Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause cramping, abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation. IBS happens when nerves and muscles in the intestine become oversensitive and do not function well. Sufferers have pain and have to go to the bathroom after eating and may have diarrhea. Also patients may have mucus in stools, bloated or swollen stomach.
Some people resort to medications that may help or not. Some people are relieved by not eating some foods and others may be sensitive to other foods.
Therefore s food diary is helpful to record which foods are detrimental.
Some patients derive relief from the FODMAPS diet .FODMAPS is an acronym for Fermentable Sugars called fructooligosaccharides, oligosaccharides (O) and fructans. Lactose is the disaccharide (D) and Fructose is the monosaccharide (M).
Polyols are sugar alcohols (P) called Isomalt, Malitol, Mannitol, Sorbit, and Xylitol. These products are not absorbed and they stay in the intestine.
There is also SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) due to surgery of the GI tract. SIBO also produces the same symptoms as IBS. FODMAPS is a therapeutic way of eating not a weight loss diet. It may be associated with food sensitivities. Also celiac disease which avoids gluten should be diagnosed first and diet should be then instituted
Fiber should be non fermentable like Citrucel. Do not consume damaged fiber like
blended fruit or vegetables that feed the detrimental bacteria in your gut. Also try to avoid antibiotics that shifts the microbiome in the gut.
Coffee (caffeinated or decaffeinated) should be reduced slowly to 1 cup a day. Tea freshly brewed is better. Alcohol is also bad. Only one glass of wine is allowed. We recommend a brief elimination diet that restricts some foods like some condiments, some dairy products, many fruit and fruit juices , most grains , some legumes , some nuts, many vegetables and the artificial sweeteners described before. Check labels. People will ask what they can eat;
1. Tamari and mustard
2. Dairy like gelato, hard cheeses, sorbet
3. Oat and rice milk
4. Cranberry juice, tea and wine, no carbonated drinks
5. Some fruit like cranberries, grapefruit, lemons, grapes and pineapple ( no HFCS)
6. Grains: oats, quinoa and rice
7. Many herbs and spices; no onions or garlic
8. Legumes: Canned chickpeas well rinsed and canned lentils well rinsed
9. Nuts: almonds: almonds, walnuts and peanut
10. Meat and poltry, tofu and tempeh
11. Steeteners that do not end in oil (aspartame, saccharine and sucralose)
12. Some vegetables and vinegar.
13. Vegetable juices like carrot, celery, spinach not blended and ginger teas.
The FODMAPS diet was very helpful to eliminate a lot of those symptoms. Call us for more information at 561 659 6756.
(561) 659-6756
