While medical intervention is important in irritable bowel syndrome treatment, certain diets can help you manage the symptoms. Here are some of the great options you have to manage your IBS.
- Manage Your IBS by Increasing Your Fibre Intake
We at IBS Clinics often recommend a high-fibre diet depending on your symptoms. It is recommended that you eat at least 30 grams of fibre daily. Despite this recommendation, most people only eat about 14 grams of fibre daily.
Some of the sources of fibre include fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. These provide you with essential minerals while at the same time helping you deal with constipation. However, if fibre intake causes bloating, focus on soluble fibre that you find in vegetables and fruits instead of whole grain.
- Tone Down on the Fibre to Deal with IBS
While fibre can help some people deal with IBS, we have also found that it can make the condition worse in others. Before you eliminate the fibre from your diet, focus on soluble fibre found in apples, berries, oatmeal, and carrots.
If you have a problem with fibre, you can also take some anti-diarrhoea medication about half an hour before you take fibre. It is especially when you have to eat food on the go such as at restaurants or a party.
- Keeping Gluten at Bay to Handle your IBS
Gluten is a protein in grain such as wheat. This protein can damage the intestines if you are intolerant to gluten. In such a case, the only option is to eliminate gluten from your diet. If you have a gluten allergy, you will have to avoid any product made of rye, barley, and wheat. However, there are gluten-free alternatives if you love pasta and bread.
- Treating IBS By Elimination
An elimination diet, as explained in this Healthline guide, will entail avoiding certain foods that you eat often for a given period. This time will be used to tell if the symptoms of IBS disappear. Some of the components you target with this diet are chocolate, insoluble fibre, coffee, and nuts.
However, if you suspect any other food is causing your IBS, you will eliminate it too. The length of elimination should be 12 weeks or longer. You should then carefully note any changes to your symptoms during this time.
- Get Rid of High-Fat Foods to Improve Your IBS
If you are a chronic consumer of high-fat foods, it might be the cause of your IBS. It can also make the symptoms of IBS worse. High-fat foods are usually low in fibre, which can worsen constipation. Cleveland Clinic has a detailed explanation of how fatty foods affect people with IBS.
Besides that, a low-fat diet has great benefits for your heart and general health. Instead of eating fried foods and foods reach in animal fats, switch to lean meat, grain, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat dairy products.
- Use a Low FODMAP Diet to Deal With IBS Symptoms
FODMAPS are carbohydrates that the gut has a hard time digesting. Since carbs draw out more water into your gut, people with IBS can get bloated and diarrhoea when they eat FODMAPS. The word is an acronym that describes fermented monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polyols.
Consider eliminating these fermented foods for about eight weeks to see if there is any improvement to your diet. The foods you should focus on are dairy, certain fruits like pears, mangoes, peaches, plums, apples and nectarines, legumes, corn syrup, wheat-based products, pistachios, and cashews.
It is important to note that not all carbohydrates are FODMAPS. For the best outcome, you have to remove the right kinds of foods.
While this diet will entail getting rid of some fruits, nuts, vegetables, and dairy, it does not eliminate all of them. We at IBS Clinics will help you determine the right kinds of food to avoid. For instance, you can choose to drink soy or rice milk as an alternative.
Picking Your Best Diet is a Personal Issue
Certain foods can help with IBS but it is different for everyone. That is why speaking to a nutritionist is so important. He or she will study how certain foods affect your gut and make the necessary adjustments. It is also a good idea to exercise, drink enough water, and reduce lifestyle excesses.
Other Methods to Deal with IBS Symptoms
Besides your diet, there are many other ways to deal with IBS. Some of these are:
By practising certain relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation, it can help to ease your symptoms. This is especially so if you often experience pain or discomfort in your gut. Always seek the services of a trained expert for this.
Another relaxation method is a massage, which helps to relax your body. Regular visits to the day spa can be good for you. Besides that, working out should be part of your regular routine. It has been shown that those who exercise often have fewer symptoms.
