Tea Time: Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Definition
  • Group of GI symptoms (abdominal pain, bowel movement changes) without signs of disease or damage to GI tract
• Types
  • Diarrhea-dominant
  • Constipation-dominant
  • D/C alternating
• See your doc to rule out other causes of your symptoms
• Cause is unclear
• Treatment
  • Dietary changes
  • Mental Health (stress) management
  • probiotics
  • medicines
• Dietary approaches
  • Increased fiber
    • Both soluble and insoluble are important, soluble is more helpful for IBS
    • Increase fiber slowly 1-3g/d, accompanied by lots of fluids
    • Soluble fiber from fruits, vegetables, legumes, oats, chia seeds, psyllium husk supplement
  • Avoiding gluten
  • Low FODMAP diet (up to 75% of people get relief)
    • Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols
    • Very restrictive elimination diet where foods are slowly added back in one at a time
    • Work with an RD to make sure it is done right with minimal restriction and appropriate nutrition
    • Resources
      • https://www.ibsfree.net/
      • http://www.katescarlata.com/
      • https://www.monashfodmap.com/