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Top 3 IBS Diets

IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is an unpleasant syndrome that affects the bowels. Symptoms of IBS involve uncomfortable fluctuations in the gut, resulting in diarrhea or constipation, depending on the type of IBS. It is common to have cramps and abdominal pain, which could make your daily life unbearable.

Although there are medications on the market to help manage your IBS, finding a diet that soothes your digestive tract is equally worthy of improving your quality of life. Many foods irritate the gut and you’ll be surprised to see the results when you eliminate high-fat or fried foods from your diet.

1. The Low-Fiber Diet

This diet helps treats symptoms like gas and diarrhea. You may have heard of a high-fiber diet for people with IBS, but the low-fiber diet is also worth mentioning. Before erasing all sources of fiber from your diet, eating soluble fiber, or fiber that absorbs water, can help with digestion. You should eat soluble fiber in favor of insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is in foods like apples, blueberries, oatmeal, beans, and nuts.

Low-fiber diets stress the importance of avoiding fruits, vegetables, and even dairy. If you also are lactose-intolerant, substituting milk in favor of rice or soy will help diminish gas and diarrhea. You also should check food labels on certain products, such as yogurt, cereal and some drinks have added fiber. Foods with 1 gram or less of fiber are appropriate.

2. The Gluten-Free Diet

Gluten is a protein that allows flour to have a stretchy texture and helps it stick together. It can be found in many grains such as wheat, barley, spelt and rye. Gluten actually damages intestines for people with celiac disease or people who are incapable of digesting gluten. People who are sensitive or intolerant to gluten also have IBS symptoms. To reduce symptoms, sticking to a gluten-free diet is advisable.

Instead of eating bread, you can feel full after eating lentils or quinoa as a staple. Rice is a very common grain that does not contain any gluten. Some pastas and breads with little or no gluten are on the market and replace gluten with oat, rice or almond flour.

3. The Low-Fat Diet

Foods that are high in fat are usually low in fiber, which causes problems with people suffering from constipation. Fatty foods particularly worsen the IBS symptoms of both constipation and diarrhea. High-fat foods include fried food, sugary treats, and cream. Instead of indulging in a big plate of nachos or gulping down a milkshake, increasing your consumption of lean meat, fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help keep your digestion functioning normally.

Wrapping Up

There are three reliable, specific diets outline above. The combined nutrients with the foods specifically targeting vital intestinal functioning will help you live your best life pain-free. Nothing is worse than your bowels obstructing your day and impeding you from normal functions because of pain and uncomfortable bowel movements. While medication is a surefire way to manage IBS, sticking to a diet that best suits you can ease your worries of IBS symptoms.

Can Eating Yogurt Help IBS?

IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is estimated to affect anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of the American population but only a fraction will seek a diagnosis or treatment. The exact cause of IBS is unknown but it is a disorder that affects the large intestine, also known as the colon. Researchers suspect that it may be caused by faulty communication between the brain and intestinal tract. IBS occurs when muscles lining the small intestine do not contract and relax in a coordinated manner. Symptoms include stomach pain and cramping, constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, food intolerance, changes in bowel movements and depression. Some will find that changing their diet will help manage their diet but many will take medication to get their symptoms under control. Recently, studies have shown that eating yogurt that has probiotics can possibly help get symptoms of IBS under control. Continue reading to learn more.

What are Probiotics?

Although bacteria have often been associated with being detrimental to your health, probiotics are a type live “good” bacteria and yeast that are good for you health, especially your digestive system. Probiotics are thought to keep you healthy by replacing the “good” bacteria in your body. This is especially important after taking antibiotics, as probiotics can help replace them. They can also help restore a balance to your digestive tract by balancing your “good” and “bad” bacteria. There are two main types of probiotics, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Lactobacillus is the more common type of probiotic that can help people with diarrhea and people who are lactose intolerant. You can find the min yogurts. Bifidobacterium is found in dairy products and are believed to help ease symptoms of IBS. Research also indicates that taking probiotics may also be helpful for skin conditions, urinary and vaginal health, oral health, allergies, and colds.

How Can Eating Yogurt Help?

A study done in which patients consumed a probiotic yogurt every day for four showed that stomach distention was reduced by up to 78 percent in 34 women. The study also showed that patients who ate yogurt with probiotics had improved gastrointestinal transit time. Patients also reported experiencing relief from abdominal pain and cramping. The yogurt contains Bifidobacterium Lactis which is a bacteria that supports stomach health. It can be found in various yogurt brands across the market. You can identify yogurts containing probiotics by their seal. In order to obtain this seal, a manufacturer must provide evidence that their product contains at least 100 million CGU per gram.

The bottom line regarding whether or not yogurt can be beneficial for someone with IBS is that it depends on each individual. Research has indicated that having probiotic yogurt can decrease symptoms of IBS and can improve overall digestion but because every person can have individual triggers and reactions to different foods, the results can vary according to each person. If you are suffering from IBS but are not triggered by eating dairy, trying a probiotic yogurt is definitely worth it exploring. Talk to your doctor about making a plan to get your IBS symptoms under control.

Key Symptoms Of IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects 6–18 % of the world’s population. This is a bowel condition classified as a chronic disease if the typical symptoms are constantly present for at least six months. The main symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain and discomfort linked to bowel dysfunction. These symptoms can lead to emotional distress and much pain.

Symptoms of IBS

Abdominal bloating and gas – Owing to changes in digestion there is an extra build-up of wind, which manifests as an uncomfortable and swollen bowel. An IBS patient usually experiences flatulence. The pain, sometimes more discomfort than pain, is usually localized to the bowel area. IBS sufferers sometimes feel pain in the upper legs, chest, and back.
Problems sleeping and fatigue – Poor sleep quality may be owing to gastrointestinal symptoms, which could lead to fatigue and lethargy.
Constipation – The bowels don’t empty out completely; there is some pain during bowel movements.
Diarrhea – Sufferers may be unable to control bowel movements; stools may be watery, and include some mucous.
Cramping – Normally after eating, IBS patients experience lower-abdominal pain and cramping. This will diminish after a bowel movement.
Food intolerance – In some 50% of IBS patients, certain foods or drinks can trigger a bowel movement.
Depression and anxiety – IBS patients can develop anxiety over digestive problems. In turn, anxiety can worsen an IBS patient’s digestive symptoms.
Other symptoms of IBS include feeling ill, having backache, and experiencing problems urinating.

Tools used to assist patients to describe their symptoms

Patients can use one of two tools, namely, the Bristol Stool Form Scale, and the MyGIHealth Mobile App, to describe their symptoms to their doctor.

The Bristol Stool Form Scale, for example, may be used to describe seven different types of stool, based on visual depictions. The seven types are:

Type 1: Stools are divided into hard lumps resembling nuts, and are difficult to pass.
Type 2: Stools have a sausage-like shape, however, they are lumpy.
Type 3: Stools look like sausages with surface cracks visible.
Type 4: Stools are similar to a snake or sausage, the texture being soft and smooth.
Type 5: Stools are easily passed, displayed as soft blobs with definite edges.
Type 6: Stools are mushy, reflecting fluffy pieces with ragged edges.
Type 7: Stools are watery, and have no solid masses.

The MyGIHealth Mobile App is designed with the help of doctors and research from the National Institute of Health. This free app is a tool that may be used by patients to screen and evaluate signs of IBS. In addition, to properly identify IBS, and to initiate appropriate diagnostic tests and a treatment strategy, it is important to identify the correct IBS subtype. The four IBS subgroups are:

IBS with constipation (IBS-C)
IBS with diarrhoea (IBS-D)
IBS with mixed or alternating diarrhea and constipation (IBS-M)
IBS post infectious (IBS-PI).