Dealing with IBS is traumatic and stressful. Here are some coping strategies that should make your life easier. With careful diet and lifestyle changes, you may be able to become toilet free.
See your doctor! Don’t assume you have IBS. Other more serious conditions can cause similar symptoms. If necessary, get a second or third opinion.
Be aware of common dietary triggers. The following foods, beverages, and additives have been widely accepted as triggers for IBS. Omit them from your diet altogether or consume them in limited amounts. You may be fine with some of these; everyone is different.
• Coffee, including decaffeinated coffee
• Carrageenan (which is even found in organic products)
• Sugars, honey and maple syrup. Use pure stevia instead.
• Artificial sweeteners
• Fatty, fried, and pan-fried foods
• Fat substitutes
• Raw fruits and vegetables, except bananas
• Red meat or dark poultry
• Skin in poultry
• Spicy food
• Dairy products
• Milk chocolate
• Nuts and nut butters
• Oils, fats, margarine, lard
• Alcohol
• Carbonated drinks
• Fruit juices (including unsweetened varieties)
Avoid anything that causes heartburn. If it irritates your upper GI tract, imagine what it can do as it travels through your system.
Keep a food diary. Sometimes small changes in diet can trigger attacks. Being able to review the past hours and days will help you identify your personal triggers. Be sure to write down the time of day of everything you eat, including the fiber content.
Peel, chop, blend and cook. The skin of cherries, apples, carrots, and other foods may not digest properly. Do your best to make everything easy to chew and digest.
Train your teeth! Chew everything very well before swallowing. If it has the consistency of toothpaste before it enters the stomach, it will cause less strain on the digestive process.
Don’t rush meals. Relax and take your time. If you’re in a hurry, eat a small meal that you chew well instead of gulping down something that causes digestion problems.
Avoid frozen foods and drinks. Swallowing something cold can cause contractions that lead to an IBS attack, especially on an empty stomach.
Consume soluble fiber at the beginning of each meal. Soluble fiber turns into a gel that soothes the digestive tract. Try to make sure that soluble fiber is the largest component of everything you eat.
Avoid insoluble fiber that stings. Dry breakfast cereals made with brown rice, whole-grain breads with seeds, and other similar foods can irritate the lining of the intestines.
Try the herbal teas. Ginger tea (or capsules) contains digestive enzymes. Ginger, a documented antispasmodic, can help calm nausea, cramps, and inflammation. Chamomile tea can also calm intestinal spasms and inflammation.
If you’re not sure about something, avoid it. Is that raw spinach salad or order of fries worth the agony you’ll feel in a few hours?
Don’t go hungry. During the day, eat small amounts frequently. Carrying something on an empty stomach can trigger a seizure.
Stay hydrated. If you have diarrhea, you need to replace fluids; if you are constipated, drinking plenty of fluids will help keep your stools soft and collapsible. Pre-filter your water to remove chlorine. Chlorine kills bacteria, including the helpful bacteria your intestine needs to function properly.
Avoid antibiotics. Only take antibiotics if they are prescribed and when absolutely necessary. They can irritate and/or damage the lining of the intestines.
Take probiotic supplements. Try to find the type that is encapsulated so that the probiotic is not released until it reaches the intestine. Helpful bacteria will help restore and maintain normal intestinal function.
Try digestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes are available in capsule and powder form. They can give your system the help it needs during IBS attacks.
Increase soluble fiber by using supplements. Products like Benefiber and Citrucel contain 100% soluble fiber. Introduce them slowly at first, so that they do not cause excess gas.
Avoid stressful situations. They can cause contractions that lead to diarrhea.
Pay attention to the Bristol stool scale table. It will give you an idea of what healthy stools should look like. Aim for stool #3, #4, or #5.
Use a hot water bottle or heating pad. The heat applied to your abdomen will feel good and help you relax.
Consider hypnosis as an alternative therapy. Websites like RoseannaLeaton.com have hypnosis MP3s created specifically for IBS sufferers.
Practice meditation and relaxation techniques. Anything you can do to relax the rest of your body will help calm your gut. If you have a blood pressure cuff, take your blood pressure. Now try some slow deep breaths (letting each breath go completely) and try to relax all your muscles. Check your blood pressure again to see how it affects you! Do this often enough and you can train yourself to know what true relaxation feels like.
Get enough sleep. IBS is stressful, and you may need to get a little more sleep than usual to get through it.
Get enough exercise. If you don’t feel like doing anything energetic, try walking around the house in a figure eight for 20 minutes at a time.
Disclaimer
The material provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to take the place of proper medical diagnosis, treatment or advice. Always consult your doctor and other appropriate health care providers before taking any medication, natural remedy, or supplement; or before changing your diet. Discuss all plans, symptoms and medical conditions with your doctor.
Any use of the ideas contained in this document is at your own discretion, risk and responsibility. The author assumes no responsibility for the information presented. There are no representations or warranties, either express or implied.
You should not start or stop medical treatment based on the information in this article or any other article.
