Diet for IBS?

Stress is a huge factor affecting our digestive tract. A helpful way to reduce it is to either meditate or learn to relax yourself using breathwork. Both relax the body. First you must be aware of how your body is feeling when stressed. Pause and either take just even 5 minutes to mediate or do breathwork. There are great meditation apps to help - Headspace or Insight Timer are 2 that I use. It’s been enormously helpful.
Second, the suggestion to chew slowly is an excellent one. The more you chew before swallowing, the easier your food will be digested.
Third, low fodmap doesn’t work for everyone. I went dairy free, gluten free and sugar free on my own and it helped tremendously as well. I slowly added back but remain gluten free and sugar free. Gluten free products so much better than they used to be. I only eat fruit from the berry family due to lower sugar content, use organic stevia as a sweetener, and read labels all the time specifically looking at the sugar content. If there are added sugars, my goal is to only purchase items with total sugar content at 15% or less and you’d be surprised how many healthy brands are out there. I even found a chocolate bar that is low in sugar and I think tastes great called HU.
Also as mentioned, probiotics are excellent in pill form but also in food - look for fermentation- Kefir in the dairy case, pickles in the refrigerated section, Greek yogurt.
It takes time to find what works for you and what’s in the market that’s healthy.
Best to you as you work through this.

I have been suffering with IBSD since my colorectal cancer surgeries. In the last week, I have had three episodes of diarrhea after dinner, which only increases my anxiety.
Has anyone found a medication that works for them? I was prescribed Viberzi but it only worked if I took Imodium as well.
Now my gastroenterologist is trying the drug Alosteron. This drug was recalled in 2000 by the FDA because of a serious adverse effect. It caused ischemic attacks along the colon. That part would die off because of lack of bloodflow, therefore; no oxygen.
I am on a very low dose 0.5 mg....now increased to twice a day.
Otherwise Imodium is all I can get to work.
Anyone , I will try your wonderful suggestions along this journey.

I am so very sorry you had colorectal cancer.

Good afternoon,
For IBS:
Pray
Meditate
Deep breathing
Good thoughts
Find something to
do that brings you joy
If know of someone
who needs support,
help them
Good posture
Probiotic
Metamucil
Drink plenty of water
Chew food well
FODMAP diet
Take care.
💗🌸

ibs help

Hi,
Yes, still after 13 years of it. The major problem is it is not a disease but a diagnosis given when they run out of names and diseases to label you with. It affects people in many different ways so is hard to give an exact remedy.
The basics are to start the Fodmap plan and note what is OK for you and what is not. Not always successful for everyone! Eventually you will come to recognise the foods you are OK with and the ones you are not.
I survive on very little and mostly food I'm not supposed to be able to eat with IBS, but it works for me confounding my Gastrologist. His attitude is now, if it works for me do it. You can go through times of extreme flare ups to times when you may be reasonably comfortable on a restricted diet. Too many tastes of the "forbiden" fruits can cause havock with the gut. There are loads of theories, heaps of anecdotal evidence and some scientific based facts around IBS. You just have to find your own way through. The help of a good dietitian is a worth while choice to get you started.
Through your journey you will learn about pre and pro biotics and the sceptisism that goes with them. I have tried them and had both good and no results from taking a course of them. Not all probiotics are created equal nor are they all stored the way they should be which means you could be buying dead cultures.
There are times you will be driven to the ragged edge and times you find some success, all you can do is to keep trying. It helped me by remembering that the food we injest is digested and feed to through out the body. The neutriants digested and feed to the body make up what we are, why would you feed it the rubbish you can no longer tolerate!
Dosen't stop me trying though and as usual I suffer the bad flare ups yet again! They are becomming fewer as the brain recognises the discomfort is not worth the pleasure and the lusting subsides. I look at my food as a life line not a pleasure.
Cheers

@cheyne Nice post, good info!
I don’t have ibs but have been on the FODMAP diet for stomach issues. Loved your last paragraph! I’m very slow to learn that I can’t sneak in problem foods and not suffer the consequence.

Hi,
Thanks.
Unfortunately IBS is a big field with many many causes, hence the no particular diagnosis and very little research.
I have a lot more info but without knowing the particulars I'd be wasting a lot of time with irrelevant info for everyone.
I understand how desperate people can get and have come to understand the old adage, we are what we eat.
In the last year I have been diagnosed with Autonomic polyneuropathy which besides being a death sentence, likely quicker than everyone else who eventually die. It has taken control over my digestion leaving me as just a bystander to my health. Along for the ride until I decide I have had enough. No cure , no treatment and just left with suck it and see, then I have to be careful of just what I am sucking as well! Very few medical personnel even understand it if they are aware of it, at all.
Autonomia is one of the two main nervous system in the body, this one controls all we do without thinking, like heart beating, swallowing, and many more functions, that does not include the obvious mistakes we invariably make through absolute stupidity! Although I have been known to hide behind that excuse. So far it has ranged from temporary paralysis of my lower body to restricting the throat, poorly controlling with the bladder and bowels and playing with my blood pressure all when it wants, irrespective of my conscious input. Some of the symptoms are now permanent while others are random and becoming more numerous. At least the upside of this disease is there is nothing to do or try so I just deal with each day as it arrives and am not a bit concerned about the day that doesn't arrive! Death is the final symptom and escape from this disease. In some respects the heart stopping instantly beating without warning beats a long drawn out slow death, as I see it. With my luck it could be any one of the numerous health issues I'm dealing with that takes my life. Then again it could be a simple act of stepping out into traffic without watching what I'm doing.
People keep telling me "crap happens" and I have to say I wish it would! This disease doesn't allow me control of the relevant muscles to get it done, easily.
What is left, hope for something better tomorrow. That is what keeps driving me forward. As long as I don't dwell on my health issues too much, they don't hurt and I can plough on trying not to make too much of a mess of my life.
The real beauty of this disease is I can stir up Dr's without recourse from them. They can't withhold help or treatment that doesn't exist. Of course I equally can't complain about my health treatment, there is none. It is liberating to be able to state my thoughts without meaningful interference from them while challenging their deliberations. They know gobbledygook doesn't fly with me anymore. I have come to understand Dr's are not Gods of medicine, they are no different to you or me, able to be wrong, make mistakes and are just plain "human", the failing of us all!
Cheers

I don't have IBS, but have celiac and IBD(isease). I can't eat gluten, legumes, or NSAIDs, and minimal dairy/processed food/salt/sugar. It is good to keep a food log and try an elimination diet to see if things are tweaking your GI tract and immune system. I otherwise drink kombucha (probiotics are good for "friendly' bacteria), psyllium husk (insoluble fiber for bulk and it supports gut bacteria), and a normal diet. A big issue with IBS, IBD, and especially celiac is social isolation, having friends that accept you as you are. If your friends are schmucks, then find groups that you fit in.

IBS-C is very hard to treat. I have tried every diet. The FODMAP diet does not work for me. It is trial and error to get a balanced gut.

I take a good probiotic. I cannot eat a lot of high fiber foods nor take fiber supplements. Even oatmeal bothers my gut. I am also lactose intolerant. I take Linzess 72mcg at night for IBS-C and this has helped greatly and I take Bentyl for a spastic colon when I have a really bad flare from IBS-C. I am finding that even eating ice cream has now become a culprit....it use to only be drinking milk.

I do find that any added stress flares up my gut. Such as a stomach virus, lack of sleep, etc., Sometimes I cannot figure out what flares it up. IBS-C is very tiring and can flare-up for a couple days to a couple of months. What may work for one person may not work for another person.

Praying for answers for all of you. Blessings & Prayers...