IBS with Diarrhea

by Sha
(Perth, WA)

Q: I have read your page about IBS however I wanted to know how juicing affects diarrhea. I take tablets every day to stop me going and without it I can't get off the toilet till 10am. Not good if you have school runs and a business to care for.

I find that I can't eat anything in the morning until I have finished driving. Will juicing increase the diarrhea?

Also, I have been watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Do we have to go to those extremes when juicing i.e., could we just replace one or two meals a day with juicing?

A: Hi Sha! I'm so sorry to hear about your problem. Just off the top of my head, not sure if you've ever tried taking pure aloe vera juice or the herbal tincture slippery elm? These help many people to naturally regulate thier IBS and diarrhea.

As far as juicing effects diarrhea, it really depends on the person. Many juices (like spinach and apple, for example) have pectin which forms a gel to remove toxins from the intestines and also stimulates peristaltic movements in the bowel. So it does encourage your body to expel waste.

Everyone is different and for some it just might make them regular. You'll have to experiment for yourself in the morning to see the reaction. Juicing doesn't have fiber though, so this might be in your favor.

As far as the documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead", no, you don't have to go to those extremes to get the benefit of juicing. Most of us are really sick and sometimes need something like a juice fast to really change the way we eat and jumpstart our body into good health. But replacing a meal each day with juice, or just supplementing with a juice a day will help the body tremendously towards gaining health and good nutrition.

ps- I love to hear from former SBIer's, thank you! :)