IBS: What are the foods to eat and avoid?

Do you always feel uncomfortable whenever there's a dramatic change in your bowel movement?

Or are you always feeling bloating and constipated? It's really uncomfortable, right? You might be experiencing irritable bowel syndrome or IBS.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a type of condition where you are experiencing diarrhea, constipation, cramps, or abdominal pain. And because IBS greatly affects your large intestine, it makes your day to day activity kind of unbearable. Some people seek medical attention to treat their IBS but you can also treat this by changing your lifestyle.

Is changing your lifestyle really helps?

Yes, changing your lifestyle is really big help to what you are currently experiencing. By paying attention to your exercise routine and the right diet, you can take control of the symptoms of IBS without taking medication.

Have you ever heard of the FODMAP diet?

FODMAP is a collection of short-chain carbs that you can find in common foods. These foods increase the volume of liquid and gas into your small and large intestine. As a result, it contributes to abdominal pain, gas, bloatedness, diarrhea, or constipation to sensitive people.

F - fermentable

O - oligosaccharides

D - disaccharides

M - monosaccharides

A - and

P - polyols

For some avoiding the food that triggers their IBS can provide adequate relief. And following a healthy lifestyle like a low-fat diet, exercise, avoiding alcoholic drinks, smoking cigarettes can make a big difference to your case. But this lifestyle is not enough; a special diet like a low FODMAP diet can provide relief to your case.

Low FODMAP diet

A low FODMAP diet can help you with your IBS condition. This type of diet limits ingredients like lactose, fructose, and sugar alcohols. Low FODMAP diet is a special easily digestible food diet. But it is not your typical low-carb diet that you normally know.

LOW FODMAP diet is not really a restricted diet, you just have to take moderation and watch out the foods that you are going to eat.

Foods to avoid

• Lactose - milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt
• Fruits - peaches, watermelon, pears, mangoes, apples, plums, and nectarines
• Legumes
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Sweeteners
• Wheat-based bread, cereals, and pasta
• Cashews and pistachios
• Certain vegetables - artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, onions, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and mushrooms

Foods that can be include in low FODMAP diet

• Beef
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Fish
• Lamb
• Pork
• Prawns
• Tofu
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Grapes
• Oats
• Potatoes
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens
• Tangerines
• Tomatoes
• Cantaloupe
• Cranberry
• Clementine
• Gluten-free foods e.g. bread, pasta
• Savory biscuits
• Almond milk
• Coconut milk

A low FODMAP diet does not only helping people with IBS but also those who are experiencing other functional gastrointestinal disorders. Here are some of the benefits that you can get if you are to include this diet to your lifestyle.

Benefits of low FODMAP diet

• Less Bloating
• Less gas
• Less diarrhea
• Less stomach pain
• Less constipation
• Cause positive psychological benefits like stress, anxiety, and depression

Keep in mind that before implementing this lifestyle, you should ask the help of your doctor or consult a dietarian in making your low FODMAP diet plan. If you will follow the FODMAP diet for your IBS, you will eventually feel the difference.

Anastasia Isabelle Wallen is a freelance copywriter. She loves to write blogs that empower small business. She loves to read anything under the sun. And this is where her fascination in writing grew ups.