The Student Room Group

Diet

I have IBS and I've been trying to readjust my diet for this, I just wondered if this was ok and it was balanced? And if any of you unfortunate IBS sufferers had any tips.

Breakfast = All bran and fruit muesli + milk

At some point during the day I'll have an innocent smoothie and maybe an alpen bar or some other high fibre bar.

Lunch = wholemeal roll and cooked meat OR soup OR chicken wrap OR soup.

Dinner = whatever mum makes! lol. Normally some form of meat and rice/veg/whatever. Admittedly she does give me a lot of microwave, ready made meals which I hate and I've tried to get her to stop :frown:

Thanks for any advice!
Reply 1
My Nanna has IBS and she has some sachet things that she makes into a high fibre drink- I think you need to get them on prescription though.

I think you need more fresh fruit and veg, whether you have IBS is irrelevant really- I can only see about 2 or 3 portions and you should have at least 5, preferably more. Adding dried fruit, eg apricots, sultanas (have just discovered prunes, yummy :smile: ) to your cereal is an easy one. Snack on grapes, apples, celery and carrot sticks, any fruit or veg. Fruit juice can only count as 1 portion because there is hardly any fibre in it compared with the whole fruit. Wholemeal bread, oaty porridge, whole grain cereals, other grains, not just wheat, etc etc. I know it's hard when your parents choose what your main meal is, but maybe if you helped her prepare meals, she'd rely less on the microwave? Though frozen veg takes no time at all in the microwave and there's loads to choose from. Good luck!
Wow that sounds really healthy, and I'm sure it already helps your IBS :smile:

One tip I'd add is to avoid heavy carbs after 8pm if that's poss and as for the innocent smoothie well...

It aint innocent if it's loaded with sugar and preservatives :wink:

You gotta go organic, or as natural as poss with the smoothie, because of your condition.

Also, getting a good/early nights sleep with exercise in the morning will work wonders for the immune system + general health for you.

HTH XxX
Innocent is a brand of smoothies. To quote their site: "Our 100% pure fruit smoothies. No sugar. No concentrates. No funny business."
Reply 4
Plenty of fruit and veg is always gonna be a good thing, so is a highly varied diet. Fibre is really important if you have IBS. IBS can be triggered by one or more specific things - excessive dairy products and oranges weren't good for me. Try keeping a food diary to see if you have a specific food intolerance then putting a diet together. Also, try reducing stress, getting plenty of sleep and eaing smaller meals four or five times in a day.
nhdb13
Plenty of fruit and veg is always gonna be a good thing, so is a highly varied diet. Fibre is really important if you have IBS. IBS can be triggered by one or more specific things - excessive dairy products and oranges weren't good for me. Try keeping a food diary to see if you have a specific food intolerance then putting a diet together. Also, try reducing stress, getting plenty of sleep and eaing smaller meals four or five times in a day.

IBS, and you eat all that wheat? Sounds like a bad idea to me. Try cutting out *all* wheat products for a while, and see if your condition improves. If theres no change, you can go back to eating this way. Just try it. So that includes your all-bran, meusli, bread, pasta, "high-fibre bar" probably.

Ideally you will avoid grains altogether for a while, then try reintroducing, say, oats. No problem? Then try wheat.
Reply 6
Hey thanks for all the help with this.

The innocent smoothies are just pressed fruit. I am very aware that a lot of smoothies come from concentrate or contain barely any fruit, hence I drink the Innocent ones, which can count for five a day if you buy the right ones. I actually forgot to put in that I do manage to eat some fresh fruit, it's hard on my stomach, but I manage most days to get some portions of it. I eat every 2 and a half to 3 hours as well and that really helps.

As for my mums cooking, I do go shopping with her and encourage her to buy non-microwave meals and I'll cook dinner sometimes too just to get good chicken or something.

I have noticed if I wake up earlier than usual, say for work, I feel very sick for most of the day. So I have a routine for bedtime!

As for wheat, the all bran etc was recommended by my doctor so I really don't know what to think there. I don't see how else to get a lot of fibre in my diet if not by all bran type things?

Thanks for all your help!
Anonymous
As for wheat, the all bran etc was recommended by my doctor so I really don't know what to think there. I don't see how else to get a lot of fibre in my diet if not by all bran type things?


well its up to you how strongly you trust your doctor. It isnt a new concept that grains and their fibre can be deleterious to your health. Googling "wheat IBS" brings up plenty of info:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=wheat+IBS&btnG=Google+Search

here is a BBC page that recommends an 8-week "exclusion"... that still includes refined wheat products. Perhaps not the best idea, imo. I say cut out all wheat, for atleast a week or so.

from http://www.numarkpharmacists.com/hn/Concern/Irritable_Bowel.htm is
Limited research has suggested that fibre might help people with IBS.13 14 However, most studies find that IBS sufferers do not benefit by adding wheat bran to their diets,15 16 17 18 and some people feel worse as a result of wheat bran supplementation.19 The lack of positive response to wheat bran may result from a wheat sensitivity,20 which is one of the most common triggers for food sensitivity in people with IBS.21


exclusion tests are the best way to find out what your particular problem(s) is/are. Read some of the google links and see what you think.

edit:
http://www.irritable-bowel-syndrome.ws/wheat-free-diet.htm has some experiences. I think theyre trying to sell something so im sure only good reviews of the lifestyle are included, but I doubt theyre fabricated.

keep an accurate log of your food intake, and any symptoms. You can then review the diary and make connections between your diet and any problems.
try porridge for breakfast - oats are high in soluble fibre, which is much easier on your stomach - look up soluble and insoluble fibre on the net. you can stick some chopped up apple in there or raisins or dates or whatever, which will be easier to digest and count as a portion of fruit.