are high in fat and low in fiber. Fiber is a necessary component of a healthy diet, but few people eat enough dietary fiber. Fiber helps you feel full, creates bulk in the intestines and moves digested food more swiftly through the gastrointestinal
   tract. Men should consume at least 35 grams of fiber per day and women should consume at least 25 grams of fiber per day.
3. Alcohol and caffeine—Both alcohol and caffeine can cause dehydration, so limit yourself to an occasional alcoholic drink and choose decaffeinated beverages like soda and tea.
4. Medications—Talk to your doctor if you are taking diuretics, antacids (with aluminum and calcium), narcotics, antidepressants, supplements, anticonvulsants, or blood pressure medicine. Any of these medications could be contributing to constipation.
5. Dairy products—Milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream are delicious, but tend to be “binding.” Dairy is slow to digest and can cause bloating, cramping and constipation.

Keeping a journal of your food intake and bowel habits can be helpful in identifying the root cause of your constipation. You may find that simply drinking more water will resolve your issue, so use a fitness app or set a daily calendar reminder to alert yourself to hydrate your body.

If constipation persists, don’t just ignore it or try to live with it. Make an appointment with your primary care physician or gastroenterologist for further testing.

IBS is a collection of gastrointestinal symptoms that affects about ten percent of Americans during their lifetime. Because symptoms and triggers vary broadly and may resemble other conditions, IBS is often misdiagnosed.

The only way to receive a correct diagnosis for your symptoms is to make an appointment with your doctor, but in the meantime, you may find it helpful to start a journal with any information that would be helpful for your doctor to know.

Take note of your symptoms

Your doctor visit will be more efficient if you begin keeping a journal of your symptoms. Some common symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating and nausea after a normal-sized meal. Be as specific as possible about your daily symptoms, and keep accurate logs of your food intake and bathroom visits. You may want to include the time of each meal and bathroom visit.

Try to find patterns

IBS is characterized by suddenness or urgency. Do your abdominal cramps strike suddenly and without warning, or do they develop after you eat a certain food? Do any food combinations trigger diarrhea, or is your bowel unpredictable? If you are noticing that specific foods might be causing cramping or diarrhea, your doctor may test you for food allergies or celiac disease. On the other hand, erratic and unpredictable cramping and diarrhea may point more toward IBS.

Pay attention to contradictory feelings in your gut

One of the ironies of IBS is that you may experience both constipation and diarrhea. These opposite sensations are confusing and frustrating, but they are common symptoms of IBS (Source: IBS Treatment Center).

If you are experiencing symptoms of IBS, don’t suffer in silence. You are not alone in your struggle, so make an appointment with your doctor. With proper diagnosis and treatment, you can begin enjoying life again.

While a crisp new calendar can feel like a fresh start, there’s something else that gets a clean slate every January 1: your health plan deductible! Your deductible is the amount you must pay for medical care each year before your insurance company begins paying for your healthcare bills. The best way to maximize your health care benefits is to schedule those last appointments before the year ends and your deductible resets.

So maybe the best question to ask yourself at this time of year is not “Have you started your holiday shopping yet?” but “Have you scheduled all your health screenings yet?”
If not, there’s no better time than today.

Here are some of the most important preventative screenings that promote good health:

• Well Visit – Includes personal history, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), physical exam, and counseling
• Colonoscopy – Screening for colon cancer begins at age 50 (unless you are at high risk) and then every 10 years
• Skin cancer screening – Annual total skin exam at discretion of your physician
• Mammogram and breast exam (women) – Annual screening for breast cancer
• Pap smear and cervical exam (women) – Annual screening for cervical cancer
• Testicular and prostate exam (men) – Annual screening for testicular cancer and prostate cancer
• Eye exam – Annual comprehensive eye exam to test for visual acuity, refractive errors and eye disease

Get the maximum benefit out of your medical coverage by calling your health care provider to verify the amount of your annual deductible. The phone number is located on your health care ID card, and a representative will assist you. He or she can also tell you whether you have met your annual deductible. If you have not, you can find out how close you are to meeting your deductible before the end of the year.

In fact, young-onset colon cancer incidence is increasing in individuals under the age of 50. If you’ve never had the conversation with your kids about colon cancer prevention and awareness, now is the time.

It’s very likely that you may not know how or when to bring up the subject, or even what to say. After all, colon cancer and colonoscopies are not exactly dinner table conversation. We couldn’t agree more, so choose a setting that is comfortable for everyone. You could consider a family walk, a cup of coffee at the kitchen table, or a trip to your local park.

Once you’ve chosen the setting, you need to think of how you will present your message. Remember, your goal is to inform and encourage. It might help to begin with a few facts to inform your kids about the prevalence of young-onset colon cancer. You could read these facts or make them into a game of True or False (and by the way, all of these statements are true!).

1. About 10% of colon cancer cases are diagnosed in people under the age of 50.
2. Rates of colon cancer incidence and mortality are increasing among the young but are decreasing in those over age 50.
3. Rates of young-onset rectal cancer are twice as high as the rate of young-onset colon cancer.
4. Common symptoms of colon cancer include abdominal cramping, changes in bowel habits, narrow stools, blood in the stool, anemia, fatigue and vomiting. However, symptoms often do not appear in the early stages of the disease.
5. Physician-related delays such as missed symptoms or misdiagnosis occurs in 15-50% of young-onset colon cancer cases.
6. Family history plays a larger role in colon cancer development than previously thought.
7. Even though young-onset colon cancer is on the rise, colon cancer screening is not recommended until the age of 50 unless an individual has specific risk factors such as family history, inflammatory bowel disease or genetic syndromes.

After you share the facts, you need to tell them what to do. Encourage your children to speak up if they sense that something is wrong and to make an appointment with their doctor. If they don’t have a GI specialists, we can help them find a good one in their area. Early diagnosis means early intervention, and colon cancer is over 90% treatable when diagnosed in the early stages (Source: Colon Cancer Alliance).

Talking colon cancer could feel embarrassing, but a few awkward minutes equips your kids with knowledge that could save their lives. Once you’ve finished your conversation, end the evening with something fun like going out for ice cream or a game of bowling– and give yourself a gold star for being a great parent!

If recent fashion trends have taught us one thing, it’s that yoga pants are no longer just for the yoga studio. Activewear, also affectionately known as “athleisure,” soared in popularity in 2015 with a 16 percent increase in sales. Activewear has an estimated market size of $44 billion in the United States alone, and these numbers are expected to reach $83 billion by the year 2020 (Source: Forbes).

Heartburn sufferers often find that their symptoms are triggered or worsened by tight clothing. Elastic waistbands, snug-fitting tops and restrictive shapewear can place unnecessary pressure on the midsection and encourage stomach acid to escape through the lower esophageal sphincter. Once this stomach acid reaches the esophagus, it can aggravate the delicate esophageal tissues and cause that burning sensation known as heartburn.

Not all activewear is off limits for heartburn sufferers, but there are certain clothing items you’ll want to avoid. Here are some of the worst offenders and some fashionable heartburn-friendly alternatives:

• Active Bottoms with Snug Waistbands or Control Tops- Instead, opt for a slouchy pair of jogger pants with an adjustable drawstring.
• Lycra or Spandex Shaping Tops- Open-back tanks or flowy tunics are an excellent alternative with plenty of breathing room.
• Waist Trainers- These restrictive garments compress the internal organs and contribute to heartburn. It’s better to achieve that hourglass shape with exercises that target the abs and obliques.
• Tight-Fitting Sports Bras- Try going up a size if your sports bra fits too snugly around the ribcage. You can also opt for active tops with built-in support.

 

There are plenty of activewear options that will fit your personal style without aggravating heartburn. Keep these dos and don’ts in mind the next time you’re shopping for activewear, and enjoy the comfort without the risk of reflux!