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Lily Canter

Hong Kong kindergarten teacher Amber Nathaniel began to suffer from the common but debilitating gastrointestinal condition known as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, at the age of 16.
Its symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and stomach cramps. The condition is thought to affect up to one in 10 people worldwide.
Nathaniel spent years seeking medical advice and taking medication before realising that, to overcome the problem, she needed to change her lifestyle.
“In the beginning it was really confusing because I kept waking up with stomach aches, and I’d get cramps right after eating anything,” Nathaniel says. “I would have horrible cramps, a bad stomach and acid reflux. I would be severely bloated and would often need to lie down for long periods of time until I felt fine again.”

A doctor prescribed medication to ease the pain, but the symptoms kept recurring and the drugs would often cause her to become even more bloated and constipated.
“Sometimes, my flare-ups would last for up to a month, so I’d just live painfully until I felt normal again. Back then, I didn’t really understand how much food played a role in my flare-ups, so I didn’t make many changes to my diet,” she says.
Research links lifestyle behaviours with IBS
The cause of IBS has long been unclear; some studies have linked it to food sensitivities, while some experts claim it is associated with mental health.
To find out more about the condition, researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong followed 64,286 people, with an average age of 55, over 12 years.
Their findings, published in the journal Gut, suggest that leading a healthy lifestyle is strongly linked to a lower chance of developing the condition.
The study was based on data from the UK Biobank database, a research resource containing genetic, lifestyle and health information and biological samples from half a million UK participants.
It examined five healthy lifestyle behaviours: never smoking, having optimal sleep, having a high level of vigorous physical activity, following a healthy diet, and having a moderate alcohol intake.

The research suggested that following a healthy lifestyle with good sleep, a healthy diet and exercise could be the key to staving off irritable bowel syndrome.
The combination of not smoking, having regular vigorous exercise and getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, it found, could reduce the risk of IBS by 42 per cent.
Having only one of the healthy behaviours it assessed was associated with a 21 per cent lower risk, having two was associated with a 36 per cent lower risk, and having three to five was linked to a 42 per cent lower risk.
“Our findings suggest the potential of lifestyle modifications as a primary prevention strategy for IBS,” the researchers concluded.

Lifestyle changes bring an end to pain
When Nathaniel visited a different doctor, she finally got some helpful answers. He explained that she had IBS and needed to find out what triggered the stomach issues.
“I used to be quite the party animal back then,” she says. She would drink a lot and go for shisha – smoking a heated, specially prepared tobacco through a pipe – at least twice a week.
According to the British Heart Federation, in a 20-minute to 80-minute shisha session, a shisha smoker can inhale the same amount of smoke as someone who smokes more than 100 cigarettes.
“I didn’t have a concept of eating healthy and I had stopped exercising. Once I decided to stop drinking, I realised just how much it affected me,” she says, adding that drinking did not just give her hangovers, but would also upset her stomach for days.
The poor diet, drinking, and lack of sleep and exercise meant her IBS was so bad she would often miss work.

She started by working out her dietary triggers and discovered she was lactose- and gluten-intolerant.
“I cut dairy out of my regular diet, limited fried and spicy foods, and started adding more vegetables,” she says. She also gave up shisha, and now drinks only in moderation.
Eleven years on, at the age of 27, Nathaniel is living pain-free thanks to her healthy lifestyle.
“I work out five to six times a week doing weightlifting, Pilates and kickboxing, and I try my best to get to bed early and wake up early,” she says.
“My eating habits have improved because I know what works for me and what doesn’t. I’ve reached a point where I can indulge every now and then because of all these changes, and it feels good to be able to enjoy a little dessert without suffering for it.”
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Wellness

IBS symptoms relieved through 5 simple lifestyle changes, Hong Kong teacher discovers

After years of suffering with irritable bowel syndrome, Hong Kong kindergarten teacher Amber Nathaniel made lifestyle changes that ended her suffering. Photo: Amber Nathaniel

Symptoms of IBS include bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and stomach cramps. Photo: Shutterstock

A study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong showed that getting regular sleep significantly lowered the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome. Photo: Shutterstock

Nathaniel used to regularly go for shisha – smoking a heated, specially prepared tobacco through a pipe. Her IBS symptoms have subsided since she gave up the habit. Photo: Shutterstock 

Since she took up kickboxing and other regular physical activities, Nathaniel has been keeping her IBS symptoms at bay. Photo: Shutterstock

How to reduce irritable bowel syndrome, which celebrities Kirsten Dunst and Tyra Banks suffer from – advice from a nutritionist who battled IBS herself

Dietitian Jessie Wong. Photo: ibsfreedom.org

Actress Kirsten Dunst (left) and model Tyra Banks have spoken about their experiences of irritable bowel syndrome, which affects 10 to 15 per cent of people worldwide. A nutritionist who has the condition tells the Post her three steps to combating it. Photo: Getty Images

Dietitian Jessie Wong had her first bout of IBS during her second pregnancy. Photo: ibsfreedom.org

Wong’s Instagram account has several resources for IBS sufferers who want to test the low fodmap diet. Photo: instagram.com/ibs.dietitian

Wong recommends deep diaphragmatic breathing to stimulate the vagus nerve, which connects the brain, heart and gut. Photo: Shutterstock

In early trials, gut-directed hypnotherapy has shown the same efficacy as the low-fodmap diet in curbing IBS symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock

Acne, eczema and insomnia can signal poor gut health; here’s how to safeguard yours

Research has shown insomnia to be linked to bad bacteria in the gut, and skin issues are also thought to indicate poor gut health. Experts explain how to safeguard your digestive system to avoid diabetes, high cholesterol and other conditions. Photo: Shutterstock

Singapore-based gastroenterologist Andrea Rajnakova. Photo: Dr Andrea Rajnakova

Rajnakova says poor gut health is linked to a range of serious conditions, which is why maintaining a healthy digestive system is key. When it comes to drinking, she says water is best. Photo: Shutterstock

Graeme Bradshaw warns sugar cravings may be due to gut inflammation or an unbalanced gut microbiome. Photo: Graeme Bradshaw

Gut inflammation may affect the production of the “feel-good” chemical serotonin, which can lead to anxiety, mild depression – and cravings for sweets. Photo: Shutterstock

To maintain a healthy gut microbiome, consume fibre-rich plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains such as brown rice. Photo: Shutterstock

Gut-brain health link reinforced as studies show food affects decisions, mental disorders

Certain grains, seeds, fruit and vegetables are rich in prebiotic fibre, essential to a healthy gut microbiome. Photo: Shutterstock

The gut and the brain are inextricably linked, and new studies shed more light on the relationship, showing food choices affect everything from decision-making to mental health conditions like bipolar disorder. Illustration: Shutterstock

An illustration showing how the gut and brain communicate via the vagus nerve. Illustration: Shutterstock

Dr Paul Clayton, a leading scientist in the field of nutrition, has been studying the gut-brain axis for decades. Photo: Dr Paul Clayton

Dr Michael Gershon is still working at the age of 86, having long examined the connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. Photo: Columbia University

The cover of Gershon’s book. Photo: Amazon

Modern diets are deficient in prebiotic fibre – found in certain grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables – according to Clayton. This upsets the balance in the microbiome, which can lead to leaky gut syndrome. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

A Hong Kong study identifies 5 lifestyle changes that lower the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome. A sufferer confirms they work


A Hong Kong study identifies 5 lifestyle changes that lower the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome. A sufferer confirms they work.
