What Should I Eat if I Have IBS?

Do you find yourself experiencing digestive upset with everything you eat? When you suffer from Irritable bowel syndrome it can become very difficult to find foods that agree with you. This common digestive disorder affects the intestinal lining of more than 15% of the population in the US. This disease often targets young people and is most commonly found amongst females. 

What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

This ailment is also called spastic or irritable colon and it causes the lining of the intestines to become inflamed.This inflammation often causes a burning sensation and cramping in the stomach. Everyone experiences different symptoms at varying levels of severity. These symptoms are not always easy to predict and sometimes occur without warning. 

For the majority of patients they experience stomach pains followed by either constipation or diarrhea. Some people alternate between both and also have gas, bloating, and nausea. If you have experienced these symptoms six months or longer you may have IBS. Medical professionals are unsure as to what causes these symptoms and why some suffer more severely and others only experience mild symptoms. There are theories that your eating habits may play a role in the level of severity you experience. 

What Should I Eat If I Have IBS?

Along with medication a conventional doctor may suggest you evaluate your diet and lifestyle habits. There are many products and supplements out there that promote one pill being the answer to all your IBS issues and the simple truth is there is no pill that replaces good nutrition and exercise. Incorporating whole foods, minimizing processed foods, and increasing your level of activity pair well with supportive supplements. 

 

It’s hard to determine why some people are more susceptible than others. A great deal of research has concluded that your gut health has the power to affect the rest of your body greatly and create more severe gut symptoms. People who include more dark leafy greens, fresh fruits and vegetables, large amounts of water, and maintain an active healthy lifestyle have decreased symptoms. Here are some examples of foods you should incorporate into your diet if you suffer with IBS:

• Lean Meats like: 
  • Anchovies
  • Black cod
  • Herring
  • Mackerel
  • Sardines
  • Wild-caught salmon
  • Whitefish
  • White meat chicken
  • White meat turkey
  • Pork
  • Lean cuts of beef 
  • Eggs (for most people)
• Vegetables like: 
  • Bell peppers
  • Broccoli
  • Carrots
  • Eggplant
  • Arugula 
  • Bok choy
  • Collard greens
  • Cabbage
  • Kale
  • Lettuce 
  • Spinach
  • Swiss chard
  • Fennel
  • Green beans
  • Parsley
  • Parsnip
  • Potato
  • Squash
  • Sweet potato
  • Tomato
  • Zucchini
• Fruits like: 
  • Avocado 
  • Banana
  • Blueberry
  • Cantaloupe
  • Grapes
  • Honeydew melon
  • Kiwi
  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Olives
  • Orange
  • Papaya 
  • Pineapple
  • Raspberry
  • Strawberry
• Fermented Foods like:
  • Yogurt
  • Kefir
  • Fermented sauerkraut
• Some nuts and seeds like: 
  • Almond
  • Walnut
  • Brazil nuts
  • Pumpkin
  • Sunflower seeds.
• Bone Broths

 

 How Crucial Is Gut Health?

Your gut is made out of countless living microorganisms that work in harmony with one another to create a healthy environment. There are so many factors that can harm this balance. Prescription drugs, processed foods, environmental toxins are just a few things that plaque most of our society. Overtime, these factors damage our gut health. Genetic factors may also play a role as IBS is commonly found in families. Traumas,  injuries, and high stress also have the ability to trigger IBS as well as other conditions throughout the body. Eliminating unhealthy or triggering foods and harmful lifestyle choices can provide relief to some symptoms. 

Contact Us Today

Navigating through the dynamics of gut health is not always easily achieved. Let us at Gut Authority help you incorporate modifications to your diet and exercise regiment. Evaluating your healthy and toxic relationships, finding ways to manage your stress, and caring for your mental health all positively affect gut health. At Gut Authority we prioritize education and help you make the needed changes that not only affect your IBS symptoms but your overall health and longevity. Irritable bowel syndrome plagues millions of people throughout the world and starting with these changes can help you alleviate your symptoms and potentially achieve remission, establishing joy again in your life. We are here for you and serve all of Pensacola, Florida and surrounding areas. Call us today!