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IBS Books > Eating for IBS >
Chapters > A New Way to Eat
A New Way to Eat for IBS ~ What's All This About Fiber?
One of the most troublesome pieces of advice routinely given to people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome is the dictate, "Eat more fiber!" It prompts the question - what kind of fiber?
Most people are never even told that there are actually two types of fiber. The term "fiber" in general refers to a wide variety of substances found in plants. Some of these substances can be dissolved in water ("soluble fiber"), and others do not dissolve ("insoluble fiber"). Insoluble fiber is "rough"; it passes intact through the upper and lower intestinal tract, increasing the frequency, water content, and looseness of bowel movements. Insoluble fiber, and particularly wheat bran, decreases the transit time of fecal matter in the G.I. tract. Although this has the crucial benefit of reducing the colon's exposure to carcinogens, thus inhibiting colon cancer development, it can also trigger painful attacks in IBS sufferers (both left and right side spasms).
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Eating for IBS
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Severe cramping from insoluble fiber can result in either diarrhea from rapid transit OR constipation from slowed motility due to spasms that "seize up" the colon and shut down normal peristalsis.
Soluble fiber, in contrast, is "smooth", and soothing to the digestive tract. It absorbs excess water in the colon, halting diarrhea, and it forms a thick wet gel that pushes through impacted fecal matter, relieving constipation. Soluble fiber also stabilizes and regulates intestinal contractions, normalizing bowel motility from either extreme and preventing the painful spasms of IBS. In short, you can keep your colon stabilized each and every day - whether you are prone to constipation, diarrhea, or if you alternate between the two - by basing all meals and snacks on soluble fiber foods.
Soluble fiber also lowers LDL ("bad") blood cholesterol levels and the resultant risk of heart disease, helps prevent colon cancer, and improves glycemic control in diabetics by slowing the digestion of carbohydrates and the subsequent release of glucose into the blood. In addition, soluble fiber may help prevent blood vessel constriction and the formation of free radicals (both risk factors for heart attacks) by slowing the absorption of fat and carbohydrates into the bloodstream.(34).
Soluble fiber supplements such as Citrucel (methylcellulose), Benefiber (guar gum), and Equalactin or Fibercon (polycarbophil), can be extremely helpful when taken daily. Make sure they are NOT the sugar-free varieties, which have artificial sweeteners in them, and can trigger attacks. Please be aware that although these products are marketed as laxatives, they are not! They actually help treat and prevent diarrhea as effectively as constipation, so please do not be afraid to use them. Soluble fiber alone has this remarkable ability to normalize colonic activity from either extreme. Click here for detailed information about soluble fiber supplements.
Foods that are naturally high in soluble fiber include oatmeal, pasta, rice, potatoes, white breads such as French or sourdough, soy, barley, and oat bran. These foods are also high in complex carbohydrates, which are an important source of readily accessible fuel for energy. Nuts, beans, and lentils are also good sources of soluble fiber but should be treated with care, as nuts are high in fat and both lentils and beans contain some insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber should ALWAYS be the first thing you eat on an empty stomach, and it should form the basis of EVERY snack and meal. Your goal is to keep your colon consistently stabilized by providing it with a regular supply of soluble fiber.
Click here to continue reading Eating for IBS ~ Insoluble Fiber
Click here to view Endnotes.
All content is copyrighted by Heather Van Vorous and MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED without permission.
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