In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat is IBS?Low-FODMAP DietFood & StressCarbonated DrinksTeaLow-Carb DietsFiberMindful EatingManaging Symptoms
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What is IBS?
Low-FODMAP Diet
Food & Stress
Carbonated Drinks
Tea
Low-Carb Diets
Fiber
Mindful Eating
Managing Symptoms
Close
What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
“Some of the most common symptoms are abdominal discomfort and bloating, diarrhea, constipation, incontinence, distention and the inability to tolerate certain foods,” he says.
If you experience any of these symptoms on a regular basis, it’s important that you talk to your doctor and set up an appointment with a gastroenterologist. The syndrome typically presents in one of three ways:
There’s no single way to manage IBS, so a gastroenterologist will recommend an individualized treatment plan based on your particular symptoms.
The Low-FODMAP Diet
If you get an IBS diagnosis, your doctor may recommend a low-FODMAP elimination diet in order to identify food triggers. Since IBS is a digestive disorder, food plays a big role in managing symptoms.
“The first thing to try is a low-FODMAP diet,” says Rezaie. It’s an elimination diet during which you cut outcertain carbohydrates—FODMAP is an acronym for fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and polyols. These foods are resistant to digestion and feed your gut bacteria.
“The reason to try a low-FODMAP diet is to help someone figure out what might be causing painful IBS symptoms,” explainsLeslie Bonci, M.P.H., RD, author of theAmerican Dietetic Association Guide to Better Digestion. You eliminate all foods containing FODMAPs (certain fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, legumes, dairy and sugar alcohols) and then reintroduce them one at a time in order to figure out which of these foods, if any, are causing symptoms.
Make note that the low-FODMAP diet is a diagnostic tool used to identify any trigger foods and is definitely not a diet that should be followed long-term.
Most FODMAP-containing foods—everything except sugar alcohols—are nutrient-dense, which means anyone without a sensitivity can and should be eating them. “You need to start reintroducing foods within 12 weeks, or a low-FODMAP diet may lead to nutrient deficiency,” says Rezaie.
Bonci agrees. “You really should only follow a low-FODMAP diet under the guidance of a dietitian,” she says. The goal is to identify exactly which foods—if any—you may be sensitive to so that you can reintroduce all the others and eat as varied a diet as possible.
Food and Stress
Be careful about food restriction, though, because it can lead to extrastress—which can cause even more digestive issues. “I don’t like people to be overly restrictive,” says Bonci. “It leads to fear of food. When people restrict and still have symptoms, they often think, ‘Oh, I should restrict more!’ That’s really not the answer.”
While stress doesn’t cause IBS, it can certainly exacerbate it. Food restriction and fear of certain foods are big stressors and can actually make IBS symptoms worse. Restricting trigger foods that you’ve identified with the help of a dietitian can be helpful, but restricting anything beyond that will likely work against you.
Limit Carbonated Beverages
That said, it’s a good idea to cut out carbonated beverages and sugar alcohols. Excess gas and bloating are common symptoms of IBS. “Carbonated beverages introduce more gas to your digestive system, which leads to more bloating,” says Bonci.
Likewise, sugar alcohols—used as a sugar replacement in gums and certain low-carb foods—can cause a lot of bloating and distention. Common sugar alcohols are sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol and mannitol. Check ingredient labels and steer clear of anything that contains these sugar alcohols.
Pictured recipe:Herbal Chamomile Health Tonic
Tea Might Help
While there are drinks you should try to limit, certain drinks can help. Peppermint and chamomile tea may help ease IBS symptoms. “Chamomile tea can help because it’s a natural antispasmodic,” explains Bonci. In other words, it helps relax your gut. “Peppermint, peppermint tea and peppermint oil can also help for the same reason.”
Low-Carb Diets and IBS
That said, it’s possible to see similar improvements without cutting carbs. Bonci recommends that her patients with IBS follow the same guidelines for balancing meals as healthy individuals. “One-third of your plate should be protein, and keep at least one-third for fruits and vegetables. And, no more than one-third should be starchy carbs,” she states. “It only differs from a regular plate in that the types of these fruits, vegetables and starches might be different.”
Again, it comes down to identifying your specific triggers and reducing or eliminating them, so that you don’t need to cut out entire food groups.
Don’t Forget Fiber
Fiberis important, but be careful not to increase your intake too quickly or drastically. “Fiber is another critical component of IBS management, but you need to be careful,” says Bonci. First, she suggests tracking your fiber intake for a week to see how much you currently eat.
Also, be mindful of what type of fiber you’re eating.Insoluble fiberfrom the skin of fruits and vegetables, and the bran of grains, can have a laxative effect and will help if you have IBS with constipation. Soluble fiber from the flesh of fruits and vegetables, and from beans and oats, have a binding effect in your digestive system and can help with IBS with diarrhea.
And, Bonci says, don’t eat too much fiber. Going far above the recommended daily intake can make IBS symptoms worse.
20 Gut-Healthy Breakfasts That Help Support Digestion
Think About How You Eat
How you eat might be as important as what you eat. “Spacing your meals is important,” says Rezaie. “Eat three meals per day, and give your digestive system a rest in between.” He also recommends not eating for at least eight hours overnight. This often happens naturally because of sleeping, but it’s something to be mindful of if you’re someone who often eats late at night.
It can also help you to be as relaxed as possible when you eat. “You don’t want to eat on the run or eat quickly,” says Bonci. “You want to be able to sit down and eat mindfully.” If you’re frazzled or anxious while you eat, this can affect digestion.
Managing IBS Symptoms
All of this said, many people can’t manage IBS through diet and lifestyle changes alone, and that’s OK. “In moderate to severe IBS patients, you won’t see 100% improvement through diet alone,” Rezaie says. “In those cases, you need to target it with medication.”
There are several medications available to treat IBS, Rezaie explains. Some are antibiotics that target problematic bacteria, while others target neurotransmitters in your gut in order to help your digestive system function properly. The type of medication a patient needs depends on their unique set of symptoms.
Another important part of managing IBS is trying to manage the anxiety you have about it. “Any chronic disease will cause anxiety, and that anxiety with accentuate the problem,” says Rezaie. It’s important to accept that you have IBS and work with an expert on a treatment plan. Beyond that, a healthy lifestyle that includes adequate sleep, a balanced diet, exercise, stress management and mindfulness is what will be most helpful in sustainable IBS management, as opposed to constantly trying new diets.
The #1 Habit to Break If You Have IBS
The Bottom Line
Symptoms of IBS can be stressful and anxiety-inducing. Managing your symptoms with a low-FODMAP diet, limiting carbonated beverages and getting just the right amount of fiber each day can help. When dietary and lifestyle changes aren’t enough, it’s time to have a conversation with your healthcare provider about the next steps to help manage IBS.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Easy ways to boost fiber in your daily diet.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Easy ways to boost fiber in your daily diet.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Easy ways to boost fiber in your daily diet.
