A healthy digestive system plays a huge role in our overall wellbeing. It’s actually connected to almost everything in the body that’s why many call it our “second brain.” It affects how we feel, think, and even make decisions. So when something goes wrong, like dealing with IBS, it can really impact every part of our daily life.
What is IBS?
The irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS it is a syndrome related to a digestive issue characterized by symptoms of abdominal pain, difficulty digesting certain sugars or carbs, bloating, altered bowel habits such as constipation, diarrhea, or both.
Related to previous studies showed that IBS syndrome can effect up to one in five people at some point of their lives we wanted to dig more for a diet that can help people with this syndrome and studies showed that a Low FODMAP diet has a huge effect on IBS therapy, and they found out that it is effective.
Then what is the LOW FODMAP diet:
FODMAP: it is a term related to Low fermentable, Oligosaccharide Disaccharide Monosaccharide and Polyol
It is a diet that focuses on avoiding foods that trigger or worsen symptoms, such as those containing lactose (milk, ice cream, and yogurt).
Or fructose such as honey, dates and oranges. As well gas producing food like (beans, peas, broccoli, cabbage, and bran).
How to know that you have IBS?
Recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort at least 3 days per month associated with two or more of the following:
- Improvement with defecation
- change in the frequency of stool
- change in the appearance of stool
How to manage IBS?
First you need to spot your IBS triggers, how?
By focusing to know which foods, drinks, or habits make symptoms worse and here I am going to give you some steps to start with them:
- Track your food intake and symptoms daily for 2–3 weeks.
- Record what you eat, when you get symptoms, and your stress levels.
- Check for your microbial count on the gut by a lab test.
- Practice deep breathing for 1–2 minutes to get rid of stress.
An important consideration in the management of IBS is the role of gut health. Research indicates that individuals with IBS often have an imbalance in their gut micro biota, and strategies aimed at improving microbial diversity may help in symptom management. Clinical studies suggest that adopting a healthy lifestyle alongside the use of probiotics whether through diet or supplementation can support gut microbial balance and potentially improve IBS outcomes. For example, formulations that combine probiotics with other nutrients, such as multivitamin probiotic blends, have been investigated for their role in supporting overall gut and immune function.
However I am going to give you the recommended tips for IBS patients to follow
It is recommended to follow these tips for IBS patients:
- Healthy eating and lifestyle
- Following a regular eating pattern and limiting the intake of potential dietary triggers, such as alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and fat
- Ensuring good hydration and performing a regular physical activity
- Establish a regular meal pattern (breakfast, lunch, and dinner with snacks as appropriate.
- Avoid skipping meals, leaving long gaps between eating or eating late at night
- Avoid large meals as well as take time to eat.
- Sit down to eat, and chew food thoroughly.
- Caffeine intake should be assessed in IBS patients and, if related to symptoms, daily intake should be restricted to 400 mg caffeine, which is the safe limit for most adults.
- Sources of caffeine to watch for include coffee and tea, but also energy drinks, soft drinks, dark chocolate, and some over-the-counter analgesics.
- Patients with IBS should be advised to limit fat intake to no more than 40-50g/d
- Gradual increase in total dietary fiber (naturally occurring and supplemented) to a target dose of 20-30 g/d should be suitable.
