Irritable Bowel Syndrome, it is suggested, is a lifestyle-induced disorder. This also means that gaining relief from IBS is often something we can control through self-management and dietary changes. So, it is useful to be aware of the food Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms are often linked to.
Irritable bowel syndrome is associated with a number of symptoms, which can often be confused with other conditions are similarities, so this can make it difficult to diagnose.
The most prevalent symptoms include:
- Bloating and gas
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Urge for bowel movement immediately after food, generally breakfast
- Pain or cramping
Merely the presence of the above symptoms does not indicate that one has IBS. For instance, constipation not unusual, but it may not relate to IBS.
Similarly if you have a tendency for gas formation, there are chances that you have a minor digestive problem.
However, if you have some of these symptoms over a prolonged period of time, it may be indicative of IBS.
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The final word, however, lies with your doctor. There are a number of medical tests that the doctor might conduct to ascertain whether a patient has IBS or not. Besides blood tests and physical test, the doctor may also conduct an endoscopy to eliminate any other potential causes.
As discussed above, IBS is a lifestyle disorder. On determining that a patient is suffering from IBS, the doctor might advise efforts to reduce stress besides diet changes. A carefully planned diet change plan can go a long way in alleviating symptoms of IBS.
As a person starts a treatment plan it is normal to reduce or eliminate the intake of trigger food, those foods that cause the IBS symptoms to flare up.
Some examples of the foods that are considered trigger foods include:
Dairy products – should be avoided, especially if you are lactose intolerant. Dairy products are generally high in fat, and even low fat alternatives should be avoided as they can trigger IBS symptoms. This means avoiding foods like milk, butter, cheese, cream, ice cream, and cottage cheese. It also means that these foods should not be included in recipes.
Red meats – should be avoided, as they are rich foods and generally high in fat and harder to digest. This includes all processed red meats as well, including sausages, hamburgers, ham and cured and smoked meats.
The dark meat of poultry should be avoided and poultry should be skinned before consumption. The white meat is fine to eat.
Foods that are high in fat should also be avoided, and foods that are prepared using a lot of fat or cooked in fat. This would include many foods that are not obviously deep-fried, so check the labels of any foods you add to the shopping basket.
It is recommended that the foods you chose to eat are bought are fresh and organic (where possible), and that processed goods are reduced or eliminated from the diet. Preservatives and additives can make IBS symptoms worse.
The bottom line is that for effected people, knowing which food Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms are triggered by will help to reduce the flare-ups and allow better management of the symptoms.
Susan Reynolds
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/food-irritable-bowel-syndrome-sufferers-should-avoid-145923.html
What types of food should an 'Irritable Bowel syndrome sufferers' eat and avoid?
Thank you
Hi reina, firstly thanks for your response. my IBS was not diagnosed by a doctor. It is more psychological… I get bloated
everytime I eat.
Probably sugars and simple carbs… Is your IBS diagnosed by a doctor? Is it psychological or a problem with your gut flora or perhaps a bacteria like gardia? Depending on the etiology for the IBS, a restrictive diet may not help, but heck, maybe it will. Try eating a diet completely of fresh (uncooked) vegetables, ONLY high-grain breads, and lots of water. Stay away from fruit, berries, crackers, noodles,.. anything sweet, processed, or man made, for a week and see if that makes you feel better. It will cleanse out your body and perhaps leave you with an idea if its a problem with your flora, brain connection to your bowel, or possibly a bacteria that needs to be taken out.
All the best.
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Medical Transcriptionist
It has just been released that doctors have been giving out the wrong advise to IBS sufferers for years.
A doctor in London has just done a study on IBS sufferers and found that the advice given by doctors for many years to eat a high fibre diet is actually very bad for anyone with IBS.
IBS is caused by your bowel being irritated. The fibre found in fruits and vegetables and brown bread is hard for the body to break down. It causes more irritation to the bowels and makes symptoms worse.
Everyone involved in the study found that by eating less fibre and more ‘white’ foods their symptoms improved and even disappeared for some people.
The advice now is to eat more white bread, white crackers, white pasta etc.
After reading about the study, I changed my diet and have felt a lot better.
Unfortunately it’s not the healthiest way to live but it’s a choice between healthy eating and feeling unwell and in pain or not eating healthy and feeling great and pain free.
I chose the latter and have just increased my exercise to compensate.
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People can be sensitive to different things. This is what is was for me: I had the bloating you describe and was on medication for years. I’m not now cos I’ve found that it’s eating fruit and veg which causes it but only if I eat some proteins or carbs with it or before it. Now I have a fruit salad in the morning and nothing else for an hour and I eat veggies on their own as an afternoon snack and it has stopped completely.
Fruit and veg break down in 10 minutes whereas carbs break down in 30mins to 2 hours and protein in 2 -4 hours. If the fruit and veg is stuck behind carbs and protein it forms gas which cannot escape.
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