Lifestyle and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, the Viewpoints of Persian and Conventional Medicine: A Review Article

Abstract

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Several pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed for this disorder, but no effective treatment exists for all patients, making it a problematic chronic disease. The present article aims to review the perspective of Persian medicine (PM) scholars, including opinions on patients’ predisposing factors and lifestyle, on this disorder and compare it with recent findings. Methods: In this review, we searched the leading Persian medical books from the 10th to the 18th century AD regarding the pathophysiology and predisposing factors and the six essential health principles of the diseases with the most congruity with IBS. Moreover, we searched the Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed databases for recent evidence on each item. Results: According to PM, this syndrome is a heterogeneous disorder resulting from various dystemperaments of the GI tract. Dystemperaments are due to accumulated waste material or excess humors in body organs or exposure to unsuitable weather or diet. Diet, mental status, exercise, body excretions, sleep, and weather are the six essential principles for maintaining health, and imbalance in any of them can cause many diseases, including IBS. Several of these lifestyle recommendations regarding the six essential principles of health are supported by recent research. Conclusion: PM strategies for preserving and restoring health through lifestyle modification in IBS patients may provide researchers with new viewpoints for exploration.

Keywords

• irritable bowel syndrome
• persian medicine
• diet
• lifestyle
• six essential principles