People with hay fever and skin allergies are more likely to develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that IBS is twice as likely to affect those with hay fever, and four times as likely to appear in people with allergic skin conditions.

I’m not surprised. Allergies can cause all sorts of digestive, gut and bowel problems, which, aside from causing great discomfort and distress, can also lead to significant nutrient deficiencies.

On the other hand, gut problems can lead to allergies. For instance, poor diet, medications, toxins and other factors can create pockets of inflammation in the gut lining. If not resolved, this irritation can finally weaken the bonds between the cells of the gut lining that substances can leak from the gut into the blood stream. Trying to cope with all these ‘invaders’, the immune system can go into overdrive and become hypersensitive, leading to allergies.

It’s a vicious circle, really, this link between the gut and allergies, one that will inevitably lead to more and more problems down the line. Irritable bowel syndrome is just one result. IBS, which tends to develop in late adolescence or early adulthood, is more common in people with food allergies and intolerances, particularly to wheat and dairy products, caffeine, chocolate and alcohol, all of which are known to cause gut problems. However, it can also result from emotional and physical stress. Chronic stress and trauma can trigger the over-production of stress chemicals that inflame the gut….and so the cycle continues.

Symptoms of IBS can be different from person to person, but usually, they include abdominal cramping, pain and bloating, and either chronic constipation or diarrhea, or both. Standard treatments include drugs for symptomatic relief, and avoiding the triggers, ie. the foods or stressors that switch on the symptoms. The problem is that drugs aggravate the problems in the gut, and can be dangerous.

Two popular U.S. prescription medications for IBS - Lotronex and Zelnorm - were recently withdrawn after serious complications and several deaths. Lotronex is now used in Australia, albeit with restrictions, and Zelnorm has been approved as a short-term treatment of women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Apparently, additional warnings in the drug literature have rendered these high risk drugs acceptable.

Dr. Dzung Price, an integrative medical doctor at the Renew You Centre for Wellbeing and Longevity, says that IBS and its symptoms can often be controlled or relieved with natural remedies such as the herbs slippery elm, marshmallow, and chamomile, which protect and soothe the gut lining and reduce inflammation. Probiotics (which help to correct the microbe balance in the gut) have significantly improved conditions in many IBS patients, she said.

In the end, though, the only real solution for IBS is to heal the gut. A damaged gut can lead to worsening allergies, nutrient deficiencies, and chronic disease, and cannot heal itself. The Renew You Centre for Wellbeing and Longevity is one of only a few health centres with a comprehensive gut healing program, and has successfully assisted many patients with gut, digestive and bowel problems, including those related to allergies, gluten intolerance and celiac disease. For more information about their totally natural treatment programs, visit - renewyoujourney.com