Is IBS giving your stomach a fit? Here are some foods you might want to omit!
IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is a long-term condition that affects the colon. Typical symptoms of IBS include gas, bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea and constipation. One should be careful not to confuse IBS with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), a condition that alters bowel tissue and may increase one’s risk for developing colorectal cancer. Symptoms of IBD are similar to those of IBS, but are typically more severe.
Fortunately, a majority of individuals with IBS are able to manage their symptoms by making slight diet and lifestyle changes and minimizing their stress levels. The following is a list of foods and dietary practices that may need to be limited, or possibly omitted, when attempting to manage the symptoms of IBS:
Sources:
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015, February 18). Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/basics/definition/con-20034908
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014, July 31). Irritable bowel syndrome. Retrieved June 09, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20024578
Feature, A. M. (n.d.). IBS Treatments: New Drugs, Diet, Stress Relief, and More. Retrieved June 09, 2016, from http://www.webmd.com/ibs/features/combination-of-therapies-offers-help-for-ibs
- WHAT: This is a loaded bullet (point)! The MBM "Meal Manual" includes the following:
- Collection of healthy recipes offering suggestions for how to eat a balanced variety of delicious foods.
- Sample daily menus that illustrate how these recipes might fit into your daily dietary intake.
- "Smart Swaps": Lighter alternatives for traditionally less-healthy food favorites.
- "Restaurant Reviews": Reviews of menus from various dining establishments focused on which items are more beneficial to order in terms of nutritional value.
- WHY: Many of us find it easier to have explicit instruction guiding our dietary decisions (sample daily menus), yet appreciate variety in our meals (recipes). It is important not to completely give up some of your less-healthy favorite foods, but rather find a way to enjoy them in a healthier manner ("Smart Swaps"). Finally, life happens- we dine out! And that is a-okay. As long as we order wisely, dining out does not have to be a dietary disaster.
- HOW: Rather than sending out a one-time finished document, I have decided to house this information in a Google drive document to which you will receive a link upon purchase. This will enable you to receive updates to the document as they are added, such as new recipes, new "Restaurant Reviews", new "Smart Swaps", etc. The Google Drive app will allow you to access the google document from your phone from at anytime, allowing you to refer back to recipes while at the grocery store, "Restaurant Recommendations" while deciding on a dinner date, etc.
