NATURAL FIXES Ease Your IBS

Try these holistic approaches to find relief for tummy troubles.

- MADELEINE HAASE

For some people, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing inconvenience. For others, the symptoms (and the stress surrounding them) can be extremely painful and derail an entire day-or month. Upward of 15% of people may struggle with IBS, and anyone can be affected.

IBS can take a few different forms: You may predominantly have diarrhea (IBS-D), constipation (IBS-C), or a combination (IBS-mixed), along with symptoms such as abdominal pain and bloating. What makes IBS different from the occasional unsettled stomach is how common such symptoms as cramping, bloating, and abnormal bowel movements become. Plus, if you're dealing with a lot of stress, IBS symptoms can get worse.

TREATMENTS TO TRY