Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diet: Going High on Fiber

Sunday, 13 July 2008

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS is a disorder with a wide variety of symptoms and is a common problem of the intestines. When the intestines do not contract the right way, food moves too quickly or too slow causing abdominal pains and cramps. This results in constipation, gas, diarrhea or bloating. Luckily, a patient can lessen the symptoms by going under an irritable bowel syndrome diet.

This ailment is caused primarily by poor eating habits such as skipping meals, high ingestion of fatty food, low fiber and liquid intake and excessive caffeine and alcohol diets. It is important to keep these in mind so that you will know what to avoid and what to eat to help lessen and relieve IBS symptoms.

High fiber intake is the most common treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. Because fiber helps the intestines to work properly it is generally the main ingredient in irritable bowel syndrome diet. To help you better understand what fiber is all about; let us discuss the two types of fiber.

Soluble Fiber is a fiber that dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material which helps ease diarrhea and constipation. Some foods which contain soluble fiber are citrus fruits, apples and beans. One soluble fiber you can take to drink or as a supplement is Psyllium, a natural vegetable fiber.

Insoluble Fiber is found in wheat bran, whole grain bread and many vegetables helps relieve constipation by moving materials through your digestive track and adding mass to your stool.

You should increase the fiber in your diet slowly because you might feel bloated if you take it too quickly. Involve a wide variety of high fiber food and increase your liquid intake like water. Tea and juices can be diluted and caffeinated beverages should be avoided especially in the initial stages of your irritable bowel syndrome diet.

A low fat diet will help lessen the contractions of your intestines and alleviate pain. Some IBS sufferers find chewing peppermint helps. Peppermint relaxes the muscles in the intestines and is a natural anti-spasmodic. There are peppermint capsules found in the market already, though care should be taken when adding herbal supplements into your diet.

The fact is, in using irritable bowel syndrome diet, you don’t have to deprive yourself and only have unappetizing meals or go herbal all the time. It just means learning to eat healthier and knowing what foods can affect your digestive track.