As many as 10 to 20 percent of the world’s population suffers from some degree of IBS. IBS stands for irritable bowel syndrome and causes a wide degree of discomfort ranging from moderate to severe cramping, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. For those with the most severe cases it can be very socially limiting and make it hard to hold down a job as well. Food is a major issue in dealing with IBS since many times what we eat is a trigger for the disease.

While it is often controlled by a sensible diet, that diet will be different for each individual suffering from IBS. Different foods have different reactions in each person, but there are some that are more commonly known to affect IBS than others. Foods high in gluten–a naturally occurring substance in grain products such as wheat, rye, and barley, alcohol and caffeine products, dairy products, and fatty foods are well-known instigators in IBS cases.

Keeping track of the foods you eat and when you suffer from outbreaks of IBS can help to identify your own personal triggers. One of the most important food sources to help aide in digestion and help to prevent IBS attacks is anything that contains high levels of soluble fiber. The reason for this is that this type of fiber helps to soothe the digestive tract. It also helps to relieve constipation and diarrhea and can even prevent them if the patient feels them coming on.

The real evil food in the entire arsenal of bad foods for IBS patients are fatty foods. While other foods like dairy products, and grain products can trigger IBS depending on the individual’s sensitivity to them, fatty foods are almost universally a culprit in IBS outbreaks and should be avoided at all costs. These foods include, but are not limited to: sweets, breads, and puddings as well as red meats, oils, anything deep fried, or battered, olives, nuts, butter, and coconut milk. Again this is only a very partial list to give an idea of the types of foods that will almost certainly trigger an IBS attack.

Having already talked about soluble fiber and the great impact it has on intestinal health there is also the issue of insoluble fiber. This type of fiber can be either good or bad. These fibers include the ‘gluten group’ mentioned above, as well as nuts, many raw fruits and vegetables, sprouts, legumes, seeds, etc. They are great sources of fiber and can be helpful, but at the same time can contain high levels of fat, or other triggers that can lead to an attack. They also can create an issue for the IBS sufferer in that they make food move through the system faster and that is one of the things that it is most important to avoids so they must be treated with care and caution.

Most important of all, don’t eat everything in one sitting. Large amounts of food cause stomach and intestinal problems in people who suffer from IBS. It is best to eat several small meals rather than a few large ones.

Keep track of the food you eat, be cautious in dealing with new foods until you know their effect on you, and spread out your meals throughout the day and you will be well on your way to living IBS free.