Which Diet For IBS is Right For You?





If you are looking for a diet for IBS, there is no shortage...and I have tried them all! Every one of the many diets out there can be helpful for IBS. The important thing to note is what may work for one person, may not work for another, so it does become a matter of trial and error. Only you can figure out what works for your IBS. However, by reading the following information and learning the ins and outs of each, you will be able to make a more informed decision on where to start.

Food Combining Diet

When looking for a diet for IBS, I found this one to be the least restrictive,

easiest to follow, and the one that has provided me with the best results within only one day of trying it. The concept is simple...there are different enzymes needed to digest different types of foods. If two of the wrong foods are eaten together, the enzymes cannot work effectively, leaving undigested food in your intestinal tract. These undigested foods are what causes gas, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. Yes, some people have an iron stomach and don't have to worry about eating this way. Or, when you were younger, maybe you could eat any foods you wanted in any combination, but now that you are older, certain foods bother you. That's because as we age, we lose valuable digestive enzymes. The result--digestion just doesn't work like it used to. The Food Combining Diet can help your digestion function much better and help you get rid of the abdominal pain, gas and bloating.

Jorge Cruise Belly Fat Cure

Click here to find out why some of that belly fat could be caused by bloating from IBS. By following this diet, you may be able to significantly reduce your symptoms.

Specific Carbohydrate Diet

Also called the SCD, this type of diet for IBS emphasizes eating only certain carbohydrates that are comprised of a single molecule, thus making them more easily absorbed by the intestinal wall. Grains, sugar and starch are to be avoided on this diet, with a strong emphasis on repopulating the intestinal system with good bacteria. This and the GAPS Diet (see below) can be difficult to follow, but if you can stick with it, your digestion should greatly improve.

GAPS Diet

GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome. It is similar to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for IBS, in that grains, starches and sugars are not allowed. The GAPS diet is more strict about dairy products and focuses on how they can be very irritating and even toxic to some individuals.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Some individuals with IBS will notice an obvious improvement in their symptoms if they avoid products containing gluten, such as wheat, barley and rye and also dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. There are more and more products available in stores now to help make this diet for IBS an easier transition.

Candida Diet

An overgrowth of yeast in the body may be to blame for IBS symptoms. This type of IBS diet can be very restrictive, avoiding bread, pastas, fruit and most sweeteners. Again, a very healthy diet, but very difficult to follow.

High Fiber Diet

This is the typical recommendation by the medical community when you are diagnosed with IBS. High fiber may work for some, but it can be irritating to most people with IBS. More fiber for me meant more gas and bloating.

Low Fiber Diet

Typically used to control diarrhea, the low fiber diet for IBS consists of cooked foods, avoiding too many raw fruits and vegetable, and staying away from bran in cereals and breads. Applesauce, carrots, rice and yogurt can help with soothing your overactive intestines.

Soluble Fiber Diet

This diet involves including some soluble fiber in your diet at every meal, whether it be through a supplement, or the food itself. Soluble fiber sources include food such as carrots, prunes, oatmeal, bananas, barley and sourdough bread. You can also choose to take a supplement such as Benefiber, which contains an ingredient called psyllium. More prominent in the health food stores, there is a supplement called acacia fiber, which some find easier to swallow. Again, these supplements seemed to aggravate my IBS, so I prefer to just snack on carrot sticks and prunes. They are much more tasty and less harsh!

FODMAPS Diet

The term FODMAPS is an acronym for Fermentable Oligo-, Di- and Mono-saccharides and Polyols. Too scientific? Well, it just means that some foods made up of these molecules are difficult to absorb. It may also be referred to as a fructose intolerance diet. An example of foods to avoid on this diet are apples, pears, wheat, breads and cakes.

WHICH ONE?

Which diet for IBS should you follow? I found the best one to at least try is, by far, the Food Combining Diet. Why? Because it will give you the quickest results and does not involve a ton of diet restrictions. You will be able to enjoy healthy and really delicious food. It is also the least restrictive, easiest to follow, and it stopped many of my IBS symptoms within one day of trying it. You will know if this diet is working for you within four days of trying it. If you do not find relief, then you can simply move on to another.

As much as it may be an inconvenience to have to follow a diet plan, there is a plus! All of these diets are very healthy. Whichever one works best for you will not only help resolve your IBS symptoms, but will be very beneficial to your health for in the long run.

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