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Simple Tips for Mananging Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) |
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Written by Jeff Behar
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TIPS FOR CONTROLLING IBS
- Eat a varied healthy diet.
- Eat
smaller meals. Try eating 6 small meals a day rather than 3 larger
ones. Large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea, so eating smaller
meals
more often, or eating smaller portions, may help IBS symptoms.
- Keep a food dairy.
Keeping a
diary of what you eat and what your symptoms are for a few weeks may be
a good way to find out if a food bothers you. If you think a food makes
you feel worse, don't eat it. But don't cut out foods unless they have
caused you problems more than once.
- Add Fiber to your diet. High-fiber diets keep the colon mildly
distended, which may help prevent spasms. Some forms of fiber keep
water in the stool, thereby preventing hard stools that are difficult
to pass. Doctors usually recommend a diet with enough fiber to produce
soft, painless bowel movements. High-fiber diets may cause gas and
bloating, although some people report that these symptoms go away
within a few weeks. Increasing fiber intake by 2 to 3 grams per day will help reduce the risk of increased gas and bloating.
- Avoid foods that may.make symptoms worse. This may include foods high in fat or caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and foods that tend to make gas
worse. These include beans, cabbage and some fruits.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Minimize drinking carbonated beverages, such as sodas, may result in gas and
cause discomfort. Chewing gum and eating too quickly can lead to
swallowing air, which also leads to gas.
- Learn
new and better ways to deal with your stress.Stress—feeling mentally or
emotionally tense, troubled, angry, or
overwhelmed—can stimulate colon spasms in people with IBS. In people
with IBS, the colon can be overly responsive to even
slight conflict or stress. Stress management options include, (1)
stress reduction (relaxation) training and relaxation therapies such as
meditation (2) counseling and support (3) regular exercise such as
walking or yoga (4) changes to the stressful situations in your life
(5) adequate sleep.
- Avoid using laxatives. They may weaken your intestines and cause you to be dependent on them.
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Health and Medical 
