Bowel
What you need to know about your bowel
By Jarrett Kruse
Moving your bowels is a very important bodily function. Your bowel is also called the large intestine are the lower parts of your digestive system. Your intestines finish the process of digesting food; a process that starts in your mouth and stomach and ends with you making a bowel movement. About two quarts of food and liquids pass through your body each day. They can stay for several days in your bowels where your body absorbs water and salts. As water begins to be absorbed, the digested food gets more solid and becomes a bowel movement.
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Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder characterize most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) does cause a great deal of discomfort and distress but does not permanently harm the stomach and digestive tract. This type of bowel disease does not lead to a serious disease such as cancer and most people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescription or over the counter medications. However for a small percentage, IBS can be a very debilitating disorder causing them to be unable to work, attend social gatherings or even travel short distances.
As many as one in five Americans have symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome making it one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors. It does occur more often in women than in men and it starts before the age of 35 in about half of those people. IBS can be accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating and general stomach discomfort. Most symptoms vary from person to person but mainstays almost always include constipation, straining and cramping. If they are able to have a bowel movement, there is likely to be mucus in it. Some people with IBS experience frequent diarrhea or loose, watery stools. There is usually an urgent and uncontrollable need to have a bowel movement. Most sufferers find that their symptoms subside for a few months and then return.
