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We all have had stomach issues at one point, making fast friends with the nearest restroom, but some of us may experience issues on a weekly (or even daily) basis. If you’ve frequently experienced recurring bouts of diarrhea, constipation or a mixture of both, you might have finally made that trip to the doctor, only to leave with a new diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Receiving a new IBS diagnosis can bring a sense of relief—maybe it finally puts a name to your frequent symptoms. But it can also leave you with plenty of questions. To help guide you through this new diagnosis, we tapped a team of experts—from gastrointestinal doctors to dietitians—to share the top five things they recommend you should do first after an IBS diagnosis.
What Is IBS?
Gabriel Silva, M.D., a gastroenterologist fellow, further explains, “There are many different intestinal problems that can cause IBS, such as an infection, medicines and stress.” He also says there also could be intestinal problems that mimic IBS, adding to the challenges of the diagnosis.
Ajay Bakhshi, M.D., a gastrointestinologist based in Maryland, points out that an IBS diagnosis is typically given when a person experiences abdominal pain at least one day a week along with a change in bowel habits. These changes may include shifts in the frequency of bowel movements or variations in stool appearance.
However, the good news is that IBS can be managed and below, our experts share the top five things they recommend doing when navigating your new diagnosis.
5 Things Experts Recommend for IBS
1. Manage Your Stress
Explore different stress-relief techniques to find what works best for you. For more inspiration, check out our7 Science-Backed Ways to Relieve Stress in 10 Minutes or Less.
2. Add Fiber
Bakhshi says the first thing he always recommends to IBS patients is adding extra fiber to their diets. He suggests incorporating afiber supplement, which can benefit both constipation- and diarrhea-predominant IBS patients. He recommends either Benefiber or Metamucil. Studies show thatsoluble fiber, not insoluble fiber, is most effective at improving IBS symptoms.
Mostfiber supplementsare typically tasteless if they come in powder form, and can be mixed with water to be consumed daily. Or if you opt for a gummy or pill version, check the label to ensure it’s the correct type of fiber. Also, it’s always a good idea to first get the green light from your health care provider before taking any new supplement.
3. Keep a Journal
Be your own detective. One of the best ways to understand your symptoms and uncover potential triggers is to keep a food and symptom journal.Yasi Ansari, M.S., RDN, CSSD, national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, recommends tracking everything you eat and drink each day, as well as noting any symptoms that arise before or after meals. “This data can be helpful for both your dietitian and physician,” she says.
For best results, be as detailed as possible, including dates and times, as well as any symptoms that occur pre- or post-mealtime. You can also note times that you felt extra stressed or missed a night of sleep to see if that impacted your symptoms. Over time, this journal can help you and your health care team identify triggers and patterns and adjust your diet to better manage your IBS symptoms.
4. Try the Low-FODMAP Diet
All our experts agree that trying temporarily following alow-FODMAP dietcan be beneficial to help identify triggers. It’s one of the most recommended and effective dietary interventions for managing IBS. The term “FODMAP” stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are all types of short-chain carbohydrates that may trigger IBS symptoms.
“The American College of Gastroenterology recommends that the diet be implemented in three steps,” explains Ansari. First, implement a restriction period for these foods lasting no more than four to six weeks. After this, gradually reintroduce the foods one at a time. Finally, adjust the amounts of these foods based on any symptoms experienced during the reintroduction phase.
While research strongly supports the low-FODMAP diet, El-Chebli notes that other dietary approaches may work better for certain individuals and the low-FODMAP diet may not be helpful for everyone with IBS.For this reason, working one-on-one with a registered dietitian nutritionist is essential to uncover the root cause of your symptoms and receive personalized dietary recommendations.
5. Minimize Ultra-Processed Foods
Minimizing foods that are common triggers, like those high in added sugar, sodium or fat, could be one helpful way to start managing your IBS symptoms. El-Chebli explains that if your diet is high in ultra-processed foods, the long ingredient lists could make it difficult to identify your triggers or if you may even be allergic to some of them. Some examples of ultra-processed foods are deli meat, hot dogs, sausages, packaged snacks, baked goods, ready-to-eat meals or frozen prepared meals.
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet rich in whole foods is your best defense in managing IBS. Focusing on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains can help support your digestive health and overall health.
Other Tips for Managing IBS
The tips above can be helpful when you’re first diagnosed, but your lifestyle and long-term habits are just as important for successfully managing IBS. Here are some other things you can do to support your digestive health if you have IBS.
The Bottom Line
Receiving an IBS diagnosis can feel overwhelming at first. Although the exact causes of IBS remain unknown, there are effective steps you can take to manage your condition. By regularly practicing stress-relief techniques, incorporating a fiber supplement, maintaining a food and symptom journal, trying the low-FODMAP diet and minimizing ultra-processed foods, you can successfully manage life with IBS. Remember to work closely with your health care team to tailor these suggestions to your own needs.
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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.American College of Gastroenterologist.Irritable Bowel Syndrome. (IBS).Moayyedi P, Quigley EM, Lacy BE, et al.The effect of fiber supplementation on irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2014;109(9):1367-1374. doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.195Medline Plus.Soluble vs. insoluble fiber.American College of Gastroenterologist.Low-FODMAP.Bellini M, Tonarelli S, Nagy AG, et al.Low FODMAP Diet: Evidence, Doubts, and Hopes.Nutrients. 2020;12(1):148. doi:10.3390/nu12010148Gibney MJ.Ultra-Processed Foods: Definitions and Policy Issues.Curr Dev Nutr. 2018;3(2):nzy077. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzy077Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):21. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2409-0
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.American College of Gastroenterologist.Irritable Bowel Syndrome. (IBS).Moayyedi P, Quigley EM, Lacy BE, et al.The effect of fiber supplementation on irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2014;109(9):1367-1374. doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.195Medline Plus.Soluble vs. insoluble fiber.American College of Gastroenterologist.Low-FODMAP.Bellini M, Tonarelli S, Nagy AG, et al.Low FODMAP Diet: Evidence, Doubts, and Hopes.Nutrients. 2020;12(1):148. doi:10.3390/nu12010148Gibney MJ.Ultra-Processed Foods: Definitions and Policy Issues.Curr Dev Nutr. 2018;3(2):nzy077. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzy077Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):21. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2409-0
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.
American College of Gastroenterologist.Irritable Bowel Syndrome. (IBS).Moayyedi P, Quigley EM, Lacy BE, et al.The effect of fiber supplementation on irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2014;109(9):1367-1374. doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.195Medline Plus.Soluble vs. insoluble fiber.American College of Gastroenterologist.Low-FODMAP.Bellini M, Tonarelli S, Nagy AG, et al.Low FODMAP Diet: Evidence, Doubts, and Hopes.Nutrients. 2020;12(1):148. doi:10.3390/nu12010148Gibney MJ.Ultra-Processed Foods: Definitions and Policy Issues.Curr Dev Nutr. 2018;3(2):nzy077. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzy077Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):21. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2409-0
American College of Gastroenterologist.Irritable Bowel Syndrome. (IBS).
Moayyedi P, Quigley EM, Lacy BE, et al.The effect of fiber supplementation on irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Gastroenterol. 2014;109(9):1367-1374. doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.195
Medline Plus.Soluble vs. insoluble fiber.
American College of Gastroenterologist.Low-FODMAP.
Bellini M, Tonarelli S, Nagy AG, et al.Low FODMAP Diet: Evidence, Doubts, and Hopes.Nutrients. 2020;12(1):148. doi:10.3390/nu12010148
Gibney MJ.Ultra-Processed Foods: Definitions and Policy Issues.Curr Dev Nutr. 2018;3(2):nzy077. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzy077
Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):21. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2409-0
