IBS and Food (Intolerance, Allergies and Sensitivities)

When a person’s immune structure reacts to normal food substances, which are taken by all as harmless eatables, they are considered to be suffering from food allergy. When you have a food allergy your immune system will release chemicals which in turn result in a variety of symptoms, like the gastrointestinal ones, vomiting, nausea, pain in the abdominal region, etc. Sometimes they will also suffer from symptoms associated with allergies which include rashes, itching, and swelling of lips, throat infection and breathing problems.

You will be surprised to hear that in the traditional sense these are rare cases of true food allergies. Studies have pointed at IBS conditions to be the cause for some reactions, also suggesting that if we restrict those foods, IBS symptoms may also vanish. This theory has been criticized by the fact that the allergies were diagnosed through the finding of substances in their blood called Immunologlobulin G (IgG). These are antibodies which fight infectious conditions in the body. They are not deemed trustworthy in the case of diagnosing food allergy. But despite these findings, it is worth considering this factor, because when the subject restricts the intake of these foods, which was the cause of the allergic, a reduction of IBS symptoms is shown to happen.

• Dairy products like milk, poultry products like eggs, chicken, red meat, pork, lamp and wheat, all of which are common food items were considered as causing a food allergy.

• When some of these foods were eliminated, there were reduced IBS symptoms like frequency of pain, and abdominal bloating, also improved life quality, a feeling of control over IBS and rectum functioning in an improved manner.

• As well, good response from patients to adapt to the restricted diet, who also found greater improvement in their condition.

• If you try to cheat on diet, the condition worsens.

If you try to distinguish organic GI disorders from IBS and food allergies, it is found that IBS is associated with straining, diarrhea and bloating of the abdomen, than organic disease which can cause loss of appetite and difficulties in upper abdominal reflux. When symptoms in IBS patients and food allergy patients were compared it was found that lower abdominal pain, frequent pain and bloating is more likely to occur in IBS patients, which is relieved from having a bowel movement.

To ascertain whether you are suffering from a food allergy, you should consult your doctor to determine your conditions through diagnostic tests. Similarly maintain a food diary to examine your eating patterns, and the symptoms that you may develop after consuming them. After identifying a particular food as potential factor, you should follow an elimination diet, and examine how restricting that food has affected you.

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IBS Diarrheal Diet

When you are suffering from chronic Diarrhea disorder, what you eat and how to eat becomes a major consideration in controlling the disorder. While there is nothing classified as a Diarrheal diet, the following eating strategy consisting of four easy ways you will make sure that your diet is not aiding it further.

1.     Aim for small meals

Patients suffering from IBS are taught to easily identify trigger foods, which usually cause the irritation. While certain food items certainly don’t go well with the GI tract, causing greater irritation, at times the size of the meal also aggravates the situation and a large meal might immediately bring about a violent response. Larger sized meals usually result in escalation of contractions in the intestines, necessitating urgent visits to the restroom, which is a symptom of Diarrhea. The first rule of a Diarrheal diet is to restrict the size of your meals.
2. Opt for low fat meals

The second rule of Diarrheal diet is to avoid high content of fat in the meals. High fat also might cause intensive intestinal contractions, and it is best advised to keep away from fried, oily and creamy-layered food. Higher fat content is certainly present in fried foods and oily food items. Dairy products like cheese contain a high fat content, and it is best advised that you keep off from such high fat content items, so that your system works in a more rhythmic order and your condition gets mitigated through such a low fat content meals.
3. Smaller meals throughout the day

Another important aspect of Diarrheal diet is to ensure you take smaller portions of food throughout the day. Many patients suffering from Diarrhea-predominant IBS try to be on empty stomach to avoid unnecessary visits to restrooms. Instead, you should eat smaller meals throughout the day, giving a chance to your digesting system to get back a rhythm in its functioning, and also ensure that you are not hungry and as such you don’t go for larger meals at the end of the day. Hence the third cardinal principle of Diarrheal diet is to – smaller size meals throughout the day.
4. Quieter times are testing times!

You should also ponder over the reasons for Diarrhea. Should you blame only the foods for this condition? Remember, Diarrhea can be caused even due to stressed conditions or changes in your hormones. Identify these trouble mongers, before opting for stronger medical starvations. Remember if you restrict food you are likely to suffer from deficiency in nutrition. When your system is quiet, you should test foods which you suspect of giving you Diarrhea, to determine whether they are the trouble mongers.

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Free Guide on The Top 7 Tips to Avoid IBS

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Irritable bowel syndrome also know as Spastic Colon. It is a chronic intestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain and cramps, constipation, and diarrhea. Its causes get the food which an individual has eaten.

Usually, milk and dairy products, spicy foods, fatty foods, and gas-producing foods such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower will aggravate an individual that has Irritable bowel syndrome also know as Spastic Colon.

The intensity and frequency can fluctuate greatly from one person to the another.

This guide will provide you with tips that an individual can consider to adopt to get relief fast.

The guide is 100% free and you can download it now!

Constipation Due To IBS

People who have irritable bowel syndrome will normally suffer from diarrhea at some point in time. Some people with IBS also suffer from constipation and some of them have both diarrhea and constipation as alternate conditions. Constipation is a very normal medical complaint among many people and over 2 billion visits to doctors occur due to constipation. But there are many ways of treating as well as avoiding constipation.

People who are suffering from constipation specially constipation due to IBS should resort to following a fiber rich diet. Fiber is very essential for people who have been afflicted with IBS. There are two basic kinds of fiber namely soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. There are many advantages to having soluble fiber namely it reduces the symptoms of IBS. Fiber helps in preventing the convulsions and it keeps the colon distended by absorbing water. This will help in preventing the stools from becoming too hard and difficult to remove from the body. Plenty of fiber should be included in the diet to ensure that the stools are soft and hence they can be removed from the body easily. The initial introduction to a fiber diet can cause a lot of gas and bloating and these symptoms will reduce as the body gets readjusted. Fiber can also be added to the diet by using fiber supplements.

Many people suffer from the problem of dehydration though they are not aware of it. Dehydration for a long period of time can lead to constipation. Eight glasses of water of eight ounces each should be consumed everyday on a regular basis. Drinks containing caffeine should be avoided since they cause dehydration. Water should be consumed at regular intervals during the day in order to avoid dehydration.

The dearth of regular exercise is also another reason for dehydration. Many people are aware that regular exercise is very essential in order to maintain the overall health of the body. This also helps in providing relief from constipation. Thirty minutes of exercise everyday is the recommendation of the US surgeon general. This can even mean taking a brisk walk. This will be adequate to maintain and improve overall health.

People who are having very severe constipation will be tempted to resort to using laxatives. Laxatives can easily be obtained over the counter at any pharmacy or drug store. But extreme care and precaution needs to be exercised while using these laxatives since they can sometimes damage the colon. They will damage the nerves of the colon and due to this the colon will find it difficult to contract and pass stools properly. When enemas are used too often, they will start affecting the nerves of the colon. There are many different kinds of foods, which perform the function of natural laxatives. People having diarrhea IBS will want to avoid these foods while people having constipation IBS would love to have these foods.

Regular constipation can lead to further problems like hemorrhoids and other anal fissures. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins, which occur as a result of the strain involved in passing stools. A burning sensation, itching and bleeding are some of the symptoms. A fissure is a tear near the anal canal, which is the last portion of the rectum before the anus. People suffering from fissures will have painful bowel movements as well as bleeding. The pressure on the anal canal needs to be reduced in order to treat fissures.

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Coping with IBS Constipation

Constipation is a common occurrence with many people and for IBS sufferers getting accurate information on their symptoms is a step towards obtaining help in improving the condition. Although it is not known why some develop IBS with constipation and other do not, the constipation can be caused by a sensitive, slow working gastro-intestinal tract, which causes recurring abdominal pain, bloating and constipation. IBS with constipation is a treatable medical condition and you should first consult your primary care physician before taking other steps.

The gastrointestinal tract reacts to the changes in serotonin, which is a natural occurring chemical in the body that plays an important role in making the gastrointestinal tract function normally and while it is not clear why some people develop IBS with constipation while others do not, it is a known fact that it is affected by diet and disease.

Most constipation occurrences are due to insufficient fibre in the diet as well as inadequate consumption of fluids. Fluids and fibre both play an important role in our body functions. Fibre is important as they help to soften the stool, and fluids help to flush stools through the body.

People that are in the 65 and over age range have a tendency to experience more bouts of constipation due to medications, poor diet, and lack of water intake, as well as poor muscle tone. Younger people also suffer from irregular bowel movement, also experience bloating and abdominal pains. People that travel also experience bouts of IBS/constipation as they tend to suppress the urge to go to the bathroom.

For IBS there is no specific cure for the constipation; however there are treatments to assist bowel functions to help them stabilize which helps diminish the cramping which then also lessen the pain. For some the symptoms are temporary and happen occasionally and no treatment may be required. For others who have persistent and chronic symptoms a special course of treatment may be required. Since there is no specific therapy that will resolve all symptoms, a doctor’s visit is necessary to determine the severity and changes that are required to live pain free.

The first step that you can take control of are a few lifestyle changes that will help in the health of the intestinal tract. Eating smaller amounts of food more frequently will help in the digestive process not getting overwhelmed, taking some time to relax, sleep, and exercise and all these changes will enable you to deal with stress a lot better and in turn will help in eliminating the stress to the body.

Fibre in ones diet is also tremendous in helping control IBS with constipation. Dietary fibres add bulk to the stool creating ones that are much larger and softer making bowel movements easier and less painful. Psychotherapy is another tool that can assist as in some IBS cases stress sometimes affects bowel movement and psychotherapy can assist in coping with chronic illness and uncovering emotional triggers that may be present.

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