Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is a chronic condition that affects the large intestine. Common symptoms include gas, bloating, abdominal pain or cramping, diarrhea or constipation (or both), and mucous in stool. There is no cure for IBS, but there are treatments such as lifestyle changes, diet modifications or medications to help relieve symptoms.

A recent study showed that consuming 2 to 3 cups of homemade yogurt – containing Lactobacillus – on a daily basis lead to the complete relief of IBS symptoms along with 1-2 normal bowel movements daily. Out of the 189 IBS patients in the study, 169 achieved complete improvement of symptoms within 6 months. Even though this was only a pilot study, the results suggest that milk-related products such as this homemade yogurt can be beneficial for IBS patients, in contrast to standard recommendations to avoid lactose.

Easy instructions on how to make this yogurt:

• Boil a gallon of milk for 5 minutes and let it cool to lukewarm.
• Mix in 1 cup of Dannon plain yogurt, which is used as a starter and source of Lactobacilli
• Place in an oven with the light on overnight (do not turn the oven on), and then refrigerate the next morning

The article recommends to save 1 cup from each batch to use as a starter for the next batch.

Reference:

McNamara, D. (2017, December 7). Homemade Yogurt Resolves Irritable Bowel Symptoms. Medscape. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/889752

Author Fiona Miao Patient Care Coordinator