Articles

As a health educator, I’ve always encouraged patients to take an active role in their health. In our current healthcare system, being your own advocate is crucial. Many of us...

For those people who have suffered from IBS for a decent amount of time, you probably have heard your disease be referred to as a "functional disorder." That term sounds...

The internet and social media are amazing resources for people seeking health information, especially for people living with chronic conditions. While many people appreciate having quick access to a great...

Contributor and Patient Advocate, Hess Polanco, uses spoken word to cope with his IBS. In this video, he shares a piece with us and it is about him recognizing the...

The two most well-known symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are diarrhea and constipation. However, many people who have IBS also have the symptom of nausea. Nausea is a symptom...

A diagnosis of IBS is made through a process of elimination, after doctors rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. But could people with IBS actually be suffering...

For mainstream healthcare professionals, pain assessment has become a numbers game. Not in the sense of your grandma playing the numbers in an illegal lottery--but in a simple 1-10 self-assessment...

Many times we hear people say, “Be a man!” or “Man up!” What does ‘being a man’ really mean though? From my personal experience, it meant never complaining, tolerating or...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that causes gut symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. Many people with IBS find that making changes to their diet can...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that can cause a range of different symptoms. These symptoms may vary among different people with IBS, and people with IBS may find...

Most people living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) know first-hand the connection with stress and their symptoms. IBS often flares during times of intense stress. Why does this occur? And...

We all know those well meaning friends, family or complete strangers who like to throw in an offhand comment every now again without really thinking it through. Sometimes they don’t...

Dear IBS, As I was writing another article about what you do to me as a person suffering with IBS, I decided to take a break from that article and...

It’s not uncommon for those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to experience poor appetite or intestinal discomfort as a regular part of life—others may only experience these symptoms when they...

Having an invisible illness is quite difficult to deal with when you feel like no one understands what you’re going through. It’s especially difficult when you don’t fully understand your...

We have all heard and know that our mind is a powerful thing, but just how powerful is it? Let’s take a look at how strong our minds can really...

Women who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may notice that their symptoms may change at different points in their menstrual cycles. In fact, this is a very common phenomenon that...

I recently wrote about getting tested for SIBO – small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Although the breath test wasn’t difficult, it wasn’t my idea of fun, and I was pleased that...

Big belly, water retention, swelling, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, just plain uncomfortable. This sounds like someone who may be expecting a child, but unfortunately, I’m not. That’s not to say that...