Dr. Paul Deglmann
Meghan Feir Walker
Do you struggle with ongoing digestive problems that don’t test positive for other chronic digestive conditions? While testing may be inconclusive, one thing is certain; your symptoms are very real. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is often the diagnosis when testing is inconclusive and the symptoms fit the “IBS” description. In this article, learn how certain foods can exacerbate the symptoms of IBS and how an IBS diet plan can help improve your gut health.
What is IBS?
Typically diagnosed after all testing comes back negative for other chronic digestive conditions with known causes, irritable bowel syndrome is a bit of a catch-all gastrointestinal disorder. Your symptoms are ongoing, but you didn’t receive any answers after a colonoscopy, endoscopy, ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, stool test, and/or other tests.
Understanding IBS and common symptoms
While you can’t test positive for IBS, symptoms of IBS commonly include the following ailments.
Common IBS symptoms:
- Bloating/gas
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
IBS symptoms can be broken down even further through classifications.
IBS classifications:
- IBS-C: IBS that causes chronic constipation
- IBS-D: IBS that causes chronic diarrhea
- IBS-M: IBS where both constipation and diarrhea occur regularly
- IBS-A: IBS where constipation and diarrhea alternate
How diet impacts irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
The gut is a long tube connected from the mouth to the bottom of the GI tract. When considering potential digestive triggers, examine your diet—the food that travels down the tube into the gut. In other words, what are you eating regularly?
Symptoms vary from person to person, so personalized testing and diet and supplement protocols are essential for each individual. Food can contribute to or cause IBS symptoms in many different ways.
How food can contribute to IBS symptoms:
- When dealing with any gut health-related issue, including IBS, food allergies and sensitivities should be one of the first things considered.
- Bacteria, yeast, and parasites can feed off of undigested food proteins and create gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and constipation/diarrhea.
- Bacteria in the gut can ferment high-FODMAP foods, creating gas, bloating, and other digestive symptoms.
- Undigested food proteins can leak through the gut lining into the bloodstream causing an inflammatory response.
What is a low-FODMAP diet?
FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. These are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars), and the small intestine can have a difficult time digesting them. These different sugars/carbs provide fuel for the bacteria, leading to an increase in symptoms.
FODMAPs are found in a wide variety of foods such as fruits, veggies, grains, cereals, nuts, legumes, lentils, dairy products, and processed foods. Some foods have high amounts of FODMAPs and some have low amounts.
A low-FODMAP diet can help prevent the bacteria in the gut from fermenting these carbs and producing symptoms.
While a low-FODMAP diet can usually help alleviate certain symptoms in IBS sufferers, you should consult with your healthcare practitioner to figure out what diet is best for you.
Foods to eat on an IBS diet plan
An IBS diet should be individualized based on your history and test results. However, some foods commonly cause symptoms, including the following.
Common IBS food triggers:
- Grains
- Dairy
- Legumes
- Onions
- Garlic
- Fruits
- Honey
- Natural sugar alcohols such as mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and more
At RHS, we put together dietary suggestions based on your test results. Our motto is, “Test, don’t guess!”
Tests we commonly use at RHS:
- Genetic testing for gluten sensitivity
- Food allergy/food sensitivity panels
- Stool and organic acids testing to assess the health of the microbiome
- Nutritional deficiencies
- And more
Food journaling/tracking can be helpful if there is a clear and immediate reaction to certain foods. However, you can also have delayed reactions to food. When it comes to delayed reactions, you can react anywhere from 3 hours to 3 weeks after eating a food. This is where testing is needed to figure out if you’re experiencing a delayed hypersensitivity response to particular foods.
Low FODMAP foods
What are the best foods for IBS? In our experience, a low-FODMAP diet can help reduce gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort in IBS sufferers.
While lists can vary a bit from one clinic to the next, here is a list of commonly accepted low-FODMAP foods.
Examples of low-FODMAP foods:
- Eggs
- Fresh and frozen meat/fish
- Bell peppers
- Lettuce and other greens
- Yams
- Zucchini
- Grapefruit
- Berries
- Other fruits and vegetables
- Certain nuts and seeds like walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, etc.
- Certain grains such as oats, rice, millet, teff, etc.
- Pseudo-grains like buckwheat and quinoa
- Certain dairy alternatives
- And many others
Please keep in mind that eating a low-FODMAP diet is intended to be a short-term diet, not a long-term diet, especially for those with IBS-C (irritable bowel syndrome with chronic constipation).
High-fiber foods for IBS-C
Low-FODMAP foods rich in fiber can usually improve constipation and reduce certain symptoms, but start slowly; some people can worsen their symptoms if they start eating too much fiber too quickly.
Probiotic-rich foods
Probiotic-rich foods and supplements have been known to promote gut health as they assist in rebalancing gut bacteria. Eating low-sugar kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled vegetables, and kombucha packed with live cultures can reduce IBS symptoms in many people.
However, probiotic-rich foods can also harm many IBS patients. Sometimes the cause of IBS is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (click here to read more). If you have SIBO, be careful with fermented foods because many of them are high in FODMAPs. FODMAPs can exacerbate the symptoms of SIBO.
When supplementing with probiotics, ask your practitioner which strains won’t intensify certain symptoms or conditions, such as SIBO.
Anti-inflammatory foods
Along with eating a low-FODMAP diet, what foods can calm an IBS flare-up?
While your body uses inflammation to protect and defend itself, it can get triggered into becoming unbalanced and drift into autoimmunity. This can be caused by digestive issues, like leaky gut where undigested food leaks into the bloodstream from tiny holes in the stomach lining.
When your body is already inflamed, many foods can make symptoms worse, including IBS symptoms. This is why choosing anti-inflammatory foods can help calm down your immune system.
Examples of anti-inflammatory foods:
- Turmeric
- Ginger
- Fatty fish, like salmon
- Blueberries
- Leafy greens
- Olive oil
Some anti-inflammatory foods are high in FODMAPs, so when you’re trying to follow a low-FODMAP diet, it’s best to double-check. Many people can still have issues with certain foods on this list, which is why individualized plans are so necessary.
Foods to avoid on an IBS diet plan
As mentioned, inflammatory foods and foods high in FODMAPs can promote inflammation and encourage more intense IBS symptoms. If you have IBS, here is a list of foods you can try avoiding, for at least a short time.
High-FODMAP foods
High-FODMAP foods are not inherently evil. In fact, many extremely healthy foods are high in FODMAPs. However, when you are fighting certain types of IBS or SIBO, these otherwise healthy foods can encourage gas, bloating, and discomfort.
While you should only follow this diet while on a doctor-guided protocol (and for only a short length of time), here are some examples of high-FODMAP foods.
Examples of high-FODMAP foods:
- Some processed and marinated meats
- Garlic
- Onions
- Apples
- Avocados
- Dried fruit
- Other fruits and vegetables
- Certain beans and legumes
- Fermented food and drinks
- Certain nuts like cashews and pistachios
- Certain grains like wheat, barley, and rye
- Dairy
- And many others
The goal is to heal your gut so you can eventually start incorporating these healthy foods (minus the highly processed meat and sometimes grains, depending on the person) back into your diet.
Fatty and fried foods
Since many IBS patients have a hard time digesting fat and certain carbohydrates, fatty, fried foods can trigger IBS symptoms.
From fried and fast food to rich, heavy sauces and processed meats, these types of food can slow down digestion, leading to discomfort and bloating.
Dairy products (for lactose intolerance)
Many people with IBS are also lactose intolerant, which can cause additional symptoms.
Dairy products that may trigger symptoms include:
- Milk
- Cheese
- Cream
- Ice cream
- Butter
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Other forms of dairy
While there are several dairy alternatives, such as almond milk, lactose-free yogurt, and plant-based cheeses, many of the ingredients and gums in these dairy substitutions can also exacerbate digestive symptoms.
Tips for creating an IBS-friendly meal plan
For some people with IBS, eating smaller, more frequent meals can promote better digestion and help the gut not become so overwhelmed.
For IBS-C, low-FODMAP foods rich in fiber are sometimes recommended to help improve constipation. However, we suggest starting slowly because fiber can worsen symptoms in certain people.
Eating a balanced diet can also help improve some symptoms. At the macronutrient level, try to divide your meals into ⅓ protein, ⅓ healthy fats, and ⅓ healthy carbs.
Find relief from IBS symptoms
Everyone is unique, which is why we always take a one-size-fits-one approach at Restorative Health Solutions. No matter how many years you’ve been suffering from symptoms of IBS, you can improve your gut health and minimize or resolve symptoms. With the proper testing, supplement support, and lifestyle and diet modifications, your gut health can improve.
Are you ready for more personalized help? Contact Restorative Health Solutions to set up your free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Paul today.
If this article was helpful to you, consider sharing this with family and friends. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more beneficial health information on chronic tick-borne infections and other topics.
Watch the video
To watch the video related to this article, click here or on the picture below.
