Irritable
Bowel Syndrome,
which is one of the most common digestive system diseases seen in approximately
15% of the population, occurs without any underlying disease in your bowel
habits, and appears as a syndrome which shows together the symptoms such as a
feeling of discomfort in the abdomen, irregular bowel movements, significant
bloating, swelling and the need for an emergency toilet.
It is not
possible to reveal the exact causes of IBS. However, studies have found that
people with IBS have abnormal bowel movements and a disturbance in the
transmission between the muscles and nerves in the intestinal wall. As a
result, the intestine makes incompatible movements in order to defecate, and it
can cause abdominal pain, bloating and problems with the consistency and amount
of stool. Although the reasons for the increase in complaints vary from person
to person, food is of great importance since it is a disorder related to the
digestive system.
What
Should Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients Consume?
In order to
treat IBS, "Elimination diets" are commonly used. In these diets,
foods that are indicated to be sensitive to the individual are excluded from
the diet. However, it is reported that there may be problems in a few key
points specific to elimination diets. Experts underline that it is important to
avoid the consumption of foods that trigger symptoms by keeping nutritional
diaries in individuals.
There are
common triggers in IBS such as fiber deficiency, sensitivity to certain foods
(food intolerance), stress, smoking, alcohol, menstrual period, skipping meals
and eating more than one meal, infections, antibiotic use and other drugs.
What
Foods Should Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Consume?
IBS
patients must frequently consume foods such as fruits and vegetables (except
citrus fruits), wholemeal rice, rice flour, cereals, water, herbal teas,
chicken, fish, potatoes, potato flour, natural yogurt, sunflower seeds and
pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, and sesame.
What
Foods and Drinks Should Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Avoid?
People with
IBS are recommended to stay away from foods such as cheese, milk, beverages
containing caffeine (tea, coffee, cola), chocolate, excessive sugar, high-fat,
excessively spicy and fermented foods, red meat, dried fruit, alcoholic
beverages, artificial sweeteners, diet foods and beverages, wheat and foods
made from unsifted wheat flour (white bread, white pasta, biscuits, cookies,
cakes, pastries).
According
to experts, it is emphasized that very fatty and fried foods should be avoided,
and coffee and alcohol consumption can cause cramps and diarrhea. Because
sorbitol, which is often found in sweeteners, and fructose in natural honey and
some fruits may not be well absorbed from the intestines, and this can again
lead to cramps and diarrhea.
What is the
FODMAP Diet?
Recent
research states that low-fermented foods reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel
syndrome.
FODMAP
stands for Fermented Oligo-saccharide, Disaccharide, Mono-saccharide and
Polyols. These are among the compounds that are not easily digested in our
intestines and cause gas and bloating by fermenting. This is a common problem
in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Shortly,
many foods with high FODMAP content are not consumed for 6 weeks. As a result,
it is expected that these pain and swelling will be greatly reduced. At the end
of these 6 weeks, these foods that cannot be consumed are added to the daily
diet one by one in small amounts. Thus, by observing the effects on the
intestine, we can determine whether the food causes discomfort or not.
