But many people have worse IBS symptoms when they eat or drink certain foods or beverages. These include wheat, dairy products, citrus fruits, beans, cabbage, milk and carbonated drinks. Stress.
Avoid IBS Trigger Foods
These include foods that are high in fat, caffeine, carbonation, alcohol, and insoluble fiber, like: Soda and seltzer. Coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate. Fried foods.
Refined sugar, fructose and the sugar substitute sorbitol are all common triggers. Chocolate is also a common trigger. Besides avoiding these foods, you should also avoid overeating, drink plenty of water and try eating lots of soluble fiber.
While the exact cause of IBS is not clear, some common IBS triggers include diet, stress, infection and medicines. You may find that some foods make your symptoms worse, but these 'trigger foods' differ from one person to the next.
Choose easier-to-digest proteins, such as eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, extra-firm tofu, and plain lactose-free greek yogurt. Lower-fat cooking methods, such as baking, roasting, steaming, boiling, and sautéing, can also help you avoid uncomfortable symptoms.
Gastrointestinal infection: especially in severe cases, gut infections have been shown to trigger IBS symptoms. Psychological conditions: anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder can all bring on an IBS flare-up.
stomach pain or cramps – usually worse after eating and better after doing a poo. bloating – your tummy may feel uncomfortably full and swollen. diarrhoea – you may have watery poo and sometimes need to poo suddenly. constipation – you may strain when pooing and feel like you cannot empty your bowels fully.
Artificial sweeteners containing polyols, such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol, are known to exacerbate IBS symptoms. These are often found in sugar-free juices, teas, and fizzy diet drinks, but can also be found in other sweetened products such as chewing gum and sugar-free mints.
Probiotics have also proven beneficial in IBS patients by slowing down the transit time of the colon, reducing the average number of bowel movements per day, improving stool consistency, overall symptoms, and above all, the quality of life in these patients.
This means people with IBS can safely consume a serving of medium-sized firm yellow or green bananas daily without triggering gastrointestinal symptoms. However, ripe bananas, which have higher levels of fermentable carbohydrates called fructans, can trigger IBS symptoms in some people.
During an IBS attack, it helps to apply heat to the abdomen with either an electric heating pad or a hot water bottle. The gentle heat feels nice. It also helps stimulate the blood flow and relax the smooth muscles of the colon, reducing spasms and cramps.
An IBS flare up can last hours, a few days, or even months. The duration depends on how well you manage your symptoms and how quickly your gut can heal. To help speed up the process, focus on areas you can control, such as your dietary choices and managing your stress levels.
IBS attacks can strike anytime, but usually and with greater intensity after a meal. The average duration of an IBS flare-up is two to four days, however, they can last anywhere between a few hours to a couple of months at a time.
Blood in the stools (red blood or black, tarry stool) Fever, shaking chills, or night sweats. Nighttime symptoms that wake you up. Unintentional weight loss.
Symptoms of IBS can range from mild to severe. The main symptoms are diarrhea, constipation, or both. And you will probably experience abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.
Linaclotide (Linzess®) and Plecanatide (Trulance®) work by increasing fluid secretion and gut movement. Both have also been shown to reduce abdominal pain by decreasing activity of pain sensing nerves. Both drugs treat overall IBS-C symptoms and are FDA approved for the treatment of IBS-C and CIC.
Increase the amount of fibre in your diet, for example: cereals, e.g. All Bran®, Bran Flakes®, Weetabix®, muesli, fruit and vegetables and brown bread. You must however drink plenty of water: 1-1½ litres a day. Eat your meals slowly and chew food thoroughly.
A recent study showed that consuming 2 to 3 cups of homemade yogurt - containing Lactobacillus - on a daily basis lead to the complete relief of IBS symptoms along with 1-2 normal bowel movements daily. Out of the 189 IBS patients in the study, 169 achieved complete improvement of symptoms within 6 months.
For individuals with constipation-predominant IBS, a soluble fiber supplement (Metamucil or others containing psyllium) can be helpful. Large amounts of fiber can hinder the absorption of medications, so take your medications one to two hours before the fiber supplement.
The probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v has been investigated in numerous clinical trials and found to improve common digestive symptoms such as gas and bloating. Lactobacillus plantarum 299v may also be suitable if you suffer from medically diagnosed IBS.