Gut Week begins as research shows potential IBS epidemic in the UK

National Gut Week began on Monday and will be running until the 25th August, and research carried out for the national digestive health awareness campaign shows that Britain’s hectic lifestyle habits are causing a significant increase in cases of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). So much so, that it is not just obesity that is seemingly set to be labelled as an ‘epidemic’.

It is estimated that IBS is suffered by 12 million Brits and is one of the most common causes for time off work – the average sufferer is off work for around 22 days each year due to a flare up of their symptoms, which include a variety of debilitating problems such as stomach cramps, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.

To control IBS symptoms, health experts will often advise eating at evenly spaced out and set times each day. However, almost a quarter (24%) do not eat 3 equal sized meals each day and 10% are snacking on high-calorie unhealthy treats at least 3 times a day, according to research undertaken by One Poll among 2,000 adults across the UK from 3rd – 5th June 2013.

So what other findings did the research uncover for Gut Week?

. 23% of women most regularly snack on fruit, 23% of men prefer biscuits.

. Almost 20% of women feel stressed most days, compared to 10% of men.

. 10% eat breakfast in front of the computer, whilst over a third (35%) eat breakfast in front of the TV.

. 44% eat dinner in front of the TV.

From the data extracted it is clear that the demise of sitting around the table to eat is obvious with over a third now preferring to sit in front of the TV. The danger here is that people are probably eating more than they would normally as they’re too busy focusing on the programme in front of them and not on what they’re eating.

This is on top of the fact an alarming number of people are feeling stressed ‘most days’, it is hardly surprising the nation is facing a potential IBS epidemic.

Dr Nick Read, a gastroenterologist, commented: “It’s certainly worrying that a third of the people the research surveyed feel stressed and anxious most days. These feelings can activate the ­sympathetic nervous system which ­increases intestinal sensitivity and causes IBS spasms, bloating and indigestion. Eating while standing up or rushing around also sensitises the gut, making people less tolerant of the foods they eat. In short, this kind of lifestyle is a recipe for problems.”

It has long been known that women account for the majority of IBS cases, and in fact account for more than 70% of hospital admissions. This is because their hormones seem to make IBS worse and makes them more susceptible to the symptoms. Moreover, trying to balance life at home with that at work seems to be taking its toll.

“These days most women have to juggle a professional and family life,” says Dr Read. “This means rushing from one thing to the next and grabbing food on the go.”

Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of Natural Solutions to IBS, adds: “Many people with IBS discover their bowels seem to function as a kind of emotional barometer, indicating how they feel about what is going on in their lives. Tension always makes IBS worse and we are living in much more stressful times.”

However, you do not need to suffer in silence or think there is nothing you can do to control your symptoms. You can obtain a free ‘Gut Week pack’ today by either ordering it  or downloading it. The Gut Week pack is full of digestive health and advice from a range of experts.
Medical Specialists Pharmacy have also previously provided information on how to combat IBS and offer a number of medications to help control symptoms such as Mebeverine, Colpermin and Buscopan IBS Relief.

Radical new Symprove drink could help millions win the fight against IBS

Today we at Medical Specialists Pharmacy are thoroughly delighted to offer a brand new, revolutionary treatment option for the estimated 12 million people in the UK who are caused misery by the painful and inconvenient stomach condition, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Some of the most common symptoms for sufferers include highly discomforting stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhoea or constipation, or sometimes even bouts of both.

The IBS treatment in question is a non-dairy, gluten-free probiotic food supplement produced by Symprove Ltd, named simply ‘Symprove’. Those with sharp memories will recall that we first mentioned about this fantastic IBS treatment way back in May. In fact, its effectiveness at combating the common stomach and bowel complaint is so exceptional that even national media has picked up on Symprove, subsequently being featured in newspapers such as the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, as well as HELLO! magazine.

Therefore the opportunity to offer our patients this brilliant solution to help with IBS was one we could not refuse, and proudly working together with Symprove Ltd, we now have the delicious 500ml mango and passion fruit flavoured version in stock and available from the Medical Specialists chemist shop for the low price of £19.93.

So, what exactly is Symprove you may wonder, and how does it work? Well, it is a water-based barley drink that is taken once daily – ideally prior to breakfast. With every batch produced being independently tested to ensure the highest standard of quality, each 50ml serving contains approximately 10 billion live bacteria.

However, here is where it gets interesting; Symprove’s 4 species of live bacterial cultures (L. rhamnosus, planatarum, acidophilus and E. faeciumbacteria), are fully alive and activated from the moment Symprove is swallowed. What sets Symprove apart is the fact that unlike other everyday probiotic products, the probiotics within Symprove manage to reach the gut and get to work in a mere 20 minutes without triggering the digestion process.  This may sound strange and something you would expect and want to happen. However with other probiotics, digestion results in stomach acid and bile salts being released in order to break down food. The stomach acid means that probiotic bacteria struggle to survive in this environment and any that do, will be ineffective inside the gut.

Symprove is successful at travelling straight through the stomach without triggering digestion, meaning its probiotics are able to reach the gut and then establish a more healthy balance of  ‘normal bacteria’. It is the existence of ‘bad’ pathogenic bacteria that initially causes digestive and other problems. Symprove’s revolutionary method of fighting the symptoms of IBS means that the bacteria are not freeze-dried like many other products out there. Basically with its ‘Unique Delivery System’, the bacteria are ready to start working from the moment they pass your lips!

At Medical Specialists we fully understand that IBS can be a deeply distressing condition to live with, especially when trying to manage it whilst at your job. Many underestimate the psychological impact that IBS can have from trying to cope with the pain and discomfort. It is even thought that three out of every four people who suffer from it, will have at least one bout of depression, with half experiencing some varying degree of anxiety. You should not let it control your quality of life though, and with appropriate treatment you can live a normal and happy life. In addition to Symprove, there are other available options to help with the symptoms of IBS such as Buscopan IBS relief, Imodium and Mebeverine. All are available from the stomach and bowel area of the Medical Specialists website.

Poor food labels blamed for stomach cancer caused by high salt intake

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has spoken out about the issue of salt content in foods, calling for all companies to label their products more clearly. This is in response to the increasing number of stomach cancer cases that have been linked to a high consumption of salt. High levels of salt are particularly prominent in popular foods such as bread, bacon, cheese, breakfast cereals, crisps and soup.

The recommended daily salt intake for adults is 6g, which is approximately around one full teaspoon. This figure is obviously less for children and babies, and the following are the general guidelines for salt intake depending on age:

. 1 to 3 years: 2g salt a day (0.8g sodium).
. 4 to 6 years: 3g salt a day (1.2g sodium).
. 7 to 10 years: 5g salt a day (2g sodium).
. 11 years and over: 6g salt a day (2.4g sodium).

The WCRF say that if adults strictly kept to this 6g limit, then this could help to reduce the 6,000 new cases of stomach cancer each year in the UK by 14% (around 800). Kate Mendoza, health of health information at the charity, says, “Stomach cancer is difficult to treat successfully because most cases are not caught until the disease is well-established. This places even greater emphasis on making lifestyle choices to prevent the disease occurring in the first place – such as cutting down on salt intake and eating more fruit and vegetables.”

She further continued, “Because around three-quarters of the salt we consume is already in processed food when we buy it, WCRF would like to see traffic light labelling on the front of food and drink packaging to give clear guidance on the levels of salt as well as sugar, fat and saturated fat. Standardised labelling among retailers and manufacturers – rather than the different voluntary systems currently in place – would help consumers make better informed and healthy choices.”

As Kate Mendoza explained, the difficult aspect of dealing with stomach cancer is that it is not usually diagnosed until the disease is at an advanced stage. Medical Specialists Pharmacy advises that you visit your doctor immediately for a check-up if you suffer from any of the following early symptoms of stomach cancer:

. Heartburn.
. Persistent indigestion.
. A bloated feeling after eating.
. Trapped wind and incessant burping.
. Feeling full very soon after beginning to eat.
. Difficulty in swallowing.

As you can see, many of the early-stage symptoms of stomach cancer are quite similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This is why it is vital to see your GP who will ask you detailed questions, and refer you for further scans if necessary. If it is IBS you have, then this can be treated with a wide range of effective medications such as Mebeverine and Buscopan IBS relief. In addition, there is also the medication Lansoprazole which can help with acid reflux problems that cause heartburn and complications with swallowing. All aforementioned medicines are available at low prices from the Stomach and Bowel section of the Medical Specialists Pharmacy website.