1. What is IBS manifested in?
Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as spastic colitis, is irregular contractions of the large intestine that cause alternating diarrhea and constipation. People suffering from IBS often report ‘overflow’ in the abdomen, pressure in the lower abdomen, a feeling of fullness, and often nausea and vomiting. Mucoid stools and pain preceding bowel movements are characteristic.
2. How common is irritable bowel syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome affects more than 10 percent. population. It is estimated that every fifth Pole suffers from it.
3. What are the causes of IBS?
Until now unknown. We know, however, that the excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine is important (studies from 2005 confirmed that people who showed excessive bacterial growth more often developed IBS), as well as impaired absorption of sugars – fructose, lactose, sorbitol.
4. Should people with irritable bowel go gluten-free?
Indeed, symptoms of IBS may indicate celiac disease, so it is always necessary to exclude it or confirm it before adopting an appropriate diet.
5. What diet to follow with IBS?
Until now, the most common diet for relieving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome is a diet rich in soluble fiber, which absorbs water and has thickening properties, thanks to which it stabilizes the time the food passes through the last part of the gastrointestinal tract. Regular meals (approximately every 3 hours) are recommended, avoiding frying, fatty meats, legumes and cruciferous vegetables, carbonated drinks, strong coffee, tea, spicy spices, alcohol and cigarettes. In fact, there are no universal rules, the diet should be determined individually depending on the ailments caused by specific products and current symptoms.
People suffering from IBS are relieved by the low-FODMAPs diet, i.e. a diet low in fermenting oligo -, di -, monosaccharides and polyols. It is recommended that you follow this diet for approximately 7 weeks. After this period, turn on the FODMAPs gradually.
During diarrhea, it is recommended to introduce rice, potato flour, jelly, dried blueberries, bananas, pumpkin, boiled apples and carrots, cocoa into the diet. Fatty foods, sweets, sugar, fruit juices, high-sugar jams, honey, thick groats, wholemeal bread, salads should be limited. Constipation, on the other hand, may require the introduction of fiber-rich foods, such as coarse-grain bread, wheat bran, prunes, apricots, raisins, fresh vegetables and fruits, especially red beets and peppers, nuts, seeds and yoghurts, kefirs, and avoiding foods containing: rice , potato flour, chocolate, blueberries, cocoa.
6. Is it necessary to eliminate dairy products from the diet of a person with IBS?
In some people, milk or all milk products aggravate symptoms. In this case, they should be eliminated from the diet.
7. Is diet only used to treat IBS?
In addition to diet, pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy are also used, and outdoor exercise is recommended. Regularly taken probiotics can also bring relief, research on prebiotics and synbiotics is limited and insufficient to draw firm conclusions. Probiotics containing the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) strain have reduced the symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction in children, but efficacy in adult IBS patients remains uncertain.
Photo from: kanonn / Source / CC BY-ND