How to Eat for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

If you have irritable bowel syndrome, you will quickly discover that certain foods exacerbate your symptoms. The pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation that this disorder causes is not only painful, but it can be extremely disruptive to your life. Fortunately, the symptoms of IBS can be controlled largely through controlling your diet. For this reason, it is important to know how to eat for irritable bowel syndrome.

Instructions

• 1

  Stop eating foods that trigger or exacerbate diarrhea. This means eliminating caffeine, milk, alcohol, sugary foods and fatty foods. You also need to avoid foods that make people gassy, like beans, cabbage and broccoli.

• 2

  Eliminate artificial sweeteners from your diet. Many artificial sweeteners can cause intestinal distress. The two sweeteners that most commonly cause problems are sorbitol and xylitol.

• 3

  Drink plenty of water. Everybody needs water, but to control the symptoms of IBS, it is essential that your primary beverage is water. Try to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily.

• 4

  Increase your soluble fiber intake. This means eating more rice, pasta, oatmeal, soy, carrots, potatoes, apples, beets, bananas, sweet potatoes and squash, among other foods that are rich in soluble fiber.

• 5

  Take a daily soluble fiber supplement. Start with the lowest dose and adjust it until it helps control your symptoms.