
I’ve written on this subject many times before, and when we consider that a gut infection is one of the top 3 causes of IBS, then yes I can categorically say that eating chicken can cause IBS.
Why, I hear you ask. Well, because campylobacter is the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in the UK, causing around 300,000 cases every year, with diarrhoea being a common symptom. Diarrhoea washes out billions of your friendly gut bacteria, leaving you deficient, increasing your risk of getting IBS. This is because we need those billions of bacteria to help us digest food, absorb nutrients, manufacture important vitamins and hormones, ‘crowd’ out pathogenic strains of bacteria, give us a strong immune system and ensuring we don’t get gut infections! A deficiency in this important bacteria can cause gut inflammation, bloating, abdominal pain and irregular bowel movements.
But how do we get this nasty gut infection, campylobacter in the first place. Well mainly from undercooked meat, and poultry to be precise. Around 50% of cases of campylobacter can be attributed to handling or eating poultry, although you can also become infected from eating pork or beef, drinking unpasteurised milk, drinking contaminated water (with animal poo in it) or having contact with pets or farm animals.
Campylobacter rates always go up when the weather gets warm because we’re not very good at keeping our poultry and meats cold and we don’t always ensure they are cooked properly, especially when we barbecue! All poultry and meat juices should be running clear before eating.
If you’ve had campylobacter or any case of food poisoning, it is crucial to ensure you have replenished and recolonised your intestines with lots of friendly bacteria to reduce the risk of you getting IBS. It is also useful to have some charcoal capsules in the medicine cabinet too, for those days when your tummy feels a bit bloated and jippy, and you’re having looser than normal stools. Charcoal helps absorb painful trapped gas, toxins, as well as binding stools together, and stops that uncomfortable urgency for the loo.
To purchase my Live Bacteria probiotic capsules and Charcoal capsules, visit my Just For Tummies shop here