Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Ibs Irritable

Question:
What is best way to combat IBS-Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Answer:
I find diet makes a BIG difference.  When my IBS flares up, I cut down on nuts, spicy foods, and dairy (I eat a fair amount of cheese normally, but use rice milk instead of cow milk).  Recently I have had some pretty bad bouts and have gone to eating a fairly bland diet for a few days at a time: rice (flavored with seaweed and/or mushrooms and/or veggie broth), tea, watered down juice (do not want a lot of sugar).  I find it helps a LOT.  I will be eating a cup or so of rice daily for a while to see if it helps. Personally, I found that going on medication to treat my anxiety has made a huge difference to my IBS. Do you feel the medication you are on is helping sufficiently? My IBS is directly related to stressors in my life, that is all I know, and I don't even know if it really is IBS.  It's such a tricky diagnosis.  I hope you find something that will help.  I found that cutting out wheat products helped me more than cutting dairy.  I also found that using no-fat dairy products helped. I believe IBS is closely related to the viscosity of the blood. The tiny microvessels which line the gut cannot carry blood / nourish the gut lining when the blood runs too 'thick'. Much like when one tries to draw milkshake through a small straw. Stress has been shown to cause vasoconstriction of the system and so, the use of heparin / blood thinner with some success.