A lot of people today are suffering from the illness known as Irritable bowel syndrome. Although irritable bowel syndrome is not fatal, this illness often changes people’s lifestyles drastically. This is because the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome call for immediate attention when it is experienced. One way of controlling these symptoms is through a proper irritable bowel diet. Some people may say that “irritable bowel diet” sounds a bit dodgy. So let’s try to give it another name. How about diet for irritable bowel syndrome? It may be a mouthful, but it is okay for the ears.
People suffering from irritable bowel syndrome have these observations about food:
1) Some foods will definitely trigger the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Because of the knowledge that specific foods would definitely make their illness more uncomfortable, people learn how to avoid them.
2) Some foods okay to eat. People who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome try to find foods that do not trigger the symptoms of the illness. People who are able to find such foods do try to substitute these foods for the ones that they had to give up.
3) Some foods are unpredictable. There are instance when eating a certain food will trigger the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. However, there are instances when eating that same food will have no effect at all. People who experience this are left confused and they instantly think that they can rely on luck to help them eat a specific food without feeling anything.
Because of the third category, people are often reluctant to try and find the irritable bowel diet that’s right for them. This is also compounded by the fact that most people have been advised to try and find their personalized irritable bowel diet.
However, people need to understand that there are generic rules that they can follow in finding the right diet for irritable bowel syndrome. These tips will definitely help you find the irritable bowel diet that’s right for you:
1) Soluble fiber – Soluble fiber helps stabilize activities in your gut and prevents both constipation and diarrhea. Some people are reluctant to add soluble fiber to their irritable bowel diets because of the fact that soluble fiber is continually advertised to be a type of laxative. However, you should realize that soluble fiber will stabilize the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
2) Eliminate these foods from your diet:
a) High fat
b) Alcohol
c) caffeine
d) red meat
e) dairy
f) carbonated
If the food falls under one of those categories, do not eat it. It’s not worth the pain.
3) Make eating fun. Do not think of an irritable bowel diet as a prison which confines you. Think of it as your personal universe. Try to arrange and rearrange the different items in your irritable bowel diet to suit your mood. Think of ways you can substitute different foods for the ones that you had to give up. Remember that it is no use to think about the food that you cannot have and such thoughts will only lead you to despair.
4) If you are not sure about a specific food, then do not eat it. You cannot rely on luck to help you cope with the effects of Irritable bowel syndrome. Before you eat something that is not a part of your irritable bowel diet, ask yourself this question: “will the taste of this food be worth the pain of my illness?”