IBS Diet Do's and Dont's

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS is not life-threatening. It is not a harbinger of colorectal cancer nor does it cause changes or inflammation in your bowel tissues as some intestinal diseases can do. However, it is a very uncomfortable condition to have. IBS affects the colon, which is your large intestine, and results in abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas and constipation or diarrhea. IBS can be managed, although perhaps not cured, if you concentrate on improving your diet and lifestyle and learn to manage stress.

Cause
The precise cause of IBS is not known but certain foods or other stimuli can trigger an episode of IBS. It is up to you to figure out what it is that you are doing or eating that causes a flare up of this condition.

What Happens
When IBS occurs, the walls of your intestines -- which are lined with muscle layers that contract and then relax rhythmically as your intestines move food from your stomach to the intestinal tract and out through your rectum -- do not contract as they should. Instead, the contractions can be more forceful and last longer than norma. This results in pain.

Food travels through your intestines more quickly when you have IBS, which leads to bloating, gas and diarrhea. On the other hand, some IBS sufferers have the opposite problem: food passage through the intestines slows to a crawl and the stool dries up and becomes hard, resulting in constipation and abdomen distention, which is caused by pent-up gas.

The Culprits
Triggers can vary from person to person. You may find that chocolate, alcohol or milk cause diarrhea or, conversely, constipation. Fruits and vegetables are sometimes the culprit, leading to bloating and discomfort while others cannot tolerate carbonated beverages. If you are allergic or intolerant of certain foods this can trigger IBS. Keep a diary and try to detect a pattern to determine what is triggering your IBS symptoms. When you figure out what is causing the problem, eliminate the offending foods or drinks from your diet.

Of course, it could be that you are lactose intolerant and don't actually have IBS if you experience bloating and cramping after you have eaten dairy products. Another possibility is that you are intolerant of caffeine or artificial sweeteners, which can cause symptoms that are very similar to IBS.

Stress
A stressed-out individual is likely to experience gastric distress. Stress can aggravate existing IBS problems but doesn't cause them. Learn to manage your stress. Exercise, do yoga or meditate.

Hormones
Women who, unlike men, are rife with hormones, are more likely to be afflicted with IBS. Women with IBS find that their symptoms worsen right before their menstrual period.

Treatment
Some IBS sufferers have found that undergoing counseling and learning to modify the way they react to stress helps eliminate their symptoms. Learning how to breathe properly, from your diaphragm and not from the chest, separates the muscles in between your chest and abdomen. Deep breathing of this nature relaxes your abdominal muscles, which may lead to easier bowel movements.

Regularly engage in activities that you enjoy and which reduce stress, which can be as simple as soaking in a hot tub or listening to music.

Alternative Options
Alternative treatments that are very effective for some IBS sufferers include taking herbs, such as peppermint, which is a natural anti-spasmodic that relaxes the muscles in your intestine. Acupuncture helps relax muscle spasms and improve bowel functioning. Hypnosis can teach you how to enter into a relaxed state, which will reduce bloating and stomach pain.

Bacterial Needs
Those who have IBS may not have sufficient amounts of good bacteria in their intestines, which are called probiotics. Probiotoc food consists of live bacteria. Milk contains acidophius, which is a probiotic. Foods that contain probiotics are yogurt, dairy products, sour cream, buttermilk, frozen desserts and powdered milk and dairy products. The two important bacteria in probiotics are bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Probiotics can be taken in capsule or tablet form or mixed in a drink.

Avoid
Use laxatives with caution if you are suffering from constipation, and instead experiment with fiber. However, fiber may eliminate your constipation but make your cramping and gas worse. You may want to take a fiber supplement rather than eating fiber-filled foods because the supplements cause less gas and bloating.

Avoid the foods that are causing you problems. Approach dairy foods with caution and eat at regular times. Drink a lot of water and exercise, because exercise will stimulate normal contractions, reduce your stress and relieve depression.