However, this does not mean it is any less real than, say, inflammatory bowel disease, it just means that doctors haven’t come up with a proper test for it yet!

It is very important that you receive a diagnosis of IBS from a medical professional rather than self-diagnosing, as bowel symptoms can be present in many other health conditions.

The treatment

The first stage of treatment may involve any medications your doctor has given you to try. This could be an anti-spasmodic, which will relax muscles in gut walls, or perhaps a low dose of an anti-depressant, which can help to reduce pain.

You may also be given one of new drugs specifically developed for IBS – Lotronex for diarrhea sufferers and Zelnorm for constipation sufferers.

If drugs do not help you then you could try using a fiber supplement such as Citrucel to add bulk to your stool – this can be helpful for both diarrhea and constipation. Also, there are other supplements such as Caltrate Plus which may be useful (Caltrate Plus contains calcium carbonate which can reduce diarrhea).

It may also be worth looking at your diet. A nutritionist can advise on ways to identify any particular food ‘triggers’ which may be setting off your symptoms, and also on whether you might have a food intolerance to something like gluten or lactose.

Finally, there are several alternative therapies which can be effective for IBS. Hypnotherapy has proved very effective, and a special form called gut-directed hypnotherapy has been developed just for digestive problems. Acupuncture may also be worth looking into.

To find your training range subtract your age from 220. Multiply that figure by .9 to get high range. Multiply by .6 to get low range. With this formula a person 25 years old must keep their aerobic heart pulse between 117 and 176 to be gaining benefit. Aerobic benefits do not diminish or decline with training as in other aerobic activities.

From an energy standpoint, jumping rope at about 130 revolutions per minute is similar to running at 6 miles per hour or cycling 12 miles per hour. Just 10 minutes of rope skipping is equivalent to a one-mile run.

When choosing a rope, hold rope and stand with your feet on middle. If length is correct, handles should just reach your armpits. Handles should be thick and comfortable.

Look for a cushioned surface to jump on. A large rectangular carpet remnant is ideal. Hard surfaces like concrete should be avoided.

Choose well-cushioned athletic footwear just as you would for walking or running.

Start slow by gradually increasing session time over 2 to 3 weeks to let your leg muscles get accustomed to extra exercise.

Many adults give up rope jumping because they are uncoordinated and miss too many steps. But this improves with time and practice.

More information on jump ropes may be found at:

http://www.apluswriting.net/diettips/fitnessequipment.htm