After you eat certain foods, do you notice your IBS symptoms getting worse? Within a half hour of eating it, a curry dish can send you to straight to the bathroom. Fried chicken can have you doubled over in pain. Other foods may have you sitting on the toilet for a half hour – with no result.

Just looking at the plate in front of you may bring on your symptoms, purely out of anticipation of the cramping, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating it could cause. That’s right -- if you are living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you may even develop a sensitivity to the act of eating itself.

 

If this strikes a chord with you, changes to your diet may help to ease your suffering and help you to resume a full, active life. Sensitivity to food does not cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but if you have IBS, the sensitive nerves in your bowel may react to certain foods to produce your symptoms.

 

Because this sensitivity to foods varies from person to person, it is important to keep an IBS diet journal and document what you eat and how it makes you feel. This way, you can modify your IBS diet to meet your specific needs. You will know what to buy, cook, and order at restaurants and what to avoid. You might want to consult with a registered dietician, who can help you interpret what you observe and develop a diet for IBS that controls symptoms while ensuring that you get all the nutrients you need.

 

In general, when planning your irritable bowel diet, create smaller meals more often. Eating causes contractions in the colon, and the strength of the response can increase when you eat a big meal.  

 

 

Studies are showing that the probiotics, or “good” bacteria, in yogurt may help. Probiotics help food move through your large intestine quicker, helping people with constipation. If you have diarrhea, the probiotics may decrease the frequency of loose stool. They can also ease gas and bloating. If you find you are sensitive to dairy products and cannot consume yogurt, there are supplements available. Ask your dietician to recommend one.

 

 

 

 

 

The diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome is not an extreme one. It does not require you to give up restaurant food or resign yourself to a bland diet. Knowing your body is the best IBS cure, because you can make informed lifestyle decisions as you go about your day.