Diet for Irritable Bowel: What-To-Eat and What-Not-to-Eat

It is not surprising that food has got something to do with the causes of irritable bowel syndrome. After all, it is in the intestinal tract that we process foods. Thus, what we eat normally affects the way our intestines function.

Changes in our diet would certainly create effects on the fashion by which we digest foods. This then will change the chemical interaction involved in the processing of these crucial substances.

However, Irritable Bowel Syndrome does not deal with chemical interactions alone. It is basically a functional disorder that borders more on the abnormalities of functions that don't often project actual or physical complications.

In fact, this is the exact reason why the nature of the disease is not yet fully known. Add to it the fact that most factors involved are under subjective details, which also require subjective treatments. This alone is enough to conclude why there is lack of concrete knowledge on the true characteristics of the syndrome.

Though we know for a fact that all these contribute to the development of the syndrome and the consequential attacks of symptoms, the medical community cannot still provide a comprehensive treatment plan for all patients to eliminate IBS.

Thus, any activities that would result to the removal of these factors will create lesser chances of triggering the attacks.

One best way of doing this is through following of a diet plan that would remove problematic foods while supplementing them with foods helpful in improving the symptoms.

While foods may not actually act as root causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, their effects are still substantial enough. It is good to note however that there is no fixed formula for creating the diet for Irritable Bowel syndrome. The results will always lie on the strategic combination of foods to promote lesser symptoms and healthier intestinal tract.

Trigger foods are obviously those who create tension in the stomach which then causes it to function in an abnormal manner. Some of the trigger foods are those which have high fat content while very low in fiber content. Oils, cream, poultry skin, fried foods, and coconut milk are among the most common foods that cause problems.

Fats are known to create a slower digestion in the stomach. The more time it takes the intestinal bacteria to digest foods, the higher the risk of creating gas thus, most patients of Irritable Bowel syndrome suffer from intestinal gas which in itself is also associated with diarrhea, bloating, constipation and other major symptoms.

Foods with high caffeine content like coffee, chocolate, and carbonate rinks are also known to trigger Irritable Bowel syndrome. Therefore, these must be eliminated from your list of foods so that you can get around from the likelihood of stimulating the rise of abdominal complications.

Meanwhile, to facilitate better movements of the stool in the colon, it is best that you take extra amounts of dietary fiber. This is especially true for those who suffer from constipation-dominant irritable bowel.

Constipation is marked by compacted stool or too loose stool. Fiber acts as the neutralizer since it adds bulk to the stool to administer easier expulsion from the system.

Fiber can be acquired from natural resources such as vegetables and fruits, nuts, brown rice, figs, peas, French bread, raisings, soybeans, and a number of others.

Common Diets for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Most patients of Irritable Bowel Syndrome find it important to keep track of all the foods that they have eaten. This does not only concern what foods but also the fashion by which it was prepared.

Say for chicken, you do not only indicate "chicken" in your food journal, you must be very specific with the terms. It is also important to integrate the time and your mood during eating a specific stuff. All these will play vital roles in distinguishing what triggers your symptom and what foods don't have effects at all.

Your food journal must be filled regularly so proper tracking is made. The best time to gather details is during the night so that nothing would be missed out. Remember that each detail is very important and should be given due attention. A candy bar or any relatively insignificant food will make the difference in determining what is the best diet plan for your Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Common diets for irritable bowel syndrome eliminate the trigger foods. Your dietician or physician should be able to build possible diet plan for based on the data written in your food journal.

Among the components of common diets for irritable bowel syndrome is the integration of larger amounts of dietary fiber to help eliminate one symptom, that is constipation.

With higher fiber content in your regular diet, your stools are likely to become bulky. So if you are seriously affected with constipation, the best way to combat compacted stool its to induce some volume. That exactly is how fiber works.

Problematic foods, on the other hand, are those known to trigger the symptoms. These are basically those with high fat content since this aids in slower digestion of foods. Fat itself takes much longer time before it is completely dissolved and stored.

One important thing to remember when following a diet for irritable bowel syndrome is the observance of regular meals. Irritable Bowel Syndrome lies in the abnormal function of the intestinal tract, or specifically the colon. If you would practice eating at the same time everyday, your intestine will get used to the habit, which would regularize the bowel movement and the movement of the intestinal muscles more.

If you have diarrhea-dominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome, the best diet for you to follow is one that will allow the intake of meals in smaller pieces. And since diarrhea deals more on the presence of water in the stool, it is vital that you follow your dietician's advice when it comes to the amount of water that must be taken.

In general, it is advisable to take as much fluid as you can. Alcohol works best. Be careful though that you avoid caffeinated drinks, carbonated sodas, and alcohol-based beverages. Caffeine will stimulate the intestines and can result to making diarrhea worse while carbonated drinks produce more gas, which further aggravates the condition.

Dairy foods are also a must-avoid food in nearly all common diets for irregular bowel syndrome. Lactose intolerance is normally associated with IBS. If you are lactose-intolerant it is best that you supplement milk proteins with yogurt. Or better yet, use an enzyme product to facilitate the breaking down of lactose.

You may still continue consuming milk products. However, in some common diet for irritable bowel syndrome, it is suggested that lactose is totally removed. Be sure though that this is properly substituted with products that contain high content of vitamin B, calcium and protein.

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Even when we try to eat well, we're disadvantaged. The nutritional content of most food has been compromised over the years, not only by deficient soils and modern production, transportation, storage and processing methods, but also by the enormous amounts of chemical and artificial substances added to promote growth, storage life, taste and appearance.

Further reading through our articles on health issues will give you a body of information that will help you decide what options you have to deal with the underlying causes of your problem through giving your body the nutrition products that will assist you body to heal from the inside out.



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