The Ultimate IBS Diet Guide

Perhaps you are familiar with irritable bowel syndrome. Either a family member of a close friend at work suffers with it. Or maybe you have first hand experience yourself. If so then you know that it can make life miserable. It interferes with what many would consider to be normal activities such as time with friends and family. It can be somewhat debilitating at times too.
Typically there will be good days but there will be several bad days as well. You will most likely experience symptoms like abdominal pain, cramps, constipation, diarrhea, or alternate bouts of constipation and diarrhea. And these symptoms are often triggered by what you eat and how you eat.

IBS symptoms are unique to every IBS sufferer. Certain foods may worsen the symptoms in some patients. While such foods may not affect other people with IBS. The frequency of the symptoms also varies. One day a person may react to a certain food, while the next time he eats it, he wouldn't experience anything.

Since different foods trigger the symptoms, IBS sufferers must also follow a treatment plan that is specific to their symptoms. In short, there is no "one treatment fits all" for IBS. With this said, keeping a food journal with you will help you manage your condition better. Basically what you need to list down are all the foods you've eaten throughout the day. And also note which foods prompt your symptoms to appear. And what specifically are the symptoms you experienced.

In general, patients who suffer from diarrhea and cramping find that their symptoms worsen when taking or eating fried, greasy foods as well as chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, dairy products, artificial sweeteners, and food containing insoluble fiber such as barley, wheat, or rye.

Patients who also suffer from gas and bloating find that that their symptoms strike when they get to eat vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, onions; nuts and beans like soybeans, peanuts, and black and red beans; and fruits like blueberries and strawberries.

Once you've identified these trigger foods, then they should be eliminated from your diet. In the meantime, there are certain foods that are known to help improve your condition.

A high soluble fiber diet is very beneficial to people living with IBS particularly those showing symptoms such as gas and constipation. Foods rich in soluble fiber are fruits, vegetables, beans, cereals, and whole grain breads. In fact, you should consume at least 20 grams of fiber each day. If you're dealing with constipation, be sure to just add fiber to your diet incrementally.

On the other hand, if yours is a case of diarrhea, then you should follow a diet that's low in fiber and low in residue. By low residue diet, it means that you have to focus more on cooked foods rather than fresh fruits and vegetables. You can also incorporate electrolyte-containing foods into your diet such as fish, apricots, bananas, peaches, and avocados.

A diet low in fat will also be beneficial to IBS sufferers. Instead of fried, greasy, and processed foods, substitute them with their low-fat versions. Yogurts are healthy for you too.

Don't forget to include adequate water into your diet regimen as well. At least 8 glasses of water will help the foods glide smoothly along the gastrointestinal tract.

Your eating habits must be kept in check as well. Eat small, frequent meals. Chew your food slowly. Avoid skipping meals. And rest after meals to allow proper digestion to take place.

Living with IBS is a hard pill to swallow. But with proper IBS diet, at least you could somehow keep these symptoms at bay. And you get to live a close to normal life hopefully.