Diet for IBS

IBS symptoms may aggravate or improve due to diet, but it does not mean that diet is the cause of your IBS problem.  A common diet for irritable bowel syndrome whether your main symptom is diarrhea or constipation should include fiber.  By learning how to identify foods that trigger your symptoms may help you minimize or avoid attacks. 

Some foods may contribute to IBS by irritating your digestive tract.  Most tasty foods such as sausage, hamburger, bacon, french fries, butter, deep-fried foods and desserts like ice cream have a lot of fat.  It doesn't matter if it is animal  fat or vegetable oil or saturated or unsaturated fats.  Your body has a hard time dealing with dietary fat overload. 

Other irritants to a vast number of IBS sufferers are dairy products and eggs, coffee and spicy foods, alcohol, nicotine, concentrated sugars, wheat, beans, broccoli, apples, foods high in acid, such as citrus fruits.

To identify which foods you are sensitive to, try an elimination diet for 10 to 30 days and see how your body reacts. 

If constipation is your main symptom:

Most people don't eat enough fiber.  Gradually add fiber-rich foods to your diet so they do not worsen cramps or gas.  The body doesn't like sudden dietary changes, so remember to gradually transition to a new high fiber diet.  You could start adding more fresh fruits and vegetables, bran and whole grains. 

Mix 1 tablespoon of bran in a glass of water and drink 1 glass every day.

Try an over-the-counter fiber supplement that contains crushed psyllium seeds such as Metamucil, Feberall, etc.

Only on a doctor's recommendation you may want to try some laxatives.

If diarrhea is your main symptom:

Try the elimination diet mentioned above to find out which foods to avoid. 

Dairy products that include lactose may worsen your IBS symptoms.  If this is the case, make sure to get enough calcium in your IBS diet from other foods.  You may want to try yogurt,  because the yogurt living cultures may have already digested the lactose. 

Starchy foods could be a great choice for your IBS diet if you are having diarrhea.  Good choices are potatoes, bread, rice and pasta. 

Drinking plenty of water on a daily basis is also important.  By drinking the proper amount of water, about 8 glasses a day, you will be helping your digestive system to work at an eaiser pace. 

Reducing the amount of food you eat can also help you alleviate your IBS symptoms.  Too much food intake at once requires a lot of work from your digestive system.  Instead, you may want to split your meals into several smaller portions during the day.  Three meals a day is what is recommended  and better yet if you have five or six meals, allowing your metabolism to function at an even pace and letting your muscles in your digestive system stay more relaxed.  This way you will be digesting food more easily thus preventing IBS symptoms. 

You could also try some natural remedies that have proven to be effective for IBS.